"Why are you asking about that? It's just a beast. Come on, sit down and eat..."
I took a step back, my voice rising to a scream. "I asked you a question! Where is Mochi?"
Hot tears spilled over before I could stop them.
Violet flinched at my outburst, standing silent and awkward.
Isaac wasn't having it. He stumbled forward, face twisted in a scowl, and slapped me hard enough to snap my head back.
"Watch your tone with my mother! Are you deaf? Did you not hear what I told you this morning?"
He gestured at the table. "We stewed the damn dog. Do you know how much that thing ate? I've never seen a woman waste money like you. It's freezing outside, so a hot pot is exactly what we needed. Consider it the beast's final contribution to the family!"
He scoffed, wiping his nose. "It's just a dog, and you're screaming at my mom over it? You're insane."
A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. His voice faded to a dull murmur.
Ignoring the stinging pain in my cheek, I stumbled into the kitchen.
The large trash can overflowed with familiar reddish-brown fur. Blood smeared the stainless steel sink, stark against the metal.
Then I saw it.
In the corner, Mochi's severed head sat on the floor. Her eyes were wide open, glassy, as if she were still waiting for me to come home.
Something inside me snapped.
I stormed back into the dining room. With a guttural scream, I hooked my fingers under the heavy table and heaved.
Dishes, soup, and chopsticks crashed to the floor in a chaotic explosion.
Two children shrieked in terror.
I was shaking so hard my teeth chattered, my voice a hoarse rasp.
"This is murder! I will make every single one of you pay!"
Violet's relatives scrambled back, circling Isaac and eyeing me with a mix of fear and disdain.
"Isaac, you really need to control your woman. Look at this mess!" one sneered.
"A shrew like this is a curse," another added, shaking his head. "If you don't teach her a lesson now, she'll walk all over you for life."
Humiliated, Isaac's face turned the color of raw liver. He lunged at me, his fist connecting with my jaw, sending me crashing to the floor.
"Are you insane? Look at the child! You've terrified him!"
"Who gave you the nerve to act like this?"
"I'm going to teach you how to be a proper wife today!"