Rich Cat A Would Never Fall in Love with a Fake Heiress - Chapter 4

Mo Li was restless and distracted, completely unaware that she was stepping into an unfamiliar black shed.

Everything was eerily silent. With each step she took, the fallen leaves rustled under her feet.

The moment her toes crossed the threshold, the sound of clanking chains echoed from the darkness, followed by fierce, savage growls. A dark shadow slammed heavily into Mo Li’s calf, its jaws snapping to bite.

Fortunately, Mo Li had honed her reflexes in the slums. The instant she lost her balance, she retracted her leg and scrambled backward.

The pitch-black giant dog tried to lunge and tear at her again but was yanked back by its chain. The violent force made its eyes roll back, drool dripping from its mouth.

A sharp pain shot through Mo Li’s calf. Looking down, she saw several deep gashes, blood pouring out. Never one to take a beating lying down, she scanned her surroundings, picked up a sturdy branch, and prepared to retaliate.

But a middle-aged man, drawn by the noise, abruptly shut the shed door and stood in her way.

Seeing Mo Li disheveled but not seriously injured, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness Noke didn’t hurt you badly. This is Miss Mo Wang’s dog, it usually only listens to her.”

He carefully locked the shed door, his eyes nervously darting to the branch in Mo Li’s hand.

“If the master and mistress found out Noke caused trouble, Miss Mo Wang would be in a difficult position.”

“I’ll have someone take you to get your wounds dressed and find you a change of clothes.”

Despite the warm summer day, a chill ran through Mo Li’s heart, so deep she barely registered the pain.

Why was it that after she’d been bitten, this man’s first concern was Mo Wang’s predicament? And why wouldn’t he let her strike back at that damned dog?

Did these people truly see her as inferior even to one of Mo Wang’s dogs?

The man handed her off to a maid, who silently led her to a room, bandaged her wounds, and found her a pair of loose trousers, covering everything up without a trace.

“Please rest well tonight. There’s no need to come downstairs.”

The maid took her bloodstained clothes, bowed, and closed the door.

Mo Li lowered her eyes, concealing the icy fury within. She took off the trousers, tore off the bandages with force.

Stimulated, the wounds gushed fresh blood. Mo Li smiled coldly instead. She pulled a white dress from the wardrobe, ripped it to shreds, and pressed it against her injuries.

When she put the torn white dress back on, her expression shifted, frail and pitiful. Swaying unsteadily, she walked out of the bedroom and headed straight for the heart of the bustling banquet.

…

The banquet was in full swing. Mo Li’s mother was clinking glasses and chatting animatedly, a mask of polite hypocrisy on her face.

But the hall suddenly fell silent. The lady she had been speaking with stopped mid-sentence, eyes wide as she stared behind Mo’s mother.

Turning around, Mo’s mother nearly gasped aloud.

Covered in blood, Mo Li came running toward her, sobbing. Three bloody gashes marked her leg, and a trail of bloody footprints stained the floor.

Some of the more delicate Omegas fainted on the spot. Mo’s mother fought back nausea and took a step back.

Luckily, Mo Li didn’t throw her bloodied self into her mother’s arms. Instead, she stumbled and fell right in front of her, kneeling on the ground and weeping bitterly.

“Mom, the big black dog in the yard is so fierce. It scratched me as soon as I approached and even tried to bite me.”

The address “Mom” softened Mo Mother’s heart, stirring a rare maternal compassion. She immediately called out, “Mo Wang, bring someone to tend to Xiao Li’s wound.”

Hearing this, Mo Wang pushed through the crowd and hurried over. She reached out to support Mo Li’s shoulder and examine the injury, but Mo Li subtly evaded her touch.

Mo Wang paused briefly but didn’t hesitate further. She pulled out her phone to summon servants and the family doctor. Once the doctor arrived and began stanching Mo Li’s bleeding, she instructed the attendants to politely disperse the guests from the party.

Mo Li observed everything.

Though Mo Wang appeared obedient to Mo Mother, she had quietly tightened her grip on the family’s affairs.

