The day of my wedding, my bride dove into a lake, risking her own life to save the lame Golden Retriever she’d brought as part of her dowry. When I heard, I called the whole thing off, right there at the altar. Her face was a mask of disbelief. “Over a dog?” I just pushed the annulment papers towards her. “Yes. Over a dog.” My new mother-in-law pointed a trembling finger in my face, her voice shrill. “A grown man, jealous of a dog? It would have been a curse for my daughter to marry you!” My own father stormed onto the stage and punched me squarely in the jaw. “You ungrateful whelp! If you go through with this today, you’re no son of mine!” My bride, Seraphina, was shaking with rage. She ripped the papers to shreds. “Daniel, don’t you dare pull this stunt on our wedding day.” I watched her scoop the Golden Retriever into her arms and rush towards the vet’s tent we’d set up, and a cold smile touched my lips. I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. “Alex, it’s time. Release everything.” “I’m ready for the divorce.” 1. “Daniel, say that again?” My fiancée, Seraphina Raymont, stared at me, her eyes wide with shock. My voice was flat. “Let’s get a divorce.” It was supposed to be the moment we exchanged rings, the pinnacle of the ceremony. Instead, I’d placed the platinum band back in its velvet box and demanded an end to our marriage before it had even legally begun. The officiant, caught completely off-guard, was still trying to salvage the situation with a forced smile, muttering something about a bad joke. But I simply pulled the freshly signed annulment papers from my jacket pocket. “Sign it, Seraphina. Let’s end this with some dignity.” The hand she reached for the document was shaking. “Why?” “Is it really because I saved Milo? He’s just a dog.” “Yes. That’s right.” I frowned, a flicker of impatience crossing my face. “Just sign it. Let’s not make this uglier than it has to be.” “Daniel, I know our marriage was arranged when we were children, but it was never just a business deal! We have a decade of history, we grew up together! You’re throwing that all away?” “For a reason this… this insane? What about all the years I gave you?” I turned my head, too tired to even look at her. Below the stage, the guests erupted in a chorus of whispers. “Classic high-society drama. ‘Boyd Heir Calls Off Wedding Over a Dog?’ That’ll be tomorrow’s headline. What a joke.” “I feel so bad for Seraphina. On her wedding day, of all days, to be humiliated for such a ridiculous reason?” “Daniel Boyd must have someone on the side. This is just a pathetic excuse to dump her, and he had to do it publicly to twist the knife.” Seraphina’s whole body was trembling, a storm of tears gathering in her eyes. Her mother, unable to contain herself any longer, rushed the stage and started hammering her fists against my chest. “What did my daughter ever do to you to deserve this humiliation? It’s a dog! An animal!” “A grown man, jealous of an animal?” I gently pushed her away and stepped towards Seraphina. We had been together for ten years. From school uniforms to this wedding dress. In all that time, I had never made her this miserable. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was sobbing too hard to speak, her knuckles white as she clutched the torn pieces of the annulment papers. Her gaze was fixed on the signature I’d written. “Tell me why,” she choked out. “Is something wrong? Tell me, Daniel. We promised we’d face everything together.” When I remained silent, her grief morphed into a new wave of anger. She tore the papers into smaller and smaller pieces. “Daniel, stop this madness. It’s our wedding day.” “I don’t agree. You’re not divorcing me!” I didn’t waste another look on her. I simply turned and said, “Then I’ll see you in court.” 2. As I started to walk away, my father lunged onto the stage and grabbed me by the collar. “Are you insane? You’re ending your marriage on your wedding day?” My mother was right behind him, her hand on my arm. “Daniel, honey, we’ve known Seraphina since she was a little girl. She’s the perfect daughter-in-law. Don’t you remember when you were kids, you promised you’d marry each other?” “Think of your history, son. Don’t be impulsive. Just finish the ceremony. If Seraphina is upset, I’ll talk to her.” My mother waited, her eyes pleading for a sign of regret. She was sorely disappointed. My expression remained a mask of indifference. “I don’t want to be married anymore. So I’m getting a divorce.” My flippant, callous words ignited the crowd’s anger. “Who the hell does Daniel Boyd think he is? ‘I don’t want to be married anymore.’ Does he think he’s some kind of king?” “Poor Seraphina Raymont. To be insulted like this… what a tragedy.” My father’s face went purple with rage. He backhanded me across the face, the crack echoing through the silent venue. Then he shoved me to my knees in front of Seraphina. “Apologize, you worthless piece of trash.” “You are getting married today, whether you like it or not.” Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. The dashing groom was now a pathetic, beaten mess. Seraphina sobbed. “Daniel… is it because of Milo? Are you angry at him? Do you hate him?” “Milo’s been with me since he was a puppy. He’s my companion, my family. There was a time… a dark time… when he was the only one there for me. In my heart, you are my husband, but Milo is like my child. Why can’t you accept him?” “To be divorced over a dog… how am I supposed to show my face in this city ever again?” Through all her tearful accusations, I said nothing. My silence only enraged my father further. He started kicking me, his dress shoes slamming into my ribs. “If you don’t marry her today, you’re no son of mine!” I clenched my jaw, refusing to even grunt in pain. Seeing that force wasn’t working, my father softened his tone. “Son, I know you. You’ve always been a strong, proud man. You wouldn’t really hold a grudge against a dog.” “Just tell us what’s really going on. We can help you. Don’t do this to Seraphina.” The entire hall held its breath, waiting for my answer. I let out a dry, humorless laugh. “I don’t want her. Anyone who does is welcome to her.” The words were a lit match in a room full of gasoline. The venue exploded. Seraphina collapsed against my mother, her body wracked with sobs. “Daniel, you can fall out of love with me. You can divorce me. But you can’t insult me, you can’t trample on my dignity like this.” “With those words, you’ve burned everything we ever had to the ground. My heart… it’s dead, Daniel.” “You’re a heartless, scumbag!” My mother held Seraphina tight, her eyes shooting daggers of disappointment at me. My father was winding up for another punch, his face crimson. But I just glanced at Seraphina. Her? Talking to me about love? What a joke. My eyes flickered to the Golden Retriever in the corner. I quickly made a call. “Mr. Boyd, everything you requested is ready. We’re just waiting for the final piece.” “Hurry. I’m running out of time.” 3. After hanging up, I watched Seraphina’s lonely figure as she carried the Golden Retriever away. My mother’s gaze was filled with disappointment. My father’s eyes were blazing with fury. “Daniel, I am disowning you. From this day forward, you are no longer a part of the Boyd family.” “We have no place for a monster like you!” With that, he took my mother’s arm and stormed off. The lavish wedding of the year ended as a farcical train wreck. But the paparazzi smelled blood. The next day, the headline “Boyd Heir Divorces Bride at Altar Over a Dog” went viral. Someone had secretly filmed the entire fiasco. The video of my arrogant, cruel expression as I insulted Seraphina was everywhere. People made memes of my face, their captions dripping with venom. “What a piece of work. A grown man jealous of a dog? Humiliating his bride like that? He’s human garbage.” “Seraphina was crying so hard, she looked so beautiful and broken. And Daniel Boyd did that to her? Is he even human?” “That dog is her emotional support animal! It’s like family! Daniel has a problem with a dog? Pathetic.” My home address and office location were doxxed. Every night, someone would splash paint on my front door. The Boyd Corporation stock plummeted overnight. My father immediately held a press conference, officially announcing that he had disowned me. Relatives and friends blocked my number and unfriended me on social media, terrified of being associated with me. I became a social pariah, the man everyone loved to hate. And me? I was lounging in my apartment, watching television. On the screen, a fragile but defiant Seraphina was speaking to a horde of reporters. Her eyes were red and swollen, but she was still defending me. “Please, believe me, Daniel isn’t that kind of person. I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding.” “And we are not getting a divorce. We promised each other a lifetime together.” As microphones were shoved in her face, Seraphina never wavered in