All Chapters of One Cat Pic, One Divorce: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

When I met Madison, Stella had already been with me for five years.Madison used to call it cute. Sometimes, she'd even pat its head.That changed when we started talking marriage and she spent her first night in my tiny apartment.The next morning, she woke up sneezing, eyes red, and told me she had a severe cat allergy."Lugh, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but my condition..." She looked helpless. "You know if you love me, you'll think about my health, right?"After weeks of stress and hesitation, I finally started looking for a new home for Stella.Before I found one, Madison said she'd already handled it.It was done.No matter how much I hated it, I had no choice but to accept it.But two weeks later, I found Stella's body in a reeking underground parking garage.It had been tortured to death.Its body was torn apart and scattered in a filthy corner.I only recognized it by a small patch of orange-and-white fur.That day, I held what was le

I ignored them and headed straight for the bedroom.Behind me, Madison's furious voice rang out."Have you lost your mind?! You're abandoning your own daughter?!"I shut the door and locked it behind me, cutting off the noise.A barrage of pounding rattled the door."Lugh! Open up! Explain yourself! What do you mean you're giving up Bella? Have you completely lost it?!"I took a deep breath and walked to the closet.Hidden in the back was a suitcase I'd packed a long time ago.Inside were my documents, a few keepsakes from my mom, and some spare clothes.The suitcase had been sitting there for six months.Like an emergency exit I'd always known I might need.I just never expected a cat to be the reason I finally used it.I unlocked the door and pulled it open.Madison froze.Then her eyes dropped to the suitcase.Behind her, Ryan was holding Bella.A flash of satisfaction crossed his face before it was replaced by concern."Lugh, don't do anything you'll regret," he sa

That night, Cillian's informant sent a live update."The targets got into a huge fight. The guy threw a designer briefcase out the window, and the woman sped off."A blurry video was attached, but the audio came through loud and clear."Madison! You lied to me! Didn't you say you were a CEO making hundreds of thousands a year? Why are you taking money from his parents too? Three hundred grand! How am I supposed to live like this?"Ryan's voice cracked with panic."Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" Madison snapped, sounding exhausted. "It wasn't a scam. It was a loan. An investment. If I hadn't bought you a car and rented you that luxury apartment, do you think I would've done any of it?""I don't care! I didn't get with you to pay off your debts! If you end up broke, we're done. Immediately!""Weren't you the one who said you loved me, not my money?""Yeah, I love you. But I love not stressing about money even more! What's wrong with that?"...Listening to

The court date came fast.The judge looked at me. "Mr. Landon, are you still seeking a divorce from Ms. Seidel?""Yes, Your Honor."My voice carried through the silent courtroom.The judge nodded and turned to Madison. "Ms. Seidel, do you oppose the divorce?"Madison shot to her feet. "Yes, Your Honor. I do. We've been married for ten years. Our marriage can't just end like this. I know I made mistakes, but I'm willing to change. Please give us another chance."Her attorney tugged her sleeve, urging her to sit.The judge's expression didn't change. "Since Ms. Seidel opposes the divorce, we'll move on to custody and division of marital assets."Mr. Landon, what is your position on custody of Bella Landon?"Cillian stood and adjusted his glasses. "Your Honor, after careful consideration, my client has decided—"He paused, his gaze sliding to Madison.She instantly tensed.Then he dropped the bomb."—to voluntarily relinquish custody. Bella will remain in her mother's custody