Demons Beside You

“Walter!” Fali was overjoyed, but the next moment, she grew hesitant.

This big dog before her eyes looked very similar to Walter, but… Walter couldn’t be so energetic.

Walter wasn’t this big either. He had lost weight dramatically before due to the cancer. He wasn’t even 25 pounds before.

The big dog here now was more than twice Walter’s weight. However, there was those eyes—the close and familiar gaze.

Fali was still hesitant. Was this really Walter?

“Chen, do you need help?” Leonardo came over too.

“Walter?” Fali could only see Walter now.

Woof—

Walter had already run over to Fali, licking her hand.

“You’re really Walter? You didn’t die?”

Woof—

“Miss Fali, what are you doing to my Walter?”

“Your Walter? You thief! You stole Walter. I’m going to report you!”

“When did I steal your Walter?”

“Isn’t this enough proof?” Fali said, pointing at the dog.

“I have a pets permit for it. Can you produce a permit for your Walter?”

“I…I thought Walter had died, so I canceled it already.”

“Why do you think your Walter died?”

“It had cancer and my colleague said that he put it down.”

“Look…does it look like it has cancer?”

“You’re that doctor! You cured Walter?”

“Leonardo, do you believe her? You think I can cure a dog’s cancer?” Chen Zhao still refused to admit it.

“I don’t care how you healed Walter, but he still recognizes me. You saw himi. He knows me.”

“Walter, do you know Leonardo?”

Walter ran over to Leonardo and licked his palm.

“See, it’s friendly to everyone.”

“No. That’s different. It looks at me differently.”

“Please, Miss Fali, get out of my house if you can’t produce evidence that I stole your dog. I don’t welcome crazy woman that accuse me of stealing dogs.”

“Why did you name it Walter? Or is it its original name?”

“Uh…Leonardo, am I not allowed to name my dog?”

“Of course you can. Miss, if there’s nothing else, please leave this home,” Leonardo said unkindly.

“I’m not going unless Walter is going with me.”

“If you insist on making a scene, I can only take you to the station.” In Leonardo’s opinion, Fali was just throwing a fit.

He was more willing to believe in Chen Zhao. After all, Fali had said that her dog had cancer and had been put down.

It wasn’t enough proof that Chen Zhao’s dog had the same name as hers.

“Leonardo.”

“You’re…Gerlyn from the crime squad?” He finally noticed that Gerlyn was there.

“You’re not needed here. Chen and I will take care of this.”

“Okay. Chen, I’m leaving.”

Chen Zhao didn’t know what Gerlyn was planning.

“Chen and this Miss Fali, I don’t know if this dog is your Walter, but it seems to like you. I think you can let it choose between you or Chen.”

“Gerlyn, is this necessary?” Chen looked at Gerlyn, not knowing whether to cry or laugh.

“This respects everyone here, right, Chen?”

“Fine. Let it choose.”

“You two go stand over there. Walter, come here.”

Walter obediently ran over to Gerlyn. She bent down and patted the dog’s head.

“Walter, do you want to go with Chen or Fali? Choose now.” Gerlyn pointed at Chen Zhao and Fali who were standing next to each other.

Walter cocked its head, staring at the two. It didn’t really understand Gerlyn.

“Walter, will you choose me or her?” Chen Zhao repeated.

“Walter, you remember me, right? We fought alongside each other.” Fali stared anxiously at Walter.

The dog stayed beside Gerlyn, not choosing anyone.

“I don’t think it made a choice,” Chen Zhao said. “But I believe that it’s more willing to be with his owner instead of an unfamiliar woman.”

“It didn’t choose. Why do you say it’s more willing to be with you?” Fali refuted.

“Because this is its home and it has friends.” Then Chen Zhao called, “Beelzebub, Carrie.”

Beelzebub and Carrie ran out. Walter immediately started playing with them.

“See, I can’t find any reason why it would want to leave me and its friends,” Chen Zhao said grandly.

Fali was furious. “I think I have someone who can prove that this is Walter.” She called Robio and put him on speaker. “Robio, I’m at Chen’s house. Come here.”

Chen Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. Fali was setting up a trap for Robio.

“Chen? Which Chen?” Robio asked.

Chen Zhao’s heart came back down. Thankfully, Robio wasn’t stupid and reacted quickly.

“You’re still lying to me? Walter didn’t die. You didn’t kill her. You gave her to Chen, right?”

“Fali, Walter’s already dead. Why can’t you accept this? It’s already dead. It had cancer and couldn’t get better.”

“Robio!” Fali growled with clenched teeth. “If you keep lying to me, our friendship is over.”

“Fali, I’m sorry.” Robio’s reply was extremely calm. “Walter is already dead. I can accept it if you blame me for killing it, but can you please accept the fact that it’s already dead?”

“I don’t believe you! I won’t accept it.”

“No matter if you accept it or not, it’s the truth.”

Canan patted Fali’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

He was more willing to support Fali, but logically, he still believed Chen Zhao. After all, it wasn’t a big deal to have two dogs with the same name. Plus, he felt like Fali’s Walter was indeed dead already.

It was just that Fali wasn’t willing to accept the truth. That was why she insisted that Chen Zhao’s dog was hers.

“I will find evidence!” Gritting her teeth, Fali glared at Chen Zhao. “I will expose your true nature and let everyone know that you’re a shameless thief.”

“Please don’t come harass me before you find evidence. Otherwise, I’ll call the cops.”

Chen Zhao closed the door but felt coldness behind him. He could fool the entire world but not Gerlyn.

“Can you explain what’s going on?”