My neighbor abandoned her cat. I adopted him. He was never affectionate with me, but he was always winding around my husband’s legs, a constant, purring presence. That’s when I started paying attention. One night, when my husband, Mark, claimed he was working late, I knocked on my neighbor's door. She answered, one hand resting protectively on her slightly protruding belly. "Chloe? What can I do for you this late?" The challenge, the sheer triumph in her eyes, told me everything I needed to know. When Mark tiptoed home in the dead of night, he found both our parents sitting in the living room. And on the coffee table, a set of divorce papers. 1. "A divorce?" "Chloe, are you serious?" Mark’s voice was incredulous. "You're throwing away seven years of marriage because of a stupid cat?" He didn't even bother to read them. He snatched the papers and threw them at the Ragdoll cat, who was currently rubbing against his leg. "If you don't sign, we'll settle this in court," I said quietly, then turned and walked back to our bedroom. Our parents stared, bewildered. Just last month, we were the picture of a happy couple, as affectionate as newlyweds. How had things escalated to divorce so quickly? Mark hung his head, trying to hide the panic in his eyes, his hands clenched into trembling fists. His parents rushed to block my path. "Chloe, you can't just accuse Mark of cheating because of a cat! Some cats are just naturally drawn to men. What does that prove?" his mother pleaded. "We've all seen how good Mark is to you. When you had that terrible flu, he stayed by your bedside for 48 hours straight. When you had that fall, he sold company shares, moved heaven and earth to assemble the best medical team money could buy." "Does all of that mean less to you than one cat?" My own parents chimed in, their voices thick with disappointment. "Where are you going to find a husband as good as Mark?" my father asked. "Chloe, you can't have children after your accident," my mother added, her words a sharp sting. "The fact that Mark doesn't hold that against you is a blessing. You need to be realistic." Suddenly, Mark grabbed my hand, his eyes red-rimmed and filled with a desperate, all-consuming love. "Honey, we dated for two years, we've been married for five. We faced down death together and never let go. How can you let a cat come between us?" "Is this because I've been so busy with the company crisis lately? Do you feel neglected?" "I swear, from now on, no matter how busy I am, I'll be home on time every night. I'll be here for you..." The room was filled with people who, on the surface, all loved me. My in-laws, educated and kind, who had always treated me like their own. My parents, more pragmatic, who saw my marriage to Mark as a ticket to a secure life. But my face remained a mask of cold resolve. I pulled my hand from Mark's grasp. "Let me say this one more time: if you don't sign these tonight, we're going to court." "This is the last shred of dignity I'm offering you." His eyes were bloodshot. "Chloe, how can you be so cruel?" "It's simple," I said, my voice flat. "Because I don't care about you anymore. Not one bit." Done with the pointless drama, I walked to the front door and left. The disappointed sighs of our parents followed me out, but I didn't hesitate. I just walked faster. The Ragdoll slipped out of the open door behind me. Later, as I sat numbly on a park bench, I saw the cat chasing after its former owner, who was taking out the trash. The woman, Hailey, kicked at its head in disgust, but the cat stubbornly refused to leave. I couldn't watch. I went over to intervene, but the Ragdoll arched its back and hissed at me, claws extended. Hailey let out a laugh. "You see, Chloe? People are just like cats." "When someone doesn't like you, they just don't like you. You can't force it." I saw the taunt in her eyes, the smug superiority. I glanced at her pregnant belly, and it all clicked into place. "You're right," I said. "You can't keep a creature that's determined to be unfaithful. Whether it's a cat or a person." Just then, Mark found us, his face a mask of anxiety and panic. But it wasn't for me. "Chloe, can you just act normal for once?" he snapped. "I told you, the cat liking me is just a coincidence! It has nothing to do with our neighbor! It's one thing to throw a tantrum at home, but to come down here and harass a pregnant woman? Have you lost your mind?" He didn't even know what had happened. He just saw me with Hailey and instantly assumed I was the jealous wife causing a scene. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I realized that even if Mark still loved me, that love couldn’t hold a candle to whatever he felt for Hailey. 