He Paid For Her Cat’s Pain, Not My Mother’s Chapter 05

He Paid For Her Cat’s Pain, Not My Mother’s Chapter 05

When I got home, a brand-new cat tree stood in the living room.

On the fridge, a handwritten schedule, “Cotton’s Post-Op Pain Schedule-every four hours, no skips”

I stood there and laughed until I cried.

My mom never got her last shot.

His cat had a whole pain-management calendar.

I went into the bedroom and took my ID, her medical records, the transaction logs, the old contracts,

and the divorce papers.

Before I left, I set a copy of the death certificate on the dining table.

Right on top of that cat’s pain schedule.

Then I closed the door, blocked his number, and walked out.

Julian brought white lilies to the funeral home, and I knocked them out of his hands.

Petals scattered everywhere.

He stood in front of my mom’s memorial portrait, pale as paper.

“Nora, I came to see mom off.”

I looked at him. “She wasn’t your mother.”

The room went dead silent.

Julian’s voice cracked. “I know you hate me.”

“It’s not hate.”

I said, “It’s disgust.”

His fingers curled tight.

“I really didn’t know that night would-”

I locked eyes with him.

“You knew she was in pain. You knew what that ninety-eight hundred meant. You knew I was begging you. You just decided she was worth less than his cat.”

Julian’s lips moved, but nothing came out.

A soft sob came from the doorway.

Sienna had arrived in a black dress, holding a memorial wreath.

The ribbon read, “Crescent Moon Pet Care Fund-In Respectful Memory.”

I stared at those words, and my stomach turned.

Sienna walked over with red-rimmed eyes.

“Nora, I’m so sorry-I really didn’t think she would go that night. was just terrified.”

I pulled out my phone and showed her a screenshot.

A story she’d posted and deleted that same night.

A photo of Julian at the pet clinic payment window.

Caption, [Thank God-he still chose me first.]

Sienna’s face went white.

Julian turned to her. “You posted that?”

Cotton was in such danger-l

She started crying. “I was just emotional-it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

I put the phone away.

“Spur of the moment?

While my mother was losing consciousness from pain, you were bragging that he picked you first.”

Sienna choked out, “But pets are lives too.”

I nodded. “Right. You took the money meant for cancer patients and bought yourself ads for your little influencer career. You talk about life being equal-and you’re standing here crying in front of my mother’s picture.”

She froze. Julian looked at me. “What do you mean, ‘sold her condo”?”

I laughed. “You forgot?”

“Three years ago your company was bleeding cash.

You got on your knees in front of my mom

and told her Whitmore Medical was going to build the Cancer Pain Relief Initiative.”

“She sold her retirement condo and lent you eighty thousand. project took off, more patients would suffer less.”

You promised that once the

I pointed at the portrait.

“Julian, she believed you. And she died on a night she couldn’t afford

to stop the pain.”

The color drained from Julian’s face completely.

His voice shook. “Nora, I’ll pay it back.”

“Pay it back to who?”

His eyes went red. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Sign the papers. That’s the only compensation you can give me.”

I handed him the divorce settlement.

He stared at it for a long time.

Finally, “I can’t sign.”

I smiled. “Then I’ll see you in court.”

After the funeral, I carried my mom’s urn to the car.

Julian tried to follow, but my uncle blocked him.

He stood in the rain, like he finally understood what cold felt like.