Chapter 2 A Sheer Waste Of Talent

• By the time I made my way back upstairs, I saw my husband and his mother seated in the living room.
• The entire house was filled with the familiar stench of traditional medicine.
• “Rosie, you're in a delicate condition right now. I'll go and look for Tutu instead, okay?”
• With his face a mask of guilt, Howard came over and tugged at me.
• Meanwhile, Gemma pointed at the bowl of medicine on the coffee table while munching on snacks on the couch and huffed, “As I've said, you shouldn't have kept that beast. Rosie, drink the medicine quickly. Don't wear my first grandson out.”
• Even at this point, she's still putting on a show! If I hadn't bumped into Flora's Dad, how much longer had they planned on keeping me in the dark? Drink the medicine, yes? Fine.
• I shook Howard's arm off and picked up the bowl of medicine.
• In the next moment, I hurled the bowl at the coffee table. The scalding medicine splashed onto Gemma's hand.
• “Ouch! Look at the wonderful wife you married, son!” she wailed in pain.
• Furious, Howard bellowed, “Rosalie Lewis, what on earth are you doing? Why are you throwing such a tantrum over a mere dog?”
• Instead of blowing up, I laughed.
• “I'm throwing a tantrum? Did Tutu truly run off? Howard, are you sure it wasn't her who took it away?”
• I pointed at Gemma, but deep down, I hoped that Howard knew nothing about the matter.
• However, I was destined to be disappointed.
• There was not a trace of surprise on Howard's face. Contrarily, his gaze on me was laced with a hint of guilt.
• At the side, Gemma could not help raising her voice and screeching, “What does it have to do with me? It was that beast you kept that ran off.”
• Really?
• I took out my phone and clicked on a video before tossing the device down before them.
• The surveillance footage showed none other than Gemma leading Tutu toward the east gate of the residential area.
• Subsequently, she got into a van with it.
• Throughout it all, Tutu followed behind her obediently, completely oblivious to the danger.
• Bitterness inexorably suffused me.
• At the recollection of the days Tutu kept me company by my side, I no longer held back because of Howard.
• Grabbing Gemma by the collar as though I had lost my mind, I shouted, “Where exactly did you take Tutu?”
• In the two years Howard and I had dated and the one we had been married, even he had never seen me in such a state.
• Nonetheless, his mother was still in my hands, so he tried to blur the line between right and wrong and pull us away from each other.
• At that moment, Gemma finally revealed her true colors.
• Curling her lips, she retorted ceaselessly, “It was indeed me who sold it! So what? You're carrying my baby grandchild, yet you insisted on keeping that beast. I'd told you countless times to send it away, but you just wouldn't listen. Let me tell you this! This house isn't yours alone. It's also my son's!”
• I shoved her onto the couch before turning to Howard.
• “Who exactly did your mother sell Tutu to? It's not too late to tell me now.”
• Despite Howard's dissatisfaction that I got physical with Gemma, he still cared about the child I was carrying.
• After much hesitation, he steeled himself and asserted, “Rosie, Mom was only looking out for you. Dr. Lopez said that pregnant women really can't keep dogs. How about this? If you truly like dogs, I'll buy you one after the child is born, okay?”
• At that moment, I merely felt that it was a sheer waste of talent that he was not an actor.
• When we dated, I had explicitly told him just how important Tutu was to me and if he or his family had reservations about me keeping a dog after marriage or pregnancy, there was no need for us to take our relationship further but part on good terms.
• Back then, Howard swore that he genuinely loved dogs while cradling Tutu.
• Unexpectedly, he still went back on his vow in the end.
• “If it weren't for the fact that you're carrying a child of the Zeller family, I would have my son kick you out today! Hmph!”
• Kick me out?
• I rushed into the bedroom, took down our wedding photo from the head of the bed, and tossed it onto the floor of the living room.
• The sound of the glass frame shattering was beyond grating to the ear.
• “Listen here! If my dog isn't found, I'll never let either of you off the hook! This house was fully paid for by my parents before I married your son. It's also my name on the property deed. Howard, take your mother and get out of here immediately!”