Chapter 1

1

I had been with Garrett for six years, and I had taken care of his dog for just as long.

Tonight, while I was out walking him, he suddenly bolted and threw himself excitedly into the arms of Garrett's ex-girlfriend.

I had no time to react. The sudden jerk yanked me off my feet and slammed me hard onto the concrete.

I lost the baby. On the way to the emergency room, everything suddenly became crystal clear.

A dog that already has a master will never truly bond with someone else.

People are the exact same way.

When I got home, I asked Garrett for a divorce.

He frowned, staring at me in sheer disbelief. "You want a divorce over a damn dog?"

"Yes. Just because of a dog."

......

When I handed the divorce agreement to Garrett, he looked at me like I was an alien.

"Talia, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now? Are you seriously divorcing me over a dog?"

The light in my eyes completely died out.

I stared at Garrett's cold expression, and then at Buster, the golden retriever baring his teeth at me.

Seeing that I remained silent, Garrett ripped the divorce papers to shreds. He pointed right at my nose, his voice sharp and angry.

"Don't forget you were the one who begged to marry me in the first place! Now you think you can just leave whenever you want? What about the six years I wasted on you?"

"Buster just tripped you by accident. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?"

I hadn't even gotten the chance to tell Garrett about the pregnancy. I had planned to give him a surprise on his birthday.

In the six years we had been married, we had struggled to conceive. Not only were our families pressuring us, but Garrett also blamed me entirely, making me drink all kinds of bitter herbal concoctions and home remedies.

I had desperately wanted his child because I loved him down to my bones. Even when I felt neglected and hurt, I still wanted to stay by his side.

Buster had been around since before Garrett and I got together. He was the dog Garrett had raised with his ex, Bianca.

I used to think dogs were loyal and emotional creatures. After our wedding, I gave everything to Garrett and took meticulous care of the dog, too.

I bathed him, walked him every single day, and cooked fresh gourmet meals for him so he wouldn't feel abandoned after losing his original mom.

I knew deep down that I gave Buster far more love and care than Bianca ever did.

Yet, just like an ungrateful pet, Garrett remained just as cold and untamable.

It was just an ordinary evening when I took Buster down for a walk. Suddenly, Bianca appeared in our neighborhood.

Buster caught her scent and lunged forward with all his strength. I lost my balance and was dragged violently across the pavement.

He dragged me several yards. The friction against the rough ground tore my skin, making me break out in a cold sweat from the excruciating pain.

A wave of sharp, agonizing pain tore through my lower abdomen, leaving a trail of blood on the sidewalk behind me.

A kind stranger called 911 for me. In that moment of agony, I did not care why Bianca was lurking near our building.

Nor did I care why Buster's memory of her was so sharp, especially when I had spent six years trying to teach him how to give a simple high-five without success.

The cruelest irony was when Garrett rushed to the hospital after getting the call.

His first words were not asking if I was okay, or if I was hurt. Instead, he snapped at me in panic.

"Where is Buster? You can't even walk a dog without losing him?"

My vision was blurry, and my lips were parched and cracked. Before I could even answer, he dashed right out of the hospital.

The doctor's words, "Your wife lost the baby," were cut off before Garrett could even hear them.

Watching his receding back, I suddenly felt like my entire marriage was a complete joke. What did these six years even mean?