I thought I was saving a stray dog but in the end, she saved me. After my divorce, life grew unbearably quiet. I worked from home, chatted to my toaster, and counted the mailman as my only regular visitor. There were no pets, no noise until Bella came into my world.

It was a rainy Thursday when I saw her soaked, trembling, and alone by the roadside. She didn’t bark or run, just looked at me as if she’d been waiting. I wrapped her in my coat and rushed her to the vet. No chip, no tags. Just a minor sprain and the kind of eyes that plead for love. I brought her home and…