After Love

The next morning, after Damian had gone to work, Bella showed up at his home.

The house was pretty empty, save for the ragdoll cat that had curled into itself on the couch. It happily ran toward Bella and rubbed against her feet in welcome.

She picked the cat up and ran her fingers through its soft, fluffy fur. "Come on. Time to get you a new home now that I've made up my mind."

She brought the cat back to her place and started browsing Amazon for some pet supplies and a house for the new owner. The cat rested on her lap, occasionally looking up at her, as though it suspected something.

After a while, Bella thought she should just buy those things from a pet store. She took the cat with her and drove to a nearby pet store.

A board was erected outside. Curious, Bella approached it to take a good look.

One of the pictures immediately grabbed her attention. It showed none other than Dakota and Damian standing close to each other, their smiles as natural and cheery as they could possibly be, with a cat nestling in her arm. It was the picture of a happy family.

Bella squeezed her arms a little. The cat cried out a little, sensing the change in her mood.

The shopkeeper noticed her standing outside and came to greet her. "Good morning, ma'am. Oh, fancy seeing you again, kitty-cat!"

Bella reeled. "Huh? I mean, when was this photo taken?"

"Hmm… Probably last summer. They were here to get something for Lil' Buddy over here. The man said this was their cat and the family's most precious little baby."

Bella's heart sank. She hung her head, deep in thought.

She was abroad last summer. The days were always so back-breakingly busy, and yet the nights stubbornly stayed sleepless for hours.

She had missed home. She had missed Damian.

She had asked if he could take a picture of himself with the cat. He replied, "For real?! I don't have the time for childish things like this, Bella! Please respect my time!"

He was impatient. "Would it kill you to be a little more mature, Bella? I really have no time for this juvenile request."

As it turned out, he did take that picture with the cat. He could not send it over because he took that picture with Dakota.

Bella felt a pang in her chest.

"Um, ma'am? Are you alright?"

The shopkeeper's voice snapped her out of her trance. Bella shook her head and forced a smile. "Sorry. I spaced out there. I'm fine."

She left the store and drove to visit a friend who had been clamoring to keep a cat as her pet. Seeing the ragdoll sent her over the moon. "Really, Bella?! I can keep it?! It's sooooo cute!"

Belal grinned and patted the cat's head. "Please take good care of it."

The cat burrowed itself into her chest. It did not want to leave Bella yet…

But this was it—Bella had made up her mind. She gave the cat one last, longing look before placing it on her friend's arms.

She left.

Bella buried herself on the couch as she cried wordlessly. Tears broke out of her closed eyes like water from broken dams.

It took her this long to realize that the sweet, cherished memories of two had always just been the dreams and delusions of one all along.