Chapter 63

A short while after the tension in the living room,Brinley headed straight for Danica's room.

Lying on the bed, Danica still simmered with anger over losing her properties. She stared at the ceiling,appetite gone and food untouched. Spotting Brinley at the door, a faint spark of hope stirred inside her.The complaints poured out. "Hannah walked away with all ten properties. All of them! Everything I've invested is gone just like that."

A shadow crossed Brinley's face. "She really is insatiable. But you can count on me. I'll make sure you get every single one back."

Brinley was pissed off. Hannah was getting divorced.She was about to be officially out of the Jones family.What right did she have to claim so much of their assets? A substitute like her? She didn't deserve that much.

"Are you serious?" Danica asked, hope flickering in her voice. "So what are you going to do?"

Leaning in close, Brinley whispered her plan.

Over at Sterling Heights, Hannah didn't spare a thought for the Jones estate. All of her attention was on the funds she had finally secured.

Her company with Felix was in its make-or-break stage, and the expenses were pilingup quickly.Sooner or later, she'd build a partnership with Miles,which would only add to the financial strain.

Nothing had been left to chance. Hannah mapped out a detailed financial strategy and handed it off to her team for implementation.

Vincent's "compensation," the ten million he wired her days before, remained untouched in her account.Kicking back on the couch, Hannah actually felt a rare calm and even looked forward to the future.

There was a time when just the idea of leaving

Vincent would have left her sobbing. Now, she stood on the edge of a new life: her marriage almost over,a place of her own, and a career that mattered. What could possibly/ top this feeling? The countdown was on. Nine days left, and everything with Vincent would finally be over.

Drowsiness was just starting to settle in when a faint meow came from the doorway.

Pulling the door open, Hannah found a cat waiting outside, its coat smooth and well-groomed,clearly someone's beloved pet.

She paused for a second, then scooped the cat into her arms and carried it inside. Quickly, she sent a message to the building's resident group chat,saying, "Did anyone lose a cat?" She included a photo of the cat with her message.

Gentle and affectionate, the animal pressed its head into her palm as if it had always belonged there.

Time slipped by as Hannah waited for someone to reply, and before she realized it, she drifted off to sleep with the cat curled up warmly in her arms.

Her nap didn't last long. A loud knock jolted her awake. Still half-asleep, she went to the door and pulled it open. She froze. Beside the building manager stood a man she recognized immediately.It was Miles Whitaker. His expression was unreadable as he stared right at her.

Surprise flickered across Hannah's face. "Mr.Whitaker? Why are you here?"

A sharp squint from Miles followed. She seemed oddly familiar, yet he couldn't quite remember where he'd seen her. That casual way she greeted him made his stomach knot. Predictable, he thought.Women always acted like this around him.

Earlier that evening, Miles had seen the group chat message and soon realized his apartment door had been left open, letting the cat slip out. He had answered in the group char straight away.

With no one replying, he'd checked the building's security cameras-sure enough, the woman from downstairs had picked up his cat. He had come to knock once, but no one answered. So he'd returned with the building manager.

Now, looking at her eager smile, a flicker of contempt crossed his face. How could she even know where he lived? The whole situation was absurd. She must be desperate to get his attention.

"Cat," Miles said, his tone short and clipped.

Understanding dawned for Hannah. "Oh-it's yours?Give me a second. I'll go bring it right out."

Just as she turned to go back inside, Hannah paused for a moment. Encounters with someone like Miles didn't come around often, and she didn't want to let the opportunity slip by. With a hesitant smile, she asked, "Mr. Whitaker, would you have any interest in talking about a business opportunity?"

A deeper scowl crossed Miles's face. "Not interested," he replied flatly.

That cold response left Hannah feeling a bit awkward. She stepped inside, gently scooped up the cat, and brought it over to the door. As she handed the animal over, Miles suddenly started sneezing,one after another.

Curiosity got the better of her. "Wait... Are you allergic to cats?"

His answer came quick and sharp. "That's not your concern," he snapped,reaching for the cat.

At the last second, Hannah drew back. "If you're allergic, Mr. Whitaker, maybe having a cat isn't the best idea," she suggested, keeping her voice even.

A sharp look cut across Miles's face. "Now you're giving me advice?" His brows knit together,annoyance clear.

The little kitten voiced a meow.

Holding in a sigh, Hannah kept her composure. "It's not my intention to lecture you. I just wanted to say that people with cat allergies sometimes develop asthma if they're around cats all the time. That's all- I thought it was worth mentioning, both for your health and the cat's well-being."

Without another word, Miles took the kitten and turned away. He sneezed once more and muttered to the cat, "Spend a little time with a stranger and you already forget who feeds you, huh?"

Watching him walk off, Hannah murmured, "So much for trying to be helpful..."

Even with such a brief exchange, she could tell Miles wasn't the easiest person to approach. It made her wonder if working with him would ever be possible.

Her phone buzzed just then. Vincent's name flashed on the screen. She pressed decline without a second thought.