My wife, who had been terrified of dogs since childhood, suddenly adopted an Alaskan Malamute.
She ate and slept with it, and even called it her “precious baby.”
On the other hand, I held our crying, hungry daughter in my arms, begging Ava to breastfeed—but she gave our child’s milk to the dog instead.
I endured it again and again.
Until finally, at our wedding anniversary banquet, I stood up in front of all the guests and demanded she leave the marriage with nothing.
Everyone thought I was overreacting.
“All this just because she adopted a dog?”
“Yes,” I replied coldly. “Men shouldn’t raise cats. Women shouldn’t raise dogs. And she chose a male dog, of all things!”
My wife snapped on the spot. She grabbed the anniversary cake and smashed it into my face.
“A dog can guard the house and grow up with our daughter. And you want to throw me out over that?” she screamed, hysterical.
I wiped the cream off my face, glanced toward the special room she had renovated just for the dog, and sneered.
“If he’s that amazing, then fine. Once we’re divorced, you can call him your husband for all I care.”
——
“You bastard!” Ava shouted, her voice trembling with fury.
“I only fed Bailey the milk because I had a cold! I didn’t want to risk passing it to our baby, and I didn’t want it to go to waste. That’s why I gave it to the dog for a few days. You’ve held a grudge ever since?”
“Fine! I’ll feed her right now, in front of everyone!”
With that, she suddenly yanked at her neckline in front of all the guests, exposing a large area of pale skin.
“Ava! Stop this nonsense!” her father roared.
She was on the verge of revealing everything, but I remained unmoved.
Instead, I pulled out a divorce agreement I had prepared long ago.
“Sign it now,” I said flatly, “and you can still walk away with some dignity.”
Instantly, the room fell into awkward silence.
Everyone was staring at me with contempt and disbelief.
After all, I had only been able to finish school because of the Powell family's financial support.
Despite my humble background as an orphan, they welcomed me into their family—and even let their daughter marry me.
With the Powells’ help, I had everything I now owned.
And yet I was willing to throw away that wealth and that woman over a dog?
Even Ava herself looked confused.
She never expected the usually obedient man to suddenly turn into a different person.
“You scum!”
Her foster brother, Samuel, stormed over and spat directly in my face.
“You ungrateful bastard! Do you know how many rich suitors my sister rejected for you? She must’ve been blind to choose a nobody who crawled up from the mud!”
“My dad paid for your education, paved the way for your success. My sister married you and gave her whole heart to you. And now, just because she owns a dog, you want a divorce? Are you even human?”
“He’s right, Liam,” one guest chimed in.
“Nowadays, young people keeping pets is totally normal. You’re really getting a divorce over something so petty? Do you even realize how many people would kill to be in your shoes right now?”
Ava clutched my sleeve, tears brimming in her eyes, her voice soft enough to melt hearts.
“Honey, ever since we got married, I’ve never raised my voice at you. I’ve always gone along with whatever you wanted. Maybe I’ve been a bit emotional since giving birth. Maybe I’ve neglected you and the baby. But I can change.”
“My dad even said he was going to hand the entire company over to you this year. Can we please not get divorced?”
Her pitiful expression, so meek and submissive, instantly won everyone’s sympathy.
All eyes were on me, silently urging me to forgive her, to let this go.
But I suddenly flung her hand away, hard.
She stumbled backward and fell to the carpet.
“I don’t want it. I’m done playing with you.”
Ava looked up at me in disbelief, eyes shattered by betrayal.
“Liam… was everything between us a lie? Were you just using me all along?”
I gave a careless smile. “If that’s what you want to believe—sure. Let’s just say it was all a game.”
