Doberman

DM Chapter 20

 

It was only now that he felt free to sneer at the man who was born to a prostitute in Ireland and not in Russia. Though no one dared speak of it openly, the man with a broken head against the brick wall, Romanov, decided to allow himself to insult him at this level.

 

“Sounds like you’re cursing me.”

 

Not knowing what thought had spared his life, Romanov fled the hospital right after suturing his broken head, fearing Owen might return. Instead of returning to his chaotic mansion, he hid in one of the brothels owned by his subordinates. So, there’s no way someone just heard what he said…

 

He felt the drug coursing through his veins snap. The person who entered, lounging comfortably with his shirt unbuttoned, allowed his black hair to fall beneath his neat forehead.

 

“Pavel?”

 

Calling out the name without certainty, the other person smiled.

 

A similar drug-induced vibe emanated from his relaxed face. Without asking permission, the man sat next to Romanov with his legs spread wide, gathered the haphazardly scattered drug with his hands, and snorted it with his nose.

 

“Hik.”

 

White powder remained on the chin and jaw.

 

He rubbed it off with his thumb and smiled, revealing his white teeth.

 

“The pig’s head is all cracked up.”

 

“Who’s to blame for all this?”

 

“Fuck, if they’re going to kill you, hitting the head is not the way to do it.”

 

Chuckling, the man buried his upper body deep into the sofa. A strong scent of perfume emanated from his body, as if he had been making out with a woman.

 

Among the brothels, it is a place that operates a membership club for those who have a relatively social position, so he can only hear the occasional giggle and small talk.

 

All transactions occurred in their private rooms.

 

Romanov had seen the man in front of him for a long time, but sometimes he felt a creepy vibe from him, making it uncomfortable.

 

He was a man who had one of several rooms in front of his name. This means that he spends a long time in this brothel. He took after his father, who was obsessed with drugs and women. When pretending to be clean, he looked quite presentable, but inherently, he lacked any nutritional value and was rather vulgar up close.

 

“Stop arguing and just take your medicine.”

 

“What a shitty-looking asshole with a shitty face. Just cut off that tongue of yours. If it were me, I’d have cut off your tongue first.”

 

Romanov suppressed his wounded feelings, thinking it would be a loss for him to say anything to the man who was already intoxicated with drugs and laughing while wiggling his upper body. The man leaned his head on the armrest of the sofa and looked at Romanov at an angle before speaking.

 

“I heard you were caught by Owen.”

 

They should have cut his tongue. As the man suggested, it might be better.

 

With that cunning tongue already played with, if he decides, he can easily reveal his presence here to Owen. Thinking of hiding again, he felt it was not a good idea to be intoxicated like this. He contacted Boris first when he woke up in the unknown hospital, where he couldn’t figure out who brought him. But Boris didn’t answer.

 

Romanov knew that his opponent was Owen, and Boris wouldn’t be able to intervene, but he couldn’t help feeling unfair.

 

If he stays still and hides well, Boris will contact him again, like always.

 

Romanov was his loyal dog.

 

“Phew…. If only it weren’t for that woman.”

 

“A woman?”

 

The man’s eyes glazed over, as if he had been under the influence of drugs.

 

His eyes resembled those of a beast, and involuntarily, Romanov flinched.

 

“He’s been hanging out with a woman.”

 

“Owen has a woman?”

 

“An Asian….”

 

“What the fuck? What the fuck is this again? Haha.”

 

The man laughed, grabbing his belly, as Romanov tried to leave the room. Tears welled up in the corners of the man’s eyes. Whether it was the influence of the drugs or not, he laughed so much that his breath was gasping.

 

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

 

While drugs helped him forget the pain, they also blurred his rationality.

 

“So, did Owen crack your head open because of a woman? Did you mess with his woman?”

 

Surprisingly, even though the man was under the influence of drugs, he paid attention to Romanov’s words. His blurry pupils suddenly became clear. To leave this place without his permission would be like leaving another enemy behind. Romanov reluctantly settled back into his rising buttocks.

 

“I didn’t touch her; I just thought some stupid bitch was trying to…”

 

The events at the casino unfolded effortlessly in Romanov’s narration.

 

Until Romanov’s story was completely finished, the eyes that had sparkled with interest didn’t lose their sense.

 

“So that’s what happened? Interesting things always seem to happen when I’m not around.”

 

The man scratched his chin meaninglessly with his finger and twisted his lips.

 

“Because of a damn annoying woman who isn’t worth a damn even if you chew her up.”

 

If I see her, I won’t leave her alone.

