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 instinctively. It was on the back of her right hand—the same place he had felt that strange pain earlier. What a coincidence? he thought.

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 know how to treat a wound?" Felix had been hers for four years. When she left the Fairchild residence, she hadn’t taken anything—except that cat.

Stella 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 excuse.

Rowan didn’t bother continuing the conversation. He grabbed her wrist and led her into the room. Stella’s eyes glinted with faint amusement.

Rowan suddenly turned. She blinked, instantly switching to a pitiful expression. "What is it?" Her acting 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 looked irritated.

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 turned 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 rabies shot." "Okay," she answered without protest.

They were standing close now. She tilted her head up slightly, noticing 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, revealing toned muscles beneath damp skin, pale and flushed from his 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 stirred something within him. The tension he had just forced down threatened to rise again. He pressed his lips together tightly, releasing her wrist and letting 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?" Logically, her cat of five years shouldn’t be attacking her. Something was wrong. Felix was a male cat, but he had been neutered years ago—Rowan had personally taken him to the vet for the procedure.

Stella’s gaze flickered for a moment, and then she mumbled softly, "I don’t know." Then she suddenly added, "I think there’s something wrong at my place."

Rowan raised an eyebrow. More ridiculous made-up stories, just nodding after a while. "So, what is it?" he prompted.

"I might have seen a ghost or something—that’s why he’s acting crazy."

"I’m a bit scared to go back. It’s really eerie right now." I knew something was off with her made-up stories, only nodding after a while. "So, what now?" he asked. "Can I stay at your place?"

His tone was light but tinged with amusement. "After all that, you just want to stay the night here?" She was certainly bold.

Stella pouted, her small 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."

"The cleaning’s almost done," he said as he walked toward the living room. "You should dry your hands, and I’ll disinfect your wound." He found the first aid kit and returned to her side, gently holding her hand. He dipped a cotton swab in iodine and carefully applied it to the wound. The iodine wasn’t too irritating, 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.

Stella nodded and said, "Yeah." She then noticed the change in his gaze, thought for a moment, and added, "It’s just a little bit, not much." Rowan was well aware that it was only a minor sting. His hand trembled as he threw the cotton swab away, taking 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 turned 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 returned home, Felix was curled up on the couch, sleeping soundly. He looked like a fluffy ball of fur. It had been a long time since she had seen him. The last time she had seen him was after that fire. Felix hadn’t been able to escape.

Stella sat beside him, lost in thought for a while. She gently stroked his fluffy head, trying to process everything about her rebirth, when suddenly, he 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 behind her.

Her heart raced, and she leaned against the door, taking a long moment to catch her breath. She felt uneasy. She wondered if Felix had picked up on something. After a long pause, Stella 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. Felix was likely still in the living room. She was genuinely scared, which was why she hid behind Rowan.

He could tell she wasn’t lying. He frowned more deeply and walked toward the living room. As he stepped into the entryway, he saw Felix, the golden cat.

Rowan watched Felix chasing his tail in dizzying circles on the living room floor, seemingly unaware of their presence. Rowan glanced back at Stella. "This is the one you said was dangerous?"

Stella watched the silly cat chase its tail. She was about to speak when Felix heard them and looked over. His demeanor shifted from playful to frantic, hissing and arching his back defensively. He bared his teeth and let out a high-pitched yowl.

Stella was startled and instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around Rowan’s neck from behind, burying her face in his back. Rowan held her legs firmly to keep her balanced. Through a trembling voice, Stella called out, "See, I told you he’s fierce!"

Felix charged toward them. Rowan quickly shifted to the side, carrying Stella on his back, just as the cat lunged again. Rowan frowned and commanded in a low, stern voice, "Felix, stop!" This was no time for his usual dominant persona.

Stella tightened her grip around Rowan’s neck. "It’s a cat. Do you think it understands you? Let’s just 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, he seemed stunned. Then, the hostility in Felix’s eyes vanished, and his fur smoothed out in an instant! It seemed as though he had recognized him, rubbing against Rowan’s leg while purring, making his call like a spoiled, affectionate kitten.

For some inexplicable reason, Rowan thought Felix looked a little like Stella at that moment. He chuckled softly and tilted his head toward Stella, who was still clinging to his shoulder. His voice softened, a playful tone creeping in. "It seems like Felix listens better than you." Stella blinked in confusion.

If Felix weren’t a male cat, she would have started to suspect something. Watching the cat act so affectionately toward Rowan, she couldn’t help but feel upset. She said, "What is this? A traitor? I raised him, fed him, and took care of him. How could he turn on me like this?"

Rowan smiled faintly. "Alright, you can get down now."

Stella didn’t move, still clinging to his neck. "What if he tries to pounce on me again when I get down?"

"He won’t." Rowan tilted his head to look at her. With Stella on his back, her head resting against his shoulder, Rowan was so close to her that if he tilted his head slightly, their lips would almost touch. He paused for a moment and spoke softly. "Trust me."

Stella met his gaze for a few seconds, then reluctantly sighed. "Fine, I’ll trust you." As she spoke, her eyes fluttered, and before he could react, her soft lips pressed against his. The kiss was light, 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 dared 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 Felix seemed to settle down, and she decided to approach, but as soon as she took a few steps, Felix suddenly lifted his head and bared his teeth at her. Stella frowned, feeling a chill run through her.

Rowan frowned and gently tapped Felix on the head. "Who are you being aggressive with?" Felix meowed, then slumped down as if defeated. Yet, his emerald eyes remained fixed on Stella, still hostile.

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.

Rowan’s fingers tightened slightly as he spoke to her. "I checked him, and he seems fine. It’s late. You should get some rest."

Stella blinked, her eyelashes fluttering as she replied softly, "Alright." She then asked, "So, why is he being so aggressive toward me?" It was as if Felix no longer recognized her as its owner.

Rowan hesitated. Maybe it wasn’t Felix’s strange behavior. Perhaps the real issue lay with Stella, who was standing in front of him. He didn’t consider himself a superstitious person, but he had heard that cats were highly intuitive creatures. A strange feeling tightened slightly within him.

Is that really Stella? The thought made his heart race. He lifted the cat off his lap and gently nudged its rear with his foot. "Go play somewhere else." Instead of leaving him, Felix jumped back up and curled up next to him again.

Stella bit her 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 surrounded her.

Stella blinked, her eyes wide with a hint of confusion. "Rowan?" 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." In an 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 was 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 furrowed in confusion. "And then?"

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?"