Chapter 51: When Love Begins to Hurt

The mornings had grown quieter.Popo, once the first to bark for breakfast, now took longer to rise. His once-bright eyes seemed dimmer, his steps slower. Polly noticed how Terry would linger by his side, her hand resting on Popo’s back a little longer than usual.“Good morning, my good boy,” Terry would whisper. Her voice carried a softness Polly couldn’t quite understand, but he felt it — like a tremble beneath the calm.Popo still wagged his tail, but it was slower now, gentler, as if every motion had to be borrowed from the past. Polly watched from the corner of his crate, his heart unsure of what he was seeing. Popo had always been strong — the wise one, the patient one. He was the one who let Polly share his crate, the one who never snapped when food was scarce, the one who stood between him and Bantay when they used to argue over bones.But now, Popo slept more than he barked. Sometimes, he coughed. Other times, he stared at nothing, as though remembering something far away.Te

Last Updated : 2025-10-12

Chapter 52: Popo's Goodbye

Heartworm was a cruel disease. Terry had read about it before, but she never knew what cruelty really meant until she saw it stealing Popo’s strength day by day. He had always been the calm one, the steady soul among her dogs — the one who never fought for attention, who simply waited patiently for love to come his way.But as the days went by, Popo’s ribs began to show, and his once shiny coat lost its glow. Still, when Terry called his name, his tail would wag, faint but full of loyalty. Even as his body weakened, his love stayed strong.Feeding him became an act of devotion. When he could no longer eat on his own, Terry used a syringe to feed him soft food and water. Each drop felt like a prayer — a tiny act of hope that maybe tomorrow would be kinder. Money was tight, yet she never missed a single medicine schedule. Even when she skipped meals herself, she made sure Popo got his care. Love has a way of making sacrifice feel like second nature.For a month, they fought side by side

Last Updated : 2025-10-13

Chapter 53 – The Quiet After Popo

The house felt different now. It wasn’t just quiet — it was the kind of silence that pressed on the chest and lingered in the corners. Even the wind seemed to move more gently, as though afraid to disturb what remained.For days, it felt as if time had forgotten him. Polly would lie near the kitchen doorway, watching Terry move quietly through the house. The bowls were filled, the beds were made, but the air carried a hollow ache. Sometimes Polly would glance toward the kitchen, his ears perking up, as though expecting Popo to appear again. But the silence that followed pierced his heart all over again.Terry tried to smile, but her eyes were swollen from nights that had forgotten sleep. She still whispered Popo’s name when she thought no one could hear. Sometimes, she’d stop in the middle of folding the blankets and hold one close to her chest — the one Popo used to lie on. Polly would watch, his tail still, his heart aching for the woman who had given him a home.Bantay grieved in h

Last Updated : 2025-10-14

All Chapters of The Dog Whose Leg Could Not Be Bent (Love Beyond Flaws): Chapter 51 - Chapter 53

Chapter 51: When Love Begins to Hurt

Chapter 52: Popo's Goodbye

Chapter 53 – The Quiet After Popo