“But I promise, this will never happen again.”

His life mattered were precious, but how about me?

I didn’t argue with her. Instead, I threw the document at her. “Sign this.”

Without even glancing at it, she signed her name and I smiled. If she had just opened one page, she would have known it was a divorce agreement.

After signing, Veronica said she wanted to make it up to me and take me to Paris for a break.

But as soon as we arrived at the airport, her phone rang. It was Yohan.

On the other end, he was sobbing, gasping for breath, saying he was scared alone in the hospital.

Veronica hung up. Her eyes glanced elsewhere, looking worried.

“William, there’s an urgent project at the institute. I have to go back. You go ahead, I’ll meet you at the airport as soon as I’m done.”

But I waited from daylight until night and Veronica never showed up. Instead, Yohan updated his social media.

In the photo, his hand was intertwined with a woman’s and the woman’s wrist was tied with the red string I had gotten for her.

The photo with the caption: [My beloved accepted my confession. Eight years of deep affection have finally culminated in marriage.]

I liked the post. Just then, Veronica called me, but I didn’t answer.

It got dark and a light rain began to fall outside. I suddenly felt a little tired and wanted to go back to my old home.

My father opened the door for me. Seeing me, he didn’t say anything, only poured me a bowl of hot soup.

When I had almost finished the bowl, he suddenly said, “Once a woman’s heart changes,you can’t keep her again.”

My hand holding the bowl froze.

“Just like your mother, she fell in love with Uncle Simon back then.”

“No matter how much I said, or how much I tried to win her back, she still ran off with another man without hesitation.”

I fell silent, remembering my childhood stories with Veronica.

After listening, she nestled in my arms, crying and promised, “Don’t worry, William. I’ll never betray you.”

Yet here we were and she broke her promise. This tragedy repeats itself.

My father gripped my hand. His eyes filled with tears.

“If you want a divorce, I will support you. I’ll always be your supporter.”

I couldn’t hold back any longer. My tears rolled down my cheeks and into my soup.

It dawned on me that in this world, there was someone who loved me unconditionally.

But in the middle of the night, my father suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital.

The doctor issued a critical condition notice, saying he needed an immediate injection of a ‘special drug’ immediately or he wouldn’t survive the night.

This “special drug” was exclusively produced by the research institute and only Veronica possessed it.

I frantically called Veronica, but no one answered.

I rushed to the research institute and entered her office.

There, I found Veronica cradling a Samoyed that was convulsing violently. Yohan sat beside her, his eyes red from crying.

“Veronica, Snowball is dying. Please, save him!”

Veronica froze when she saw me.

I grabbed her arm, my voice trembling, “Veronica, my father’s having a heart attack! He’s critically ill! Give me that ‘miracle drug’ now!”

At that moment, Yohan beside us was also full of tears.

“Veronica, I’m sorry. Snowball ate something contaminated, triggering acute myocarditis. The vet said only the ‘miracle drug’ can save him. It’s been with me for five years, I can’t live without Snowball.”

Veronica looked at the dying dog in her arms, then at me, her face filled with struggle.

I knelt down, begging at her feet for the first time in my life. “Veronica, I’m begging you! that’s my father who has been my only family for twenty years, the only person I have left in the world!”

She closed her eyes, turned her head away in anguish. Her voice was faint, forced out through clenched teeth.

“William, I’m sorry. But your father’s illness was incurable from the start. This medicine can only prolong her suffering for a few more days.”

She paused, finally managing to utter a few words with difficulty.

“I owe Yohan too much. He can’t handle any more stress.”

She took the life-saving medicine and injected it into a dog’s body with her own hands.

***

I didn’t remember how I cried myself unconscious. When I opened my eyes, an urn was already being handed to me.

“Mr. Thomson, please accept my condolences.”

The doctor’s eyes brimmed with uncontrollable sorrow.

“Without the miracle drug,we have done everything we could.”

I shook my head, not crying. I just sat there in the cemetery for three hours, clutching the small jar.

But then, Yohan rushed out with Samoyed. His face filled with sorrow.

“William, your father is gone. Don’t be too sad about it.”

He paused for a long moment before continuing, “How about letting Snowball eat your father’s ashes?”

My mind went blank and I was shocked. “What did you say?”

At that moment, Veronica appeared from behind him and walked in front of me.

“Snowball just finished treatment and its nutrition isn’t keeping up.”

“William, finish what you started. This is accumulating good karma for your father.”

“He was a Christian, right? If he knew he saved other living creatures’ lives, he would be very happy.”

I couldn’t believe her words. “You two inhumane monsters! That was my father! You’re not allowed to touch him.”

But by then, the bodyguards had already surrounded me. They scattered the ashes on the ground right in front of me.

I watched helplessly as Samoyed devoured every last bit of my beloved father. Still unsatisfied, it licked its lips and barked at me.

I struggled desperately. My eyes were red with anger.

“You demons! I’ll kill you all!”

“How dare you?” Veronica said coldly.

“Snowball just ate. He needs a quiet environment.”

“You all make him shut up.”

Slap! Loud slaps followed immediately.

“Veronica, you have no heart!”

I screamed, but she embraced Yohan without turning back. Then, I was dragged into the basement and tortured all night, my body covered in wounds.

Meanwhile, Veronica and Yohan watched a fireworks show on a luxury cruise ship.

In utter despair, I risked my life. After fighting the guards several times, I finally escaped death.

After packing my belongings, I dialed the director of the National Academy of Sciences on my way to the airport.

“Ms. Barkworth, I want to report Veronica Gerosa from the National Academy of Sciences branch for marital infidelity and domestic violence, unauthorized use of classified drugs, collusion with mafia and desecration of a corpse.”

“All evidence is on this USB drive.Please investigate thoroughly and remove Veronica from her position immediately.”