Chapter 4 Little Troublemaker's Trick

"So what? What can you do?" Minnie squatted in a corner, holding the carpet with one hand as she watched Michael walk towards her. She wanted to give him a dose of his own medicine.

Michael walked across the corridor with haughty steps. Minnie watched him with expectant eyes, tightening her grip on the carpet.

As Michael got closer, she exerted all her strength and tugged the carpet. The image of Michael collapsing to the floor flashed in her mind. However, nothing happened in reality. She tried pulling the carpet harder, but the man stood tall and still. 'What's going on? Why can't I pull him?'

Michael crossed his arms across his chest and smirked at Minnie, pressing down his full weight on the carpet, making it impossible for Minnie to pull it.

"You are trying to use my trick against me, huh?" He grinned sardonically at Minnie, who was hiding behind a cabinet.

Minnie's heart leaped to her throat. She wanted to run away, but her legs refused to move.

"Are you still trying to run away from me?" Michael threw Minnie on his shoulder and carried her to the bedroom.

The moon hid shyly behind the clouds, casting a subtle glow on the earth. Their verbal spat turned into an animalistic desire, uniting their bodies that night.

Michael woke up early the next morning. He rubbed his throbbing temples and checked the clock; it was only six. The thin quilt was the only piece of clothing covering his naked body.

A wave of regret engulfed him. He had lost his control last night and had ended up satiating his physical desires.

'How could I sleep with an abandoned woman who has given birth to a child? Damn it!' The room reeked of sex.

The sky blue bed sheet curled into a ball. Bile rose in his throat at the sight of Minnie, who was sleeping peacefully. Michael got out of the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom to take a shower.

Minnie heard the faint sound of water pouring down before she jerked up in shock. Someone had poured cold water on her.

She squealed, as her body began to tremble, and wiped off the water.

"Cheap woman, this is a bowl of chicken soup I prepared for you to strengthen your body. Did it taste good?" Bruce chuckled, holding a small bucket in his hand. "By the way, this isn't water. It's my urine."

Minnie's eyes widened in shock. "What the hell? Did you pee on me?" She sniffed her arm and almost choked up, scrunching her nose with disgust. "Are you out of your mind? Why did you pour your urine on me?" Minnie clamped her mouth as the stench of urine made her sick. "And where's the chicken you mentioned? Did you pick up a sick chicken from a trash can?"

She was scared. People had been falling sick due to bird flu. Minnie didn't want to fall ill before accomplishing her plans.

"Sick chicken?" Bruce shook his head and began to laugh hysterically. "I don't need to go looking for a sick chicken when I see one right in front of me. You are a chick, aren't you?"

"Me?" Minnie was dumbfounded; her face flushed with embarrassment.

'How could he call me a chick? Who taught him to mock other women? I can't believe that my son has grown into an arrogant boy just like his father.'

"Bruce, how could you talk like this to me? Don't you know how to behave?" Minnie stood up and flicked off the water gliding down her face. "I will teach you a lesson."

'Wow! Not bad. She seems more interesting than my father's other women who were desperate to please me, ' thought Bruce. He both admired and hated her courage.

"Do what you want. I'm not afraid of you." Bruce smiled innocently.

He put his little finger in his mouth and whistled. Two Tibetan Mastiffs darted into the room through the back door. The dogs nimbly walked across the tables and chairs before pouncing on Minnie.

"GG Bond, Ultraman, attack her!" Heeding their master's command, the dogs lunged forward to sink their fangs on Minnie.

"Bruce! Oh, my God!" She slipped on her coat and jumped away in time. Plumes of cotton flew in the air as the dogs had ripped the pillows apart.

A shiver ran down Minnie's spine. If she hadn't escaped, the dogs would have torn her flesh apart.

"Shh! Your screams are making my ears bleed." Bruce clamped his hands over his ears, smiling innocently.

"Don't you know that these dogs can bite people to death?"

"Of course, I know. So what?" He pouted as the smile on his face vanished in an instant.

"You know that my dad only loves my mommy, don't you? Why are you clinging to him?

You are breaking our family apart, so I'm going to give you a dose of your own medicine."

Minnie didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The boy's actions infuriated her. For a moment, she regretted giving birth to a troublesome child. However, her anger seemed to subside as she realized that circumstances had changed her little boy. Bruce was her son; she believed that she could change him into a better person.

