My temper flared up from this perceived intrusion and before I could unleash a torrent of abuse, Isaac messaged again, [Anna, don't think you can make me back down with this trick.]
[Since you don't want to be together, I suppose there are some things you don't really care about.]
Isaac sent a video.
My heart tightened.
I instinctively clicked on it and there it was.
Alma had locked my puppy, whom I'd raised for three years, in a cage and poured boiling water over it.
The puppy yelped in agony.
Alma laughed and said, “Serves you right, you stinky dog. That’s your karma!”
The puppy's pitiful howls pierced my heart.
Sitting in the car, I kept yelling at the driver to drive faster and telling Isaac, [If you dare hurt my dog, I will never let you get away with this!]
Isaac didn't respond.
I was frantic. When I arrived at the apartment complex, I saw a photo Alma posted on her Instagram—a scene of blood everywhere, with the caption, [Beasts should disappear forever.]
My blood seemed to freeze. After repeatedly entering the wrong password, I pounded on the door, shouting.
"Isaac, open the door!" I screamed, pounding on the door like a madman. "If you don't open the door, I'll call the police.”
“Isaac!"
The door opened.
I saw Isaac, wearing the pajamas from the video, calmly facing me and asking, "Anna, do you know you're wrong?"
The pungent smell of blood filled my nostrils.
My whole body trembled uncontrollably.
Seeing Alma, who had reverted to her timid self behind Isaac, I completely lost it.
I shoved Isaac aside, grabbed Alma by the hair, slammed her head against the wall and yelled, "Who gave you permission to touch my dog?!"
"Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner. Who do you think you are?!"
Alma, her eyes red and swollen, cried out, "That dog tried to bite me. Since it tried to bite me, I hit him to defend myself!"
Alma screamed, "Isaac, I'm so scared. Please save me!"
Hearing Alma's voice, I remembered how she would always feign pitifulness in front of Isaac and then send me taunting voice messages.
"Anna, see that? Between you and me, you'll always be the loser."
"Isaac only cares about me, not you."
Back then, I stubbornly insisted on winning against Alma. That time, seeing the smug look in Alma's eyes, I slapped her across the face.
"You slut!" I raised my foot to kick her, but someone forcefully grabbed my shoulder and threw me against the wall.