[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-2603220ECDF1-611":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},611,53,"Chapter 53: The New Tenant Below","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">During his morning run the next day, Roman Griffin found a cat on the lakeside path.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The kitten was nothing but skin and bone, shivering yet rolling over to expose its belly in a pathetic plea for kindness. Its fur was so thin you could count every ridge of its ribs, and the base of its tail was matted with dried blood—likely the result of being bullied by the local strays.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Meow...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The sound was faint, tremulous, and laced with caution.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">For some reason, the way it extended its hind legs to reveal its belly struck a chord in Roman, echoing a different, vulnerable voice from his own memories.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Hold me.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He halted his pace. \"Hungry?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The kitten didn’t reply, its eyes tracking his every movement with frantic intensity.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Stay here.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman kept running. Two miles later, he stopped at a convenience store to buy goat’s milk. On his way out, he looped back to the cooler, grabbing a tuna sandwich for good measure.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Four miles round-trip, and the cat was still huddled in the same spot.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It had hidden itself under a bush, carefully appraising every passerby. Whenever it saw someone who looked like they wouldn't kick it, it would let out a low, desperate mew.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">So, it was playing the numbers game.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman let out a short, cynical laugh as he crouched down. \"Come out.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Whether it recognized him or simply caught the scent of the food in his bag, the kitten shook its head and crept toward him, inching forward with the caution of a creature ready to bolt at the slightest twitch.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman ignored it, casually peeling open the sandwich packaging. He laid the plastic wrap on the ground, scraped the tuna onto it, and drizzled a splash of milk over the top.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Unable to resist the feast, the kitten tore into the meal. Once finished, it licked its chops and let out a significantly louder, more insistent \"Meow!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Within the span of a single meal, the kitten had moved from suspicious observation to trailing him closely. As Roman took a few steps away, the cat followed.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman looked down at it, his eyes hooded. \"Want to come home with me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Meow.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is it just me, or would you follow anyone?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The cat tilted its head, as if weighing the question.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman started walking again, and the cat trailed behind. When he didn't stop, the kitten grew anxious. It leaped ahead, scurrying in front of him and flopping onto its back, effectively blocking his path. A few specks of mud stained its graying belly, right beside the flank.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman looked down, his mind drifting to the mole on Violette Ellis’s skin, the one he had spent all last night obsessively kissing.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">How strange. Both the woman and the cat—it felt like they were meant to be his.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He reached down, gripping the kitten by the scruff of its neck and tucking it into his jacket. \"Be good. Don't make a racket. There’s someone bigger asleep at home.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Meow.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The kitten gave a short, submissive peep. It understood.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">***\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When Violette walked through the living room that morning, she felt like something was off. The room was still, yet the potted monstera in the corner was trembling. As she passed by again, it wasn't just the plant—the paper bag she’d left by the sofa was overturned and skittering across the hardwood floor with a frantic *tappa-tappa-tappa*.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette let out a surprised yelp.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A tiny, furry head popped out from under the paper bag. It was orange and white, looking utterly miserable, and let out a soft, pleading meow.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Hearing footsteps, Violette looked back. Roman was emerging from the home office, phone in hand. Seeing the scene, he offered her a soothing gesture, muttered, \"You guys carry on, I'm busy,\" into the receiver, and hung up.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette, still feeling like she was in a dream, pointed at the bag. \"A cat?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Sorry. Found him on the side of the road this morning.\" He leaned down to scoop up the kitten, squinting at it. \"I thought I left you in the carrier. How did you get out?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He carried it to the living room and set it down in a luxury cat carrier that still had the tags on it. The kitten, as if determined to prove its point to its new owner, worked its claws with practiced precision.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Click.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The latch swung open.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman sighed. \"I’ll take him to one of the other apartments later.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is someone else going to take him?\" Violette asked.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Not yet,\" Roman said. \"But keeping him here is inconvenient.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You don't like him?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I don't mind him.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Are you allergic?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette paused. \"Then why can't we keep him?