Chapter 458


    Chapter 458 Dog


    “Forget it, Jared.” Ingrid waved her hand before wiping her tears and forcing a smile. “It’s no use talking


    about it. Besides, I’ve already epted my fate.”


    “Tell me, Ingrid,” he insisted. “I will help you.”


    “Yes, Ingrid,” added Josephine. “We’ll both do.”


    Ingrid gazed at Josephine for several moments before deciding to trust them. “Jared, do you remember


    Dog?”


    Jared nodded. “Of course I do. He’s the dropout who used to collect protection fees from his victims


    outside the school gates, isn’t he? He even gave me a kick that I haven’t forgotten.”


    “That’s the man I’m marrying,” Ingrid murmured in a small voice. her head hung dejectedly.


    “What?” Jared shouted, his eyes widening with rage. “He’s a degenerate who did not even graduate


    middle school! How did Aunt Sarah allow you to marry him?”


    Though Josephine did not know Dog, she already had a negative impression of him painted in her mind’s


    eye from the way the others were talking about him. This girl is beautiful and vivacious. She deserves to


    marry somebody better than that unsavory-sounding fellow.


    Ingrid began crying again as she recounted to Jared her tale of woe.


    When she was done, Jared turned blue with rage and mmed a fist down on the table, crushing it


    instantly into powder.


    “How dare he!” Josephine shouted.


    As it turned out, Dog did not explore different career opportunities after his expulsion. As the rate of


    industrialization in Horington exploded in recent years, inhabitants of the numerous viges around the


    area had required a nudge to cooperate given therge investments dumped into Avenport for property


    development. Due to abination of high stakes, impatient investors. and tight project deadlines, Dog,


    who had secured a contracting apprenticeship and worked his way to make a name for himself in


    Avenport, had put his bullying skills to good use in a secondary aspect of his job.


    Aside from his actual contracting engagements, Dog had negotiated agreements with the developers


    who were anxious to expedite the demolition. As soon as construction for the day ended, Dog would


    bring the very same men to the asional stubborn residents who rebelled against the developers’


    terms and beat them into submission, often seeding in coercing them into agreeing to a lower rate


    than what was originally offered. As his reputation spread, residents of Avenport began to steer clear of


    Dog.


    Taking a fancy to his schoolmate, Ingrid, he came to the school one day and ckmailed the principal to


    expel her. Then, he threatened Ingrid with her parents in exchange for her promise to marry him, albeit


    out of fear.


    Dog was also in charge of rmending the valuation of properties for approval. In an attempt to curry


    favor with his future inws, he valued Ingrid’s family’s house for a million, and their entire vige to be


    slightly higher than the market rate. As a result, their vige viewed Dog with an impression of


    benevolence that would have stood starkly at odds with any allegations Ingrid might make. As a result,


    Ingrid could only suffer in silence.


    “D*mn it!” Jared muttered through gritted teeth, his eyes shing dangerously.


    He would not have cared if Dog was going to marry any other girl, as incidents of local thugs


    coborating with developers urred wherever urbanization urred. I can’t intervene every time that


    happens. I’m not a missionary! But when ites to Ingrid, there is no way in hell I’ll allow Dog to do as


    he pleases with her!


    “Please don’t act rashly, Jared!” begged Ingrid. “I’ve already made my peace with it. Dog has a group of


    men under hismand, you know. I’d heard that he even has ties to the underground king of


    Horington. Those peoplemit murders without batting an eye! I can’t let you bear that kind of risk for


    me.”


    “Are you referring to Tommy Lewis?” Jared asked.


    Ingrid thought hard for a moment. “That sounds about right. I just heard Dog mention that name once in


    passing.”


    “Leave it to me, Ingrid. I’ll get you out of this marriage and sign you up for university in Horington. You


    need a diploma, at the very least.”


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    “Jared, I-” Ingrid began.