I took Tommy's remaining body to the crematorium and came back with a small box of ashes.
The once lively and playful Border Collie was now sadly confined to this tiny box.
Holding the box, I returned home feeling heavy-hearted, only to unexpectedly find Charles there.
Seeing me, he frowned in displeasure.
"Where have you been messing around? The house is a mess, and you haven't cleaned it.
"Do you still want to live like this?"
He sat at the dining table, which was still littered with trash just as I'd left it.
Yet even so, Charles showed no intention of cleaning up.
Even though my heart felt cold, I still smiled submissively.
"I went to send Tommy off for the last time. Bear with me for a bit."
Charles raised his eyebrows in surprise, seemingly caught off guard.
He knew how much I cherished Tommy.
I never spared any expense when it came to Tommy's care, tending to him meticulously.
All because I saw Tommy as a symbol of our love.
Since my whole heart was set on Charles, I naturally treated Tommy like a treasure.
Now that Tommy had died because of him, my continued docile demeanor unsettled Charles.
At the very least, I should have been hysterically questioning him.