 

His anger subsided a bit at the thought of catching her and letting him have his way with her. Romanov grunted. It was unfair to lose money, and he felt indignant that Owen dared to strike him.

 

“He’s a fucking asshole. Isn’t he?”

 

The man smirked, echoing Romanov’s words.

 

As excitement surged and blood started flowing freely, the drug-induced calmness that seemed to have subsided in his brain once again took hold. Forgetting his attempt to get up, Romanov buried his massive body on the sofa.

 

“Where’s the foxy bitch?”

 

He could no longer discern what he was saying. Perhaps deciding there was nothing more to hear from Romanov, the man lapsed into his own thoughts.

 

Suddenly, a good idea occurred to him—what if he let Nikolai, who loved playing chess, know about this fact? Especially if the woman next to Owen was indeed an authentic Asian.

 

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

Owen didn’t come home for a few days.

 

Even though she hadn’t actively checked, she knew because the three dogs stayed by her side. The dogs, who would dash out as soon as their real owner appeared, lingered around her bed for several days.

 

Neither Owen nor Yuri had ever mentioned the names of these three. So Sarin decided to name them based on their size and demeanor: the largest one became Blue, the next in rank Yellow, and the youngest Pink.

 

“Hayan.”

 

As Sarin affectionately called in Korean, the dogs perked up their ears. Although, of course, they didn’t recognize the words and simply found her gaze so endearing that Sarin waved her hand.

 

“I didn’t call you.”

 

The dogs all responded to her sweet voice. Yuri shuddered at the sight of dogs, and Sarin thought for a moment that they might be from hell for the first few days. However, after spending time with them, she realized they were gentle creatures.

 

– Auntie!

 

Hayan called Sarin after receiving a call from Mrs. Hong.

 

Both Sarin and her sister, Irin, had left Hayan in other places several times to go to work. Fortunately, the child has come to consider it normal to be separated from them. But the longer she stayed in Eden City, the more the child sought her out. Though unable to speak the truth about the situation, this phone call was important for Sarin.

 

– Is Dad still not around today?

 

“Your dad is very busy, and he asked me to apologize again for today.”

 

– Auntie is a liar.

 

Her chest tightened as if she had been caught red-handed. She cleared her throat.

 

“Why is Auntie a liar?”

 

– Hayan really, really wants to see Dad, but Auntie doesn’t like it.

 

“Why does Hayan think I dislike your dad?”

 

– Because you only want to find dad when I ask…

 

It meant that if she really liked Hayan’s father, she would have visited him before Hayan asked.

 

She was sharp for a five-year-old sometimes. She said what was on her mind, and it broke Sarin’s heart. There’s a saying that children who have suffered mature quickly and become more perceptive.

 

“Mmm….”

 

– Did Hayan hurt Auntie again?

 

Sarin widened her eyes, fearing that tears would fall in an instant.

 

“No, what did Auntie say about Hayan?”

 

– An angel who fell from the sky. Auntie loves Hayan the most in the world.

 

A distorted laughter escaped Sarin at the child’s voice, echoing her words exactly.

 

“That’s right. Hayan is Auntie’s angel.”

 

She didn’t show herself crying in front of the child.

 

Not even at Irin’s funeral. Sarin spoke to the child with a smile, even in a space filled with sorrow. It was only after the child fell asleep in her arms that she pinched her own inner arm until it bruised, biting her lip and silently crying. She remembered the day when her tears fell on the face of the sleeping child.

 

– I miss you, Auntie…

 

“Auntie is working hard to earn a lot of money for Hayan.”

 

It was true. She still had Owen’s envelope hidden in the deepest recesses of her dresser.

 

– I don’t have a mom, I don’t have an aunt, and my dad doesn’t want to see Hayan….

 

After soothing her for a while, I broke the news to Mrs. Hong that I had received child support from the child’s father. She was overjoyed. She asked her to keep the child for a while longer, then she hung up the phone.

 

She’s always happy to talk to her, but after she hangs up, she feels guilty.

 

It wasn’t child support, but it was still a lot of money. She had to find a way to send it back to Korea.

 

While talking, her mouth had become dry. When Sarin stood up and approached the door, the three dogs were already waiting quietly under the bed.

 

“Hungry?”

 

As soon as she opened the door, the three dogs jumped ominously in unison.

 

Sitting on the refurbished sofa in front of her, she tilted her head slightly and made eye contact with Owen.

 

…Did he hear it?

 

Her mouth felt parched. Sarin was choked and hardened without saying anything.