Every morning, the sound of a boy’s anger echoed through the neighborhood, but it was not the kind of anger you would expect from a child. This was the kind of rage that burned without reason, aimed at a small, innocent dog named Bolina.

Each day, Pedro, the boy, would scream and shout at Bolina, a dog who never once showed any sign of aggression. The tragedy that was about to unfold would change everything—leaving you in tears as you realize the depth of a bond that no one could understand.

The day began like any other for Carlos. The alarm clock rang, and he got out of bed, careful not to wake his wife, Ana. He dressed hurriedly, aware that as a company director, he couldn’t afford to be late or set a bad example for his employees. He rushed down the stairs, out the door, and onto the patio. But something caught his eye—a scene that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

There, in front of him, was Pedro. The angry boy was screaming at the dog, Bolina, who stood there with an expression of pure docility, his big, wet eyes looking up at Pedro, as if pleading for a little bit of love. Bolina, loyal and kind by nature, dropped a twig at Pedro’s feet, waiting for some kindness, but all he received was more anger.

“I don’t need you!” Pedro shouted, his voice so loud that even the neighbors’ dogs began barking nervously. But Bolina didn’t run away. Instead, he took a small step back, still with the same hopeful expression in his eyes. Carlos, standing at a distance, was both shocked and confused. He hesitated, wondering whether he should get in his car and leave or take a moment to understand what was happening.

Finally, his compassion won over his need to leave. Carlos walked toward Pedro, frowning, but with a sense of concern. “Why are you yelling at the dog? Did he do something wrong?” he asked, his voice calm but full of emotion.

Pedro turned, his face twisted with anger. “Mind your own business!” he snapped, clearly annoyed. “I’m getting a purebred dog for my birthday! What do I need this mutt for?” Carlos looked at Bolina, who was now sitting on the ground, her tail between her legs, her eyes full of sadness.

Carlos sighed and spoke gently, yet with a clear emotion in his voice. “You think a purebred dog will love you like Bolina does? Look at her. Despite everything, she’s still here, waiting for you to show her love. She’s loyal, even in the rain.”

Pedro stayed silent, clearly affected by the words Carlos had spoken. Carlos continued, his voice soft but filled with wisdom. “Let me ask you something. If your father yelled at you every day, would you still love him? Would you still wait for him, hoping for his love?”

Pedro lowered his head, lost in thought, confused by the depth of the question. After a long moment, he muttered, “But my friends at school say that having a dog like this is just a waste of time. People with no friends need a dog like that.”

Carlos looked at him with understanding and empathy. “When I was your age, I had a dog too. She wasn’t a purebred, but she chose me just like Bolina has chosen you.” He pointed to Bolina, who was still sitting there, her eyes full of love, waiting for Pedro to show her the same.

Pedro, unable to resist, asked, “What happened?” Carlos paused for a moment, his gaze distant as if lost in memory. When he finally spoke, his voice was filled with regret. “I made the biggest mistake of my life,” he said, his words heavy with sorrow.

Carlos continued, recounting his painful memory. “I had a dog named Pipoca. She was a mutt, nothing special, but she loved me with all her heart. Then one day, a colleague at work brought in his purebred dog. Everyone admired it. They praised it, they compared it to Pipoca, and they made fun of her. I let their words get to me.”

Carlos’s voice faltered, the pain from the past resurfacing. “That day, everyone fawned over the purebred dog. They ignored Pipoca. I tried to show off her tricks, but all I got was ridicule. Someone laughed and said, ‘What can your dog do, besides jump and have fleas?’”

Carlos’s voice cracked with emotion. “I felt humiliated. Instead of defending Pipoca, I let her down. I thought I needed to prove her worth to everyone.” His hands trembled as he recalled that moment of weakness. “I threw sticks at her, hoping that her actions would impress the crowd. But it wasn’t about that. It was about the love she had for me, and I betrayed it.”

Carlos paused, the weight of the regret pressing heavily on him. “I yelled at Pipoca. I told her I didn’t need her anymore. I kicked her. I kicked her because I was too proud to admit that I had let the opinions of others affect me. And in that moment, I broke her heart.”

Pedro’s eyes widened in disbelief as he listened, unable to fathom the extent of Carlos’s guilt. “But she still loved me,” Carlos whispered. “Even after I hurt her, she followed me. She believed in me.”

Carlos’s voice trembled as he spoke of the final moments with Pipoca. “She died that night, in my arms. She didn’t die from the kick. She died from a broken heart. She knew I had betrayed her love, and she couldn’t bear it.” Carlos wiped his eyes, his voice barely audible. “I never got to apologize. I never got to make it right.”

Pedro, now visibly shaken, asked, “What happened then?” Carlos looked at him, his eyes filled with pain. “I ran out the next morning to find her. I found her, but it was too late. She was cold. She was gone.”

Pedro couldn’t speak. Tears streamed down his face as he realized the magnitude of Carlos’s loss. Carlos, his voice breaking, continued, “I never forgave myself. I lost my dog because of my pride, and now I live with that regret every day.”

After a long silence, Carlos looked at Pedro with a new sense of determination. “But you can still make it right. You still have Bolina. Don’t let her love go to waste. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

Pedro, moved by Carlos’s words, knelt down and hugged Bolina. “I won’t betray you, Bolina. You’re my friend. I promise I’ll never hurt you.”

Carlos watched with a slight smile, feeling a warmth in his heart. He had shared his pain with Pedro, and in return, Pedro had learned a valuable lesson about loyalty and love.

Carlos glanced at his watch, realizing he was late for work. But as he turned to leave, he felt a sense of peace that he hadn’t felt in years.

As he walked away, he reflected on the lesson he had just shared. There are things in life more important than career and success—things like love, compassion, and the unbreakable bond between a person and their dog.