The Abandoned Cat Effect Worked

1
To cure me of my possessiveness, my girlfriend replaced methe groomon our wedding day. Immediately after the ceremony, she jetted off to the Maldives for a honeymoon with her first love.
When she came back, she found a new, more compliant version of me.
She would flaunt her intimacy with him, but I no longer showed any signs of jealousy. When she broke all the rules to cast him, a mere social media influencer, as the lead in her new film, I didnt object. I even handed over my own shot at the Best Actor award without a fight.
When he publicly slandered me, I just apologized obediently and silently endured the onslaught of online hate.
She bragged about her successful "training" on a live stream, tossing me a cheap ring like a bone to a dog. "Wear this for the rest of your life," she'd said.
"Consider this ring compensation for what happened at the wedding. But as long as you behave, youll still be the one I legally marry."
I was genuinely confused. "But aren't you already married?"
She seemed to have forgotten that the contract termination had already been signed. I had already let her go. In three days, I would be on a plane, heading towards an arranged marriage of my own.
From that moment on, our lives would be nothing more than two parallel lines, never to cross again.
...
My question made her hand freeze. Her expression instantly turned to ice.
"What do you mean by that? Don't you know why I married Adrian? If you hadn't deliberately flaunted our wedding in his face, driving him to the brink of suicide, do you think I would have married him just to make it up to him?"
At our wedding, Adrian had held a knife to his throat, threatening to jump from the roof unless she made him the groom.
Afterward, as my punishment, shed personally taken him on what was supposed to be our honeymoon.
I had been a wreck. I drank, I smoked, I stared at the ceiling all night. But now, clarity had finally settled in.
The truth was, our relationship had started cracking a year ago, the moment Adrian returned to the country. It began with innocent lunches, then escalated to blatant movie dates, and eventually, nights when she wouldnt come home at all.
Every time I confronted her, she would snap, accusing me of being too possessive. So, to "cure" me, she deliberately grew closer to him. She even told the press that Adrian was the man she had dreamed of for years, and I was just a passing amusement.
The wedding was the final, brutal lesson. Adrian was her first love, the one who got away. I could never compete with a ghost.
So I decided to give up. On her, and on our ten years together.
Faced with her aggressive questioning now, the old me would have desperately tried to explain that I hadn't flaunted anything, that Adrian had lied to sabotage the wedding.
But the new me just obediently took the blame.
"You're right. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have asked."
It was my fault. My fault for wanting a wedding that was never mine to have. My fault for hoping I held any place in her heart at all. At least Id learned my lesson before it was too late.
My admission seemed to satisfy her. She nodded, pleased.
"Well, as long as you understand. Wear this ring. Don't take it off without my permission. As for the marriage license, we'll get it next month."
I looked at the plain, cheap ring she held out. It was a freebie shed gotten when she bought Adrian an outrageously expensive watch. It was worthless.
But I obediently slipped it on.
As for the marriage license, that would never happen. To me, she was now just the CEO of my agency. In three days, my ten-year contract would expire, and I would leave this life behind for the one my parents had arranged for me. After that, Cassandra and I would be nothing to each other.
Seeing me put on the ring, Adrian, who had been standing nearby, grinned.
"See, Cassandra? I told you. Men just need a little training. Look how well-behaved Evan is now! He hangs on your every word. The 'abandoned pet' effect works every time. He's completely dependent on you now."
A self-satisfied smile played on Cassandras lips. She turned back to me with another order. "The Rising Star Awards are this afternoon. You'll go with Adrian as his assistant. You have more experience, so make sure you take good care of him."
Even though I had already let her go, the words still twisted in my gut.
This was the last award I needed to complete my grand slam, to achieve my lifelong dream of being recognized as one of the greatest actors of my generation. But a few weeks ago, just because Adrian had casually mentioned wanting to be an actor, Cassandra had forced me to give up my nomination for him.
And now she wanted me to watch him accept my award, as his assistant.
She knew how much this meant to me. And she had snatched it away without a second thought.
A dull ache throbbed in my chest, but I agreed. This would be the final act, the closing punctuation on our eight years together.
After this, we would owe each other nothing.
The awards ceremony was already crowded with the biggest names in the industry. Adrian's eyes lit up. He grabbed a glass of champagne and tried to schmooze, but the A-listers barely gave him the time of day.
After being snubbed several times, his face paled with fury. He turned and snapped at me, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Are you blind? You know I'm allergic to alcohol! Get over here and drink this for me."
He tilted his chin up, trying to reclaim some of the status hed just lost.
I was about to refuse when his expression changed dramatically. His face crumpled as if he were about to cry.