her support for me. “Daniel is just… a little unhappy with my dog, Milo. He’s not a dog person. But Milo is my family, he will be with me my entire life. We will not divorce. I believe that he loves me, and he can learn to accept Milo.” Her words earned a round of applause from the reporters. And made me look like even more of a villain. I watched for a while, amused, then dialed her number. She answered, her voice trembling with excitement. “Daniel! You called! Have you come to your senses? Are you done with this nonsense? I don’t blame you for what happened at the wedding. We can pick another date, have another ceremony.” I let her ramble on, then let out a soft chuckle. “You’re dreaming. I was just calling to remind you not to be late for our court date tomorrow.” There was a dead silence. I could almost feel her body stiffen through the phone. She was on speakerphone; the entire press corps heard my cold, merciless words. The public outcry against me intensified. “Poor Seraphina. She’s being so humble, so forgiving, and that scumbag is still treating her like dirt.” “Down with Daniel Boyd! Ten years of love, destroyed by a dog. What kind of man is that? He’s a monster!” Seraphina’s voice was broken by sobs. “Daniel… are we really… getting a divorce?” I laughed, my voice clear and firm. “Of course.” “And not only are we getting a divorce, I’m revoking every share and dissolving every business partnership that my name has ever granted you.” “From now on, we go our separate ways.” 4. Seraphina let out a choked sob and collapsed. The next morning, as soon as I stepped out of my car at the courthouse, a swarm of paparazzi descended on me, shoving microphones in my face. “Mr. Boyd, can you tell us why you’re divorcing your wife simply because she risked her life to save a dog?” “An inside source claims you’ve been having an affair for years, and the dog is just an excuse. Is that true?” “Do you have any respect for women? Do you realize how cruel your actions were? Are you a sociopath?” I ignored them, my face a blank mask as I walked forward. Seraphina was there, dressed in a plain, simple outfit, her eyes still puffy from crying. When she saw me, her voice was a raw whisper. “Daniel…” I acted as if I hadn't heard her and took my seat at the plaintiff’s table. When the proceedings began, I stated my case simply. “I, Daniel Boyd, am filing to dissolve my marriage to Seraphina Raymont.” “State your reasons,” the judge said. Before I could answer, Seraphina cried out, “Daniel, why are you doing this? We were so in love!” “Was it because I saved Milo’s life? He’s just a dog! If it were you, I would have saved you too! Why?” She slammed her fists on the table, a picture of tragic, desperate grief. The courtroom was filled with murmurs of sympathy. I just smiled faintly. “Yes. It’s because of your dog. It’s that simple.” She stood up, stunned into silence. “It’s… it’s really because of Milo?” “That… what kind of reason is that? Because of a dog?” In the gallery, Seraphina’s mother slammed her hand down on the bench. “Because of a Golden Retriever she’s had for years, you humiliated my daughter at her own wedding! You’re slapping her in the face!” “How did my daughter ever fall for a piece of trash like you?” My father almost fainted from rage. “You ungrateful son! Ruining your life over a dog!” “How could I have raised such an idiot?” The crowd was riled up. “The sole heir to the Boyd fortune, throws away his marriage and his reputation because he’s jealous of a dog. He really is an idiot.” “He’s a scumbag! Worse than an animal!” “And to think Seraphina was so devoted to him. All for nothing. What a joke.” The courtroom was in an uproar. Someone from the gallery hurled an egg. It splattered across my face, dripping yolk down my expensive suit, leaving me looking like a pathetic clown. The judge frowned. “This reason is not sufficient grounds for divorce. Do you have any other evidence?” I glanced at my phone. Still nothing. I could only shake my head. The judge raised his gavel. “As the plaintiff has provided insufficient evidence, this court finds in favor of the defendant. The petition for divorce is deni—” Was I going to lose? My heart hammered in my chest. Faster, faster, I’m out of time! Before he could finish the sentence, my phone vibrated. I glanced down. The final piece had just fallen into place. The weight in my chest vanished. “Wait! I have more evidence to present!”
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