My "Puppy" Boyfriend

1 I had barely stepped into the courtyard of my apartment complex when a hand cut through the air, delivering a stinging slap right across my face. "You! It was you!" shrieked Mrs. Roberts, her face contorted with rage as she lunged at me. "You walked your dog without a leash last night, and that rabid beast of yours mauled my husband!" "He's clinging to life in the hospital right now, and you are going to pay for this today!" I clutched my burning cheek, my blood boiling instantly. "Are you out of your mind? I don't even own a dog! How could my dog have bitten your husband?" Without missing a beat, Mrs. Roberts whipped out her phone and began wailing to the gathering crowd, playing the victim. "Look at her, everyone! My husband is in the emergency room, and this dog owner is already trying to squirm out of it!" The surrounding neighbors erupted instantly. "How can she deny it after her dog mauled someone? What a monster!" "Call the cops! Don't let this sociopath get away with it!" "Walking a dog without a leash and hurting people, she needs to be locked up!" Listening to the barrage of insults, I trembled with sheer fury. Me? Keep a dog? I was keeping a college student! A sweet, innocent little puppy of a boyfriend! … Suppressing my anger, I tried to reason with the crowd. "Listen to me, everyone. I don't own a dog, so there is absolutely no way my non-existent pet bit anyone!" "I don't even know this woman. She has clearly mistaken me for someone else!" Hearing this, Mrs. Roberts raised her voice by an octave, her screech piercing the air. "Bullshit! How could I mistake you for anyone else?" "I heard you with my own ears on the phone, telling someone how obedient and sweet your little puppy is!" "And then, that very night, my husband got attacked in the courtyard garden!" "You're the only one in this entire building who talks about having a puppy! Who else could it be?" To back up her claim, she aggressively tapped her screen and played an audio recording. "Seriously, girl, that little puppy of mine is incredible! So sweet, but he's got so much energy. And when he gets wild at night, like a total wolf, I couldn't be happier!" Hearing my own voice blasting from her speakers, I nearly burst out laughing. To anyone with a shred of modern vocabulary, the slang was painfully obvious. "Hear that? She said it herself! It's right there in the recording! She owns a puppy!" "Exactly! And she even called it a wolf! That must be a vicious, dangerous beast!" "Good heavens, how can someone be so shameless?" The absurdity of the neighbors' reactions left me completely dumbfounded. "Wait, are you all living under a rock? Do none of you use the internet?" "When I said puppy and wolf, I didn't mean actual..." Before I could finish, Mrs. Roberts lunged at me like a wild animal. I stepped aside just in time, and she went flying, hitting the pavement face-first. "Ow! Oh, the cruelty! What did I do to deserve this?" Seizing the opportunity, Mrs. Roberts sat right there on the concrete and began wailing at the top of her lungs, wiping away imaginary tears. "My poor husband! First he gets mauled by a dog, and now the owner is pushing me around! Where is the justice in this world?" The crowd, seeing her pathetic display, looked at me with renewed hatred. "Don't worry, Mrs. Roberts, we've got your back!" "That's right! Keeping a dangerous dog off-leash is a crime, especially when it attacks someone!" "Let's call the police right now! Make sure she and her mutt get locked up!" "Absolutely! We can't let her get away with this!" The neighbors chimed in, feeding off each other's outrage. But the moment Mrs. Roberts heard the word police, a flicker of panic crossed her face. "No! Don't call the police!" she cried out. "By the time the cops get here, my husband might be dead! I don't care about the law right now, I just want her to pay for his medical bills! As long as she covers the hospital costs, that's all I ask!" Watching her perform with plenty of noise but not a single tear, I cold-eyed her. "Mrs. Roberts, everything requires proof. You know better than anyone whether your husband was actually bitten by a dog." Her face stiffened, her shifty eyes darting around. In the next second, she scrambled to her feet, only to drop straight to her knees right in front of me, sobbing hysterically. "Audrey, I beg of you, have some mercy! Save my