The moment I said that, the floating comments before my eyes went wild.

[Damn it! She's obviously a scheming wretch. She's trying to seduce the male lead while the female lead is away. She's so eager to be the mistress, and she even called him Sir? Just go to hell already.]

[Did you forget? There's no way the male lead would fall for such low-level tricks. He only cares about his precious niece. The male lead and the female lead's fathers were best friends. They're not blood-related. Those two are destined to marry each other!]

[Hey, don't forget that the male lead also loves cats. Haha! He's an ailurophile.]

I ignored the comments and simply widened my eyes.

Since my transformation wasn't complete, my pupils were a clear amber. Now, slightly dilated with fear, the corners tinged red, and they made me look pitiful and innocent.

The car was terrifyingly silent.

Ian lowered his gaze and looked at me without a word. His expression was still cold.

Just when I thought I was about to be thrown out of the car, he lifted his hand. His fingers absently brushed the sleeve I had grabbed.

The movement was gentle, but my heart skipped.

Was there hope?

"What did you just call me?"

His voice was rough and carried the slightest hint of hoarseness.

Recalling what the comments said about his love for cats, I steeled myself. I was ready to gather my courage and say it again.

But then, his gaze suddenly turned harsh. He yanked his sleeve from my grip.

The force was so strong that I couldn't react in time and fell backward.

Luckily, I was quick enough to grab onto the half-open car door, sparing my head from a painful collision with the pavement.

Inside the car, Ian had already returned to his usual indifference.

His gaze passed straight over me and fixed on the street corner.

A girl stood there. She was wrapped tightly in an expensive raincoat.

She stared at me with her lips bitten nearly raw. There was a white cat in her arms.

She looked as if she had suffered the greatest injustice.

When Ian looked at her, her eyes welled with tears instantly. As though making up her mind, she suddenly hurled the cat to the ground and turned to run.

Without a second of hesitation, Ian shut the car door.

"Drive."

The Porsche roared to life and sped after her.

I was left standing there, choking on exhaust, and feeling utterly humiliated.

Supporting my aching back, I stood up slowly. I felt both annoyed and faintly amused.

What a mess.

With a sigh, I walked over and picked up the trembling white cat.

Two of its legs were injured from the fall. Its mouth was cut, and thin streaks of blood were seeping out. That explained why it couldn't run even if it was terrified.

I could barely take care of myself. How could I possibly afford treatment for it?

While I held the cat tightly, my heart clenched painfully.

I returned to my shabby, leaking room.

I dug out my last small packet of dried fish snacks, crushed them carefully, mixed them with water, and fed the cat bit by bit.

All night, I didn't dare close my eyes. I sat there wide awake and guarded the tiny, fragile creature that could be on its last dying breath.

When I rubbed my eyes, my peripheral vision caught sight of a tall, distant figure under the moonlight.

He had arrived at some point without me realizing it. Now dressed in black, he looked even more composed and aloof. He was leaning casually against the opposite wall with his eyes half-opened. I had no idea how long he had been watching me.

There was a sudden crack of thunder.

Startled, I scooped up the cat and hurried toward him. "M-Mr. Hendrick."

Ian frowned. "Weren't you afraid of thunder? Why didn't you go to the Hendrick family's villa?"

My eyes lit up, and the question slipped out before I could stop it. "Does that mean you're still willing to sponsor me?"

His gaze landed on the cat I was holding protectively. Under the moonlight, even his sharp, cold features seemed to soften slightly.

"The contract's been signed. Of course it stands."

[The female lead ran back home and refused to see the male lead. He's upset, so he came back to find the supporting female character.]

[Hilarious. The supporting female character actually thinks the male lead cares about her. Disgusting.]

[It was never stated outright, but the male lead only sponsored her to make the female lead jealous. She's too dumb to realize it. The moment she's no longer useful, he'll dump her again.]

Holding the cat, I followed Ian closely behind. I ignored the mocking comments.

I didn't care. As long as I could eat, stay in school, and get the cat treated, that was more than enough for me.

After realizing Ian sponsored me only to make Katie Stafford jealous, I committed many 'terrible deeds' under the relentless insults of the floating comments, all to prove my usefulness.

At meals, I took the initiative to place food on his plate. Before bed, I gave him head massages. I even shamelessly got into the car when he picked Katie up from school.

If Katie refused to sit in the passenger seat, I would brazenly take it myself.

After several such incidents, Katie finally threw a fit. She declared she would move to her childhood friend's house and never return.

The atmosphere inside the car became tense instantly.

I turned to look at Ian with bright eyes. "Snowy's injuries are almost healed. Sir, would you like to come see her with me?"

Snowy was the name I gave the white cat. Since Katie had a mild allergy to cat fur, Snowy had been staying at a veterinary hospital.

