Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Joycelyn wasn't fully awake yet, but the little puppy in her arms was already wide awake, barking at Killion "Rocky," Joycelyn mumbled sleepily, patting the puppy in her arms.
The puppy grew more excited, barking louder at Ellison "Shut up!" Ellison's voice was cold and sharp, his tone cutting through the air as he glared at the noisy puppy.
Startled, the little dog immediately burrowed its head into Joycelyn's arms, whimpering softly, as if it had been deeply wronged.
Joycelyn was completely jolted awake by the sound. She blinked her drowsy eyes and looked up at Ellison, who was standing a few steps away.
"You're up," she said groggily, her voice a little muffled by sleep.
"You slept here last night?" "Yeah." Joycelyn nodded sheepishly, looking at him with a small smile. "The puppy was scared and kept barking "I was worried it might disturb your sleep, so I cdownstairs to keep it company for a while. I must've dozed off" She gave a bashful laugh, her pale face flushed with embarrassment.
Ellison didn't respond immediately. His expression remained unreadable, but his dark eyes seemed to be holding sunspoken emotion.
Joycelyn blinked up at him, instinctively pulling the puppy closer to her chest.
"For a dog, you really went all out," Ellison said, his voice flat and indifferent. Clearly, he couldn't understand why she'd spent the entire night sitting outside with a dog.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtJoycelyn gave an awkward smile, clearly picking up on his displeasure. She didn't know how to reply to that. "But it's really pitiful,” she said softly, her voice tinged with sympathy as she gently stroked the puppy in her arms. “It's only month old and doesn't have a mother anymore." "I'll have William find a dog trainer. Let it stay with them for a few days,” Ellison said, still maintaining his cool demeanor. But at least he didn't push her further.
"What?" Joycelyn blinked in surprise, still half-asleep. She instinctively hugged the trembling puppy tighter, looking every bit the protective mother.
"Uh... can I bring it back after that?” she asked quietly, as if the puppy were her most precious possession. "Depends on how it turns out. If it's not trained well, what's the point of keeping it?" Ellison said coldly. "Here you are, a perfectly good person, sitting out all night just for a dog" Joycelyn felt a little embarrassed by his blunt words.
"Rocky is really smart," she said earnestly, still gently patting the puppy in her arms. "We've only been together for a day, but I believe in him. He'll be the best dog." Ellison didn't say anything, merely nodding slightly. "It's still early. You should get smore sleep," he said, then turned to 1/3 Chapter 36 head out for his morning run.
"Okay," Joycelyn said, gently placing the puppy back in its crate.
"Be good now, okay? I'm going to sleep for a while. Don't bark, or we'll both be in trouble,” she said patiently. The little puppy sat quietly in the crate, wagging its tail happily Joycelyn was exhausted-she hadn't slept well the night before. After closing the crate, she absentmindedly forgot to latch it and got up to leave.
As soon as the puppy saw she was gone, it began to whine restlessly. It pawed at the crate a few times before the door popped open. The puppy immediately leaped out and dashed into the living room to explore.
One hour later, after finishing his run, Ellison noticed the open crate from a distance and immediately had a sinking feeling in his stomach.
When he returned to the living room, he saw a puddle of urine in the middle of the floor, soaking into the rug. His anger flared instantly, nearly clouding his judgment.
Meanwhile, the guilty puppy was happily chewing on his cotton slippers.
"Stupid dog." Ellison gritted his teeth in frustration.
The puppy, startled by his outburst, barked once and then scrambled under the couch with the slipper in its mouth.
Ellison was absolutely livid. Without a second thought, he grabbed his phone and called William.
After Joycelyn woke up from her nap, showered, and changed into a fresh set of clothes, she was shocked by the scene in the living room.
She quickly threw on the hood of her loungewear and, looking confused, asked William, who was already there that morning.
"Wait... are we moving?" Joycelyn froze on the stairs, staring at the nearly empty living room.
The spacious room was filled with activity. A dozen bodyguards were quickly moving all the furniture out to a truck, and near the door, she saw a familiar dog crate. Her heart sank, and she hurried down the stairs.
Inside the crate, the little puppy, which had been curled up earlier, was now excitedly pawing at the bars when it saw Joycelyn.
"The puppy got out of its crate earlier," William explained. "It went to the bathroom twice in the living room and chewed up Mr. Grant's shoes. Mr. Grant ordered all the furniture to be replaced." Joycelyn was still processing the situation when the gravity of William's words hit her.
"Oh no, I must've forgotten to lock the crate when I was half-asleep. Where is he? Is he really mad?" Joycelyn's heart raced. Ellison was already obsessive about cleanliness and didn't like dogs. She felt like she'd stepped into a minefield.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Mr. Grant didn't look happy. He went upstairs," William said, his tone reluctant. It was clear that even he didn't know how to properly explain the intense frustration in Ellison's voice when he'd called earlier.
"Great. Just great." Joycelyn sighed, looking at the lively little dog. She crouched down beside it, her face full of regret.
Chapter 36
"I've already arranged for a professional dog trainer to take care of "} of the puppy." William Continued. "It'll stay with the trainer for a while until it's more obedient, and then we can bring it back "Okay, thanks so much" Joycelyn had originally wanted the puppy as a companion, but now it felt like she'd only invited trouble into her life.
"It's no trouble at all," William said with a calm efficiency, instructing the bodyguards as they continued to replace the furniture. After everything was sorted, he took the puppy with him. Joycelyn stood at the door, feeling a pang of reluctance. She hoped the little guy would be trained well and wouldn't cause any more trouble, so that she could keep him later.
As she turned to go inside, she spotted Ellison coming down the stairs.
Ellison was in a sharp suit, looking colder and more imposing than ever. His presence radiated power, and he carried an almost oppressive aura that seemed to weigh down on the room.
Joycelyn's heart skipped a beat.
"I'm sorry," Joycelyn said, fidgeting nervously with her hands as she stood in front of him. "I didn't lock the crate properly. The puppy made a mess in the house." Ellison barely glanced at her, his expression as cold as ever. He simply turned and walked toward the dining room. "I'm n upset with a dog.
Joycelyn bit her lip, watching him. His words said one thing, but the deep furrow in his brow told a different story. His expression looked as if he might be moments away from snapping.
not "You don't like dogs because you think they're dirty, or is there another reason? Joycelyn asked softly, trying to understand "They're dirty," Ellison replied curtly
Joycelyn nodded thoughtfully. "If you take proper care of pets, they won't carry a lot of germsXI' give it a bath every week "Okay." Ellison didn't sound convinced, but his answer was still short and neutral. "I'll make sure it's all clean and smells nice," Joycelyn added, looking directly at him. "Then, you won't mind it, right?" Her words held a hint of playfulness, but her tone was genuine. What she really meant was, "You won't be scared of the puppy anymore, will you?" It struck Joycelyn as funny-a grown man so afraid of a dog. The contrast was too much, and she couldn't help but stifle a laugh "What are you laughing at?" Ellison turned around sharply, his gaze cold.
E