2. Afraid I would cause more trouble for Hailey, Mark practically dragged me back to our apartment. His parents' faces were grim. They had read the terms of the divorce agreement and had already thrown it in the trash. "Chloe, what is the meaning of this?" his father demanded. "We've treated you well, haven't we? It's bad enough you want a divorce over a cat, but you want to leave Mark with nothing?" "Have we been so kind to you that you think you can just walk all over us?" My own parents were red with shame. "You've gone too far, Chloe," my dad said. "We can't support you when you're being so unreasonable." I offered no explanation, just repeated my ultimatum. "If you don't agree, I'll see you in court." A man who cheats deserves to lose everything. Mark's voice trembled with desperation. "Chloe, is this about money? You know the passwords to all my cards. You can spend whatever you want. Isn't that enough?" Not all his cards. Or, it used to be. Now, Mark had a few new cards, and I could only imagine how much he'd spent on Hailey behind my back. I was about to point this out when there was a knock on the door. Hailey stood there, the picture of innocence. "I'm so sorry to bother you all this late," she said sweetly. "Downstairs, I saw Mr. Crawford and Chloe arguing because of me, and I just felt so terrible." "Chloe wasn't really harassing me," she continued, her voice soft and apologetic. "She was just taking her anger out on the cat. I probably shouldn't have said anything. It's my fault. She can hit me or yell at me, it's okay." My in-laws' faces darkened. "Chloe, you abused an animal and bullied this young woman?" My parents looked at me with profound disappointment. "Chloe, what has happened to you?" None of them noticed the one, glaring slip-up. "Mr. Crawford?" I asked, a slow, cold smile spreading across my face. "So, you do know my husband, Hailey. You must have been biting your tongue all those times we passed in the hallway and you pretended not to know him." Hailey's head snapped down, her eyes wide like a frightened deer. She darted a panicked glance at Mark, a silent plea for help. Her right hand, adorned with a sparkling diamond ring, went to her stomach. The fear and affection in Mark’s eyes were there for only a second before he smoothed his expression over. "I do know Hailey. She's a junior employee at my company. We've crossed paths a few times." "I didn't think she was important enough to mention, and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea," he said, his tone placating. "Chloe, honey, don't overthink things." I had to laugh. If he had nothing to hide, why was he so afraid of me "overthinking" things? And how could a "junior employee" afford a luxury penthouse in the city center? Seeing my silence, Mark's father stood up, his voice booming. "Chloe, if you have proof, I won't say a word about the divorce! But if you think you can clean out my son based on nothing but suspicion, I'm telling you right now, you are dreaming!" Before I could reply, Hailey spoke up, blinking innocently. "Leave him with nothing? Chloe, don't you think that's a bit extreme?" "Even though you've never been to the office, every employee there knows how much the CEO adores his wife. Everyone knows how much he loves you. Chloe… could it be that you have another man? Are you just using me as an excuse to try and take all of Mark's money?" At her words, I didn't hesitate. I swung my hand and slapped her hard across the face. "Watch your mouth," I said, my voice dangerously low. "Mark may put up with your nonsense, but I won't." 3. For a split second, Mark’s hands clenched into fists, his eyes burning with a rage I had never seen directed at me. Then, he composed himself and turned to Hailey, his voice full of concern. "Are you okay?" Hailey was already crying, her eyes red. "I'm fine. I shouldn't have said that. Chloe was right to hit me. Please, don't be angry because of me." In seven years together, Mark had never once raised his voice to me. Now, he gritted his teeth. "Apologize to Hailey. Bow and apologize." I gave a disdainful snort. "Why should I? She deserved it." Suddenly, Mark raised his hand and, with all his might, slapped himself across the face. The sound cracked through the tense silence. Half of his face immediately began to swell. "I'll take that slap for her," he said, his voice strained. "Chloe, I'm begging you. Please, stop this." "Is that it?" he asked, his voice softening into a twisted kind of sympathy. "After your accident, has being cooped up at home all these years… has it affected you mentally? I promise, no matter what's wrong, I'll never hold it against you." "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Just please, stop talking about divorce, okay?" "No," I said without a moment's hesitation. "It's impossible." "Mark, being with you for another second makes my skin crawl. It's suffocating." His concessions, my stubbornness. Our parents had reached their limit. Mark's parents stood up, their faces cold with fury. "If you insist on a divorce, fine! We'll see you in court! But don't think you'll get a single penny from our family. We will spend whatever it takes to make sure you are the one who leaves with nothing!" My own parents just shook their heads. "Chloe, you're the one in the wrong here. When you end up with nothing, you'll regret this." But was I the one in the wrong? No. The contact I had cultivated inside Mark's company soon sent me a video file. I was watching it in the guest room when Mark knocked and entered. To prevent him from seeing it and deleting