20. （CAT）astrophe
JAE
20
Stepping into my penthouse after a grueling day, I expected the usual sanctuary of silence and order. Instead, chaos greeted me. Verena stood in the middle of my living room, cradling a scrappy-looking cat, surrounded by a mountain of suitcases.
“What the fuck is a cat doing in my house?” I demanded, my voice slicing through the air.
“Jae, meet Mina,” she said, her grin wide and unapologetic.
I raised an eyebrow, incredulous. “Mina? You named that thing after my assistant?”
Verena smirked. “A unique choice, don’t you think?”
I sneezed, once, twice, then glared at her, my patience wearing thin.
Auntie, lounging comfortably on the couch, clapped her hands in delight. “She’s so cute!”
This was not how I envisioned my evening.
Before I could respond, the cat leaped out of Verena’s arms, darting across the room. Auntie immediately got up, laughing as she scooped up the furball. “Oh, she’s adorable! Come here, Mina.”
I watched the scene unfold. This was my life now, it seemed—turmoil wrapped in affection, pushing my limits every damn day.
I turned my attention back to Verena, ready to launch into a tirade, but my words caught in my throat. She stood there in short shorts that flaunted her long, toned legs and a crop top that revealed a tantalizing sliver of her stomach. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and that infuriating, confident smirk played on her lips. She looked like trouble wrapped in sunshine, the kind of woman who could make a man forget his own name.
“Are you serious?” I finally managed to say, trying to keep my eyes from lingering too long on her bare skin. “You brought a cat into my house?”
“What’s the matter, Jae? Afraid of a little fur?” she taunted.
“Afraid of a lot of fur,” I corrected, rubbing my temples as the first tickle of an allergic reaction began to set in. “I told you, I’m allergic to cats.”
Verena’s smirk widened. “Oh, did you? I must have missed that memo.”
“Are you trying to Pavlov’s dog me into sneezing every time I see my assistant at work?” I asked, glaring at her.
She just laughed, and I couldn’t decide whether to be more irritated by the cat or by the fact that, despite my best efforts not to find her attractive, she was still the most captivating thing in the room. “That would be really manipulative and downright diabolical.”
“Exactly,” I muttered, sneezing again. “And you’re loving every minute of this, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely,” she said with a grin. “This is payback for all those late-night calls and unreasonable demands.”
“Great. I’ve got a diabolical fiancée, a cat anarchist, and a penthouse full of suitcases. I didn’t realize you’d bring so much when I suggested you move in. Anything else you want to spring on me?”
“I was thinking Mina looked lonely and needed a brother or sister kitten…”
My nose twitched, and I felt another sneeze coming on. “Verena…”
“Relax,” she said, waving a hand dismissively before stepping closer and lowering her voice so only I could hear. “Mina is part of the act. Makes our relationship more believable. Plus, she needed a home.”
A violent sneeze erupted from me, followed by another. My eyes started to itch, and I knew I was in for a long night.
“See? You’re already adjusting,” Verena said with a wicked smile, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
I turned to Auntie, hoping for some backup. “Auntie, please, you can’t seriously think this is a good idea. I’m allergic.”
Auntie beamed at me, clearly oblivious to my suffering. “Oh, Jae, it’s perfect! I’ll send you to an acupuncturist, and you’ll be right as rain. Plus, I think having a little snuggly cat would be great for me.”
Verena shrugged. “Looks like you’re outvoted. Sucks when someone makes decisions for you, huh?”
I sighed, resigning myself to the inevitable. “Fine. But the cat stays in one part of the house.”
“Deal,” Verena said, her smile widening. “And I’ll take care of all its needs.”
Just then, Mina leaped onto a bookshelf, sending a framed photo crashing to the ground. Auntie laughed, clearly delighted by the cat’s antics, while I could feel my patience fraying.
“Mina!” I barked, trying to maintain some semblance of control. The cat merely flicked its tail and sauntered off, completely unimpressed by my authority.
I stared after the cat, realizing that this tiny creature, much like Verena, had waltzed into my life and upended my carefully constructed world.
Verena chuckled, crossing her arms. “Looks like you’re not the boss here, after all.”
“Oh, I’m still the boss,” I countered, my voice firm despite the tickle in my throat. “And as boss, I declare that you need to keep this cat under control.”
Verena saluted mockingly. “Yes, Mr. Lee.”
We spent the next hour chasing after Mina, who seemed to take great pleasure in causing as much mayhem as possible. Every time we thought we had her cornered, she darted off to another part of the penthouse, knocking over expensive decor and sending me into another fit of sneezing. Verena was laughing so hard she could barely stand.
“Okay, this has to stop,” I said between sneezes, glaring at Mina, who was now perched on top of a tall bookshelf, her tail flicking.
Verena, still chuckling, wiped tears from her eyes. “Come on, Jae. She’s just exploring.”
“Exploring or redecorating,” I grumbled.
Verena’s laughter only intensified, and despite the irritation clawing at my sinuses, I watched her. The way she moved, the way she laughed—it was a distraction I didn’t need but couldn’t resist. The cat, the disarray, Verena herself—they were all tests of my patience, but damn if they didn’t make life a hell of a lot more interesting. It was…nice having a full house. I just wished we didn’t have a cat.
