Chapter 4
Yes.
Ever since moving in under the same roof as Ricky Grayton, I had been the one carefully selecting all his clothes.
would wash, dry, and meticulously iron his dirty laundry every day before neatly hanging them in his walk–in closet.
Ricky might despise me deep down, but he was certainly pleased with how well–kept the house was and especially liked the clothes I picked out for him.
“I forgot,” I replied calmly. “If you need anything, you can hire a housekeeper or send them to the dry cleaners.”
The living room fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Ricky disappeared for several days without warning.
His parents mentioned they hadn’t seen us in a while and asked if we could come over for
dinner this weekend.
I called him a few times, but he didn’t pick up.
That evening, while taking a walk around the block, I spotted him heading into the elevator of the building next door.
Curious, I followed him.
He got off on the 10th floor, took out a key, and unlocked an apartment door.
I stood at the doorway, frozen, as a small brown animal darted out and leapt onto me.
Startled, I almost screamed, but then I realized it was a brown toy poodle.
I blinked, momentarily disoriented.
A housekeeper came running out of the apartment, smiling apologetically.
12.16
A Love Left Behind
Chapter 4
“Oh, you must be a resident on this floor! I’m sorry, did my master’s poodle scare you?
Her “master“-did she mean Ricky Grayton?
That couldn’t be right.
Ricky always claimed he hated cats and dogs, couldn’t even stand the sight of them.
Once, I brought home a kitten, and he tossed it out onto the street without hesitation.
For someone who detested pets so much, how could he be keeping a dog?
And to think he’d disappeared for five days, spending his time here with a dog–it made no
sense.
The little poodle was wearing a pink dress.
Such a cute outfit–it felt more like something a woman would dress her pet in.
المصري
4
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
