Chapter 6

When I returned to the manor, the security level was increased.

Xavier must have realized there was no way I would continue to stomach the humiliation and settle for being a sitting duck.

To prevent me from going completely insane, he performed an unusually noble gesture. He had allowed Annie to send me a gift to console me.

It was a ragdoll cat Annie had raised since the cat was a kitten. The cat was named Rosy, which probably originated as a joke at her twin sister Rosalia.

Her handwriting on the letter was shaky: [Donna, may Rosy keep you company in place of my sister and me.]

Annie was gravely injured while protecting me. The stab wound she suffered in her abdomen was very close to claiming her life. Despite all that, she was still thinking about me.

Meanwhile, my husband treated me as if I didn't exist. He was too occupied with his lover and their soon-to-be-born child.

Thankfully, I had Rosy.

Just like its previous owner, Rosy was a lively and affectionate cat. She loved to rub her wet nose against my fingertips.

Whenever I woke up from a nightmare, I would find Rosy purring over me. She would bump against my palm with her furry forehead.

Then, I would hold it tightly and cry. That was how I endured countless dark and silent nights. I vowed to Rosy that I would make it out of this living hell.

We would settle on some remote island where we could live freely with Annie and Rosalia.

One afternoon, Alice opened the door and invited herself inside.

“The cat’s name is Rosy? What a beautiful name.”

“Get out.” I hugged Rosy tightly and snarled at her. I was not interested in being friendly.

“I just wanted to say hello, after all… Rosy will grow up with my child, too.”

She brushed aside my warning and proceeded to bend over to reach for Rosy.

When she tried to grab Rosy by the scruff of her neck, I seized her hand.

“No. Don’t touch her. She doesn’t like being touched by strangers.”

“Well, she'd better get used to it since she’s living here now.”

With that, Alice ignored my protests and grabbed Rosy with her other hand before forcefully hugging her.

The usually docile Rosy sharply yelped a few times before starting to twist and turn violently. At one point, she dug her claws into Alice’s arm and left fresh red claw marks.

“Ah!” Alice cried out and clutched her arm. Soon, she began to cry.

“What are you doing?!”

The door was kicked open at the same time.

Xavier rushed in and protectively pulled Alice into his arms.

“It’s okay, Xavier, the cat scratched me, that’s all.”

Alice burrowed into his arms and let the tears fall. Her fingertips were trembling as she pointed at Rosy.

Xavier fixed a tender look on frail little Alice for a while before turning sharply to me.

“Can’t you discipline your cat?”

“I warned her not to touch Rosy! She wouldn’t listen!” I almost screamed.

Alice continued to nestle in his arms and seemed like she was convulsing at this point, “It’s my fault. I just wanted to get along with Grace…”

Her acting was laughably poor, yet Xavier was a complete sucker and fell for it.

He kissed her hair before turning to Rosy, who was hiding in the corner and shaking.

“Kill this beast right now! Immediately!”

“No! Xavier, no!” I lunged forward frantically to protect Rosy, but his men rushed forward and pinned me to the ground.

“It’s Annie’s darling cat! Please! You can give her away if you want, just don’t kill her!” I pleaded desperately, even resorting to kowtowing on the floor.

All I heard was Xavier’s ruthless voice coming from above me. His tone was devoid of pity and contained only hostility.

“Don’t forget that you are the reason Annie lost her cat.”

With that, he gestured irritably at his men.

The fluffy cat struggled desperately in their arms before letting out at last a terrible cry.

Then, the door slammed shut.

Xavier pinned the blame on me. It was my fault for not listening to him the way I once did. It was my fault for not obeying his lover.

I was lying on the floor before I started to chuckle. Eventually, it turned into a howling laughter that sounded as if I had lost my mind.