Late that night, pain in my ribs kept me awake. From the living room, I heard voices. I pressed my ear to the door.
“Don’t worry, she loves me. She’ll believe whatever I say,” Daniel whispered gently. “Once she gets her worker’s compensation, we’ll have more money again.”
The next morning, Daniel threw a document onto my chest.
“Sign it. The company added another $30,000 in worker’s comp. The recipient’s name is already mine.”
I stared at the paper, a suffocating sense of injustice rising in me.
“About that accident three years ago—I have witnesses who can prove it wasn’t me who hit Chloe.”
Daniel sneered.
“Evidence? Chloe says it was you. That’s enough. Do your witnesses matter more than her words?”
His eyes held no guilt, only the arrogance of entitlement. I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms.
“Meow—”
My cat, Muffin, ran out from the balcony, meowing at Chloe.
Chloe instantly clutched her chest, coughing weakly. “Daniel, this cat…”
“Muffin!” Daniel grabbed the cat I had raised for five years and dragged him to the balcony, slamming the door shut.
“Daniel, what are you doing?” I rushed to open the door, but he shoved me aside.
“It’s just an animal. How dare it compete with Chloe for attention?” His glare was sharp. “If you don’t behave, I’ll throw it off the balcony.”
I stared at Muffin’s pitiful figure outside, my heart aching like it was being torn apart. That cat had been my companion through my loneliest years.
All day long, Daniel didn’t give Muffin a single drop of water.
When he went to care for Chloe, I secretly poured some into the bowl. Just as I set it down, I heard footsteps behind me.
“Emily, what are you doing?” Daniel stood in the doorway, face dark.
“Muffin was thirsty, I just gave him—”
Before I could finish, Daniel stormed forward and kicked the bowl over, water splashing across the floor. Muffin shrank into a corner in fright.
“I told you not to give it water!” He smashed the bowl right in front of me, shards scattering across the floor. “It’s just an animal. Why do you care so much?”
I crouched to pick up the pieces. A shard cut my hand, and beads of blood welled up.
The doorbell rang. I heard my mother’s voice outside:
“Daniel, I came to see Emily.”
He straightened his clothes, opened the door just a crack.
“Auntie, Emily’s resting. It’s not convenient for her to see visitors.”