Chapter 5. The Strike That Breaks Her
1879 Words
Delilah stared at him, stunned, everything else fading—the pain, the fear—leaving nothing but shock.
It was only a fall from the second floor, but Delilah wasn’t weightless. At over ninety pounds combined with the impact speed, the hit could’ve been brutal. And he’d taken it all—without a second of hesitation.
What the hell was he thinking?
Delilah gave a dry laugh.
“Wow, Aubrey.I batted my lashes at him once and now you’re here threatening me? Sounds like you’re not so confident in your relationship after all.”
Aubrey’s expression stiffened.
“Enough with the attitude. Sebastian and I are getting engaged on the 18th.If the Cole family finds out you’re trying to stir up trouble, they won’t just stand by and watch.”
Delilah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
“Here’s a tip: instead of threatening me, maybe keep a better leash on your man. If you’re that scared of losing him , maybe carry it around in your purse. As for me? I’ve got nothing to lose, so I’m not scared of people like you.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Vivian snapped and stepped forward, hand raised to slap her.
But before she could land the blow, Delilah’s German Shepherd lunged forward, snarling and clawing at her expensive dress.
“Ahhh!”
Vivian screamed, swatting at the dog in panic. Aubrey shrieked too, frozen in place, unsure whether to run or jump in.
Just as the dog lunged again, Delilah shouted,
“Blaze!Down!”
The dog instantly backed off and returned to her side, calm and obedient.
Vivian wasn’t hurt, but her blouse was ripped open at the front. She clutched her chest, eyes wide, heart racing.
“Mom, let’s just go! That dog is dangerous!”
Aubrey yanked her out of the store, shooting Delilah and Blaze one last glare.
Once the chaos left with them, Delilah crouched beside Blaze and gently rubbed his head.
“Good boy.”
Blaze wasn’t the type to attack without reason—he was fiercely loyal, smart, and always alert. Whether in the shop or by her side, he was more than just a pet. He was her protector.
In the days that followed, Delilah didn’t dwell on the scene. To her, it was just another round of petty drama. She had bigger things to focus on—like getting her clinic up and running.
The next morning, just as Delilah was sleeping in, her phone rang.
It was the branch manager, clearly panicked.
“Ms. Hayes, something’s gone terribly wrong!”
Delilah sat up, instantly alert.“What happened?”
“Five dogs that were vaccinated at our clinic in the past few days...they’ve all died.
The owners are furious—shouting, crying. Some are threatening legal action.
You need to come in. Now.”
Ms. Hayes’s mind froze for a second.
She threw on a T-shirt and jeans, grabbed her keys and phone, and ran out the door.
While driving downtown, she called the manager again to get more details.
All five dogs had received vaccinations from her clinic recently.
They were previously healthy and died under similar circumstances—within 24 to 48hours of the shots.
By the time she arrived at the storefront, a small crowd had already gathered.
Most were standing outside with their arms crossed or pacing, visibly emotional.
A few were holding photos or paperwork.
One woman was crying while talking on the phone.
As soon as Delilah stepped out of her car, the group turned toward her.
A man walked up quickly.“Are you the owner?”
Delilah nodded. “Yes. I'm so sorry—”
The man interrupted. “My dog died yesterday.I want answers. Now.”
Another woman joined in. “Mine too! We trusted your clinic!”
22. Several others raised their voices at once.
Delilah held up her hands. “ I understand how upset you are. I would be too.
I promise, we’re already looking into it.
But please—let’s talk inside. I’ll answer all your questions.”
Two staff members stepped outside and helped Delilah guide the group inside to a waiting area.
Inside, Delilah stood before the group, trying to remain steady despite the pressure.
“I’m heartbroken over what’s happened,” she said.
“We’re investigating urgently.
If this was caused by something on our end, we’ll take full responsibility.
You’ll receive any necessary compensation, and we’ll cooperate fully with the authorities.”
“Compensation won’t bring our dogs back!” a woman cried out.
“This is negligence. You should be reported.”
Another voice added, “We’re calling the police. You better not try to cover this up.”
Delilah nodded. “You’re right. This is serious.
Please do call the police. I want them involved too.
We need the full truth.”
Within twenty minutes, local police and representatives from the Animal Health Authority arrived.
The next morning, Delilah was still in bed when her phone rang.
It was the branch manager, and her voice was tight with panic.
“Ms. Hayes, we’ve got a serious situation!”
Delilah bolted upright.“What happened?”
“Five dogs that were vaccinated at our clinic in the last few days…they’ve all died.”
She froze.“What?”
“Their owners are furious. There’s crying, yelling—some are talking about suing. You need to get here. Now.”
Delilah’s mind went blank for a second. Then she jumped out of bed, threw on a T-shirt and jeans, grabbed her keys and phone, and rushed out.
