Chapter 2
"LOL, there's no way that stalker fan could be Gwen, that attention-seeker.
Could she really drop her pretentious act for this?"
I found the comments section quite offensive.
But actually, they were right.
The so-called despicable stalker fan in the videos was indeed me.
I only wore a mask to avoid being recognized.
The catfish mask was the only headgear I had at home.
So I just wore it.
A warrior never casually took off their mask.
I'm Gwen Grey, known in the entertainment industry as a minor, attention-seeking star.
My public image was that of the least likable kind, a pretentious saint.
I once heard from my agent that my reputation was on the verge of collapse.
In fact, many of the tens of thousands of followers on Twitter were there just to criticize me.
Here was what the trolls said.
"Of all the people to cling to, why did Gwen choose a top star like Michael?"
"Michael posted pictures of his dog, and Gwen deliberately posted selfies with a background that was full of dog supplies."
"When Michael walked the red carpet, Gwen purposely wore the same bracelet."
"Even when Michael went on vacation to Santiago, Gwen’s location changed to Santiago, too."
"Isn’t that obviously seeking attention? Could she really think she’s going to date the movie star?"
To these comments, I only wanted to ask the trolls some questions.
Why didn't you @ me when you were badmouthing me?
Was it because you didn’t know me well?
In fact, the comments were correct.
I was indeed dating Michael.
We had been childhood friends.
Our relationship had been going on for three years.
It was quite easy to find traces of our relationship from various clues.
There were indeed people who had put together detailed arguments questioning our relationship.
But these were dismissed by Michael and Yvonne’s fans as marketing hype from my company.
In the end, everyone just criticized me as an attention-seeking minor star.
My agent often grinned broadly and gave me a thumbs-up with an affectionate tone.
"Gwen, buying marketing hype is great! You know how to ride the wave of popularity! Even being a black sheep gets you noticed!
"Isn’t it better than being forgotten in a corner?
Whenever this happened, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
A minor star’s life mattered, too, okay?
My undercover relationship with the big movie star ended in the third year.
We broke up a month ago.
I moved to another building in the same gated community.
When we broke up, I said, “Give me Naughty back; he can’t live without his mom.”
Michael coldly replied, “No way, Naughty has to stay with Dad.”
Naughty was a corgi.
We got him two years ago.
He needed two walks a day, each lasting an hour.
He slept during the day and ran around at night.
He howled in his cage at six in the morning.
And he tore up the house and parkouring around.
Despite all that, Michael and I were still infatuated with Naughty.
After the breakup, to fight for custody of Naughty, Michael and I had countless arguments.
In the end, they all concluded in my failure.
Michael was such a jerk.
He kept sending me videos of Naughty cuddling him and munching on snacks.
He even added background music to the videos.
“Little doggie, my little doggie, super, super cute doggie…”
“Puppy, puppy, puppy, my lovely puppy…”
I was frustrated.
I admit I was really anxious about not having Naughty around.
Could the Earth keep spinning without my dog? The Earth could, but I couldn’t!
Chapter 3
Without the smell of my little dog, I would go mad!
At that moment, a detailed dog-napping plan formed in my mind. I was desperate. I admit I couldn't bear not having my dog around. Could the world even spin without a little dog? Could it really function without one? I would go insane without my little dog!
I immediately requested a month off from work. I timed it perfectly with Michael’s work schedule. I donned my catfish mask, changed into a black bodysuit, and packed a large bag to go steal my dog back.
But that goddamn Michael had changed the locks on his door. I couldn’t get in. So, I resorted to lurking outside his door, waiting for a chance to steal my Naughty back. Thankfully, the units in Michael’s complex were single occupancy per floor, so I never ran into anyone else.
Many times, I could only cling to the unbudging door, calling out, “Naughty! It’s Mommy! Mommy is here to see you!” Naughty recognized my voice and whimpered. I could hear him scratching at the door in excitement. A catfish and a dog were separated by a door, unable to meet. I cried silently, swearing eternal enmity against Michael!
I agonized for a long time before texting Michael. “I won’t take anything from you after our breakup, but can I have Naughty back?”
Michael replied instantly. “Not a chance. Unless... you’re willing to get back together with me.”
Guys, sometimes I felt utterly helpless. I didn’t respond to Michael. Instead, I vented on Twitter using my alternate account, “Goodbye, will we meet again, doggy? When we meet again, be happy, okay? Doggy, you have to be happy. You have to be happy, okay?
“Your world won’t have me in it anymore. It’s okay; be happy. Doggy, my doggy, how will I live without you? Doggy, take me with you, doggy!”
After my rant, I felt a surge of clarity and resolve.
For the twelfth time, I put on my catfish mask like a warrior donning armor. I gained newfound courage.
I approached Michael’s door once more.
As I sat outside, talking to my dog, I felt something hard under the doormat.
OMG, I found a key!
I inserted the key, turned it, and the door opened.
Rushing in, I finally saw my long-missed Naughty. Despite my mask, Naughty recognized me and excitedly pawed at my leg.
The pain was sharp; my leg felt like it was on fire.
This little guy’s strength was still immense, like a bull.
Though barely able to stand still, I felt a surge of emotion from this familiar force.
Naughty was still so robust!
Struggling against Naughty’s strong pushes, I tried to lift him and run. But I was shocked by his weight.
“Naughty? How did you get so heavy?”
My eyes widened.
“Of course, he’s heavy,” came a deep, resentful voice from the living room.
“You have no idea how many cans he’s eaten this month.”
I looked up and met a pair of deep, intense eyes.
Michael stood there, looking frail while leaning against the wall.
His eyes were red, clearly from crying.
He was the picture of a delicate, helpless beauty.
He looked beautiful, but I was still wearing the catfish mask!
I stood there awkwardly, my toes curling in embarrassment.
I had timed it perfectly; Michael shouldn’t have been home!
The whiskers on my mask trembled slightly from the awkwardness.
One man and one catfish locked in a deep gaze; the scene was unbearably awkward.
I said, "Sorry to bother you. It’s the wrong address."
Michael opened his mouth but just stared at me, the catfish, in resentment.
After a moment, he said, “Gwen, don’t leave. I know it’s you.”