Fifteen

The next morning, a weak meow woke me.

I opened the door a crack.

A skinny orange kitten shot into the room.

So this was Victor’s precious cat.

Not a pedigree.

Not a rare breed.

Just a thin, dirty little orange kitten.

Rich people’s hobbies were indeed unpredictable.

The cat’s name was Fifteen.

I searched the whole house but found no cat supplies.

No litter.

No bowls.

No scratcher.

Victor returned from his morning workout and answered my question.

“Fifteen’s things are at another house.”

He said it so naturally that I almost believed him.

After breakfast, Victor left for the company.

I stayed home with Fifteen.

Soon, deliveries arrived.

Cat bowls.

Cat litter.

Cat trees.

Toys.

Food.

Everything.

I gave Fifteen a bath while lecturing the kitten.

“Your daddy is irresponsible. Look at you, skinny and dirty. Got bullied outside, didn’t you?”

Fifteen blinked.

I poked its forehead lightly.

“Pet grooming costs enough to feed me for a week. Be good next time.”

Then I paused.

Victor said Fifteen had gone to the groomer.

Why was the cat still this dirty?

Another strange thing:

Fifteen hated Victor.

The moment Victor came close, the kitten’s eyes sharpened. It arched, hissed, and attacked.

Victor’s arms and neck soon had red scratches.

But Fifteen loved me.

It curled in my lap constantly.

Peace lasted only a few days.

Then my mother came.

With Old Zhang.

The moment she entered, she shouted,

“You live in such a nice house and only send your brothers a few thousand? Lina, did dogs eat your conscience?”

Old Zhang grinned, showing yellow teeth.

“What a pretty girl. Don’t worry, follow me and you won’t suffer.”

His breath stank.

His eyes crawled over me.

Fifteen leaped from my arms and bit my mother.

Seconds later, Old Zhang was bitten too.

Curses filled the house.

My mother refused to leave.

She claimed I had found a rich man and demanded two million.

Old Zhang kept saying disgusting things like “good for bearing children.”

Victor saw them on the security cameras and called the police.

Only then did I learn my father and two brothers were involved too.

They had lured the guards away.

Victor had arranged things properly.

My mother and Old Zhang would not come out for at least a month.

My father and brothers escaped, cursing.

I stayed in Victor’s house with strange peace.

For the first time, someone else had stood between me and them.