Verena stepped closer to the bookshelf, trying to coax Mina down. “Here, kitty, kitty. Come on, Mina. Let’s get down from there.”
Mina meowed defiantly, refusing to budge. Verena sighed and reached up, her fingers just barely grazing the cat’s fur.
“Hold on, I’ll get her,” I said, moving to stand behind Verena. “Just be careful. If she jumps, she could hurt herself.”
As I moved closer, Verena stretched up, her back pressing against my chest. My breath caught, acutely aware of her proximity. Her body fit against mine, every inch aligning perfectly. The curve of her ass. The intoxicating scent of her perfume. She wobbled slightly, and in an instant, lost her balance and started to fall back.
Instinctively, I reached out and caught her, pulling her against me. “I got you,” I muttered, my grip firm and possessive.
Verena spun around in my arms, her face inches from mine, her breath warm against my skin. I stared down at her.
Verena Williams had kissable lips. Plush. Naturally pink. So fucking soft. And I probably could have kissed her. She was just right there.
But just as I leaned in, Mina let out a loud, impatient meow, breaking the spell. Verena and I both snapped back to reality, the moment shattered by the cat’s interruption.
Verena quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushed. “Uh, thanks for catching me,” she said, her voice husky.
“Yeah, whatever,” I muttered, clearing my throat and trying to shake off the lingering effect of almost kissing her. “We need to get that damn cat down.”
“Right,” Verena said, her focus shifting back to Mina. “Come on, Mina. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
With more effort than it should have taken, we finally managed to coax Mina down and corral her into the guest room, securing her in a makeshift play area. My irritation simmered beneath the surface, but my fascination with those damn lips was undeniable.
“See? That wasn’t so bad,” she teased, wiping tears from her eyes again.
I shot her a glare, though I couldn’t help the twitch of a smile. “Not so bad? My house is a disaster, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need antihistamines just to survive the night.”
Verena patted my shoulder. “Welcome to life with a cat. It’s good for you. Builds character.”
“Character,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I have enough character, thank you very much.”
We went back into the living room, and Auntie, still beaming, suddenly looked around. “Verena, did you bring all those suitcases?”
Verena nodded. “Yep. Figured I’d move in now and make myself at home.”
“Wonderful!” Auntie exclaimed. “I’ve always thought this place needed a woman’s touch.”
I looked around, suddenly noticing the subtle changes. The sterile, modern decor was softened by cozy throws, a few colorful pillows, and—was that a scented candle? The smell of vanilla was both overwhelming and strangely homey.
“You redecorated?” I asked, my voice rising with disbelief.
Verena shrugged, nonchalant. “Just a few touches. To make it feel more like home.”
“Home?” I echoed, another sneeze erupting. “This is my home, and it was perfectly fine the way it was.”
Verena smirked, unfazed by my indignation. “Well, now it’s our home. I have a few more things I want to put up. Let me grab them out of the guest room.”
I opened my mouth in horror, hoping to stop her from letting the feline demon out of her cage, but Mina darted out of the guest room the second Verena disappeared to get her things. The damn cat knocked over a stack of books, and I could feel my blood pressure rising.
“Verena!” I barked, my patience stretched thin. She appeared in the doorway with a box, completely oblivious to the pandemonium unfolding. Verena giggled as she showed us more decorative touches, pulling out items one by one, holding each one up for me to see. The first was a gaudy ceramic cat, painted in vibrant colors with a tail that looked like it might wag any second.
“Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“What’s wrong with it?” Verena countered, placing the ceramic cat on the mantle where a priceless sculpture had once stood.
I gritted my teeth. “It’s…unique.”
She pulled out a bright pink throw pillow with glittery sequins, tossing it onto the pristine white couch. “How about this one?”
I felt my eye twitch. “It’s certainly…colorful.”
Then she revealed a garish neon sign that read “Live, Laugh, Love” and hung it above the entryway. “This is a classic.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. “Are you trying to drive me insane?”
Verena turned to me, feigning innocence. “What? You don’t like it? It’s very…homey.”
I sneezed again, a violent, unstoppable sneeze that echoed through the room. “I’m going to take an allergy pill.”
As I turned to leave, Verena called after me. “Hey, Jae, you sure you’re not just allergic to good taste?”
I shot her a look that could have melted steel. “If by ‘good taste’ you mean tacky decor and hyperactive cats, then yes, I might be.”
She just laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Maybe Mina can help you develop an appreciation for the finer things in life.”
“Like fur-covered furniture and constant sneezing?” I muttered, heading towards the bathroom.
Verena’s voice followed me. “Exactly!”
I could hear Auntie chuckling in the background, thoroughly entertained by our banter. “You two are quite the pair. It’s nice to have some life in this house.”
I swallowed an allergy pill, hoping it would kick in before I succumbed to another round of sneezing. As I walked back into the living room, I saw Verena pulling out a hideous floral rug and unrolling it in the center of the room.
“Oh, come on!” I exclaimed. “Not the rug!”
Verena looked up, batting her eyelashes. “What? It ties the room together.”
“It ties the room together like a hostage,” I grumbled, but there was a small part of me that couldn’t help but admire her tenacity.
Mina jumped onto the newly placed rug, purring contentedly. Verena beamed. “See? Mina loves it.”
“Great,” I said dryly. “At least someone does.”