Our playful Labrador puppy, Max, filled our home with joy. But then, my husband developed a mysterious allergy, and keeping Max became a battle. Just as I was about to give up, our four-year-old daughter stumbled upon a clue that exposed a shocking truth about her father and his plan.
I am Rose, a mother to a lively 4-year-old daughter named Lily and a wife to my loving husband, Mark. My world revolves around my family. Everything I do is for them, and I cherish every moment we spend together.
Mark, who claimed to have had a pet dog as a child, insisted that it would be a great idea to get a Labrador.
He said it would be healthy for Lily, and the idea of it excited me. I could picture the joy on Lily’s face, and I eagerly agreed.
When we brought home our fluffy Labrador puppy, Max, Lily and I were over the moon.
Our house was filled with laughter and playful barks. We spent our days teaching Max new tricks, going on little walks, and just enjoying the presence of our new family member.
But then, something strange happened.
Mark, who had been just as excited as us, suddenly changed his tune. It started with small complaints about Max’s fur being everywhere.
“Rose, there’s fur on the couch again,” Mark grumbled one evening, brushing off invisible strands from his work pants.
“It’s just part of having a dog, Mark. We can vacuum more often,” I replied, not thinking much of it.
However, things escalated quickly. Mark began developing red rashes all over his skin. At first, I was deeply concerned.
“Mark, you should see a doctor about those rashes,” I urged him, worry etched on my face.
He nodded, and after a visit to the nearby pharmacy, he returned with OTC medications and creams.
A person holding a small brown bag | Source: Midjourney
“It seems like an allergy to the dog,” he announced, holding up the allergy medicines. “I wasn’t allergic as a child. I guess I’ve developed it recently.
I felt a pang of guilt but didn’t want to lose Max.
We tried everything to alleviate Mark’s symptoms, but nothing seemed to work. The rashes persisted, and Mark’s complaints grew louder and more frequent.
“Rose, I can’t take this anymore. It’s either me or the dog,” Mark declared one night, his voice strained.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
A woman covering her face with her hands | Source: Freepik
The thought of giving up Max was unbearable. Lily, sensing my distress, came over and hugged me tightly.
“Mama, why is Daddy so mad at Max?” she asked, her innocent eyes full of confusion.
“He’s just not feeling well, sweetheart,” I said, trying to mask my sorrow.
Days passed, and the atmosphere in the house grew tense. I was at my wit’s end, torn between my husband and our beloved puppy. Then, one afternoon, as I was preparing lunch, Lily came running into the kitchen.
“Look what I found, Mama!” she exclaimed, holding up a used tube of lipstick.
I stared at it, puzzled. “Where did you get that, Lily?”
“It was in Daddy’s drawer,” she said, her eyes wide with curiosity.
I took the lipstick from her, examining it closely. I had never seen this shade before. A suspicion began to form in my mind, and my heart pounded in my chest. Could it be that Mark was cheating on me? But then, something else clicked into place.
A woman holding a lipstick | Source: freepik.com
He used the lipstick to fake the rashes!
It was just a suspicion until I marched up to our bedroom and opened Mark’s drawer. I rummaged through his things and saw unopened packs of the pills and creams he got for his “allergy.”
He never had an allergy to Max, I thought. He used the lipstick to create fake rashes on his skin.
I felt a mix of relief and anger. Relief that Max wasn’t the cause of Mark’s suffering, and anger at the betrayal.
What on earth was Mark thinking? Why would he go to such lengths to get rid of our puppy?
Just then, I heard the front door open. Mark was home.
had to confront him, but I wasn’t sure what to say. I took a deep breath, clutching the tube of lipstick in my hand, and walked downstairs to face him.
“Mark, we need to talk,” I began, my voice steady but my heart racing.
I clutched the tube of lipstick and the unopened packs of medication in my hands, confronting him as he walked through the front door.
He glanced at the items in my hand, his face a mask of confusion. “What’s this all about, Rose?”
“If you didn’t want the dog, you could have just said so from the beginning,” I replied, my eyes locking onto his. “Why this sudden change of heart? Why fake an allergy?”
Mark’s eyes darted to the side, and he rubbed the back of his neck.
“I didn’t fake anything. I didn’t take the medicine because I didn’t want to harm my body over a mere dog,” he said, his tone defensive. “And that lipstick? It’s an old tube my sister left behind the last time she visited.”
I stared at him, my heart sinking. I knew he was lying.
His sister hadn’t visited in months, and I was certain she’d never brought that shade of lipstick into our home.
But I had to play along, at least for now.
“Alright, Mark,” I said softly, pretending to believe him. “I just want us to be honest with each other.”
Two days later, Mark announced he was going to visit a friend. As he grabbed his keys and headed for the door, I felt a surge of determination.
I needed to find out the truth.
I called a cab and followed him, keeping a safe distance so he wouldn’t notice. My heart pounded as we navigated through the city streets, my mind racing with possibilities.
When he finally stopped in front of a modest house, I watched as he walked up to the door. A beautiful young woman opened it, and to my shock, she hugged him tightly.
But then, she sneezed.
Mark quickly removed his hoodie and hugged her again, apologizing profusely. That’s when it hit me that she was the one allergic to dog fur, not Mark.
When he finally stopped in front of a modest house, I watched as he walked up to the door. A beautiful young woman opened it, and to my shock, she hugged him tightly.
But then, she sneezed.
Mark quickly removed his hoodie and hugged her again, apologizing profusely. That’s when it hit me that she was the one allergic to dog fur, not Mark.
Determined to take control of the situation, I returned home and packed Mark’s belongings into boxes. I wasn’t going to let him continue deceiving us.
When I was done, I placed a note on top of the boxes: “It turns out the puppy is allergic to you.”
When Mark came home later that day, he found me sitting on the couch, Max nestled comfortably by my side.
“What’s going on, Rose?” he asked, his eyes widening as he saw the packed boxes.
“We’re done, Mark,” I said, my voice firm. “I know about the woman you’ve been seeing. I know she’s the one allergic to dog fur, not you. You were willing to lie and hurt our family just to keep her around. I won’t stand for it.”
“Rose, you’ve got it all wrong,” he started, but I held up my hand to stop him.
“No, Mark. I saw you with her. I followed you this morning,” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “You chose her over us. Over Lily and me.”
Mark’s face paled, and he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He looked at the boxes, the note, and then at me, realization dawning in his eyes.
“I never wanted to hurt you, Rose,” he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s too late for apologies, Mark,” I replied. “I need you to leave. Lily and I will be fine. We’ll be happier without you and your lies.”
An upset woman sitting with a man | Source: Midjourney
He looked devastated but knew better than to argue. With a heavy sigh, he picked up his boxes and left the house, closing the door quietly behind him.
I sat back down on the couch, hugging Max tightly as tears streamed down my face. Lily came over and climbed into my lap, wrapping her tiny arms around both Max and me.
As I held my daughter and our puppy close, I felt a sense of peace wash over me.
A woman hugging her daughter | Source: Midjourney
It wasn’t going to be easy, but we would get through this together. Mark might have tried to break us apart, but in the end, we were stronger than his lies. We had love, and that was more than enough.
And so, we moved forward, just the three of us. A mother, a daughter, and a faithful puppy, ready to face whatever came next.