the evidence, I quickly slipped on my wireless earbuds and put my phone away. "Chloe, what's the point of this divorce?" he asked, his voice weary. "You can't have children. No family with my kind of standing will ever want to marry you." I looked at him and laughed coldly. "Mark, do you remember why I can't have children?" It was because of an accident two years into our marriage. Mark loved thrills, extreme sports, and he always insisted I join him. One day, while rock climbing, he slipped. I risked everything to grab him, and while he managed to find a foothold, my strength gave out. I was the one who fell. Everyone said Mark was a saint for staying with me. He had literally put my life on the line. Now, he looked away, a guilty silence hanging between us. Through my earbuds, I could hear his voice, intertwined with Hailey’s flirtatious laughter. "Mark, that parachute jump was amazing! I had so much fun," Hailey's voice cooed. "But maybe having me move in next door is a little too risky, don't you think?" A series of soft, wet kissing sounds followed. Then, Mark's voice, low and conspiratorial. "That's what makes it exciting." "Chloe's gotten so boring these last few years. Only you, Hailey… only you make me feel alive." 4. Once I had gathered enough evidence, I went to Mark's company to investigate its financial state, making sure he couldn't hide or transfer any assets. The senior partners knew who I was and cooperated fully. Only Hailey, emboldened by Mark's favor, tried to obstruct me at every turn. She had someone lead me to an outdoor smoking area. With no one else around, she dropped the act. "Chloe, why can't you just be a good little housecat, kept and cared for?" "A useless woman like you who can't even have children… Mark keeping you around is an act of charity. Why do you have to make a scene and embarrass yourself?" I laughed. "Fine. I won't divorce him." Hailey blinked, confused. "What?" My laugh grew louder. "You're not just a homewrecker, you're an idiot. You came to provoke me because you wanted me to divorce him as soon as possible so you could take my place, right?" "The joke's on you. When you do take my place, all you'll inherit is a mountain of debt. You'll get nothing." "Remember that Ragdoll cat? Your fate will be even worse than his." Hailey must have seen what happened to the cat. Starving, it had come back to my door, begging for food. I shut the door in its face. It was forced to fight with strays for scraps, and was now covered in infected bites, a pathetic, miserable creature. Perhaps the cat's fate struck a nerve. Hailey's face twisted in rage, and she lunged at me. "You're the one who's not wanted! You're the useless trash about to be thrown out! How dare you curse me?" Disgusted, I sidestepped her easily. She lost her balance and fell to the ground, clutching her stomach and sobbing. The commotion drew a crowd. When Mark heard what happened, he rushed back to the office, grabbed my arm, and tried to force me to apologize to Hailey. I shook him off. "She fell on her own. The security camera will prove it." Mark gritted his teeth. "Don't be ridiculous. There are no cameras in the smoking area." I was about to tell him that there was one I had installed, but Hailey started crying louder. "Mr. Crawford, it's not Chloe's fault! It's mine! I shouldn't have moved in next door and caused this misunderstanding." "Please, can you talk to her for me? I don't care how she treats me, but she can't hurt the baby!" Mark's eyes widened in horror. "Chloe, how could you? You'd attack an unborn child? The baby is innocent!" "Innocent?" I sneered. "We don't even know whose bastard it is—" Before I could finish, Mark's hand cracked across my face. "You're unbelievable!" he roared. "You brought this on yourself, Chloe! Don't blame me for being ruthless! You want to sue? Fine! I'll have the court date set for tomorrow." "My family doesn't need a twisted, inhuman monster like you!" In that moment, we weren't a couple anymore. We were mortal enemies. And everyone, including my own parents, was on his side. Before the hearing, they were still trying to talk sense into me. "Chloe, are you sure you're not the one who had an affair?" my mother asked. "The internet is full of stories about you, saying you're a gold-digger who cheated on her husband. Your reputation is ruined." "Please, wake up before it's too late," my father begged. Mark's parents wouldn't even look at me. "A snake is a snake. You can't change its nature." "Mark," his mother said, "when she's left with nothing and comes crawling back to you, don't you dare be soft." Mark himself looked down at me as if granting a final mercy. "Admit you were wrong now, and I can pretend none of this ever happened." "Otherwise, you'll end up homeless and alone for the rest of your life." I said nothing. I just looked at the judge, waiting for the proceedings to begin. The judge's first words wiped the confident smirk off Mark's face and sent a wave of shocked disbelief through the courtroom. "What… How could this be?" "Mark, what have you been doing behind our backs?"
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