Chapter 3: Adjusting to Life as a Cat
941 Words
The morning sun filtered through the small window of Rina’s home, casting warm golden light onto the couch where Adam, now 'Ivory' lay. The soft cushions were a stark contrast to the luxurious silk sheets he was used to, but at least it was better than the cold, hard streets he had wandered after his transformation.
He stretched his limbs, wincing slightly as pain flared in his side. The wound from the night before was still tender, but thanks to Rina’s care, it was beginning to heal.
Speaking of Rina—
She emerged from her bedroom wearing a loose T-shirt and shorts, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Her hair was a tangled mess, but she still managed to look effortlessly beautiful. Adam found himself momentarily distracted before mentally shaking himself.
What the hell was he thinking? He was a billionaire, not some stray cat smitten with his owner.
"Good morning, Ivory!" Rina greeted cheerfully as she knelt beside him, scratching his chin.
Adam wanted to tell her to back off, but all that came out was a low, involuntary purr.
He immediately froze.
What. The. Hell.
Rina giggled. "Aw, you like that?"
No, I don’t! Adam screamed internally.
But his stupid cat instincts betrayed him. He couldn’t deny that the scratching felt… good. Before he knew it, he had leaned into her touch, his tail flicking contentedly.
He would have died of embarrassment if he could.
"You're such a cutie," Rina cooed.
Adam scowled. He was not cute! He was Adam Smith—one of the most powerful businessmen in the country! The fact that he had been reduced to a fluffy, purring mess made him want to scream.
Rina stood up and stretched. "Alright, I need to get ready for work."
Work?
Adam’s ears perked up. If she left, he’d have the house to himself. Maybe he could come up with a plan to break the curse.
Rina glanced at him. "I’ll be gone for a few hours. You’ll be okay here alone, right?"
Adam flicked his tail in response. Finally, some peace and quiet.
Rina smiled, taking that as a yes. She quickly prepared for work, grabbing her bag before heading for the door. "See you later, Ivory! Be good!"
The moment she shut the door, Adam sighed in relief.
Now, to figure out how to fix this mess.
Adam leaped off the couch, landing gracefully on the floor. If he was going to break this curse, he needed to understand how it worked.
"You will return to your true form only if you fall in love."
The old woman’s words echoed in his head.
Love?
What kind of ridiculous condition was that?!
He had no time for love! Even as a human, he had never bothered with romance, his business empire had always come first.
So how the hell was he supposed to "fall in love" now?!
Annoyed, Adam padded over to a mirror hanging on the wall and looked at his reflection.
A pair of bright green cat eyes stared back at him. His once sharp, chiseled features were now replaced with soft, fluffy fur. He swiped a paw at the mirror in frustration.
"This is humiliating," he muttered, though all that came out was an irritated meow.
With a sigh, he turned away, deciding to explore the house.
Despite its small size, Rina’s home was cozy. It had a humble kitchen, a neat little living room, and a single bedroom. There were bookshelves filled with novels, a few decorative plants, and even some personal sketches pinned to the walls.
Adam’s sharp gaze lingered on one of the sketches.
It was of a young woman standing near a bookstore, holding a pile of books with a dreamy expression on her face. The art was surprisingly detailed, capturing the essence of someone lost in thought.
Something about it made his heart clench.
Rina drew this?
He hadn’t expected her to be an artist.
A loud grumble interrupted his thoughts.
His stomach.
Adam scowled. Great. Now I need to eat like a cat too.
He wandered into the kitchen and spotted a small bowl of cat food on the floor. Rina must have left it for him.
He wrinkled his nose in disgust.
There was no way he was eating that.
His eyes shifted toward the fridge. Now that’s where the real food is.
With surprising agility, he leaped onto the counter, then the top of the fridge. He swiped at the handle, trying to pry it open, but his small paws weren’t strong enough.
"Ugh, this is infuriating!"
In his frustration, he knocked over a glass sitting on the counter. It crashed to the floor, shattering into tiny pieces.
He froze.
The silence that followed was deafening.
If Rina found out, she’d—
The front door suddenly swung open.
"Ivory!"
Adam turned in horror.
There stood Rina, her face a mixture of shock and amusement.
"Did you just… break that?" she asked, hands on her hips.
Adam stiffened. He wanted to deny it, but the evidence was right there.
Rina sighed, shaking her head. "And here I thought you’d be a quiet, well-behaved cat."
She walked over, carefully cleaning up the mess before turning to him with an exasperated look. "Looks like I can’t leave you alone after all."
Adam scowled. Great. Just great.
Rina chuckled. "You really are something else, Ivory."
She scratched his head again, and despite himself, Adam felt the purring return.
Damn this stupid cat body.
As much as he hated to admit it, one thing was becoming clear—
Being Rina’s pet was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought.
- Writer