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">As she shook off her initial surprise, she crouched down and let out a few soft meows of her own. Her eyes crinkled into crescents. \"I’ve always been so envious of people with pets, but I’ve been too busy with work. Do you know? Back when I used Twitter, I used to spend all day just watching other people’s cats online.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I thought you didn't care for them,\" Roman said, clearly relieved.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The carrier door swung wide. The kitten tentatively stuck a paw out, inching through the gap. It was definitely the type to push its luck.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman popped open a tin of wet food by the door. He extended a finger, and as the kitten ate, he absentmindedly scratched the tuft of yellow fur on its head. His touch was gentle; any pressure he applied was meant to be fleeting, leaving only a faint indent before he smoothed it back down with a thumb.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette watched from the side, a sudden clarity washing over her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman was always so composed and gentlemanly. If he could show this level of care and tenderness to a stray cat he’d just picked up, how could he be any different with her?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">His affection was simply a product of his upbringing and natural refinement. It wasn't the frantic, soul-consuming love she’d felt from him the night before.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When she thought of it that way, she realized she should be grateful to Roman. He’d made her feel loved from the very beginning of their marriage, even if it was a misunderstanding.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">It wasn't a bad thing. They were just two people getting exactly what they needed out of a partnership.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette crouched beside him, watching his fingers groom the kitten’s fur.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Roman, it's so strange.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman turned his head, his expression soft. \"Hmm?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Everything I wanted to do before... it feels like it's all slowly coming true since I married you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Is that a bad thing?\" he countered.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette thought for a moment before saying it was a good thing.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman nodded, as if they were discussing the weather, and replied with calm finality, \"Then let's just keep living like this.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">***\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That weekend, they decided to hit the mall for pet supplies.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">They walked through the aisles like any normal couple, grabbed lunch out, stuffed the trunk with bags, and hovered over the directory map in the massive parking structure to find the exit.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Things Roman had never done—things he’d always offloaded to his assistants or the household staff—suddenly felt remarkably interesting when he was doing them with Violette.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When they were picking out a cat tree, she acted like an engineer, measuring the height with intense seriousness.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"If we put it in the living room, will it block the liquor cabinet?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It won't,\" Roman reassured her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I still think that luxury cat condo looks cooler.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Then let's get that one.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Do you think Sunny has a sensitive stomach?\" She jumped to another topic. \"I've seen other bloggers buying this brand of canned food all the time!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Buy some, we'll see if he likes it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Wow! Look at these tracking toys! Feather wands! Scratching pads!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman didn't try to stop her; he only murmured, \"Sunny will love those.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Sunny was the kitten's name—found beneath the shrubs, reborn from the wood. It was a fitting name to balance out Violette’s lack of a 'wood' element in her birth chart.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The larger items would be delivered, but the trunk was still overflowing with smaller supplies by the time they left. On the drive home, Violette was busy studying the user manuals for their new purchases.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Noticing the car had been idling for a while, she looked up. \"What's wrong?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"A moving truck is blocking the lane.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman signaled for her to look ahead.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The entrance to their underground parking garage was obstructed by a small truck parked sideways in the middle of the road. Workers were moving boxes in and out with practiced efficiency.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The property manager was nearby, trying to clear the path. When he spotted their car, he jogged over.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Mr. Griffin.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman rolled down the window. \"How much longer?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Just a few more minutes. The owner below you is moving out, and these are the final boxes. If you're in a hurry, just give me your keys, and I’ll park it for you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No need, we're not in a hurry,\" Roman said, waving him off. \"The apartment below was sold?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"That’s right. The unit for 2.8 million.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"The current market regulations are pretty tight. Not the best time to be offloading assets.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Tell me about it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">They traded a few more casual remarks.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette, however, felt a sharp prickle of unease at the base of her neck. A detail she had overlooked suddenly surfaced: scrolling through her social media feed a few days ago, she’d seen a post from Blake Pierce.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He’d written: *Finally have a home in Deepwater.*\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272918918]