I had no words to respond to Alice’s statement.
As we stood there, locked in a tense stalemate, my phone rang.
It was Quentin.
“Viola,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring.
“All the rescues you adopted have safely arrived in Arcania. I plan to keep them at my estate for now.
“Once you return, we can arrange for their permanent homes. By the way, is there anything I need to be aware of?”
“Already?” I asked slightly in awe.
“Heh, I had them flown in on my private jet.”
“Marina Sands is warmer than Arcania. Make sure they stay warm so they don’t catch a cold.”
“Understood!” Quentin chirped.
That night, Justin’s attention was fully on Alice, so naturally, he did not care about the situation at the veterinary clinic.
It was why I had asked Quentin to take all the rescues away that very evening.
With them safely out of reach, there was no longer any need for me to pretend.
I placed my glass down and was about to leave when Alice suddenly grabbed my hand.
Then she raised her voice, “Oh, Viola, if you like the ring so much, I’ll take it off for you. There’s no need to try to pull it off! My hand hurts so much.”
Her delicate brows furrowed, and her face flushed bright red, as though she had been deeply wronged.
Justin, who had been outside the door, rushed over at the sound of the commotion.
