I Married His Brother to Save Him

Chapter 5 Spotty Died

'No. It wasn't like that.'

Tears flooded Sylvia's eyes as she shook her head wildly, unable to speak her truth.

Grace stood nearby, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "What are you all waiting for? Get this revolting mutt away from me before it dies here and makes a mess!"

Julian stood and glared at the servants. "Grace will be my wife. Do as she says—dispose of that dog. Kill it, cook it, I don't care."

"Yes, sir." The servants scrambled to obey, reaching for the injured puppy.

Sylvia threw herself on top of Spotty, shielding the trembling puppy with her body. With trembling fingers, she typed frantically on her phone, holding it up for Julian to see. Sylvia: Julian, for the million dollars I paid for your surgery... please spare Spotty.

Julian froze as if struck by lightning, his fury melting into stunned disbelief.

She continued typing, her screen blurring from her tears. Sylvia: The drugging was a misunderstanding. I came to warn you—to save you from Camilla's plot.

She held the phone high, unable to see his face through her tears, praying he would show mercy.

Julian's expression darkened with rage. "Sylvia, how dare you twist the truth? Without Grace working five jobs to pay my hospital bills, I'd be dead! A misunderstanding? I saw you take the drugs from Camilla with my own eyes! You're so full of lies. You make me sick."

Her phone clattered to the floor.

She knew then that no explanation would reach him. In his mind, everything she said was a fabrication, a trick to manipulate him.

Clutching Spotty to her chest, she refused to move, blocking the servants with her body.

Grace fidgeted nervously, terrified Julian would dig deeper into the truth—she had stolen credit for the million-dollar surgery funds, after all. Tugging at his sleeve, she whimpered, "Julian, my skin is broken. Am I going to die?"

Julian's focus shifted instantly, his hard expression softening. "No. I'll take you to the hospital right now. If anything happens to you, I'll make everyone pay."

He swept her into his arms, and Sylvia reached out, grabbing his pant leg in a last, desperate plea. She typed one more line on her phone. Sylvia: Please... take Spotty too. I'm begging you.

Julian glanced at the dying puppy, then coldly kicked her hand away. Without a single word, he carried Grace away, leaving Sylvia and Spotty behind.

The cruel truth crashed into her like a tidal wave; he had abandoned them.

Spotty weakly licked her falling tears, his tiny tongue warm against her skin.

Trembling, Sylvia gathered the puppy in her arms and staggered back to her room. She knew this was the end. She just wanted him to pass away in his favorite spot, surrounded by comfort.

To her shock, when they returned to the room, Spotty struggled to crawl out of his bed, dragging himself to the communication buttons with his last ounce of strength. He pressed two buttons, his paw trembling weakly.

"Mom, I love you."

Then, he closed his eyes forever.

At that moment, Sylvia could no longer hold back her grief. She stumbled forward, collapsing beside the buttons, her cracked lips moving soundlessly as she tried to call his name—only broken, gasping sobs escaping her.

Salt tears flooded her convulsing throat, choking her until she coughed up bloody foam. Clutching the puppy's stiff, cold body, she wept until her body went numb, unable to stop.

Spotty had been her only comfort in the Hugo family. Julian had been her reason to keep living.

Now Spotty was gone, and Julian had moved on. There was nothing left to tie her to this world, no reason to keep fighting.

She yanked open her drawer, grabbed a handful of sleeping pills, and swallowed them all. Then, holding Spotty's body close, she lay peacefully on the bed, embracing the death she had long been denied.

Just before she lost consciousness completely, she faintly heard a voice shouting her name, filled with panic and regret, "Sylvia! Are you really dying over a dog?!"