Chapter 7

Elara Vance pov

The moment the ward door closed, I pulled out the IV needle from the back of my hand.

I endured the intense pain, ignored the doctor's dissuasion, and forcibly checked myself out of the hospital.

My time was running out.

The five-year promise, only three days left.

Since I had decided to die, I should take care of some arrangements beforehand.

Nate Thorne… wouldn't help me with my burial.

I dragged my broken body to a photo studio and had a portrait taken for my memorial.

Then I went to the suburbs, bought a plot in a cemetery, and chose a small urn.

When I returned to the villa, I heard the pitter-patter of paws from the living room.

A golden retriever joyfully rushed over, its tail wagging like a propeller, its wet nose affectionately nudging my leg.

My eyes welled up. I crouched down and hugged it: "Pudding…"

This was the dog Nate and I adopted together when we were eighteen.

Back then, they had just moved in together. He held this puppy and smiled, saying:

"Elara, from now on, we're a family of three. We'll grow old together."

But now, with home gone, love gone, growing old has become a luxury.

Pudding brought a toy ball, looking at me expectantly.

I stroked its head, tears falling onto its fur:

"Good boy, Mom will make you something delicious."

I forced myself to cook meat porridge for Pudding. Watching it wolf down the food, my heart ached.

In three days, I would leave this world. Pudding was getting old; I needed to find it a good home.

After searching all day, I finally found a suitable adopter.

A retired couple of teachers, they had a yard, had experience with golden retrievers, and were very experienced.

I packed Pudding's toys and dog food. Just as I was about to take Pudding out, the villa door suddenly opened.

Sera Bloom walked in, followed by two bodyguards.

Her gaze fell on Pudding, and a cold sneer curled her lips:

"Elara Vance, Nate hates you. He's destroyed almost everything you cherish. Now… there should only be this dog left, right?"

I froze, instinctively shielding Pudding behind me:

"What do you want?"

"Nate hasn't even said anything. You have no right to touch it!"

My voice trembled. "This is our dog, we've had it for ten years…"

Sera scoffed: "You're too naive. He hates you, he hates everything connected to you!"

With that, she clapped her hands, and the two bodyguards immediately rushed in, roughly grabbing Pudding's collar!

"No!"

I lunged to stop them, but a bodyguard pushed me away.

Pudding, startled, frantically struggled to protect its owner, but was hit by the bodyguard's high-voltage stun baton, yelping and collapsing in convulsions.

"Pudding!"

I screamed hysterically. In the chaos, I accidentally bumped into Sera.

Sera took the opportunity to fall backward, tumbling down the steps from the entryway, clutching her stomach and wailing.

"What are you doing?!"

Nate's voice came from the doorway.

Seeing this scene, he immediately rushed over, helped Sera up, and looked at me with icy eyes:

"You pushed her? She just had a kidney transplant, are you trying to kill her?!"

My face was covered in blood, and I trembled as I pointed to the dying Pudding:

"She had her people kill Pudding first! It didn't do anything wrong!"

Nate froze for a moment, his gaze falling on Pudding's body, his eyes showing a momentary flicker of distraction and pain.

But quickly, he masked his emotions and said coldly:

"It's better dead."

"Any proof of our love shouldn't remain."

Those words completely crushed me.

I looked at him, heartbroken, and tears I could no longer hold back streamed down my face.

Yes… it shouldn't exist anymore.

After all, even he himself no longer loved me.