"Here's how it'll go. Your body's so soiled no man would touch you. Biscuit's cleaner than you are, and a friend's dog happens to be in heat, so let Biscuit go service it."
I stared at Sherry, unable to believe what I was hearing.
"Eugene! You're just going to stand there while she insults me and insults Biscuit?"
Eugene frowned, then agreed to her demand without a second thought.
"Sherry isn't wrong. Aren't all dogs the same when they're in heat? The other dog needs it, so what's the harm in letting yours be used?"
I wrapped my arms around Biscuit.
I would never let anyone touch him.
The next moment Eugene wrenched me aside and pinned me down so hard I couldn't move.
He ignored my screaming and let Sherry take Biscuit's leash.
"Stop making a scene. It's only one dog. Is this really worth all that?"
Sherry dragged Biscuit away.
All I could do was hope Eugene, after keeping Biscuit for so long, wouldn't turn on him.
I couldn't sleep. I searched the whole night and found them in the park the next day.
The two of them were kicking Biscuit hard, and his cries went straight through me, cold to the bone.
My eyes stung and I rushed over, shoving them both apart. "Are you out of your minds? What kind of person bullies a dog? Stop it!"
Sherry shouted, furious. "I'd be right to beat it to death! It nearly bit my friend's dog to death!"
"And it won't let a dog mount it either. Playing the chaste little martyr, just like you. I bet you put it up to biting on purpose. How am I supposed to explain this to my friend?"
Eugene said coldly, "Then a dog's life for a dog's life. Just because that one isn't mine doesn't mean it's just some stray. It's someone's treasure. Whose fault is it that you didn't train your dog?"
My heart broke apart piece by piece. Did Eugene not know Biscuit had already been neutered? Did he not know Biscuit was my treasure too? "Anyone who dares touch Biscuit will have to go through me."
Eugene froze for a moment.
Sherry yanked hard on the rope with her right hand.
It wasn't a leash tied around Biscuit's neck. It was a rope.
Just an ordinary rope, pulled so tight that Biscuit was gasping and howling.
Rage took me, my eyes went red, and I grabbed a rock and hurled it straight at Sherry.
Everything fell into chaos.
The rock struck her open. Blood welled up and ran down her face.
Eugene panicked at once.
He looked at me with red eyes, as if I were an enemy.
He'd never looked at a business rival with such venom.
He pulled out his phone and called the police, and even told the officers when they arrived, "There's an attempted murder here. I need you to punish this person severely."
Attempted murder is a serious charge.
I was arrested on the spot.
Even with the cuffs on, I kept shouting, "Do whatever you want to me. Lock me up, fine. Just let Biscuit go. He's the only family I have left."
"I'm begging you, Eugene, don't touch my Biscuit!"
Sherry said in a soft, fragile little voice, "I never once said I was going to hurt a dog. You tried to kill me just because you suspected I'd lay a hand on it. You make me out to be some terrible person."
The moment she said it, a lot of people felt sorry for her.
And took me for a jealous, unreasonable shrew.
They put me in the holding cell.
One injury after another had left me unable to eat or sleep.
The worry for Biscuit kept me awake almost the whole night.
Until the next day, when Eugene showed up.
There was nothing in his eyes but cold indifference, not a flicker for my pale face.
"Sherry has a kind heart. She says that if you admit you attacked her out of jealousy, and apologize publicly online, and acknowledge that she's a good person who never did anything to wrong you, that you were the one who suspected her and went looking for trouble. Post a public confession of guilt online, and I'll get you out."
