Chapter 3: The Stray Cat Protocol

 

Harper was in a good mood.

Not only had she survived the "Battery Incident," but her phone had just buzzed with a notification: [Transfer Received: $5,000.00 - Hazard Pay].

Liam Sterling had sent a follow-up text: "Mission 2: Make him eat dinner. He hasn't eaten properly in days. Good luck!"

Harper tied on her apron, scanning the massive, sterile kitchen. "Easy. I just need to figure out what the picky eater wants."

She walked into the living room where Sebastian was watching financial news. His battery was back in, so he had regained his "freedom."

"Mr. Sterling," Harper asked politely. "What would you like for dinner?"

Sebastian didn't look away from the screen. "Whatever."

Harper nodded. "Whatever. Got it."

---

[Attempt #1] Harper prepared a classic home-cooked meal: Braised Chicken with Soy Sauce and Stir-fried Spinach. It smelled amazing—savory and rich.

She placed it in front of him. Sebastian glanced at it for one second. "Greasy. I won't eat it."

[Attempt #2] Harper didn't argue. She went back and steamed a fresh Sea Bass. No oil, just pure protein. Sebastian frowned. "I don't eat fish with bones."

[Attempt #3] Harper took a deep breath. She deboned the fish and made a delicate Fish Ball Soup. Light, healthy, easy to digest. Sebastian took a sip of water. "Too bland. No appetite."

He spun his wheelchair around. "I'm going upstairs."

"Wait! You haven't eaten a single bite!" Harper protested.

"I said, I'm not hungry." Sebastian didn't stop. He rolled into the elevator, leaving Harper alone with a table full of gourmet food.

"Fine!" Harper shouted at the closed elevator doors. "Starve then!"

Just then, the front door burst open. Liam rushed in, looking anxious. "Did he eat? Did he kill you?"

Harper pointed at the untouched food. "He said it's greasy, bony, and bland. Your brother is impossible."

Liam sniffed the air. His eyes widened. "Is that... braised chicken?"

Ten minutes later, Liam was sitting at the dining table, devouring his brother's rejected dinner.

"Oh my god, Harper," Liam mumbled with a mouthful of chicken. "This is amazing. He's an idiot. His taste buds must be paralyzed too."

"Does he have allergies?" Harper asked, pulling out a small notebook. "Or is he just being a jerk?"

"He's picky," Liam sighed, wiping his mouth. "Write this down."

He began listing Sebastian's dietary restrictions like he was reciting a law book:

"No green onions, ginger, or garlic."

"No fatty meat."

"For pork and beef, he only eats ribs."

"Absolutely no chicken skin or fish skin."

"He eats leafy greens, but no stems."

"He doesn't eat fruit that requires peeling. Unless you peel it and cut it into cubes."

Harper scribbled furiously, filling two pages. She looked up, disbelief written all over her face. "Is he a billionaire or a toddler?"

"He's been like this since the accident," Liam whispered. "He eats like a sick cat. Just... hardly anything."

Harper looked at her notes, then at the empty elevator. A plan began to form in her mind.

A cat, huh?

---

[The Next Morning]

Sunlight poured into the kitchen. Harper was humming a tune as she prepared breakfast.

She decided to make something fresh. Something that smelled irresistible. A Savory Breakfast Crepe (Jianbing). Crispy whole-wheat dough, brushed with a low-fat savory sauce, wrapped around fresh lettuce and tender chicken breast. It was the ultimate street food comfort—crunchy, warm, and delicious.

When Sebastian came down the elevator, he was dressed in a sharp grey shirt, looking cold and distant as always.

"Good morning, Sebastian!" Harper greeted him, her energy annoying as ever. "Breakfast is ready. Savory Crepes."

Sebastian rolled closer. He looked at the food wrapped in paper.

"Street food?" He raised an eyebrow in disdain. "I don't eat food from street stalls. It's unsanitary."

Harper didn't get angry. She didn't beg. She simply nodded. "Okay. I'll make you something else."

She turned around to make a sandwich.

Grrr...

A low, treacherous sound echoed in the quiet kitchen. It was Sebastian’s stomach.

Sebastian stiffened. He picked up a newspaper, pretending he hadn't heard anything. He stared at the financial section, but his eyes weren't moving.

The smell of the crepe was drifting toward him. It was torture. He swallowed, his throat dry. Just ask me again, he thought. If she begs me to eat it, maybe I will try one bite.

"Did I miss breakfast?!"

Liam’s voice shattered the tension. He jogged into the kitchen, looking like he had sprinted from his car. "I smelled your cooking from the driveway!"

Harper beamed. "Just in time! Your brother doesn't want his crepe. You can have it."

"Yes!" Liam grabbed the crepe and took a huge bite. The crunch was audible. "Oh... oh wow. The sauce! The chicken! Sebastian, are you crazy? This is heaven!"

Sebastian watched his brother enjoying his wife's cooking. He watched the steam rising from the crispy dough. He watched Harper smiling at Liam.

His stomach gave another angry growl. Louder this time.

Liam stopped chewing. He looked at Sebastian. "Bro, do you want a bite?"

Sebastian’s face turned a shade of pink. He gripped his armrests, his knuckles white.

"I'm leaving," he announced abruptly. "I'm not hungry."

He spun his wheelchair around and zoomed into the elevator faster than necessary.

"I still think he's hungry," Liam said, finishing the last bite. "Harper, he skipped dinner and breakfast. He's going to collapse. You have to force him to eat! Should we call a doctor?"

Harper calmly picked up a plate of fried eggs and placed it in the fridge.

"No," she said simply. "He'll eat."

"How do you know?" Liam gaped. "You saw him! He's stubborn as a mule."

Harper leaned against the counter, a confident smirk playing on her lips.

"Liam, have you ever raised a stray cat?"

"Uh, no?"

"A stray cat," Harper explained, "is suspicious and proud. If you shove fancy food in its face, it will scratch you and run away."

She looked at the direction Sebastian had left.

"But if you ignore it... if you let it get hungry..." Harper’s eyes twinkled. "It will come to you. He's not sick, Liam. He's just spoiled. Give it time."

Liam stared at her in awe. "You... you're going to starve the billionaire?"

Harper untied her apron. "I'm just training him."