Chapter 6 Hero Cat
I stared at Diana through the CCTV, confused and slightly irritated, and asked her why she was here. Diana gave a short sigh, then jerked her thumb toward the hallway behind her.
“I’m here with Felicia,” she said. “She wanted to see you. She insisted, actually.”
Felicia.
For a moment, my breath caught. My youngest adopted sister… the last one our parents took in. Seventeen now, quiet, soft-spoken, and too gentle for the world she was thrown into. In my past life, she hadn’t played any major role in the chaos surrounding me, she wasn’t involved in the orchestrations, the betrayals, the manipulation. But she was used as a pawn by Diana more times than I cared to admit, and because of that, I’d turned cold toward her. I pushed her away, avoided her, and convinced myself she was part of the problem.
But she wasn’t.
And when Felicia eventually realized who Diana truly was, she packed her things and traveled out of the country… disappearing from my life completely. I never saw her again before I died.
That memory hit me harder than I care to admit, and when Felicia stepped shyly from behind Diana, hugging her teddy bear tight to her chest, I felt something inside me twist painfully.
“Eric,” I called without looking back, “open the door for them.”
Eric stepped forward, his expression unreadable as usual, and unlocked the door fully. Diana walked in first with her usual practiced grace, while Felicia followed with small, cautious steps. She stood about five-foot-five, athletic enough to move gracefully but soft-featured in a way that made her look younger than she was. Her black hair fell in a straight sheet to her lower back, her arched eyebrows framed expressive brown eyes, and in her arms she clutched her teddy bear—her favorite one. She never went anywhere without a teddy bear in tow. Even in my past life, that habit never changed.
But the next thing that happened snapped me back to the present.
Wheezy, who had been lounging on the couch like the king of the apartment, suddenly perked up. His ears folded back, fur puffing instantly. Then he let out a long, distressed meow that was almost a wail, staring directly at Diana. His entire body stiffened as he crouched into a defensive stance.
I blinked, surprised. “Wheezy? What’s wrong with you?”
He hissed loudly.
Diana leaned forward with a forced laugh. “Aww, your cat is so cute,” she cooed. “Come here, little guy—”
She reached out to pet him.
But she made a big mistake.
Wheezy launched at her face like a furry missile. His claws swiped across her cheek, and she screamed, stumbling backward so fast she hit the door with a loud thud.
“Ah! What the hell is wrong with your stupid cat?!” she yelled, clutching her face in shock as she stared at him like he had turned into a demon.
Wheezy just sat there, his tail flicking, glaring at her as if she were the monster.
I held back a laugh. Wheezy had good instincts, excellent instincts, actually.
Diana didn’t leave, though she looked like she wanted to. Instead, she pressed herself awkwardly against the wall near the door, clearly frightened that Wheezy might jump at her again.
Felicia, who had watched everything with wide eyes, hurried to my side, clutching her teddy close. “Big sister…” she called softly.
Hearing her call me that after so long tugged at something deep in my chest.
“I heard what happened,” she said. “I-I came to check on you.”
Her voice was timid, but sincere. Without thinking, I reached out and gently patted her head. She froze in shock, then slowly relaxed into the gesture.
“I’m fine,” I assured her with a smile. “Some bad people were trying something really funny, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Felicia turned her head toward Diana, then back to me. Her expression was hesitant, conflicted.
“Diana said you were… accusing her,” she whispered. “She said she was only trying to help you. Why are you treating her like that?”
I saw Diana tense when Felicia asked that. Typical. Of course she would use Felicia’s soft nature to twist the narrative. Of course she thought I would react the same way I did in my past life.
But I wasn’t the same person anymore.
Felicia was waiting for an answer, one that wouldn’t confuse her more. So instead of speaking immediately, I gently pulled her into a hug. A full, warm hug. Her body stiffened, completely startled. It was the first time I had ever done that since she was adopted at age twelve.
When I finally pulled back, I looked her in the eyes and spoke gently. “I didn’t mention anyone. Diana is simply feeling guilty after I sued the hospital.”
Diana’s eyes widened, then narrowed sharply.
“If she isn’t a suspect,” I continued calmly, “there’s no need for her to worry. But if she has a hand in it, then she won’t be spared.”
Diana’s face twisted instantly, anger, guilt, fear, and annoyance all melting together into something ugly.
Felicia turned to her. “That… makes sense, doesn’t it? Right, Diana? You wouldn’t do something like that, right?”
Diana’s chest rose sharply. Her frustration bubbled over, but she tried very hard to keep her expression under control. She muttered something under her breath that neither of us caught, then abruptly stormed out of my apartment without another word.
Felicia gasped. “D-Diana? Why did she leave like that?”
I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine.”
She bit her lip nervously.
“Go take a bath in the guest bathroom,” I told her softly. “Come play with me afterward.”
Her eyes widened in genuine shock, more shock than anything else that had happened today. For years in my past life, I had always pushed her away. So hearing me invite her… warmly, even… shook her deeply.
“A-are you sure?” she whispered.
I smiled. “Yes. I’ll be right here.”
Felicia nodded so fast her hair bounced. “Okay! I’ll be right back!”
She clutched her teddy bear close and hurried down the hallway, disappearing into the guest bathroom.
As soon as she was out of sight, Wheezy hopped into my lap, his tail flicking smugly like he knew he had done something important.
“Good job,” I whispered, scratching behind his ear.
He purred loudly and victoriously.