After His Rebirth, the Obsessive Mafia Boss Who Loved Me to Death Cheated 99 Times

: Apologize to a Dog

After I hung up, just as I was about to drag my numb legs away, my phone suddenly buzzed.

It was a text from Clara Sterling.

"Ms. Lennox, you've pulled the mannequin out of the water, haven't you? Why don't you open the bag and take a look? There's a little surprise inside."

I couldn't help but look toward the burlap sack with the mannequin inside, not far away. My body suddenly went rigid as a chilling suspicion flooded my mind.

I was so horrified I began to tremble, my feet feeling as if they were filled with lead. I couldn't even take a step.

Suddenly, the burlap sack twitched. It sounded like someone was crying out in pain from inside.

I couldn't take it anymore and scrambled toward it, stumbling as I went.

With my hands shaking violently, I struggled to open the sack with all my might...

Clara Sterling's second text arrived a moment later.

"I had someone swap your mom with the mannequin, Ms. Lennox. This is the price for provoking me. I hope you can afford to pay it."

My mother lay inside, her face ashen and streaked with blood. Her hands and feet were bound, and she was soaked through.

At the sight, I nearly fainted.

By the time I used the last of my strength to get her to the hospital, I was told that all available medical resources had been diverted to save a dog that had swallowed some water.

The Nurse pursed her lips and said in resignation, "It's just a dog, yet it's treated as more precious than a person! My life is worse than a dog's!"

"Exactly! If there's a problem with the dog, they should just take it to a Veterinarian. Why mobilize everyone and waste medical resources! Besides, that dog looked perfectly fine to me, running all over the place. It didn't look sick in the slightest. Such an overreaction!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! That dog belongs to Kael Volkov's sweetheart! You're gossiping about Boss Volkov's woman—do you have a death wish?"

My mother was hanging on by a thread. Any more delays and it would be too late.

With no time to think, I had no choice but to find Kael Volkov.

He was in the VIP Ward upstairs. The moment I walked in, I saw Clara Sterling sitting on his lap. They were in an intimate embrace, kissing passionately.

Ordinarily, seeing such a scene would have made me painfully jealous, but right now, I didn't even have the strength for it.

I rushed over and grabbed Kael Volkov's hand.

"Something happened to my mom. She's in critical condition. Please, can you save her?"

Kael Volkov irritably shook my hand away, looking annoyed at the interruption.

"The thing I threw into the sea was a mannequin, not her. What could possibly have happened in such a short time? Stop making a scene, Vivian Lennox. I have no time to play your games."

As the seconds ticked by, I began to cry helplessly.

"I'm not lying... My mom is really in trouble. It was Clara Sterling—she swapped her with the mannequin! She hit her head on a rock when she was thrown in, and she's barely hanging on. She's right here in the hospital. Please, just get a Doctor to see her!"

Hearing this, a flicker of uncertainty crossed Kael Volkov's eyes.

"Ms. Lennox, what are you trying to say? How could I possibly harm your mother? I've already decided to overlook the fact that you tried to drown my dog. Why are you coming here to falsely accuse me now?"

Clara Sterling began to cry as she spoke.

At this, Kael Volkov's expression predictably darkened. He stared at me coldly.

"Apologize."

My mother was hovering on the brink of death. For her sake, I could only choose to endure this.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Sterling. I was wrong. Please, I'm begging you, my mother is an old woman—save her!"

A flicker of triumph showed in Clara Sterling's eyes, but before she could speak, Kael Volkov continued, "Very good. Now, it's the dog's turn."

Kael Volkov pointed at the dog behind me and said with a sneer, "You nearly drowned it. Is it too much to ask for you to apologize?"

Even after all the humiliation I'd already endured, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

'Kael Volkov was actually making me apologize to a dog.'

The color drained from my face. I stared at him in utter disbelief.

"You want me to apologize to a dog?"

Kael Volkov laughed. "What? Feeling aggrieved? Didn't you want me to send someone to save your mother? Apologize to the dog, and I'll agree."

I looked him in the eye, gritting my teeth so hard the humiliation made me wish I could just die.

But when I thought of my mother's ashen face, I realized I didn't even have the luxury of dying.

I stared at Kael Volkov in silence. After a long moment, I finally relented.

I walked over to Clara Sterling's dog, tossed my dignity to the floor, and closed my eyes in despair.

"I'm sorry."