Chapter 246: Countless Animals
Caleb held the baby bottle, feeding milk to the little kitten. The sensation of caring for a small life was quite novel. As he watched it grow day by day, gradually gaining independence, his heart would inexplicably soften. After his release from prison, many people looked at him with disdain. Only these small creatures, incapable of human speech, would gaze at him with eyes full of dependence. Only during these moments would his emotions find tranquility, free from the burden of worrisome thoughts.
Yet, some people just couldn’t tolerate it. For instance, Jesse, Deborah, and Yelena. With affection, Caleb gently stroked the kitten’s head. “I’m stepping out for a bit, but I’ll be right back. Stay put and don’t wander off, okay?” It was unclear if the kitten understood, but it meowed softly. After that, it rolled onto its back, exposing its tiny belly.
Caleb jokingly said, “Being this kind-hearted, you might end up being taken advantage of by others.” He then locked his bedroom door, ready to use the bathroom. However, as soon as he stepped into the bathroom, he heard the sound of a lock being opened. His heart skipped a beat. Disregarding everything else, he hastily dashed out of the bathroom. His bedroom door was wide open, and when Yelena saw him emerge, she was clearly taken aback. However, she immediately turned away, one hand clutching the kitten’s neck, the other pulling open the window.
Caleb could swear he had rushed over as quickly as possible, but it was still too late. The kitten plummeted from the building at an alarming speed, resulting in a gruesome splatter of blood. The tiny body lay in a pool of blood, lifeless. Caleb’s pupils constricted. Glaring furiously at Yelena, he thundered, “Yelena Quixall, what on earth have you done?”
Yelena shivered in fright. “I—I am your elder sister. How dare you address me by my full name? Besides, I’ve taken care of you since we were kids. What’s the big deal if I killed your cat? There are countless animals like that out there. You’re the only one who would treat such an animal as a treasure!”
Caleb let out a cold laugh. “When you tampered with the compatibility results, is that what you thought, too? You thought people like me are a dime a dozen, so it wouldn’t matter if I took a hit for you, right?” Tears welled up in Yelena’s eyes. “Cale, believe me. I never once thought that. Once you were on the…”
In the end, she choked up to the point where she could no longer speak. Caleb could only find it laughable. Though he was clearly the victim, she was the one ending up feeling wronged. He looked at her with the gaze of a stranger and said, “Stop making excuses for your own malice. At this moment, you are truly repulsive.”
He then descended the stairs to bury the kitten. The gruesome state of its remains was too much for him to bear looking at. Trembling, he cradled the lifeless body in his arms, silently bidding it farewell in his heart. May you never encounter such a demon in your next life. May your next life be free from pain and unrest.
After burying the kitten, Caleb turned and headed upstairs. Before he even entered the door, he was assaulted by a pungent odor. Suddenly, an ominous premonition emerged in his mind. He kicked the door open, scanning the room before realizing the smoke was billowing from the kitchen. The flickering flames seemed ready to consume everything in sight.
Suddenly, anger surged within him. I was only gone for a short while! How is it that I’m about to lose my home? Returning to his bedroom, he saw Yelena sprawled on his bed, deeply immersed in sleep. “Get up! Did you start this fire?” “Huh?” Yelena blinked her eyes, spotting the newcomer as Caleb. She couldn’t help but exclaim with delight, “Cale, you’re back! I’ve been waiting for you for ages!”