Chapter 3

A year ago, Elaine rescued a stray dog from the roadside and named it Sunny.

Her filming schedule kept her away for months, making pet ownership difficult.

She mustered the courage to ask Dylan for help.

He was engrossed in paperwork, barely glancing up, and waved dismissively. "My suburban house needs a guard dog. Send it there. The old caretaker will handle it."

She thanked him profusely and sent Sunny to the villa.

Sunny was remarkably intelligent. Though it didn't live with her, it knew she was its savior.

Each time they met, its tail wagged like a propeller.

This pure affection became a rare comfort in her bleak life.

She calculated that once she left, Dylan would hardly care for Sunny.

She drove to the suburban villa, planning to take Sunny home and bring it abroad with her.

But when she stepped into the villa's courtyard, no yellow figure greeted her.

Her heart sank, her voice trembling. "Jake, where's Sunny?"

The caretaker hesitated, then whispered, "Last night, Miss Russell returned. She's allergic to dog fur. Mr. Andrews told us to get rid of the dog..."

"Get rid of it?" Elaine felt as if she'd been plunged into icy water. "Where? Where did you take Sunny?"

"Outside the neighborhood..."

Like a madwoman, Elaine rushed out, asking everyone she met if they'd seen a yellow dog.

She searched all afternoon until night fell and rain began to pour, but Sunny remained missing.

Elaine wandered through the downpour, hoarsely calling, "Sunny!"

The dog didn't appear, but Dylan did.

Dylan approached under a black umbrella, swiftly grabbing her soaked arm, his brows furrowed. "Elaine, have you lost your mind?"

She stared into the dim rain, imagining Sunny cold and hungry, her heart burning with panic.

Forgetting herself, she shouted at Dylan, "You promised you'd take care of Sunny! Why did you abandon it? Why?"

Her rare outburst caught Dylan off guard. He stiffened, then said coldly, "Who said I abandoned it? Come with me."

Elaine froze.

He shoved her dripping wet into the back of his Maybach, instructing the driver, "To Riverbay."

Dylan owned an oceanfront house in Riverbay.

The yard bloomed with fragrant white gardenias.

As the gate opened, a familiar yellow figure bounded from a polished doghouse.

Sunny pounced on Elaine, licking her face with its wet tongue.

Then it nuzzled Dylan's pant leg.

Dylan grimaced, signaling a servant to pull the dog away, before saying to the stunned Elaine, "I have plenty of houses. No need to abandon it. Just moved it here."

Surprised, Elaine blurted, "But the caretaker said you got rid of it..."

"Alina has a temper. If I didn't make a show of it, she'd raise hell." His tone was resigned, but a flicker of warmth crossed his eyes.

Elaine thought, that was love.

Loving someone so much that even their tantrums seem endearing.

Suppressing the ache in her chest, she forced a grateful smile. "Thank you, Mr. Andrews. I've got some free time soon. Can I take Sunny home to care for it myself?"

Dylan glanced at her, tossing out casually, "Do what you want."

He'd been out for a while when Alina's call came through. "Dylan, where are you? I'm craving blueberry cake. Go get me some!"

She was the only person in the world who dared speak to Dylan like that.

He didn't mind, a faint smile on his lips. "Alright, I'm on it."

Hanging up, he looked at Elaine, drenched like a drowned rat, and frowned slightly. "I won't have time for you lately. There's a magazine cover shoot. Go do it. Keep yourself busy."

The opportunity he casually offered was a top-tier fashion magazine cover that countless actresses would kill for.

Elaine had no reason to refuse and accepted the "compensation" graciously.

But when she arrived at the studio, she discovered it was a group shoot.

And in the center, commanding the spotlight, was the newly returned, ever-radiant Alina.