Chapter 301
“Excellent! Then I’ve decided. This cat goes to Mrs. Knox. They clearly have a connection.”
‘Dr. Clarke, that’s not appropriate,” Rachel protested. “This cat means a lot to Blake. He trusted you specifically –
“Are you suggesting my wife would mistreat her?” Adrian’s voice turned icy.
‘Or that our daughter isn’t gentle enough?” He held Emma closer. “You’re giving the cat away while claiming she’s too important to give to just anyone. That’s hypocritical.”
“I just meant – Rachel tried again.
“Miss Hayes, Dr. Clarke interjected kindly but firmly. “The Knox family will take good care of Snow. And look at that connection. Isn’t that worth respecting?”
Rachel pressed her lips together, then turned to me. “Mrs. Knox, have you owned pets before? With such a young child, I’m concerned – *
“My daughter loves animals, Adrian interrupted. And my wife is perfectly capable.”
He stepped closer to Rachel. “We may have demanding schedules, but we always make time for those we care about.”
The icy mockery in Adrian’s voice drained the color from Rachel’s face.
I watched her reaction while cradling Snow, feeling an unexpected pang of sympathy.
Years ago, Rachel had spent days crying when Scarlett planned to give away one of her dogs. The memory was still clear. I knew she wouldn’t abandon Snow without a good reason.
And Blake not showing up himself to handle this? That said everything.
He supposedly mourned his dead ex-wife, but couldn’t even keep my cat around. Instead, he pawned off the task on Rachel.
Typical Blake. Five years hadn’t changed him one bit.
At least now Snow would be with me again, where she belonged.
I took a deep breath and met Rachel’s worried gaze. “Miss Hayes, Snow will be fine.”
I’ll take good care of her.”
“And since we’re working on the collaboration anyway, you can drop by to see her whenever you want.”
Rachel’s POV
What else could I say? Evelyn had backed me into a corner.
“Alright, I sighed, nodding.
1 should never have snuck Snow out behind Blake’s back. If I’d just given her to Dr. Clarke like we planned, Blake would’ve been mad, sure, but he would’ve gotten over it.
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Now? I was screwed.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Blake. Perfect timing.
I stepped away to answer. “Hey.”
“Where’s Snow?’ His voice was tight with panic. “She’s gone. Did you take her?”
I bit my lip, watching Evelyn across the room. She held Snow against her chest, laughing at something Dr. Clarke said.
Something about her triggered a memory.
Years ago, after what Laurel did to me. My body had been covered in bruises I couldn’t let anyone see. I’d demanded a female caregiver my own age.
That’s how I met Audrey.
t
Our first meeting was behind the hospital in that tiny garden. She was burying a dead cat, and I was a total bitch about it.
“If you actually cared,” I’d sneered, “you would’ve been kind to it while it was alive instead of putting on this whole sad funeral now
that it’s dead.”
She just looked at me, not saying a word.
Later I found out it wasn’t even her cat just some stray she’d found. God, I felt like such an asshole.
I dragged her to a pet store, determined to buy her a cat to make up for it. She held one of the kittens exactly the way Evelyn was
holding Snow now.
“I can’t keep one,” she’d told me, stroking its fur. “Cats need stability. They need someone who’s emotionally steady.”
“They’re like kids – they need someone who’s actually there.”
“Between school and my jobs… it wouldn’t be fair to the cat.”
Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO
