Chapter 1Feline Deception

My boyfriend, who had always hated cats, brought one home.

I thought he did it to make me happy and was touched for a long time.

Until six months later.

Julian's college upperclassman returned from abroad.

The first thing she did was open her arms to Julian.

"Julian, I'm back."

The second thing she did was call out to the cat in my arms: "Sweetie, come here, Mommy's back..."

* * *

Upon hearing her voice, Sweetie immediately jumped out of my arms.

And in the blink of an eye, she was in Mia's embrace.

I stood there, stunned.

Watching as the cat, who usually wouldn't even let me touch her, gently licked Mia's hand.

Julian stood beside her, suppressing a smile.

Mia stroked Sweetie's head, her eyes full of adoration, "My sweet little thing~ Mommy missed you so much. Tell Mommy, did 'Daddy' treat you well these past six months?"

Hearing the word "Daddy," Julian didn't react.

He just said casually, "You're wronging me, Mia. I treat Sweetie better than I would my own son."

Mia held the cat up to his face, blinking, "You're not lying? Haven't you always hated cats? I was so worried you'd be annoyed."

Julian subconsciously stepped back, "Well, that depends on whose cat it is, doesn't it?"

Confirmed that he wasn't lying, Mia smiled in satisfaction.

Listening to their conversation, my heart sank violently.

Julian was famously a cat hater.

I knew this very early on.

So, I forcefully swallowed my dream of a life with two people and a cat.

Until six months ago.

He proactively brought home a dirty little cat.

I was surprised and a little delighted.

"Julian, don't you hate cats? Why did you suddenly bring one home?"

I asked very carefully, afraid he'd get annoyed and throw the hard-won cat out.

Unexpectedly, Julian wasn't annoyed at all.

He even surprisingly prepared cat food and toys for the little thing.

"Because you like them," he said, sounding very impatient.

I thought his impatience was just his natural reaction to seeing the cat.

I didn't care why he was acting that way.

Thinking back on it now, that day was probably the day Mia went abroad.

...

Actually, Sweetie was not an easy cat to take care of.

She was delicate and had a bad temper.

Every time I tried to hold her, she would irritably swat me away with her tail or scratch my arm.

Whenever that happened, Julian would mock me: "Chloe, you really have terrible luck with cats..."

"If it really doesn't work out, I'll just leave her at a pet shop."

I panicked, afraid Sweetie would be sent away.

I often whined and promised that I would raise Sweetie to be plump and healthy.

Only then would he generously say: "Fine... since you're begging me so much, I'll reluctantly let you keep her for a few days."

I happily jumped on Julian and kissed his face: "You're the best, honey."

In my heart, I was determined to make Sweetie completely dependent on me.

To make Julian look at me with new respect.

It wasn't until today that I realized how stupid I was.

It turned out that Sweetie was a cat who always had only one owner.