"I'm not here to win your daddy's heart. I am here for you!"

"For me?" Bruce pursed his lips and sized Minnie up before breaking into a fit of laughter. "You are better than I thought. I know that I'm smarter, younger, and more handsome than Daddy.

But I have better taste. You are too old for my liking!" Minnie's eyes widened. Her jaw dropped in shock.

What was the boy talking about? Someone had corrupted his innocent mind. His wicked thoughts frightened her. She couldn't watch her son making snide remarks at her.

"That's not what I meant."

"GG Bond, Ultraman, what are you doing? Go and bite her!" Bruce whistled again, making the two dogs jump on the spot.

The Tibetan Mastiffs growled and began to drool at the sight of her. Bruce witnessed everything with a smile on his face, enjoying Minnie's reaction.

Minnie clenched her jaw and looked out of the window. She looked at the giant sycamore tree and its branches stretching all over the place. She boosted herself to the window sill, took a deep breath, and plunged. The tree saved her from getting hurt. Minnie clung to the branch for dear life and settled on the strong trunk.

She patted her dusty hands and craned her neck to look at Bruce. The boy was sitting on the window sill; his sharp eyes were fixed on her.

"Better stay where you are forever!" Bruce bellowed and ran downstairs. He ordered the servant to set up a wooden armchair under the tree and settled on it with a tub of ice cream.

The two dogs were standing on either side of the tree.

"I'm going to sit right here and see how long you can hold on." Bruce took a big heap of ice cream and ate happily.

Minnie frowned as she watched her son emptying an entire bucket of ice cream. "That's enough! You will catch a cold," she advised.

"Mind your business! I will eat as much as I like!" He shoved another scoop of ice cream into his mouth and moaned with satisfaction.

Sweat beaded on her forehead as the sun beat down relentlessly. The rough trunk poked her back, and the cicadas on the treetop were buzzing in her ears. Minnie wiped her forehead and looked longingly at Bruce, who was enjoying his cold drinks now. Her mouth became dry; she was desperate to quench her thirst.

"What are you staring at? Do you want some?" Bruce grinned wickedly. He ruffled GG Bond's silky hair and fed the beverage to the dog.

"You..." Minnie's face reddened with rage. 'Cruel monster! He is doing everything to provoke me.'

"I will show mercy if you apologize to me. Otherwise, you will have to sit on the tree forever. The choice is yours."

Minnie glared at Bruce and looked away, as if unfazed by his threats. She didn't want to admit her defeat on their first encounter. Otherwise, the boy would never trust her.

"All right. Stay there!" Minnie's attitude infuriated Bruce. Every woman his father had been with tried their best to please him. She was the only one to speak against him. He wanted to show his power and make her regret for offending him.

'I will make you pay the price for your mistakes, ' thought he.

A playful smile crept on his lips. Bruce snapped his fingers; the servants assembled in front of him and set up a barbecue grill on the lawn. Minnie began to choke as the smoke from the grill burned her lungs.

"Is this all you could do? Do you think a little smoke will burn me down?" Minnie climbed higher and smiled triumphantly.

Bruce arched an eyebrow and stared at Minnie. The woman had underestimated him.

Bruce instructed the servants to cook all his favorite dishes. Delicious aroma of food wafted in the air. Chicken legs, succulent fish, palm-sized prawns, and roasted vegetables were assembled on the table. Minnie's mouth started to water.

Her stomach growled inappropriately. It was almost noon, and she hadn't eaten anything since morning. Minnie's body ached all over as Michael had been a ravenous animal on the bed. Hunger, thirst, and pain were killing her. All she wanted to do was eat a sumptuous meal, curl into a ball, and sleep.

"Mr. Bruce, food is ready!" The servant brought a plate loaded with chicken legs. Bruce took a bite, glanced at Minnie, and threw it angrily. "It is overcooked! No one will eat this!"

Minnie stared at him in shock. The chicken leg was a perfect shade of yellow. The smell of cumin mingled with the roasted chicken made her stomach growl louder. She couldn't believe that Bruce had discarded the food as if it were a piece of trash.

Minnie wanted to pounce on it and take a bite of the juicy meat.

"The fish is too raw.

The vegetables are too bland."

Bruce took a bite of the prawn and immediately spat it. "God! These are spicy!''

Minnie's anger reached its pinnacle.

The boy was wasting food. Unable to stand his behavior anymore, she jumped down.