Chapter 1

Ethan’s childhood friend, Mia, was an absolute cat fanatic.

To please her, and completely ignoring my protests, he let her keep eleven cats in our house.

Even when my cat hair allergy triggered a severe asthma attack, leaving me gasping for air on the floor, Ethan just kept laughing and chatting with her.

Mia always labeled herself as an independent woman who treated cats as her "fur babies."

"Why do women even want to have actual babies?" she would say, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "Are they seriously trying to trap a man with a kid? That’s so manipulative."

"Human kids aren't half as cute as kittens anyway. My cats are my real babies. I’m never giving birth."

Ethan would smile at her dotingly.

"Silly girl. You’re just terrified of pain. Worst case, we can just have Chloe give birth to one for you in the future."

"Hmph, I don't even want that..."

On the floor, my hand tightened around my rescue inhaler, then slowly let go.

I gently touched my slightly swollen lower abdomen. Forcing my trembling body up, I booked an appointment for an abortion.

Only after getting oxygen therapy at the hospital did the suffocating feeling in my chest finally ease.

When I got home, Ethan was lounging on the sofa, petting a cat.

A lingering, warm smile played on his lips.

But the moment he looked up and saw me, his forehead creased. His voice instantly turned ice-cold.

"Where have you been? Why are you just getting back?"

Even as he questioned me, his hand never stopped stroking the cat.

Ethan was a massive neat freak. In the past, he would never let a pet get anywhere near him.

I stared at the Ragdoll cat held so affectionately in his arms. "The hospital," I said flatly.

He merely offered a dismissive grunt.

I had expected this. Aside from Mia, nothing could ever catch his attention.

But this time, I wasn't going to fight.

That suffocating sensation began to creep up my throat again. Fighting the discomfort, I turned to leave.

"Wait. The cats are hungry. Go put out some freeze-dried treats for them."

I was about to refuse. But looking at my deathly pale face, the cold man hesitated for a fraction of a second and stood up.

"Forget it. You're always so clumsy. I'll do it myself."

The eleven cats instantly went wild at the smell of the treats.

"Miss Miller, if your asthma keeps getting triggered by this allergy, it will cause irreversible damage to your lungs."

Remembering the doctor's warning, I instinctively held my breath.

Yet, my eyes began to water, my nose burned, and I couldn't stop coughing and dry-heaving.

My face flushed bright red from coughing. Ethan’s brow furrowed in sheer annoyance.

Right then, his phone rang.

The dark cloud on Ethan’s face instantly vanished. His voice softened, filled with warmth.

"Princess Mia, what is it now?"

The girl on the other end complained that she hadn’t seen her "fur babies" in an hour and missed them terribly. She wondered if they missed her too.

She rambled about how she was such a responsible mother, wondering who would be lucky enough to marry her in the future.

The corners of Ethan’s lips turned up. He playfully scolded her for teasing him, but his body moved honestly toward the eating kittens.

He flipped the camera, and Mia’s excited squeals erupted from the speaker.

Listening to their sweet interaction, I quietly walked back to the master bedroom.

Two weeks ago, I had placed a pregnancy test report on his nightstand as a surprise. It was still sitting there, completely untouched.

I pulled it out and tore it into tiny pieces without a single shred of hesitation.

The morning sickness combined with the constant allergic reactions had already pushed my body to its absolute limit.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit me.

Vision blurring, I collapsed heavily onto the bed.

A moment later, Ethan’s irritated voice boomed through the room.

"Chloe! Who gave you permission to lie on the bed like that?"

He tossed his phone aside, dragged me up without a second thought, and ripped the bedsheets off, throwing them straight into the trash can.

My mind went blank. My voice was hoarse as I spoke.

"We’ve been together for five years. I’m dizzy and just wanted to rest. Is that really too much to ask?"

Ethan’s eyes were dead cold.

"I have a neat freak condition. You haven't showered. I find it dirty."

The air in the room instantly froze. Then, Mia's whiny voice echoed from the discarded phone.

"Ethan? Where did you go? Let me see Cleo again."

Ethan acted as if nothing had happened. He gave me a warning glare, picked up his phone, and continued the call.

The camera flashed past me, and Mia’s dissatisfied voice piped up again.

"No, no, not that Chloe. I want to see Cleo! The pretty, expensive kitten!"

"Cleo, Mommy’s little piggy, come here!" She made kissing noises through the phone.

Ethan didn't find anything wrong with her words. The look he directed at the cat and its owner was pure indulgence.

Seeing my expressionless face, Mia whimpered softly.

"Ethan, why is Chloe looking so miserable? Does she hate me and the kittens...?"

Hearing that, I forced a polite smile at the camera.

"Why would I? You and the cats are the only things Ethan actually cares about."

Ethan opened his mouth, sensing the venom in my words.

But when he met my gaze—completely devoid of any desire to argue—his handsome brow furrowed, and he remained silent.

"Hmph!"

Sensing his distraction, Mia hung up the call in anger.

Ethan’s expression tightened. Anxious to soothe the girl, he turned and stormed out of the house.

Left alone, I packed my things until the early hours of the morning.

Neither of them returned that night.