Chapter 7
Stella’s hand was strikingly pale–her skin thin and delicate, which made the red scratch across the back of it look even more brutal
Rowan’s pupils shrank as he stared at the wound, his throat tightening on instinct
It was on the back of her right hand–the same place he had felt that strange pain earlier.
He thought “What a coincidence?”
He steadied his thoughts and asked, “Did you treat it yet?”
Stella shook her head. “How was I supposed to know how to treat it?”
Rowan frowned. “You’ve had a cat for years. Don’t you grow how to treat a wound?”
Felix had been hers for four years. When she left the Fairchild residence, she didn’t take anything–except that eat.
stells replied with complete ease, “I have a cat, sure. But it’s never scratched me before, isn’t it normal not to know?” She always had an excise.
Rowan didn’t bother continuing the conversation. He grabbed her wrist and led her into the room.
Stella’a yra glinted with faint abusement.
Rowan suddenly turned. She blinked, instantly switching to a pitiful expression. “What is it?”
Heracting was flawless.
Rowan scoffed inwardly and dragged her toward the kitchen
He turned on the faucet, held her hand beneath the stream, and let the water rinse the wound clean.
She flinched slightly from the sting. The cut had been imitated.
Rowan’s grip on her hand faltered slightly. A subtle unease crept in
Because at that moment, he had felt a faint sting on the back of his hand. It hadn’t faded since–still there, subtle but steady, like a thread of pain quietly pulsing beneath the skin.
His gaze darkened as he studied the cut
It was deep. The edges of her skin tumed out slightly, and blood had begun to pool.
Taking a slow breath to push away his strange thoughts, Rowan spoke, “This wound’s pretty deep. I’ll have someone come by later to give you a rables shot,” “Olury,” she answered without protest.
They were standing close now. She tied her head up slightly, catching the sharp line of his jaw, the way his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed.
Then her gaze dropped lower–his robe had come loose, crvealing toned muscles beneath damp skin, pale and thushed from a recent shower
She pressed her lips together. They were dry.
He had already changed into the robe when she showed up earlier. So, he had already showered. He hadn’t wanted to wait for her.
Her brows tightened slightly.
But her gaze was too intense and Rowan noticed. He had been staring at her wound, but her look pulled something loose Inside him. The tension he had just forced downtheratened to rise agal
He pressed his lips together tightly, releasing her wrist and lening her rinse the cut herself. Then, he casually tugged at the collar of his robe, making it impossible for Stella to catch another glimpse
Stella pouted. She thought Rowan was being too stingy-
Rowan leaned against the counter, silent for a beat before finally asking, “Why did your cat scratch you?”
Legically, her cat of five years shouldn’t be attacking her. Something was wrong.
Fein was a male cat, but he had been neutered years ago – Rowan had personally taken him to the vel for the procedure.
ella’s gaze flickered for a moment, and then the mumbled sotily, “I don’t know,”
she suddenly added, “I think there’s something something wrong at my place.”
Bowun raised an eyebrow.
mote ridiculous, making up any story she could think of.
I might have seen a ghost or something – That’s why it’s acting crazy. ”
“I’m a bit scared to go back. It’s really ever right now
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Histone was light but tinged with amusement. “After all that, you just want to stay the night here?”
She was certainly bold.
Stella pouted, her little face scrunched up. “I’m not making it up! It’s true.”
Seeing that he didn’t believe her, she bit her lip and added, “Well, if you don’t believe me, we can go check it out. Come with me, and you’ll see what’s going on with him.”
Rowan studied her for a few seconds. His mind flashed back to the strange pain he had felt earlier.
He frowned and nodded. “Fine.”
He said as he walked toward the living room, “The cleaning’s almost done. You should dry your bands, and I’ll disinfect your wound.
He found the first aid kit and retumed to her side, gently holding her hand. He dipped a cotton swab in lodine and carefully applied it to the wound.
The indine wasn’t too imitating, but the moment it touched her skin, there was a slight sting.
Rowan’s grip on the cotton swab tightened. He could feel her pain more intensely with each passing moment.
He looked up and asked, “Does it hurt?”
Though she didn’t show it, he could tell.
stellanodded and said, “Yeah.”
He then noticed the change in his gaze, thought for a moment, and added, “It’s just a little bit, not much.”
Bowan was well aware that it was only a minor sting.
His hand trembled as be threw the cotton swab away, talding a deep breath
“Let’s go check out your place,” he said.
stella’s place was just downstairs. She used the same iris scan system to get into her apartment.
As soon as the door opened, she stepped behind Rowan, trying to hide.
Rowan raised an eyebrow.
He sighed and tumed to look at Stella behind him. “It’s your house. Why are you hiding?”
Her delicate fingers gripped the fabric of his robe tightly. Her gaze was conflicted. “He’s really scary now, I’m a little scared.”
Earlier, when she had retumed home, Felix was curled up on the couch, sleeping soundly. He looked like a flutty ball or tur.
It had been a long time since she had seen it.
The last time she had seen him was after that fire. Felix hadn’t been able to escape.
Stella sat beside it, lost in thought for a while. She gently stroked its flutty head, trying to process everything about her rebirth, when suddenly, it woke up.
As usual, Felix rubbed his head against her palm, then tilted his head to nuzzle her thigh. Suddenly, his round, glowing emerald eyes widened. He let out a sharp, screeching meow and instantly went into a frenzy.
Before Stella could pull her hand back, Felix had scratched her. She scrambled to her feet, backing away.
Felix arched his back, glaring at her with a wild look, about to lunge..
Stella didn’t know where to go. Panicked, Stella ran out of the room and slammed the door beland her.
