FreeNovelZoey had had enough. Feeling drained, she pushed herself up and trudged to the bathroom for a shower.
Stripping down, she caught sight of the bruises that peppered her skin, souvenirs from kicks and blows, even her lips weren't
spared.
The woman in the mirror looked gaunt, and her eyes were unnaturally large against her thin face.
After her shower, she returned to find Fitch still hanging around. She didn't quite get his deal, and she didn't press him to leave.
She made herself a steaming bowl! of oatmeal, and it was only then that she felt a flicker of strength return to her body.
While she was at the sink washing dishes, the doorbell rang.
Peering through the video intercom, she saw it was the building manager.
"Zoey," the manager called out from outside.
She hurried to open the door and was met with the sight of the manager holding a small dog.
"Zoey, we found this little guy wandering around the complex. Last tsomeone tossed him into the pond to drown, but
thankfully, a passerby rescued him. We've asked around, and nobody knows whose it is. Someone mentioned it might be yours.
The dog's been at the office, but it's too noisy. Is it yours?"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtZoey stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. After a long moment, she finally took the trembling, grey pup into her arms.
Ozzy whimpered softly.
Her lips quivered, and she was at a loss for words even after closing the door.
Turning around, she remembered Fitch was there and blurted out, "Fitch, look at Ozzy, he's—"
She stopped mid-sentence; with her eyes downcast, she just quietly stroked Ozzy's back.
The last tWendy had carelessly tossed Ozzy downstairs, she had flung him into the pond without a second thought just
because she found him dirty. Zoey didn't know he had been saved.
Fitch stood by the window, with a cigarette between his fingers. When Zoey had called out to him, his eyes had shone with a light
she hadn't seen in ages.
His heart was stirred by that glimmer in her eyes; it was like something pierced right through him, and it hurt.
The cigarette burned down to a stub, and the ash fell to the floor.
Zoey had been too caught up in the moment, immersed in the memory when she and Fitch first found Ozzy together.
Now that Ozzy was back, she'd momentarily forgotten all her recent troubles.
She was that kind of person - a little bit of sweetness could heal her every time.
Ozzy, recognizing his owner's scent, wagged his tail furiously. He had been well-fed by Zoey before, but now he was much thinner,
and his bark sounded tender and pitiful.
As she watched him devour the food in his bowl, her heart melted.
Fitch, by the window, flicked away the cigarette butt.
Just as Zoey was about to get up, she was suddenly pushed down onto the bed.
Pinned down and unable to move, she felt pain; Fitch's hand traveled from her back to the nape of her neck, pressing her head into
the soft pillows. It was a one-sided release of pent-up frustration.
The bed creaked loudly for a long time.
When it was over, his forehead was resting against her back, and his breaths were shallow.
As she was freshly showered, the scent of her body wash lingered in the air - a fragrance Fitch was all too familiar with.
He pulled away, casually grabbing a blanket to cover her.
Zoey said nothing, clinging to the last shred of her sanity.
Fitch's clothes were still neat. After a quick adjustment of his pants, he tossed a card onto the bed.
The card fluttered down, weightless.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe glanced at her, his brow furrowing just a bit before he left without a word.
Zoey lay there, feeling her body aching all over, but she was too exhausted to think any further. Her grip on the sheets loosened,
and she drifted off to sleep.
Downstairs, Fitch didn't drive off immediately.
His hands gripped the steering wheel, and his body was still lingering in the aftermath.
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