Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Priceless Cat and the Obedient Dog: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

Amid the noise and laughter, I sat quietly and opened my phone.Seven days from now was supposed to be the day of our fourth wedding. Instead, I booked a one-way ticket departing at the same time as the ceremony.The dinner party ended around 2:00 am.Instead of taking Mindy home, Julian brought her straight back to our house. The moment she walked in, she tossed her handbag into the entryway and collapsed onto the couch. Her heels flew off in opposite directions.Half asleep, she waved at me, saying, "Good doggy. Go fetch your owner's slippers."Julian clicked his tongue. The next second, he turned to me. "Celine, pick up her shoes and get her a pair of slippers."I didn't move. "Does she not have hands?"He froze.Over the years, whenever it involved Mindy, I'd always taken care of everything without needing to be asked twice. Clearly, he hadn't expected me to refuse.Mindy suddenly slapped her forehead. "Oh, no! I forgot to feed my cat!"She pulled out her phone and opened

I woke to the sound of Mindy's voice."The 21st time—Julian, it's okay if you won't answer me. I'll wait for you downstairs. The 27th time—as long as you come back, I'll do anything you want."In an exaggerated tone, she recited the messages I'd once sent Julian while begging him to take me back.The hospital room door was wide open. Nurses, caregivers, and passing patients could all hear about how he blocked me, how I'd stood in the rain waiting for him, and how I'd pleaded with him not to call off our weddings.When Mindy noticed my eyes opening, she grinned and blew a dog whistle.Julian sat on the couch nearby, dark circles under his tired eyes."Why did you give that to her?" My voice came out hoarse.He stood and poured me a glass of water. His voice remained calm as he spoke. "The doctor said familiar sounds and memories could help wake you up. Dogs wake up when they smell their owner. I figured that people aren't that different."Mindy laughed. "Celine, don't be mad. At

On my third day in the new city, I received a call from the police.Julian had filed a missing-person report, claiming I was still recovering from serious injuries and might have gone missing.The officer confirmed my name and date of birth, then asked if I was under any duress.I replied, "No. I left of my own free will.""Would you like us to pass your address along to the person who filed the report?""That won't be necessary."The officer didn't press further, only telling me that they would let Julian know I was safe.After hanging up, I resumed my leg rehab exercises.The fall at the cemetery had left me with a hairline fracture in my right leg, and the doctor said I'd need at least three months of rest.I'd only been doing physical therapy for ten minutes when the therapist held out a phone. "Ms. Whitmore, is this you?"On the screen was a missing-person notice. Julian had hired an agency specializing in finding missing people to issue it, offering a ten-million-dollar

The day after Puffy was discharged from the animal hospital, I got a call from the cemetery.The staff member on the line told me that people had recently been gathering at Mom's grave to take photos, disturbing other families paying their respects.I thought they had the wrong person—until they sent me a video.In the clip, silver dog tags hung all over Mom's headstone. Dog food, chew sticks, and a plastic bowl of water were set out on the ground below.A few young people stood in front of the grave, whistling and laughing as they shouted at the camera, "Celine Whitmore, your owner's here to pick you up! If you can hear us, hurry up and go home!"The first person to post a video was someone who'd played that personality game at the drinking party. Once it went viral, more and more people came to the cemetery to copy it.Someone had stuck dog ears onto Mom's photo, and someone else had put a sticker right in the center of the headstone that read, "A dog will always recognize its