Chapter 3

The next morning, as soon as I arrived at the training center, I could tell something was off.

Lisa at the front desk looked at me with shifty eyes, and several colleagues huddled together whispering.

I'd barely reached my workstation when the boss's office door burst open.

Amanda swept in with three elegantly dressed women, marching forward aggressively.

"Everyone, come look! This is your center's star instructor!"

Amanda held up an enlarged screenshot--it was the disciplinary notice from the Emergency Response Association.

"She doesn't even have an emergency certification, yet she dares to randomly press on people's stomachs out in public!"

Colleagues around me began pointing and whispering.

The boss followed behind, his face ashen, sweating profusely as he tried to placate them with a forced smile.

"Ms. Wilson, please calm down. The training center will definitely handle this matter seriously."

"Handle it seriously? You're still keeping this dangerous person around?"

One of the women beside her added with sharp sarcasm.

"We paid premium VIP tuition. If you use someone like this to teach us emergency response, we'll demand an immediate refund and sue you!"

I strode forward and snatched the notice from Amanda's hand.

"Amanda, have you caused enough trouble?"

I stared into her eyes, my voice cold as ice.

"I'll say it one more time. Yesterday, you were the one kneeling on the ground begging me to save him."

"Bullshit!" Amanda glared right back without backing down.

"I was desperate! If I'd known you were an unlicensed fraud, I would have waited for the ambulance rather than let you touch my son!"

She turned to the boss, pressing aggressively.

"Mr. Johnson, if you don't fire her today, I'll expose this immediately and make sure your center shuts down for good!"

The boss wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to look at me.

"Sophia, you're terminated. Don't come in tomorrow."

I froze.

"Mr. Johnson, I've worked at this training center for four years. I've trained countless excellent students and never made a single mistake. You're firing me because of her unreasonable tantrum?"

"Sophia, the training center has its difficulties too."

The boss avoided my gaze, his voice cold and hard.

"The fact that your certification expired and you were disciplined is real. The training center can't let one person damage the entire brand's reputation."

"You hear that? Now get lost!" Amanda laughed triumphantly.

I looked at the boss's cold face and suddenly felt that any defense was meaningless.

"Fine. I'm leaving."

I gathered my personal items from the desk, carried the box, and walked out the center's main doors.

The cold autumn wind hit my face like knife cuts.

I wandered aimlessly on the streets for two hours before dragging my exhausted body home.

I pushed open the door. The house was silent.

Usually, as soon as I opened the door, my golden retriever that I'd raised for five years would wag his tail and rush over to nuzzle my legs.

Today, nothing.

I set down the box and searched through the living room and bedroom.

Nothing.

The dog bed was gone. The leash was gone. Even his food bowl was missing.

Just then, Ethan came through the door.

He was carrying two takeout meals. When he saw me, he froze for a moment.

"Why are you home so early?"

I looked at him.

"Ethan, where's my dog?"

Ethan avoided my gaze, setting the takeout on the table with a casual tone.

"Oh, I gave him away."

"Where did you take him?!" I rushed over and grabbed his collar.

Ethan pushed me away impatiently.

"That stray dog shelter on the outskirts. He won't die."

Tears instantly welled up in my eyes.

"Are you insane? He's been pampered since he was a puppy and you dumped him at a shelter?"

"What choice did I have!" Ethan suddenly raised his voice and shouted back.

"Amanda posted on the forum that dogs carry rabies virus that can be transmitted through the air to her kid!"

He glared at me self-righteously.

"The management came knocking this morning, demanding we get rid of him! What was I supposed to do, wait for them to break down our door?"

"Amanda says there's a virus and you believe her? Who the hell does she think she is!"

I lunged toward the door like a madwoman.

"Sophia, enough!" Ethan grabbed my arm.

"It's just a dog! When this blows over I'll buy you another one!"

"Get away from me!"