In the dim car, Ian rested one hand on the steering wheel and looked away from the rearview mirror.

He narrowed his eyes at me slightly and smiled.

"Sure."

Katie, whose foot was halfway out of the Porsche, stopped. She immediately sat back down and stomped her foot furiously.

"No! You can't! Today is your birthday. I promised I'd spend it with you. How can you leave with this wretch instead?"

Leaning forward from the back seat, she wrapped her arms possessively around Ian's arms.

His indifferent gaze flicked toward me.

I got the message and stepped out of the car. I let the gust of wind from the departing car whip my clothes into disarray.

What they forgot, however, was that the villa staff had the day off. The door was fingerprint-locked, and I couldn't get in.

So I curled up beneath the villa's outer awning and stared blankly into the night.

The late-autumn wind cut like knives.

Still, compared to the days when I had neither enough food nor warmth, this was already far better.

After that day, Katie's relationship with Ian eased considerably.

Ian's attitude toward me also shifted from fully cold and distant to slight kindness.

He began asking about my studies. When he returned from business trips, he brought me gifts.

If Katie received a diamond necklace, I received a delicate brooch.

If she received an extravagant bouquet of imported roses, I received a single budding tulip.

When the housekeeper prepared nourishing soup for Katie, Ian would instruct her to serve me a bowl as well.

Once I realized the sponsorship wasn't going to be revoked anytime soon, the tension I'd been carrying finally loosened, and I devoted more energy to my studies.

After all, just as the comments said, I would be discarded sooner or later. It was better to learn as much as I could before that day came.

After Snowy recovered, Katie brought her back.

Since she was allergic to cat fur, she played with Snowy through an airtight raincoat.

Perhaps pets really did grow closer to the ones who bought them.

I was working on my exercises when, at Katie's prompting, Snowy suddenly pounced on me and slashed hard.

Several bloody scratches instantly appeared across my pale, slender arm.

Ian, who had just returned home, froze at the sight.

Katie's eyes welled with tears at once. She ran over and wrapped her arms around his lean waist. "Ian, they say cats are the most perceptive. Look at her! She took care of Snowy for so long, and Snowy still scratched her. She must be bad luck. Can't you just make her leave?"

After all those days of sulking, this was the first time Katie had acted spoiled toward him.

Ian pulled her into his arms, soothed her with a gentle voice, and ruffled her hair. When he looked up again, his gaze landed on me.

Clutching my injured arm, I stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room. My eyes stung. Tears shimmered at the edges.

Before he could say anything, I lowered my head and silently began packing my few belongings.

The moment I stepped out of the villa gates, my phone chimed.

I tapped on the screen, and it lit up.

The first thing I saw was Ian's dark profile picture.

[Villa No. 199, South District. Go there for now. When I have time, I'll go see you.]

The comments sprang out.

[The male lead just finds the supporting female character useful. He's keeping her around for later, in case the female lead throws another tantrum.]

[Are the leads going to have another misunderstanding?]

[Nope. Katie's older brother is about to return from overseas. He dotes on her, too. He'll definitely help her deal with the supporting female character.]

[Hahaha! Her brother loves cats, too. He once had a pink-and-white cat. Truly, no cat lover can resist a sweet, cat-like girl such as the female lead!]

-

The comments streamed past my eyes. I pursed my lips and hailed a cab to the address Ian had given me.

The contract clearly stated that I was required to strictly obey the sponsor's arrangements.

He could tear up the contract at any time, but I couldn't. The cost of breach was something I could never afford.

What I hadn't expected was that Snowy's scratch would accelerate my heat cycle.

What I'd expected even less was that Ian would come that very night.

When the lock clicked, I was standing in the foyer while hugging a pillow. A pair of unruly pink-and-white cat ears perched atop my head.

Cold air rushed in.

A tall figure stood at the doorway and blocked out the light.

I stared blankly as my eyes met Ian's. My ears shot upright.

"S-Sir."

My tail refused to retract and hung awkwardly behind me.

My mind went completely blank. I turned around and bolted upstairs, then dove into the bed and wrapped myself tightly in the blanket like a stuffed spring roll.

'Crap! I forgot to lock the door!'

Measured footsteps followed. They stopped outside my room.

Creak.

The door opened.

One side of the mattress dipped gently.

The familiar woody scent instantly filled the space. It was overwhelming.

Buried beneath the blanket, I could feel his gaze sweeping over me as if it might strip me bare.

Only when I was nearly out of breath did I poke my head out. My hair was disheveled, and my eyes were shimmering with tears.

Ian sat at the edge of the bed. Against the backlight, all I could see clearly was the immaculate black belt at his waist.

Beside him rested a small pink medical kit.

My ears twitched. Before I could react, a large hand reached out and lifted me straight out of the blanket.