Her heart paced, and she leaned against the door, taking a long moment to catch her breath.
the felt uneasy. She wondered if Felixhad picked up on something.
After a long pause, Steila decided to find Rowan. She hurried upstairs.
When she opened the door, the lights were still on she had forgotten to turn them off when she left. Fellx was likely still in the living room.
She was geradrely scared, which was why she hid behind Rowan.
crnuld tell she wasn’t lying. He frowned more deeply and walked toward the living room. As he stepped into the entryway,
saw Felix, the golden cat
new, Felix man spinning invites on the living room floor, not sure what he was doing.
sani glanced back at teella. “This is the one you said in dangerous?
watching the silly cat cuase its tail. She was about to speak when Felt heard them and looked over.
nt from playful to frantic, putting up histor and hissing loyally. He auched his back, baring his teeth, and let out a high-
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Through a trembling voke, Stellamedout, “See, I told you it’s tierce!”
Felix charged toward them. Rowan quickly shitted to the side, carrying Stella on his back, pist as the cat lungest again.
Rowan frowned and commanded in a low, stem voice, “Felix, stop!”
This was no time for his usual dominant cro persona.
stella tightened bet grip around Rowan’s neck, “It’sacat. Do you think it understands you?
“Let’s ist get out of here. I’ll have someone take him to the vet tomorrow.”
As she spoke, Felix’s emerald eyes fixed on Rowan. For a moment, it seemed stunned.
Then, the hostility in Felix’s eyes vanished, and his but smoothed out in an instant! It secused as though he had recognized him, ribbing against Rowan’s leg while purring, maling his call like a spoiled, affectionate kitten
For some inexplicable reason, Rowan thought Felix looked a little like Stella at that moment.
He clodded softly and tilted his head toward Stella, who was still clinging to his slisilder. His voler softened, a playfultoise cereping in. “It seems like Felix listens better than you.”
Stellablinked in contusion
If Felix weren’t a male cat, she would have started to suspect something, Watching the eat act so affectionately toward Rowan, she couldn’t help but feel upset.
She said, “What is this? A traitor? I raised it, fed it, and took care of it. How could it turn on me like this?”
Rowan smiled faintly. “Alright, you can get down now.”
Stella didn’t move, still clinging to his neck. “What it he tries to pence on me
“He won’t “Rowan tilted his head to look at her.
or me again when I get down?
With Stella on his back, her head resting against his shoulder, Rowan was so close to her that it be tilted his head slightly, their lips would almost touchi,
He paused for a moment and spoke softly. “Trust me.”
Stella met his gare for a few seconds, then reluctantly sighed. “Pine, I’ll trust you
As she spolar, her eyes fluttered, and before he could react, her soft lips pressed against his. The kiss was loud, unmistakable, and quick.
Then, like a mischievous cat, she grinned and jumped off his back
Rowan pressed his lips together, feeling the lingering warmth from her kiss.
After a day of being kissed repeatedly by her, he was beginning to feel unsatisfied.
And she, completely unaware, still dated to tease him.
He bent down, picked up Felix, who had been rubbing against his legs, and sat back down on the couch. He placed the cat on his lap and gently stroked its head with his long, elegant fingers, examining it for any signs of injury or distress.
Resting in his arms, Felix remained calm and allowed Rowan to inspect him.
Stella stood by, watching as relix seemed to settle down, and she decided to approach, but as soon as she took a few steps, Felixsuddenly lifted his head and bared
his teeth at her.
Stella troue, feeling a cul! run through her.
towan frowned and gently tapped Felix on the head. “Who are you being aggressive with?”
Felis mrowed, then slumped down as if defeated. Yet, his emerald eyes remained fixed on stella, still uphind.
Having checked Felix thoroughly, Rowan looked up at Stella, who was standing nearby.
Stella stood with her hands behind her back, a weary expression on her beautiful face. Her eyes were dim as she gazed at Rowan and the cat on his lap.
———an’s fingers tightened slightly as he spoke to her. “I checked him, and by’s time.
zella tilinked, bet ryelashes fluttering as she replied softly, “Alright.”
the then asked, “So, why is he bring so give toward me?”
as as if Felix no longer recognized her as its owner.
Jiwerni. Maybe it wasn’t Fella’s strange behavior. Perhaps the real issue lay with Stella, who was standing in front of him
perstjumus person, but he had heard thu
cats were higldy intuitive creatures
tightened slightly, and a bad feeling surged within him
Tham really Mella? The Hlasuglu made his heart race
cat off his lap and gently modging its rear with Ids foot “to play surmahrir else
ving himi, panged back up and curled up next to him again
i lip, hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward
Rowan quickly grasped her hand, pulling her gently toward him
Stella moved with the pull, settling into his embrace in the spot the cat had been just moments before. His strong arm wrapped around her waist, and his cool scent sunounded her.
Stella blinked, her eyes wide with a hint of confusion. “Howan
This was the first time he had pulled her into his embrace today. Although Stella thought it felt similar to the way he had held the cat earlier.
He cupped her chin gently, tilting her head to face him. His voice was low and husky. “Don’t move, let me take a look at you.”
İnan instant, their faces were so close they could see each other’s reflections in their eyes
Stella blinked again. “What are you looking at?”
Rowan’s fingertips traced her smooth skin as he looked into her clear eyes, which reflected his own face. It was definitely Stella sitting in his lap
Rowan yavas certain of it.
His eyes dropped to her lips, which were slightly parted. He spoke in a soft murmur, “Stella, it’s just the two of us now.”
stella’s brows. Juttowed in confusion. “Andaben?”
Rowan suddenly felt an urge he couldn’t suppress
Slowly, he leaned in closer, his voice deep and husky. “Do you still want to kiss me?”
