Chapter 310

The husky, still determined, kept jumping on Latisha, leaving muddy paw prints all over her pants.

"This dog really seems to like you," Mortimer said. "I'll post a 'found dog' notice later and see if its owner comes looking. If not, you can have him."

Latisha froze, then quickly waved her hands in refusal.

Mortimer grinned. "Don't be shy. I have plenty of dogs here. I used to have even more, but a lot of them have been adopted. Some owners found their pets and took them back, too."

Hearing this, Latisha felt a sudden temptation, but the thought of Clifford made her dismiss the idea. She pointed to the golden retriever, indicating her preference for calmer dogs.

"Latisha, getting a pet is about connection," Mortimer said. "You might like him, but he might not like you back. It can be exhausting if you're not a good match. He might seem gentle now, but if you take him home and your personalities clash, he could tear your house apart and drive you crazy."

*You might like him, but he might not like you back.* Mortimer's words made Latisha's expression stiffen. He was right. Wasn't that exactly her situation with Clifford? Was that why she was so tired? Because they had no connection?

Seeing her sudden sadness, Mortimer quickly tried to explain. "Hey, don't get me wrong, that's not what I meant. If you really like the golden retriever, you can take him home for a trial run. But if his owner shows up, you'll have to give him back." Latisha pulled her gaze away and managed a small smile. She signed, *You're right. If no one claims that husky, you can give him to me.*

"Sure thing!" Mortimer's bright smile returned. He thought for a moment. "You should probably wait outside the fence. They're done eating, so I'm going to put them back in their pens, and then I'll drive you home."

Latisha stepped out of the enclosure and watched as they herded the dogs back into their individual cages under the shelters. She looked at their busy figures, a distant look in her eyes. They weren't gaining anything from this work, yet they seemed to be enjoying it, genuinely happy. Doing something you love really does add color to your life.

Once they were finished, Sean stayed behind to look after the animals. Mortimer grabbed a set of keys and came over to Latisha. "Let's go. I'll take you home."

Latisha nodded. She followed him to the van, and he started driving back toward the city center.

She turned her head slightly, looking at Mortimer's focused profile, a hint of envy in her eyes. He lived so freely, able to do whatever he wanted. It was truly... enviable.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Mortimer glanced over at her. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well? We can go to a hospital to get you checked out."

Latisha quickly shook her head, signaling that she was fine.

"Oh, by the way, who is that Clifford guy to you? Your brother?"

The Farley family was in the entertainment industry. Even if Mortimer wasn't interested in it, he heard things. He knew Yesenia's boyfriend was Clifford, so he would never have thought of Latisha as Clifford's wife. But seeing how they interacted, he could only guess she was some kind of sister—a cousin, or an adopted sister maybe...

At the word 'sister,' a bitter taste filled Latisha's mouth. For the past twenty years, that was the word she had heard most often when Clifford introduced her to others. After they got married, even that title disappeared. Now, she didn't even know what she was to Clifford.