husband!" "I won't press charges for your dog attacking him. I just need a hundred thousand dollars for his surgery! Please, just give me the money to save his life!" She began banging her forehead against the ground, and within seconds, a trickle of blood appeared on her brow. The onlookers went completely wild at the sight. Several neighbors rushed to pull her up, turning to glare at me with venomous eyes. "Are you even human? Letting an elderly woman kneel and beg like this?" "You and your dog are cut from the same cloth, absolute garbage!" "Our community doesn't want people like you! Get the hell out!" As the crowd's anger reached a boiling point, a smug gleam flashed in Mrs. Roberts's eyes. "Please, everyone, don't say that. If we make her angry, my husband's medical bills..." She made a show of trying to kneel again. I was speechless. I had never seen anyone so shamelessly desperate to scam someone. To prevent her from escalating this theater further, I spoke up, raising my voice to cut through the noise. "Everyone, look at the facts! The truth is not what you think!" "I do not own a dog. I can guarantee that to all of you!" "And as for Mrs. Roberts's claims about a dog attack..." I paused, my gaze locking onto her cold and sharp. "Ma'am, I can let the fact that you slapped me slide for now. But if you utter another word of slander about my non-existent dog biting your husband, I will call the police and sue you for defamation immediately." The sheer coldness in my voice finally silenced the crowd. Even Mrs. Roberts seemed startled, taking a half-step back. I honestly thought that would be the end of it. But that evening, Mrs. Roberts returned, this time leading a hostile mob of tenants to my front door. The man at the front pointed a finger right at my nose, shouting, "Audrey, you are going to pay Mrs. Roberts for her losses right now, and then you are going to take your dog and get the hell out of our building!" "Exactly! A beast like that should be put down!" "The owner is just as bad as the dog!" The accusations flew, their spit practically flying in my face. "Everyone, calm down and listen to me," I said, raising my voice to command attention. "Since Mrs. Roberts is so absolutely sure my dog bit her husband, let me ask you this: where is the dog?" I swung my front door wide open. "Take a look for yourselves!" "She keeps claiming I have a dog in here. Look around. Is there a single trace of an animal in my home?" A few nosy neighbors leaned forward, peeking into my apartment. The place was spotless. The hardwood floors were immaculate, without a single stray hair, and the air was fresh, completely devoid of any pet odors. It looked entirely untouched by any animal. Whispers broke out among the crowd. "It really doesn't look like she has a dog." "Yeah, there's no smell at all." "Could Mrs. Roberts be making this up to get money?" "No way! Mrs. Roberts is always so sweet. She would never pull a stunt like that!" Sensing the shift in the air, Mrs. Roberts panicked. "Don't let her trick you! She must have hidden the dog somewhere else!" "But I have proof! I have security footage right here on my phone!" She thrust her screen in front of everyone's faces. In the grainy video, her husband was walking through the building's garden when two dark shapes suddenly lunged at him, pinning him to the ground. A figure resembling me stood a few yards away, watching coldly. "Look! It's her and her beasts! Who else could it be?" "That is complete garbage!" I snapped. "The person in that video isn't me!" If you had even a basic understanding of modern technology, you would know how ridiculous this is! But my defense only provoked the neighbors further. "The proof is right there, and you're still lying!" "How shameless can you be?" "You and your vicious pets are a menace!" I opened my mouth to explain that my puppy was actually my sweet, innocent college boyfriend, but I hesitated. The internet could be a toxic place, and dragging an innocent college student into a neighborhood dispute felt unfair to him. I forced myself to swallow the words. Taking my silence as a confession of guilt, Mrs. Roberts grew bolder. "See, everyone? The moment I show the footage, Audrey has nothing to say!" "It's plain as day that her dog did this, yet she refuses to take responsibility!" Then, her tone shifted, wrapping herself in a cloak of false generosity. "But I'm not