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All Chapters of The Cat, the Lover, and the Lie: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

It was the best vet clinic in the area, and the most expensive. I handed the receptionist the cat care handbook."My sister, Marie, asked me to check when Daisy's due."The receptionist pulled up Daisy's records. Marie and Tyler Carey were listed as her owners.Last year, I made an exception and hired Tyler as an intern in our logistics department. He didn't have much education, came from a poor family, and was painfully shy. I felt sorry for him and decided to give him a shot.Apparently, he found a way to make himself indispensable to my wife.I clenched my jaw, took back the handbook, and drove straight to the office.I stepped back from running the company to support Marie's career and stay home with our twin daughters, Esther and Karen Lynch. It was a long time since I last set foot in the building.Marie wasn't in the CEO's office. Her assistant followed me down the hall, insisting she was in a meeting, but kept stealing nervous glances at the office next door.It was m

Chapter 2

I stepped back from the desk, trying to take it all in, and my elbow caught a picture frame. It fell flat with a clatter.Inside was a collage of nine photos from a maternity shoot. Marie posed alone in some. In others, she stood beside Tyler, holding Daisy.In the center photo, Tyler kneeled on one knee in front of Marie, his hands gently cupping her barely rounded stomach. She smiled down at him with a warmth I knew well.I turned to her, my voice cold. "What the hell, Marie? You're having his baby? And you moved him into my office?"Tyler flinched, his face draining of color as he pressed a hand to his chest."Marie. My heart. Something's wrong.""Tyler, are you okay?" Marie turned to her assistant. "Call an ambulance!"She hurried to help him up, slipping an arm around him to keep him steady. Tyler gripped her arm as he stood, and I caught a glimpse of a gold band on his ring finger, but with everything else going on, I paid it little attention.I stood right in front of

Chapter 3

Half an hour later, I pulled up outside a secluded house in the mountains just beyond town.The woman who answered the door was our old nanny. She looked after the twins from the time they were born, five years ago.The girls adored her. I paid her well and planned to keep her on until they were grown, but last year, she quit, saying her son was getting married.Apparently, Marie had brought her here to help with the baby she was expecting with Tyler."Mr. Lynch..."I set my jaw, pushed past her, and walked inside.In the first room off the entryway, a pregnant Ragdoll stretched out lazily.The room was twice the size of the one at the office, with cat trees, beds, and supplies everywhere. Marie apparently gave Daisy a whole room here, too.I headed down the hall and heard Marie's soft voice through a partly open door."It's alright. You heard the doctor. Your heart's no worse than it was before."And the baby's fine. He's perfectly healthy."We can replace everything Gavin

Chapter 4

"Hi, I need to report someone for destroying my property," I told the dispatcher. "I have evidence, and they're still here. Please send someone."The police arrived at the house shortly afterward. They inspected the damage, collected evidence, and took our statements.By the time they finished, Marie agreed to cover the loss. Then she walked out with Tyler as if it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.-The sun was coming up when I got home.I stood in front of the empty safe, replaying what Marie said with a mocking laugh."A divorce? You'd never go through with it. Your parents had a rich girl all picked out for you, and you walked away from her and your family to marry me. Leave me now, and everyone in the Lynch family will laugh in your face."She had a point.When we got married, Marie had next to nothing. I came from a wealthy family in the cosmetics business, and I nearly cut ties with them to marry her.If I went back now because she cheated on me, they would n

Chapter 5

For the next three days, I didn't hear a word from Marie.Then she walked into the house with Tyler while I was making soup.Several nannies and bodyguards came in behind them. One carried a cat carrier."Daisy's about to have her kittens. Tyler can't handle the sight or smell of blood with his heart condition, so she'll be staying here."I looked up at her."Esther and Karen are allergic to cats. You bring Daisy here, where are they supposed to go?"She helped Tyler settle on the couch, then went into the kitchen and ladled some soup into a bowl for him. When she finally answered me, she sounded annoyed."They can stay somewhere else. Honestly, allergies at their age? They must get that from you."Now that I knew about Tyler, she dropped the pretense. She didn't even bother coming up with an excuse that sounded reasonable.I pulled out a chair and sat down. "This is my house. The girls and I aren't going anywhere."Tyler set his soup aside and started to rise. "It's his hous

Chapter 6

I held Esther and Karen close as the car pulled away.The bowl of chicken soup still sat on the table.For a long time, I said nothing. Then I took out my phone."The patent licenses are revoked, right? Put out the announcement. Now. I'm going to make sure Marie loses everything!"-At the private hospital, Marie got Tyler the best room available, called in the top doctors, and hired two more caregivers.Everyone waited in the hallway. As soon as the doctor came out, she hurried over."How is he? What was in the soup?"The doctor looked confused. "We found no signs of poisoning. His tests are normal."Marie frowned, but then an orderly wheeled Tyler out, and she went straight to him."Thank God you're alright. Just get some rest. Your birthday's in a few days, and I'm gonna get you..."She stopped, unable to think of anything she hadn't already given him.On the day of his heart surgery, Tyler mentioned that he didn't have a place of his own. She signed over every propert

Chapter 7

The post laid it all out. Daisy, the properties, the apartments and valuables we saved for our daughters, and Marie's prenatal records. It also included footage of her kicking Esther as she helped Tyler out of the house.The comments poured in. People called her a cheater and a terrible mother and urged everyone to boycott the company's cosmetics brands.Marie felt faint. She steadied herself and sent a message to the finance department.[Call a shareholders' meeting. I'm on my way.]The response came almost immediately.[Ms. Briggs, you no longer hold any shares. We'll need authorization from a shareholder to arrange that.]She took a sharp breath and turned to Tyler, who sat slumped in his wheelchair.She needed his approval now. He owned the controlling stake.-With Daisy in the house, I took the girls to a hotel to keep their allergies from flaring up. Once they settled in and found something to do, I published the post.The records backed up the transfers, and our sec

Chapter 8

I looked around the wrecked office. It reminded me of the room I trashed next door, only this time, I felt no urge to break anything.Watching them turn on each other was satisfying enough."Bad time?" I glanced at Tyler. "Careful. I thought you were supposed to avoid stress."Marie turned on me the moment she saw me."So now you show up. You pulled the patent licenses without even telling me? This company is on the verge of bankruptcy! Get us a new licensing agreement. The factories have been shut down for days. We're out of money!"I gave her a thin smile. "My family owns those patents. I don't need your permission. But I'm here about the properties."Tyler stiffened when I looked at him, then squared his shoulders. "Marie signed them over to me. They're mine.""I know," I said. "You wasted no time cashing them in. You sold the three properties Marie and I owned, plus the four apartments we bought for our daughters. Four million dollars for all seven. The only place you kept

Chapter 9

With everyone demanding answers, Marie pointed at Tyler."He's the majority shareholder. Take it up with him!"Tyler grabbed her arm, and she tried to wrench free. Within seconds, they were fighting, and the officers stepped in to separate them.Both were arrested and taken into custody.I posted the footage online, and the backlash against Marie grew.John called soon afterward. He finished gathering the evidence and sent Marie a formal notice demanding the return of the assets.A week later, I was playing games with my daughters at a cabin we rented when the owner stopped by to tell me a woman was outside asking for me.I got the girls settled and went out. Marie stood with her shoulders slumped, looking exhausted. She looked thinner, which made her pregnancy more noticeable."Gavin. I've been trying to find you."She paused, then spoke in a quiet, tentative voice."I spent a lot of time thinking while I was in custody. About when we got married, and everything you went t

Chapter 10

Tyler stopped protesting and gave Marie a hard look."Yes, it's mine. You weren't the only woman who wanted me."Marie tightened her grip on the knife and slashed his arm.The college student tried to run, but Marie caught her across the back with the blade.By the time the police arrived, blood covered the floor. Marie stood in the doorway, staring into space and repeating the same words."None of it was real. You lied about everything…"This time, she faced charges of aggravated assault and attempted murder.Tyler and the other woman survived their injuries. Later, they tried to leave town with the money, but I alerted the police, who stopped them at the train station.I pursued the return of everything Marie transferred to them.A month later, our divorce was final. Marie didn't fight it.Tyler repaid only a small fraction of what he owed. He and the other woman had spent most of the rest.I could wait. I posted their photos along with an account of what they did. People

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