"Cassandra," he whimpered, looking over my shoulder. "You're not here, and everyone is bullying me. Even Evan is looking down on me."
I turned. Cassandra, the event's host and a celebrated actress in her own right, was standing right behind me.
She was usually protective of my public image, but the look on her face told me that tonight was different.
"Evan," she said, her voice dripping with ice. "I told you to be his assistant. Does that role not include taking a drink for him? Do I need to spell it out for you?"
The weight of everyone's stares was physically painful. I clenched my fists, took the glass, and drained it in one gulp.
Cassandra finally looked satisfied. She took Adrian by the arm and began personally introducing him to the industry giants. Suddenly, the crowd was full of fawning voices, and Adrian puffed out his chest like a victorious rooster.
A little later, he sauntered over to me. "So what if you're a famous actor?" he whispered, a smug smile on his face. "You're still just my little puppet."
He leaned in, then raised his voice for others to hear. "Evan, my shoes are dirty. Be a dear and clean them for me."
I felt my patience fray. He saw my clenched fists and just laughed.
"Oh, Evan, I'm so sorry," he said, his voice oozing false apology. "I didn't mean to trouble you. It's just this suit I can't risk wrinkling it."
Cassandra chimed in. "He's right. The suit has to be perfect for the cameras." She gave me a look that was a clear command.
When I didn't move, her brow furrowed. "Well? Are you going to clean them or not? Don't forget your place. You're just an assistant."
Rage simmered beneath my skin. I took a deep breath. Just a few more days. I knelt down and took out a wipe.
Just as I was about to touch his shoe, the announcer called his name.
Adrian brushed imaginary dust off his lapels, gave a gracious bow to the audience, and then, as he walked past, deliberately stomped on my hand on his way to the stage.
Pain shot up my arm. Cassandra just nudged me with her foot. "The speech! Are you an idiot? Get the speech to him!"
I scrambled to my feet, my hand throbbing, and rushed after him. As I reached out to hand him the cards, he suddenly stumbled and went tumbling down the stage steps.
Cameras flashed wildly. I reached out to help him, but he shoved my hand away, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Evan! I know you're jealous that I got the award, but I earned it! How could you try to humiliate me in front of everyone like this?"
Whispers erupted around us. The cameras turned on me.
"I didn't," I said calmly.
"You pushed me! Everyone saw it!"
People nearby started murmuring their agreement.
"I didn't push him," I tried to explain. "I was handing him the speech."
But no one believed me. Adrian looked up, tears welling in his eyes, but in the split second before he looked away, he shot me a triumphant smirk. I had been framed.
His knee was bleeding, but he struggled to his feet, putting on a brave face that earned him the sympathy of the entire room.
"I can't believe Evan would do something so petty," someone whispered.
Cassandra rushed to Adrian's side. When she saw his bleeding knee, she turned and slapped me hard across the face.
"Evan, you've gone too far! Look what you've done! Don't you know he has a photoshoot in a few days? How could you be so malicious?"
The cameras flashed, capturing my swollen cheek. I wanted to disappear.
"Apologize to him right now," she seethed, "or you'll regret it."
Adrian looked at me, a smug, victorious glint in his eyes.
I took a deep breath and looked straight at Cassandra. "Apologize to a talentless, social media hack? I'd rather not."
I turned and walked away, leaving them both sputtering in rage.
Just as theyd planned, I became the villain of the story. The incident was the top trending topic online. Everyone called me bitter and vindictive. Cassandra even used my official account to issue a public apology, cementing the lie.
The next day, she called an emergency board meeting.
"Due to Evan's deliberate actions, which have caused significant damage to the company's reputation, I am revoking his position as Vice President and appointing Adrian in his place."
The board members, men I had personally mentored, all nodded in agreement.
"Evan is getting older," one of them said. "We need fresh blood. I support the change."
Cassandra looked at me, her eyes cold. "The board has voted unanimously. Do you have anything to say?"
What could I say? This company was our baby. We had built it from the ashes after her family went bankrupt. And now, they were kicking me out.
It didn't matter. In a few days, I would be gone.
"I have nothing to say."
My quiet acceptance seemed to unnerve them. They had been prepared for a fight.
Adrian's first act as VP was to reassign all of my upcoming projects to himself. I was officially suspended.
That night, Cassandra came home. She saw me standing on the balcony and for a fleeting moment, I saw a flicker of something like pain in her eyes. She had brought me takeout from a restaurant Id always wanted to try but could never get a reservation for.
The old me would have been thrilled. But I knew her kindness always came at a price.
"Adrian really likes your limited edition Bentley," she said, her voice hesitant. "Could you give it to him? He has a lot of appearances coming up, and it would be more comfortable for him."
