Beneath the Sweet Facade, a Dog Scammer

The moment I heard that unit number, I froze in shock.

Unit 601, Building 8—that’s my apartment.

Since when did my dad have another daughter?

The property manager shot me a smug look and said with disdain.

“So, what’s it gonna be? Get on your knees and apologize to Miss Quinn, and we’ll let this slide. Otherwise, trust me, we’ve got plenty of ways to make your life miserable.”

Xena stood there, smirking triumphantly, waiting for me to grovel.

But I was not an idiot. I broke free from their grip, pulled out my phone, and called the police on the spot.

*

Both Xena and I were taken to the police station to give our statements.

I cooperated fully with the officers, telling them everything that happened. When they reviewed the security footage, it was clear that I acted in self-defense.

Xena, on the other hand, was found at fault for walking her dog without a leash, for causing the entire altercation, and for assaulting me.

But when the verdict came down, Xena didn’t even flinch.

“Ugh, are you guys done yet?” she scoffed, completely unfazed. “So what if my dog bit her? Just tell me how much. I’ll pay.”

The officer’s tone turned stern.

“Miss Quinn, this isn’t just about money.”

Xena slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet.

“Oh, cut the crap! You dragged this out with reports and cameras—what, you’re hoping for a payday? Fine! Name your price!”

I stared at her, amused. Honestly, if I hadn’t seen her cramped little one-bedroom rental, I might have believed she was some rich heiress.

“Well, if she wants to act high and mighty, who am I to deny her a fitting price?” I thought to myself.

I flashed her a cold smile.

“Fine. You want to pay? Give me one million dollars.”

Her face twisted with fury. “You… shameless!”

I raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “What’s wrong? Can’t afford it? Then why play the rich heiress?”

Xena’s eyes blazed, and she stomped her foot in frustration before whipping out her phone and making a call.

Moments later, she smirked at me with renewed confidence.

“One million? No problem. My boyfriend’s on his way. He’ll handle it.”

No sooner had those words left her lips than my phone started ringing.

The caller ID flashed—Hugo.

His voice came through, smooth but slightly tense:

“Kate, you’ve called me so many times. What’s going on?”

My gut screamed that something was off. The image of that bracelet flashed in my mind again.

My voice turned cold.

“It’s nothing.”

But Hugo didn’t hang up. Instead, he hesitated, then said,

“Kate, listen... something urgent came up at the company. I need some funds. Can you transfer me one million yuan?”

One million? What a coincidence.

I kept my tone sweet, pretending to agree.

“Sure, babe. I’ll handle it.”

Then, I hung up.

Turning to Xena, I smirked playfully.

“Tell you what—once I see one million hit my account, I’ll gladly get on my knees and apologize.”

Xena’s eyes lit up with smug delight, and she sneered.

“You really don’t know when to quit. Face it—now that I’m the main woman, you’re just history.”

Her words weren’t lost on me. The meaning was crystal clear.

*

Sure enough—ten minutes later, Hugo burst into the police station, his face flushed and panicked.

“Officer,” he said, trying to steady his breath, “the dog is mine. Whatever compensation is required, we’ll pay it!”

The officer shot him a glance and asked,

“And what’s your relationship with Miss Quinn?”

Before Hugo could answer, Xena slid up to his side, wrapping her arm around his with a sickeningly sweet smile.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

Hugo didn’t deny it. Instead, he straightened up, his tone taking on a smug edge.

“Alright, who’s the victim? How much do you want? Just name your price.”

I stood behind them, a cold smirk curling on my lips.

“Well, well… small world. How about I give you two a special deal—$880,000 for old times’ sake?”

The moment the words left my mouth, Hugo’s head snapped around. His face drained of color, eyes wide with panic.

And in that split second, I saw guilt.

But then, in a flash, he tried to recover, forcing a shaky smile as he shuffled toward me nervously.