a cruel woman. Audrey, I'll give you a chance to make things right." "Just admit your dog bit my husband, cover all the medical expenses, and pay us five hundred thousand dollars for emotional distress, and we can put this behind us." "I'll even tell the neighbors it was all a big misunderstanding so you can keep living here in peace." Looking at her smug, extortionate face, I trembled with fury. "Don't think of me as harsh, dear. You only have your vicious dog to blame..." "Forget it!" I cut her off. "You won't get a single penny from me!" "If you think you can blackmail me, you're delusional!" With that, I slammed the door shut, locking them all out in the hallway. Muffled curses and insults still drifted through the door, but I didn't care. I immediately called the property manager to lodge a formal complaint. Before long, the security guards managed to disperse the crowd. I spent the next hour organizing the audio recordings from earlier, ready to hand them over to my lawyer first thing in the morning. Yet, the next morning, a post titled "Spoiled Heiress's Unleashed Dogs Maul Elderly Man, Owner Refuses to Pay" went viral online. In the video, Mrs. Roberts was weeping hysterically to the camera. "Please, everyone, help us..." "There's a girl in our building named Audrey who keeps two wild, vicious dogs." "She never uses a leash, and last night her beasts brutally attacked my husband!" "Now, she refuses to take accountability and even threatened to ruin our lives!" "My poor husband is fighting for his life in the ICU, waiting for a critical surgery. I beg of you, help us get justice..." She displayed photos of her husband in the hospital bed, interspersed with heavily edited clips of her kneeling before me while I coldly shut my door on her. The heart-wrenching sight of an elderly woman pleading for help instantly ignited the internet's fury. "What an absolute monster! Is she even human?" "Walking dangerous dogs off-leash and acting like she owns the place?" "Lock her up and put those dogs down!" "Someone call the authorities immediately, she cannot get away with this!" Riding the wave of online outrage, Mrs. Roberts pushed her narrative even further in the comments. "To tell you the truth, my sweet children, I don't even dare to report this to the police. Her family is incredibly wealthy and powerful, ordinary folks like us don't stand a chance." "I don't want trouble. I just want her to cover the one hundred thousand dollars for his ICU bills. That's all." The internet took the bait hook, line, and sinker. Within hours, I was branded a cold-blooded attempted murderer, a spoiled brat abusing her privilege. Before long, internet vigilantes doxed my personal information. My phone buzzed incessantly with friend requests and hateful messages, each one more toxic than the last. Worse, someone leaked my exact apartment address. By afternoon, trash and red paint had been splattered across my front door. Then, my assistant called, her voice trembling. "Audrey, we have a massive crisis! The company's public image is tanking, and several major partners have already sent termination notices for our upcoming projects!" That was the final straw. My blood ran boiling hot. In a single night, my home, my company, and my reputation had been completely dragged through the mud by a malicious, scheming old woman. I picked up my phone and dialed Toby, a close friend who worked at the city's hospital. "Toby, I need a massive favor." "Of course, Audrey. Name it." "Can you look up the admission records and medical files for a patient who came in last night, an elderly man admitted by a Mrs. Roberts?" "On it. I'll get back to you as soon as I find something." No sooner had I hung up than my boyfriend's name flashed on my screen. "Audrey! Are you okay? I saw the videos online. I'm so worried about you." His youthful voice was laced with panic. Hearing his genuine concern, a warmth bloomed in my chest, melting some of the icy anger. "I'm fine, sweetie. Don't worry. Just focus on your lectures today." "No way! How can I focus when people are attacking you? I'm coming over right now!" His protective tone had a childish, clingy edge to it, and I couldn't help but smile. "Alright. Just give me a call before you arrive." As I hung up, a plan began to take shape in my mind. Since Mrs. Roberts was so incredibly convinced that I kept a couple of wild beasts, I might