On the drive downtown, she called the manager back for details.
All five dogs had been healthy before. All of them died within 24 to 48 hours of getting vaccinated.
By the time she pulled up to the clinic, a small crowd had gathered outside.
Most were standing stiffly with arms crossed, a few pacing. Some held vet records or photos. One woman was crying into her phone.
As soon as Delilah stepped out of her car, every head turned.
A man stormed toward her.“Are you the owner?”
Delilah nodded. “Yes. I’m so sorry—”
He cut her off.“My dog died yesterday. I want answers. Now.”
Another woman joined in. “Mine too! We trusted your clinic!”
Several voices rose at once.
Delilah lifted her hands.“I understand how upset you are.I would be too. I promise—we’re investigating right now. But please, let’s step inside. I’ll answer every question you have.”
Two staff members came out to help usher the group into the waiting area.
Inside, Delilah stood in front of them, forcing herself to stay calm.
“I’m devastated this happened,” she said firmly. “We’re working urgently to find out what went wrong.If it was our fault, we’ll take full responsibility. You’ll be compensated, and we’ll fully cooperate with the authorities.”
A woman snapped, “Compensation won’t bring my dog back! This is negligence—you should be reported.”
Delilah nodded. “You’re right. This is serious. Please, go ahead and call the police. I want them involved too. We need the truth.”
Within twenty minutes, local police and officers from the provincial Animal Health Authority arrived. They took statements, and Delilah—along with several staff members—was taken in for formal questioning.
That evening, the preliminary investigation revealed the truth:
The vaccines themselves weren’t the problem.
A licensed vet tech named Emily Carter had swapped out the clinic’s approved vaccines for unapproved, low-quality ones she purchased illegally. this is a serious criminal offense.
Worse, after the incident, Emily failed to show up for work and couldn’t be reached. Authorities now consider her“missing” and have issued a warrant for her arrest.
Even with the culprit identified, the damage was done.
To the public, it wasn’t just one bad employee—it was a management failure. A breach of trust.
The story spread fast.
Animal Health officials ordered a temporary shutdown of all clinic locations for a full review. Loyal customers canceled appointments. Social media exploded. Local news picked it up. Competitors pounced, using the scandal to lure customers away.
Delilah’s once-thriving brand was collapsing.
She barely slept. Her inbox was drowning in refund requests, angry emails, and media inquiries. Lawsuit threats kept piling up. Staff morale tanked.
And something about it didn’t feel random.
The timing. The method. Emily disappearing right after.
This wasn’t an accident.
It was a setup—and whoever did it knew exactly where to hit her.
Fury pushed through her exhaustion.
She grabbed her keys—and drove straight to the Hayes estate.
Half an hour later, Delilah pulled up in front of the Hayes family estate.
The moment she stepped out of the car, she stormed into the house and headed straight for the living room, where a housekeeper appeared nervously.
“Is Vivian home?” Delilah’s tone was ice-cold.
The housekeeper hesitated, clearly intimidated, and pointed upstairs.“She’s…in the master bedroom.”
Delilah didn’t wait for another word. She marched up the staircase, her heels pounding against the floor.
At the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar, she shoved it open with a hard kick.
Vivian was sitting at her vanity, applying lipstick. The sudden bang made her jump. When she saw Delilah in the doorway, her face froze before settling into a cold sneer.
“If you have something to say, wait downstairs,” she snapped.“This is your father’s and my room. Show some manners for once.”
Delilah didn’t bother responding. She strode across the room and swept her arm across the vanity, sending bottles of skincare crashing to the floor.
One of the open serums splashed across Vivian’s silk dress, soaking the front.
“You—” Vivian shot up, shrieking.“You little tramp! What the hell is your problem? Get out!”
Delilah’s eyes blazed.“You bribed my staff to switch the vaccines and kill five innocent dogs. You wanted to ruin my name, didn’t you?”
Vivian’s face hardened.“I have no idea what garbage you’re spewing. Leave now before you regret it.”
Delilah let out a bitter laugh.“After all these years, you still haven’t changed. If you wanted to take me down, you could’ve done it with some class. Instead, you target helpless animals out of spite? That’s low—even for you.”
Vivian narrowed her eyes. For a moment, she didn’t answer. Then she smirked.“Where’s your proof?”
Her voice dropped colder.“You thought you were untouchable before. Guess again. I’ve been around longer than you’ve been alive. If you keep crossing me, you won’t just lose your business—I’ll have you behind bars.”
Her lips curled into a cruel smile.“And that dog of yours? If I see it again, I’ll make sure it disappears.”
The words lit a fire inside Delilah. With a sharp yank, she grabbed Vivian’s hair.
“Ah!” Vivian screamed, thrashing in pain. “Help! Someone—”
“Get your hands off my mother!”
The roar came from the doorway.
- Writer
