"How did my sister-in-law go upstairs so quickly? Is she still upset?"
Amelia White watched Emma Johnson disappear up the staircase, her voice carrying a hint of gloom as she posed the question.
"Don't worry about her. Get some rest early tonight. I'm leaving now."
Liam Williams didn't care if Benjamin Williams was still around. His tone was cold. He glanced at the gauze wrapped around Amelia's hand, thinking that his elder brother was far too indulgent with his wife. Even the cat's problem went unresolved. If it weren't for that cat, Amelia's hand wouldn't have been scratched at all.
"I'll rest well. Second brother, if you have time, feel free to visit my coffee shop."
Amelia said goodbye to Benjamin, standing only at the entrance without seeing him out. Benjamin didn't mind. He went to the master's study to pay his respects. Although the old man, Henry Williams, still didn't care much for him, he no longer drove him away in anger like before.
Still, Henry brought up the past, hoping Benjamin wouldn't oppose his elder brother again. Benjamin listened in silence, but Henry could see he wasn't truly paying attention. Disappointed, he waved his hand and let him go.
Emma entered Xiaobai's room. The cat was now curled up quietly, a far cry from its earlier furious state. It probably had no idea what it had done wrong. Emma sighed softly. Seeing her, Xiaobai immediately stood up and wagged its tail, padding over to her feet. Its clever demeanor made Emma's heart ache a little. She picked up Xiaobai, placed her slender index finger on its forehead, and gently pushed.
"Do you know what you did wrong? You can't just scratch people. You deserve to go without dinner tonight as punishment."
Xiaobai's blue eyes were full of confusion, clearly not understanding a word Emma said. But it still nuzzled her hand pleadingly, letting out a pitiful meow.
Emma stroked the fur along its back. Suddenly, she noticed a faint, crescent-shaped nail mark on its back. Though not deep, it made her understand something.
Could it be?
Her eyes darkened. She looked at Xiaobai with even more pity. She knew Xiaobai wouldn't scratch someone for no reason. But thinking of how frail and thin Amelia had looked today, she let out a helpless sigh. She'd think about it later.
Then, Emma called for the maid, Charlotte Harris.
"Later, give Xiaobai two fish sausages and some water. Don't let it go hungry or thirsty."
Hearing Emma's order, Charlotte was a bit surprised. After all, the young master had explicitly said Xiaobai wasn't to be fed or watered tonight. She looked at Emma awkwardly, hesitating to agree.
Emma understood her predicament. Charlotte was a servant of the Williams family; it was only natural she'd follow Liam's orders. Not wanting to put her in a difficult position, Emma waved her hand.
"Forget it. I'll do it myself. Just go out and pretend you know nothing."
Charlotte nodded, relieved. It was an unspoken agreement between them.
Emma returned to the bedroom. Liam was already back, but he hadn't gone to the study. Emma wasn't curious and didn't even look at him.
"You ate too little tonight. I've asked the kitchen to prepare a late-night snack. If you're hungry, go downstairs and eat."
"I see."
Emma's reply was clear and light, which made Liam's eyes darken.
"You're blaming me."
Liam didn't ask; it was a statement.
"What would I blame you for?"
Emma turned around, looking at him calmly.
Liam didn't like the way she looked at him. It made him feel like he was still an insignificant person in her eyes.
"It scratched Amelia. You saw it with your own eyes."
Liam felt a headache coming on. Honestly, he didn't think he'd done anything wrong. The facts were clear. Xiaobai was Emma's pet, but to him, compared to Amelia, it was naturally less important. If it weren't for Emma, he would have wanted to kill Xiaobai right then and there. He'd never even considered keeping it.
"I know."
Emma's words were short enough to choke on. Liam wished she would just get angry with him.
"Is there anything else you want to say? If not, I'm going to take a bath."
She didn't want to talk about Xiaobai with this man. In her eyes, Xiaobai was innocent. Its unusual behavior today was a reaction, but she knew no one would believe her. And even if she told them, would Liam do anything to Amelia for Xiaobai's sake?
Emma wasn't that naive. But she also realized Xiaobai wasn't suited to stay in the Williams house.
Liam watched Emma's back as she walked to the bathroom. He felt helpless. Instead of staying in the bedroom, he got up and went to the study. As he opened the door and walked down the corridor, he saw Amelia heading toward his study.
Seeing Liam, Amelia was startled. She clearly hadn't expected him to be here at this hour, not even in the study. But she quickly composed herself, her eyes showing a hint of hesitation.
"What's the matter?"
"Brother, I think it's best to lift the ban on my sister-in-law's pet. I think she really loves that kitten. If it goes all night without food or water, she'll definitely feel terrible. I just got back, and I don't want to see this happen. What if my sister-in-law ends up resenting me?"
Amelia's words seemed to plead for Xiaobai, but she didn't show much concern for the cat's hunger. Her entire point was fear of Emma's anger.
"Don't worry. It's the cat's fault. Go back and rest. You must be tired after your flight today."
Liam's voice was unusually gentle. Amelia's face showed a conflicted expression for a moment before she reluctantly turned and left. As she turned, the corner of her mouth seemed to curl into a faint smile, but it vanished quickly.
Emma came out after her bath and found Liam was no longer in the room. She didn't care. She went downstairs to the kitchen, took two fish sausages, cut them up, placed them on Xiaobai's plate, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and carried everything upstairs.
A few servants saw her, but they all pretended not to notice.