as well let her meet the actual beast himself. I hoped she was ready for him. By the time I walked down, the entrance of our building was swarming with reporters, internet live-streamers, and a small mob of self-righteous protesters holding up banners. "Justice for the Elderly! Put Down the Vicious Dogs!" Staring at the bold red letters, I pulled out my phone and dialed 911. "Hello, I'd like to report a case of malicious harassment, defamation, and blackmail." Within ten minutes, the wail of sirens echoed from down the street. Armed with the evidence I had compiled, I stepped past the lobby doors. The moment the crowd caught sight of me, they surged forward like a wave, thrusting cameras, microphones, and smartphones directly into my face. "Ms. Audrey, the internet says you let your unleashed dogs maul an elderly man and refuse to pay for his medical treatment. Is that true?" "Ms. Audrey, did you deliberately walk dangerous dogs off-leash in a public area?" "Are you avoiding responsibility because you think an elderly victim has no voice?" Their questions were sharp, designed to paint me as a heartless villain. I kept my expression calm, walking right past them. "Everyone, I have already contacted the authorities, and officers are on their way. I believe the police will uncover the truth and clear my name." Right on cue, two police officers walked through the crowd. "Who called the police? What's going on here?" "I did, Officer," I said, stepping forward. "This woman, Mrs. Roberts, has falsely accused me of keeping dogs that allegedly bit her husband. She has fabricated stories online, leading to massive harassment against me." "Her actions have severely disrupted my personal life and damaged my business reputation. I want to file charges for extortion and defamation." "Officer, don't believe a single word she says!" Mrs. Roberts shrieked, elbowing her way to the front. "Her rabid beasts mauled my poor husband! Now she's trying to flip the script and call me a liar!" The officer raised a hand to calm Mrs. Roberts down before turning back to me. "Ms. Audrey, you claim she is extorting and defaming you. Do you have any proof?" "I do," I replied, holding my ground. "Clear, indisputable proof." Mrs. Roberts scoffed, though a hint of panic flickered in her eyes. "What proof could you possibly have?" The surrounding neighbors started chiming in again. "Officer, don't let her talk her way out of this!" "We all heard her talk about those dogs!" "Arrest her and put those vicious animals down!" Just then, my phone buzzed in my hand. I glanced at the screen and then looked at the officers. "Officer, my key witness and evidence just arrived." I swiped to answer. "Hey, babe, just walk right up to the front gate. I'm right here." After hanging up, I addressed the crowd. "Mrs. Roberts has been insisting to everyone that my little puppy and wild wolf are the vicious animals that attacked her husband." "Well, my sweet puppy just got here." Hearing this, Mrs. Roberts looked as if she had been injected with adrenaline. "Officers, did you hear that? She just admitted it! Those rabid beasts are coming!" "Get your tasers out! Kill those monsters before they hurt anyone else!" But as the words puppy and wolf echoed in the air, the younger bystanders in the crowd exchanged bewildered, knowing looks. "Wait, puppy? Wolf? Is she using those terms the way I think she is?" "Oh, absolutely..." "No way..." Several reporters and internet hosts turned to stare at Mrs. Roberts with rising amusement. One female reporter couldn't help but ask, "Ma'am, are you absolutely sure she keeps two actual dogs, and not... two human partners?" The police officers' expressions turned thoroughly unimpressed. But Mrs. Roberts was completely oblivious to the slang, raising her chin triumphantly. "Of course I'm sure!" "She keeps two of them!" "One little puppy!" "One wild wolf!" "I heard her call them that myself!" She threw a smug, challenging look in my direction. An awkward, heavy silence settled over the crowd. A few reporters quietly lowered their microphones, exchanging embarrassed glances. Two minutes later, a tall, striking figure emerged from the edge of the street. I raised my hand and waved. "Right there!" "That's my little puppy and my wild wolf!" Every eye in the crowd followed the line of my finger. In the next second, a collective, audible gasp rippled through the courtyard.