Simon and I had been together for ten years, and we were finally getting married. But after we moved in together, his cat always seemed to hate me. Simon brushed it off, telling me I was reading too much into it. “It’s just a cat,” he said. But then, one night in the study, I saw something that shattered that illusion. I clearly saw his cat transform into a young woman, tangled in his embrace. In a soft voice, she whispered, “I don’t like your girlfriend. Do you really have to marry her?” I stood frozen at the doorway, feeling dizzy. Not because of the pair entwined in front of me, but because flashes of memories and visions overwhelmed me. The past, the present, and even the future. In those swirling images, I saw my entire life unfold. It turns out I’m just the villainess in a sugary romance novel. The novel is called I Became a Cat and Stole My Crush’s Heart. In the story, the heroine, Mia Yates, secretly loves the male lead, Simon Shaw. She thought they were destined to never be together—until a car accident changes everything. Mia wakes up, only to find she’s turned into a cat. Simon, unaware of her true identity, adopts her, and Mia becomes his treasured pet. One day, she mysteriously returns to her human form—in Simon’s bed. From that moment on, their story unfolds with stolen glances and hearts racing. As for me? I’m the villain, Simon’s malicious fiancée. I’m supposed to compete with a cat for his affection. Out of jealousy, I even plan to throw acid on Mia’s face, only for Simon to stop me just in time. In the end, I get my comeuppance and spend the rest of my life regretting my actions behind prison bars. Simon and I are about to get married, which is why we’ve moved in together. But ever since I arrived, Mia the cat has made her hostility toward me abundantly clear. Every time Simon and I are in the same room, she screeches at the top of her lungs or knocks things over to steal his attention. She never lets me near her. Every time I try to pet her, she scratches me. I thought she was just being defensive, like any cat might be with a stranger. I figured she’d get used to me eventually. But now, I finally understand. She’s no ordinary cat; she’s a woman pretending to be one. Certain things are cute when a cat does them. But when it’s a human? It’s far from charming.
The next morning. I sat at the breakfast table, watching Mia nestled beside Simon. He carefully cut his breakfast into small pieces and fed her bit by bit. How did I never see it before? I took a sip of milk and casually said, “Simon, don’t you think it’s time Mia was spayed? She’s always so agitated—getting her spayed might calm her down.” As soon as I said that, Mia’s fur bristled in outrage. She hissed at me, then quickly retreated into Simon’s arms, meowing pitifully. Sure enough, Simon stroked her back gently to comfort her before looking at me with irritation. “I don’t want to put her through that kind of surgery. It’s not right to take away her right to have kittens.” I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So, you want Mia to have kittens? Maybe I can help by finding her a tomcat or two.” At that, Mia’s cries grew even louder. Simon’s face darkened. “Bella, why do you have to be so cruel to her? She’s just a cat! Can’t you see she’s just not used to you yet?” Just a cat? He’s been telling me that for ages, using it as an excuse whenever Mia acts out. But he knows perfectly well that Mia is no ordinary cat. He knows her every action is designed to push me out. Yet he still clings to his comforting delusion. I didn’t bother arguing with him. After breakfast, I drove to Mia Yates’ old house. Mia wasn’t always a cat. She used to be just a regular university student. She fell in love with Simon when he taught a few lectures at her university. But after she turned into a cat, the human body she later gained was beautiful—innocently alluring. Whose body was this? Could a ‘miracle’ like this only happen to Mia? These thoughts consumed me as I drove around her neighbourhood, asking about her. Sure enough, those who are hateful often have a tragic backstory. Her mother, I learned, never cared much for her. She favoured Mia’s brother and constantly pressured her to find a wealthy husband, one who could provide a dowry to buy her brother a house. Mia’s attraction to Simon? Well, that had a lot to do with his money. I smirked. Rich, is he? What if Simon lost everything? Would Mia still care for him then? On my way home, I stopped by The Bark & Purr Pet Shop. As soon as I walked in, a brown blur came bounding toward me. “Max!” Max, my beloved Labrador. I had to send him away because Mia hated him. Simon made me rehome him. Of course, I never actually gave him away. I’d just been keeping him at the pet shop, hoping Mia might accept him one day. Now? I couldn’t care less what Mia thinks. I knelt down and stroked Max’s head. “Max, I’m so sorry. I’ll never leave you again.” He seemed to understand, nuzzling into my hand. I hugged him tighter, relieved.
When I brought Max back, Simon predictably lost his temper. “Why did you bring that dog here? You know Mia is terrified of him!” I held Max close, not even looking at Simon. “You have Mia. I need Max with me.” He snapped without thinking. “How can that dog compare to Mia?” Anger flared up inside me. “So your precious cat gets to stay, but my dog gets kicked out?!” He stood there, speechless, before storming off with Mia, slamming the door behind him. “You’re impossible, Bella.” For the first time in our relationship, we had a real argument. It wasn’t that we never disagreed before. I’d just always been the one to compromise, to make concessions for him. But now? I didn’t mind this feeling. For once, I was standing up for myself. That night, Simon didn’t come home. And I didn’t care. Max and I slept soundly. The next morning, I made breakfast for both of us. Afterwards, I got ready for work. The Oxford Research Institute was always busy, and I had taken time off to plan our wedding. Well, there wouldn’t be a wedding anymore.