By the time the wound was nearly bandaged, Mo Father had rushed back. Seeing Mo Li pale on the couch and bloodstains everywhere, he grabbed Mo Wang, who stood with her head bowed, and slapped her hard.

The Alpha’s explosive rage was terrifying. Unprepared, Mo Wang staggered several steps before steadying herself against the windowsill, motionless.

When she regained her composure, she knelt silently on the floor, her disheveled hair obscuring her face from Mo Li’s view.

“I told you to keep that dog under control, didn’t I? Have it euthanized now. Don’t come back until it’s dead.”

Mo Wang pressed her forehead to the floor in a gesture of complete submission but spoke up for the first time in her defense: “I never intended for Mo Li to get hurt. Noke has been injured before while apprehending an armed intruder. Father, I will discipline him properly.”

She lifted her face at just the right moment, revealing her usually flawless features now swollen and bruised, with a trail of blood trickling from her split lip.

Mo Father was taken aback, his anger stifled. He averted his gaze and conceded. “Your face is unfit to be seen. You’re confined for half a month, use the time to control your dog. Let this be the last time.”

“And what’s the use of keeping that dog handler? Fire him immediately.”

Before Mo Wang could respond, Mo Li interjected, “It’s not the uncle’s fault. It’s mine. That uncle drove the big black dog away and protected me.”

Mo Mother quickly added, “How could it be Xiao Li’s fault?”

If it wasn’t the handler’s fault or Mo Li’s, then the blame fell on Mo Wang.

Mo Father glanced again at Mo Wang’s battered face and said nothing more. Instead, he turned his stern gaze to Mo Li. “Why didn’t you stay upstairs when this happened? Must you embarrass the Mo family like this?”

Surprised by his lack of empathy, Mo Li abandoned any remaining hope in him. She curled her legs and feigned pitifulness. “I’m sorry, Father. I was too scared.”

Mo Mother intervened, “Why are you shouting at the child? She’s only been here a few days.”

Then, she signaled to Mo Wang with a look. “Take your sister upstairs now.”

Mo Wang replied softly, “Yes. Goodnight, Mother, Father.”

Mo Li expected her to lead her by the hand upstairs, but instead, Mo Wang crouched halfway, revealing her delicate, pale back, and waited for Mo Li to climb on.

Hesitantly, Mo Li reached out and wrapped her arms around Mo Wang’s neck. She was then lifted by her legs and carried steadily upstairs.

Despite her resentment, the warmth of the shoulders and back beneath her was real. With each step, Mo Li absorbed a sense of familial affection she had never known in her twelve years.

For a moment, she even considered letting go of the bitterness and resentment from the past decade of living a swapped life to do nothing, stay in the Mo residence, eat well, dress warmly, and live as a manipulated canary.

The path was short, and before long, Mo Wang set her down at the bedroom door, turning to leave without a word.

Mo Li couldn’t help but speak up, “Aren’t you going to ask me anything?”

Mo Wang glanced back, her eyes dim and her tone distant to the extreme, “There’s nothing to say. The struggle between us has begun, hasn’t it?”

With that, she pushed open the door to the adjacent bedroom, her back straight, and walked in without looking back.

The next morning, breakfast wasn’t brought upstairs. After washing up, Mo Li rubbed her eyes and went downstairs.

She happened upon Mo’s father and mother eating at the table. The long breakfast table was exquisitely arranged, and the servants standing nearby kept their heads bowed, promptly clearing the dishes.

Mo’s mother unhurriedly swallowed her food and greeted Mo Li with a smile. Mo’s father nodded silently in her direction but paused, his gaze lingering on her slightly disheveled hair.

He remarked critically, “We should assign someone to take care of her daily needs.”

Mo’s mother nodded, “Leave it to Mo Wang to handle.”

Suddenly, she paused, “Where is Mo Wang?”

The female steward nearby seized the opportunity to speak, “Miss Mo Wang had a slight fever last night. This morning, she felt unwell and didn’t want to trouble you and the master, so I brought her breakfast upstairs.”

Mo Wang’s face had been swollen and red last night; today, it was surely bruised and unsightly.

At this thought, Mo’s mother didn’t press further, simply instructing the steward, “How long have you been by Mo Wang’s side, taking care of her?”