The car was the only gift she had ever given me, and only after Id earned the company a billion dollars on my last film. At the time, shed called me materialistic for even asking.
"Fine," I said.
She frowned. "Why are you acting like a robot? All you do is nod."
I almost laughed. "Isn't this what you wanted?"
She came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. "I know I've been hard on you. But once we get our marriage license, I'll take you on a proper honeymoon. Should we bring Adrian along?"
It was the first time she had ever asked for my opinion.
"Whatever you want," I said.
Her body stiffened. "I wanted you to be less possessive, not to stop caring completely! If you keep this up, I'm not marrying you!"
She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
When I cared, she called me controlling. When I let go, she accused me of not caring.
I didn't see her for the next few days. On the day my contract expired, I went to the office to sign my termination papers. The HR department processed it quickly. All it needed was Cassandra's final approval.
Just as I was about to message her, a text from her came through with an address, telling me to pick her up. It was a remote film set deep in the mountains. I didn't want to go, but I needed her signature.
When I arrived, the place was deserted. Then Adrian appeared, flanked by a group of menacing-looking men.
"Where's Cassandra?" I asked.
He smirked, rubbing his neck, revealing a collection of fresh hickeys. "She's sleeping. Worn out."
The text had been from him.
His eyes turned cold. "Everyone's saying my award was fixed. I bet you're the one spreading those rumors."
"I don't need to," I said. "Anyone with eyes can see you didn't earn it."
"It doesn't matter," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Because after today, you'll never be an actor again. And I will take your place."
He gestured to his men. They grabbed me, slamming me to the ground. I managed to kick one of them away, but another one immediately took his place, smashing my head against the concrete until my vision blurred.
Adrian loomed over me, planting his foot on my head. "You're a threat to my career. Cassandra can only protect me so much. The only way I'll feel truly safe is if you're completely destroyed."
He pulled out a knife. I realized what he was about to do just as the cold steel sliced across my cheek. I screamed, but they held me down. The tears streaming down my face stung the open wound.
One cut. Two. I counted twelve in total.
Then he told his men to proceed with the plan. They doused the set in gasoline. As they were leaving, Adrian called Cassandra, his voice a high-pitched, terrified shriek. "Cassandra, help me! Evan is trying to kill me!"
He calmly lit a cigarette and tossed the still-lit lighter onto the gasoline-soaked floor.
The world exploded in flames.
Cassandra arrived just as the fire was engulfing the building. She ran inside, her face a mask of terror. She saw me lying on the floor, my face covered in blood, and for a second, she reached for me.
Then Adrian let out a weak cry from the other side of the room. "Cassandra, you're here! Help me!"
She hesitated, then let go of me and ran to him. I watched as she struggled to lift himhe was only pretending to be injuredand carried him out of the inferno.
"Help me" I whispered, my hand outstretched.
She paused at the door, a flicker of guilt in her eyes. "I've called the fire department, Evan! Just hang on!"
Then she was gone.
I woke up in the hospital. The only person there was the head of HR. He handed me my signed termination papers and left without a word.
I was in the hospital for a month. Cassandra never visited.
When I was finally discharged, I went back to my house, the one I had bought years ago with my own money. It had been transformed into a newlywed's nest for her and Adrian. Red sheets, celebratory banners, and their wedding photos were everywhere.
The moment she saw me, her face contorted in a snarl of rage.
"How dare you come back here? You tried to kill Adrian! Do you have any idea what you've put him through? His depression has relapsed because of you!"
She raised her hand to slap me, but stopped when she saw my face. There was no unmarked skin left to hit.
Adrian just smirked. "It's okay, Cassandra. I forgive him. His face is ruined, but he'd make a decent body double. It's not like they need to show his face."
I looked at his smug, treacherous face, and years of suppressed anger finally boiled over. "A body double for you? I'd rather die."
Cassandra clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Evan, stop being so dramatic. Your face is ruined. What else can you do?"
She looked at the horrific scars, and for a split second, I saw that flicker of pain in her eyes again.
"Look, I know you're mad that I didn't save you from the fire. But it was your own fault for trying to hurt Adrian. You brought this on yourself. But," she continued, "if you agree to be his body double, I'll marry you tomorrow. We can even go on a honeymoon. But we'll have to bring Adrian. I don't trust him to be alone."
She had it all planned out. But it had nothing to do with me anymore.
I held up the termination papers. "You're already married. You should go on a honeymoon. But why are you inviting me?"
"I'm getting married, too. To someone else. And my fiance is waiting for me abroad."
"Also," I added, "this is my house. I've sold it. You need to leave."

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