When I arrived at the institute, I could tell people were surprised. “Bella, you’re back! Weren’t you on leave for wedding prep?” “Yeah, where’s Simon?” Everyone knew about our relationship. We were both researchers at the institute. I made small talk and brushed off their questions. There was plenty of work piled up, and before I knew it, the morning flew by in a blur. Just as I finished, Jessica grabbed me for lunch. “Bella, I’ve got so much gossip saved up! No one else around here cares about celebrity news—they’re all too busy staring at data all day. I need to spill the tea!” Jessica, with her bubbly personality, was a rare exception in our research-focused environment. I smiled. “I’m all ears. I need a break from science talk.” She hugged me. “You’re the best, Bella!” But we didn’t get far before someone interrupted us. “Bella, there’s an urgent meeting. You need to come right away.” The person’s serious tone left no room for delay, so I hurried back to the conference room. Dr. Knight was furious when I arrived. “Who’s responsible for this project? How did such a massive data error go unnoticed?” The room was tense, and several people cast nervous glances my way before someone spoke up. “Uh… it’s Simon’s project, Dr. Knight.” I knew why they were all looking at me. Simon wasn’t qualified for the position he held. The institute had only promoted him to keep me on board. And over the years, he’d been rising through the ranks quickly—thanks to me. Dr. Knight was still fuming. “Where is he? I’ve told everyone repeatedly that this experiment needs constant supervision, especially at such a critical stage. Where was he yesterday?!” Mistakes like this usually led to demotions. Someone tried to make excuses. “Maybe he’s just been overwhelmed with the wedding plans.” “Isn’t Bella the one who took time off for the wedding? So why is she here, and Simon’s nowhere to be found?” “He’s got connections. That’s why he can get away with anything.” “Wish I had that kind of backup. Mess up this badly and still keep your job.” I listened to the murmurs of discontent, knowing full well the resentment Simon had caused by coasting on my reputation. I stood up and faced them. “If Simon’s responsible for this error, then he should be demoted as per the rules.” The room fell silent. Dr. Knight stared at me, surprised. In the past, I’d always covered for Simon, fixing his mistakes. But not anymore. The meeting ended, and as the others filed out, Dr. Knight pulled me aside. She looked at me thoughtfully. “Bella, you’ve been here for years. Your talent and dedication are the best I’ve ever seen. I’ve always worried that these personal matters were holding you back.” I nodded and smiled, reassuring her. “I understand, Dr. Knight. Don’t worry.” I took over Simon’s project. That afternoon, while I was working on the experiment, Dr. Knight’s words echoed in my mind. She had said, “I hope you keep moving forward, Bella. Your path shouldn’t end here. You’re meant to lead humanity to the next level.” My blood surged with excitement at the thought. By the time I left the institute, night had already fallen. But I wasn’t tired at all. In fact, I felt energized, surrounded by the work I loved. 4 When I got home, Max came bounding over to greet me. I patted his head, but my attention was drawn to Simon, who was sitting in the living room with a stormy expression on his face. “Why was I demoted? Did you have something to do with this?” he demanded. I felt a pang of sadness. Was this really the man I had spent over a decade with? I stayed calm. “Your project had a major issue, Simon. It’s only natural that it was handled according to the rules.” But he still didn’t believe me. “I ran those numbers multiple times—they were flawless. Dr. Knight has had it out for me for ages. I bet she had someone tamper with the data!” I couldn’t take it anymore. “Simon, when are you going to stop blaming everyone else for your mistakes? When will you finally learn to take responsibility?” He stared at me in shock before a sudden realisation seemed to hit him. “Oh, I see how it is,” he sneered. “This was all about you taking over my project, wasn’t it? You wanted me out of the way so you could get ahead.” His words struck me like a slap to the face. I looked at him, my voice breaking. “Is that really what you think? After everything we’ve been through for the past ten years?” “I…” Simon faltered, reaching out as if to wipe the tears from my eyes. But at that moment, a sharp hiss pierced the air. We both turned to see Max cornering Mia, growling low and threatening. It looked like any second he would tear her apart. Simon rushed over, pushing Max aside. “Get away from her!” He scooped Mia into his arms and turned back to me. “Bella, I’m willing to forget everything that happened today, but I’m warning you—keep your dog away from Mia. I won’t ask again.” Without waiting for a response, he stormed into the study, slamming the door behind him. I slid down the wall in defeat, feeling completely drained. Max nuzzled me, his head resting on my lap. Simon never used to be like this.
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