Shining Through the Chaos with My Bulldog
Olivia and Harold glanced down at the bulletproof vests they were wearing when they heard the shout. Natalie knew the people living here were either rich or powerful, and there was a good chance some of them had hidden weapons. That's why she'd made sure to bring three bulletproof vests when they left the house. Wearing them was the only reason the three of them felt bold enough to walk around the villa district in broad daylight, checking every house like they owned the place. They'd found these vests earlier at an abandoned police station, and they still had the official police insignia on them. From a distance, the three of them really did look like some kind of task force. Natalie ignored the man yelling at them and kept walking. But being brushed off only made him raise his voice. "Hey! I'm talking to you guys!" A moment later, a stunning woman in her twenties came running out behind him. When she spotted Natalie's group, she got even more excited than the man. "Oh my god! Has order been restored? Or are you guys sent by the government to rescue us?" She threw her arms around the man beside her and squealed, "Babe, I told you! Once the official base got up and running, they'd invite us to move in first! There's no way we'd get lumped in with all those filthy lowlifes after all the taxes we've paid!" Olivia frowned at her words. What the hell is wrong with her? Lowlifes? Seriously? Harold, meanwhile, was squinting at the man. "Why does that guy look so familiar?"Olivia turned back for a better look at the man still calling out to them. "I think so too ... Wait, hey, isn't that Frederick Pierce? The best actor?" Harold's eyes lit up. "You're right! He actually looks better in person, I almost didn't recognize him." Frederick was the youngest actor in history to win both major acting awards. Born into a wealthy family and famous from a young age, he had an impressive list of critically acclaimed films. Even Harold, who usually didn't care much about the entertainment industry, knew who he was. "Damn, I didn't think being an actor paid that well. Hillside villas aren't exactly for your average millionaire." Natalie finally spoke. "He lives here because his family already did. He's the only celebrity in this whole district." This wasn't the kind of place you could just buy into after a few years of fast fame and money. Hillside villas was where real capital lived. Olivia glanced back at Frederick. "Glad I was never a fan. The whole family's got terrible manners. So what if they've made more money than others? Doesn't give them the right to call people lowlifes." Harold looked over at the woman clinging to Frederick. "Wait a second. Isn't his wife foreign?" Olivia blinked. "Oh, right! A few years ago, their wedding went viral. Tons of media spun it as some kind of symbol of international friendship." Harold narrowed his eyes. "So then who's that woman? She kinda looks like someone from the industry too, but I can't place her." Olivia tilted her head. "She does look familiar ... " Natalie turned and glanced at the woman. "That's Wilona Rowse." Olivia's eyes widened. "Wilona? The professional homewrecker?"Then she squinted, puzzled. "She looks so different in person. She's still pretty, sure, but her features are way less recognizable. On screen, she's way more distinctive." Harold looked over again. "She's a celebrity too?" Olivia nodded. "One of those social media starlets. Not surprised you don't know her." Then she sighed, clearly enjoying the gossip. "So the rumors were true. She really is into wrecking homes. Frederick's got a wife, and she's still out here hanging on him like that." In the courtyard, Frederick and Wilona were clearly annoyed when the three "cops" not only ignored them but also kept whispering to each other like they didn't exist. Wilona's voice turned sharp. "Hey! Are you deaf or what? Can't you hear me talking to you?" Frederick didn't look too happy either. "We pay a ridiculous amount of taxes every year, and this is the kind of service we get?" Wilona clung to his arm. "Babe, don't be mad. They're just a bunch of low-level rent-a-cops, totally manageable." Then she raised her chin, full of attitude. "You—yeah, the one in front—what's your badge number? I'm filing a complaint!" The one in front was Natalie. She turned and gave them a cold, expressionless look, then immediately crossed out the house next to theirs from her mental list. Too noisy. Bad neighbors. Not worth the trouble. People with that much status and that little sense were always a liability. The three of them walked off without a word and headed into a villa a bit farther down the road. Frederick and Wilona, who were used to being worshipped by millions of fans, had never been brushed off like this before. Furious, they stormed out of their gate and followed Natalie's group right into the empty villa. Inside, they found the trio already inspecting the place. Olivia crouched down on the floor. "Hmm ... the corpse here's in decent condition." Harold bent over to get a better look. "Yeah, not stuck to the floor. No maggots either. Probably passed just recently." Natalie glanced at the body calmly. "The owner looks elderly. Be careful when we move them, try not to make the damage worse." Harold nodded. "Let's just bury them in the yard. That way, at least they'll rest in peace at home."
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