Chapter 16 288 iVouchers She instinctively turned around , only to see a giant black shape hurtling toward her . Terrified , she slumped to the ground . Dogs had petrified her since childhood , and this monstrous one pushed her panic beyond limits . The dog was barely half a meter away , and she could even hear its panting . She froze , unable to even utter a sound . " Axel ! Come back ! " Just then , a girl in athletic wear with a high ponytail appeared in front of her . The Rottweiler immediately ran back to her . " Good boy ! " She bent slightly to pat his head and feed him a treat . Only then did Claudine come back to her senses . She blinked slowly , trying to calm down . " Sorry . You must be frightened . " The woman walked toward Claudine and pulled her up . " Axel just returned from abroad with me and hasn't been familiar with the surroundings . I took him out for a walk , and I didn't expect him to charge at you like that . " Claudine forced a smile in response . Restless , Axel came forward , wanting to approach her . Her hair stood on end as her gaze fell upon the massive dog , its shoulders nearly level with her waist . The woman smiled , " Don't let Axel's size fool you . " He's actually very gentle . He just wants to get closer because he likes you . See ? He wants to play . with you . " When saying this , she even led Axel closer to Claudine . Claudine took a few steps back to distance herself from them . " Thanks , but … no . " Even the sight of Axel terrified her . There was no way she'd come near him . 0.0 % 03:51 Chapter 16 The woman didn't insist . 288 Vouchers She smiled while extending her hand , " Where are my manners ? I'm Audrey Lavigne , and I've just come back to the country . I guess we're neighbors , huh ? " Introverted as Claudine was , she didn't lack basic courtesy . Smiling , she said , " Hi . I'm Claudine Hogan . " Audrey murmured Claudine's name before smiling , " I love your name . And you're so pretty . No wonder Axel likes you the first sight . " Her compliment felt backhanded . But Claudine decided to let it slide . She had never been one for socializing . Though they both lived here , she didn't think they'd see each other often . " It's getting late . See you , " she said , ready to leave . To her surprise , Audrey followed her while leading Axel . " I've been living abroad with Axel before . And I came back this time to reunite with my partner and daughter , " Au- drey said . Claudine frowned . Why was Audrey telling her this ? They had just met . Perhaps after all this time abroad , Audrey found everyone back home familiar . She smiled and said nothing . Just then , Audrey's phone rang . She glanced at the screen before smiling and picking up . " I'm downstairs . Axel is naughty today and scared someone . " The person on the other end of the line said something , and she blushed , smiling sheepishly . " Alright . I'll come home now to see the surprise you've prepared for me . " She hung up and entered the elevator with Claudine . Glancing at Claudine , she said with a smile , " That was my partner . " He said he'd planned a surprise party for my return . Why don't you join us ? The more , the merrier . " Claudine eyed the dog from the far corner of the elevator , eyeing the dog , but the unease lingered . She and Audrey had just bumped into each other . Being neighbors didn't mean they had to start visiting or getting close . 39.5 % 03:51 Chapter 16 So when Audrey invited her with that warm smile , Claudine hesitated . " Thanks , but I'd hate to ruin your night . " The elevator stopped at Claudine's floor . She stepped out . Audrey smiled and waved goodbye as the doors slid shut . Back in her apartment , it was pitch dark , and the air felt heavy . Claudine opened every window just to breathe . Then she dropped onto the couch and closed her eyes for a bit . A sudden blast made her jump . She looked out the window and saw fireworks lighting up the sky . 86.7 %