A Kitten and A CEO...
Lying on my bed after dinner,, the gentle hum of the city filled the silence around me... I turned toward the window,, drawn as always to the view that had stolen my breath the first night I arrived. New York City sparkled like a sea of stars,, the skyline etched with glowing outlines of towers that reached for dreams...
But tonight,, something else caught my eye—something unexpected.
There,, curled at the very corner of my wide window ledge,, was a tiny white kitten. Its fur was pristine,, almost like freshly fallen snow. At first,, I thought it was a plush toy someone had forgotten. But then it stirred… and my heart clenched...
It was trembling...
I rushed closer,, pressing my palms against the cool glass. The window was closed,, but I could clearly see the kitten's tiny body rising and falling with each shallow breath. It looked so fragile,, so helpless. Then something made me stop breathing...
A smear of red...
Blood. On her left hind leg...
Panic surged through me,, My instincts screamed to open the window and grab her,, but I hesitated. What if I scared her?? What if she fell—or hurt herself even more?? My fingers hovered over the lock,, but I couldn't risk it.
I needed help...
Without thinking,, I sprinted from my room,, heart pounding,, searching the dim hallway for someone—anyone. And that's when I saw him...
Adrian...
Leaning casually against the wall just outside the elevator,, his hands in his pockets,, the soft overhead light casting shadows on his sharp jawline. His dark eyes locked onto mine the moment I appeared,, unreadable, intense—like he could see right through me.
For a moment,, I completely forgot why I was out there. His gaze did something to me—something I wasn't ready to admit out loud. Calm,, confident,, and piercing… he stood like he owned not just the hallway but the entire city...
"Adrian," I breathed,, trying to collect myself.
He didn't move. Didn't blink,, Just watched me...
"I need your help,," I said, stepping closer... My voice faltered slightly under the weight of his gaze. "There's a kitten on my window ledge. She's hurt.. I don't want to scare her off. Please…"
His head tilted,, just slightly,, like he was processing every syllable,, measuring it. Then, after what felt like forever,, he finally spoke.
"Okay.. I'm coming."
His deep voice was smooth,, like warm velvet,,and it sent a strange shiver through me. Without another word,, he pushed off the wall and started walking...
I turned and led him to my room,, my heart beating faster with each step—not just for the kitten now,, but for something else I couldn't name. As we stepped inside,, I instinctively reached out and grabbed his hand...
"Be careful,," I whispered. "She's sleeping."
The moment I realized what I'd done,, heat flushed through me. I dropped his hand like it burned,, embarrassed beyond belief.
But he didn't look annoyed. No,,, he looked… confused. His eyes flickered to my hand, then back to my face—questioning, searching. And then,, silently,, he turned toward the window.
"Give me a towel," he said...
I blinked. "A towel??"
"To hold her," he clarified... "It'll help me lift her without scaring her."
"Oh! Right!" I rushed to grab the softest towel I could find and handed it to him.
He wrapped it around his hands with practiced precision,, then slowly unlocked the window and slid it open... The kitten stirred but didn't wake. His movements were quiet, controlled. And then,, like a miracle,, he gently scooped her into his hands.
She let out the faintest meow as her eyes fluttered open,, looking up at Adrian with hazy curiosity.
His hold was firm,, yet impossibly gentle—like he'd done this a hundred times before.
"Here," he said,, handing her to me carefully. "We need to take her to a vet."
I hesitated,, then asked softly, "How do you know she's a girl??"
A crooked smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I have a lot of cats at home... You learn to tell."
I blinked. "You?? Cats??"
He gave a low chuckle. "Surprised??"
"Very."
As we walked toward the elevator,, I cradled the kitten in my arms. She curled up against my chest,, letting out another small mewl,, and something about the way she nestled into me made my chest ache with emotion...
"She loves sleeping,," I murmured with a small laugh. "Just like me..."
Adrian chuckled beside me,, his voice sending tiny flutters through my chest,, "Then she's found the perfect owner."
The elevator chimed open. We stepped inside. But just before the doors closed,, Adrian moved closer—close enough that I could feel the warmth of him at my side...
"Wait,," he said.
"What??"
"You're holding her wrong..."
Before I could reply, he moved behind me,, his arms guiding mine as he adjusted the kitten in my grasp... His body brushed lightly against mine,, his breath warm against the side of my neck... My pulse jumped erratically.
His hands stayed over mine,, steadying them gently.
I couldn't breathe...
The elevator dinged open again. He stepped back as if nothing had happened,, the moment evaporating into the air. I followed,, dazed.
Outside,, the cool air hit me like a wave... Adrian led me to his sleek black car,, opening the passenger side door for me like a perfect gentleman...
I slipped inside quickly,, more to escape the heat in my cheeks than anything...
He smirked. "In a hurry to avoid me??"
I tried to form a witty comeback,, but nothing came out. Before I could think,, he leaned over,, reaching across me to fasten my seatbelt.
His face hovered inches from mine... I froze.
His cologne—woodsy and clean—wrapped around me. Our eyes met,, and I swear the world stopped...
Then—
Meow...
The kitten let out a growl so fierce for her tiny body that both of us blinked...
Adrian chuckled,, sitting back. "Alright,, alright. I'm not touching her."
I laughed. "She's protective..."
He started the engine and pressed a number on his phone. "Hey, Doc. I'm bringing in an injured kitten... Can you stay a bit longer??"
The vet agreed,, and we were off. The city blurred around us,, headlights streaking past.
"I think I'll adopt her," I said softly,, stroking the kitten's soft fur.
Adrian glanced at me. "You should... She found herself a caring mom."
I smiled. "Mom??"
He nodded. "That's what you are now... She's yours..."
I looked down at her—so tiny, so innocent—and felt something shift inside me.. She wasn't just a kitten. She was a beginning...
When we reached the clinic,, Adrian walked beside me,, never too close,, never too far—just enough to make me feel… safe.
The vet, a kindly older man,, examined her and smiled. "She'll be alright. Just a small cut. Give her this after she eats."
He looked at Adrian with a smirk. "You never bring girls here."
Adrian met his gaze without hesitation... "She's different."
My heart skipped...
As we left the clinic,, the medicine and a small pet food pack in hand,, I glanced at Adrian under the streetlights. His features looked softer somehow. More… human.
In the car,, the silence was comfortable... The kind of silence that didn't need to be filled.
Then I turned to him...
"Can I ask you something??"
"Go ahead."
"What were you doing in my office basement earlier today??"
His lips curled. "Visiting my cousin..."
"You're a CEO. Why not give her a job at your company??"
"She wants to build something herself..."
I smiled. "I respect that..."
A pause. And then—
"Are you… dating anyone??"
The question was out before I could stop it. The moment it hung in the air,, I wanted to take it back.
Adrian glanced at me,, then at the road. "No... Are you asking because you're interested??"
My cheeks flamed. "No!! Just… curious..."
He laughed quietly. "Well, you're definitely interesting,, Rimi."
I turned my face toward the window to hide my smile. The kitten purred softly against my chest,, like she approved...
As we drove back to the hotel,, something inside me shifted—like I'd crossed an invisible line I couldn't uncross...
This kitten, so small,, so unexpected,, had brought Adrian and me together in a way nothing else could have... She didn't just need saving.
Maybe I did too...
And maybe… just maybe… Adrian was the only one who could...
God save me....
Because I was starting to fall...