“Seven years.”

“Experienced, then. From now on, you’ll assist Xiao Li. Mo Wang can find someone else.”

The steward’s shoulders stiffened. Mo Li could already see her mouth forming the word “no,” but no sound came out, she swallowed her refusal.

“Then I’ll serve Miss Mo Li her meal now.”

A clever move. Refusing at this point would only raise suspicions about Mo Wang.

Mo Li ate without tasting the food, thinking to herself that she had not only caused Mo Wang to be beaten but also taken away someone close to her. Mo Wang would surely react with furious resistance…

Yet, for the next two days, Mo Wang remained shut in her room, making no move.

Noke, deprived of food for several days and unable to see his owner, grew listless.

Since Mo Li had spoken up for the dog trainer in front of Mo’s father, he allowed Noke to be muzzled, his claws trimmed, and made an exception for Mo Li to enter. She tugged at the dog’s ears a few times.

“He’s a Tibetan Mastiff. This breed isn’t very intelligent and only remembers Miss Mo Wang, so it only recognizes her.”

Mo Li nodded. Taking advantage of the dog’s hunger and weakness, she roughly stroked its fur a few times. Noke whimpered in protest, but Mo Li found his dark, cool eyes particularly spirited.

In the following days, Mo Li took over feeding duties from the dog trainer, offering food from a distance. Sometimes, she leaned against the fence and, counting on the dog’s inability to understand, rambled and complained about everything.

The new steward assigned by Mo’s mother was exceedingly respectful, answering every question, helping her dress and wash, and even procuring a smart terminal for her.

However, the scheduling of tutors for different subjects had always been managed by Mo Wang. With their falling out, Mo Li no longer had any classes.

Mo’s mother never concerned herself with such matters. She was someone who avoided trouble, treating Mo Li like a pet, amusing herself with her occasionally but otherwise paying no attention.

In other words, even if Mo Li lacked tutoring and couldn’t attend school, Mother Mo would simply shrug it off, thinking it was better to keep her at home where things were simpler.

Father Mo, on the other hand, assumed everything at home would fall into place naturally. He went to work with a stern face and returned home with the same expression, only softening slightly when he saw Mother Mo.

Mo Li patted the massive dog’s head beside her and muttered self-deprecatingly, “Why am I even talking to you? You wouldn’t understand anyway.”

Over the past couple of days, Noke had finally allowed her to get close, even the dog trainer found it remarkable.

Noke nudged her hand, urging her to fetch his meal.

Mo Li tapped the dog’s head and stood up, but Noke suddenly grew excited, wagging his tail vigorously and straining against his chain with boundless enthusiasm.

Following his gaze, she saw Mo Wang walking along the path, a faint purplish-red mark at the corner of her lips. When Mo Wang noticed Mo Li in the shed, peacefully coexisting with Noke, a flicker of resentment flashed in her eyes.

Mo Wang turned to the dog trainer and spoke slowly, “Send Noke to the ranch tomorrow. I’ll arrange everything with the owner.”

The trainer hesitated, “Miss Mo Wang, didn’t the master say he wouldn’t pursue the matter this time?”

“This is my decision. I assure you, it won’t affect your position here.”

Unaware of what was happening, Noke pawed at Mo Li, who was closest to him, begging for his chain to be released, his tail wagging like a propeller.

Mo Li frowned. “Noke hasn’t done anything wrong. Why are you-”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. Mo Wang grabbed her by the collar, lifting her off the ground until their noses nearly touched. The dead calm in Mo Wang’s eyes was gone, replaced by a raw, unhinged mix of obsession and fury.

Mo Wang tapped Mo Li’s chest with her fingertip and hissed in a low voice, “I don’t want a dog tamed by someone else. What’s mine cannot be touched by filthy hands. Mo Li, I’ll give back everything you’ve taken from me, but-”

Abruptly, she let go.

Mo Li stumbled and fell to the ground but quickly lifted her head, her blood boiling, her gaze fierce as a young wolf’s.

Mo Wang looked down at her from above.

“Keep a close watch on that little plot of yours. I’ll make sure you reap nothing from it.”