He Left Me Bleeding For His Best Friend’s Cat, So I Ruined Him

Three days before our biggest product launch and our engagement gala, I was in a horrific multi-car pileup.

The drivers side door was completely crushed. Shards of glass sliced deep into the back of my right hand, leaving me drenched in blood.

As the freezing rain poured down, I shook violently from the agonizing pain. I called Ashton Thorne twenty-three times.

When the line finally connected, it wasnt Ashtons voice. It was Serena Cole, sobbing hysterically.

"Ashton... Pudding ran into that abandoned construction site. Its so dark, and Im so scared..."

Ashtons voice cut in, frantic yet incredibly tender.

"Dont move, Serena. Im coming right now."

Then, he addressed me, his tone turning instantly dismissive.

"Chloe, Serenas cat is missing. Shes out in the middle of nowhere by herself, and she can't see in the dark. Its just a fender bender. Call a tow truck and go to the ER yourself. Stop trying to compete with her right now."

Click.

He hung up.

Six years. For six years, the moment Serena so much as sneezed, he would drop me without a second thought.

I looked down at the engagement ring, now stained crimson with my own blood. With my left hand, I slowly pulled it off.

This engagement? I didn't want it anymore.

Heavy rain lashed against the shattered windshield.

I was pinned tight in the drivers seat, unable to move.

The impact of the airbag had left my chest incredibly tight, and the metallic taste of blood welled up in my throat.

The deepest cut was on my right hand. A triangular shard of glass was wedged deep into my skin.

Blood dripped from my fingertips.

It stained the steering wheel.

It ruined the fresh gel manicure I had specifically gotten for our engagement gala in three days.

The bright red against the pale skin made me feel physically sick.

Outside, a paramedic was pounding on my window, shouting something, but the roaring storm drowned out his voice.

I just stared at my phone.

The screen lit up with Ashtons name.

My twenty-fourth call.

Finally, he picked up.

"Chloe Vance, are you seriously doing this right now?"

Ashtons voice was dripping with annoyance, backed by the loud revving of his car engine.

"I told you, Serena's cat is lost. That construction site has no lights, and you know she has severe night blindness. What if something happens to her?"

I parted my lips, wanting to tell him I had been in a terrible crash.

I wanted to tell him I was bleeding out, that my hand might be permanently ruined.

But before I could make a sound, Serenas weak whimpers came through the speaker.

"Ashton... Im so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have come looking for Pudding in the dark... Is Chloe mad at you? Please go back to her. Its fine if I just freeze out here..."

Ashtons breathing grew heavy with panic.

"Don't talk like that! I'm already here. I'm not leaving you."

He turned back to the phone, his voice as cold as ice.

"Chloe, I know you like to be strong, but do you really have to play the victim to compete with Serena right now? Even if you got into a crash, youre not going to die. Go to the hospital yourself!"

Beep

The line went dead.

The phone slipped from my weak fingers, falling into the puddle of water on the floor mat.

The screen went black.

Just like my heart, which had loved Ashton for six years, sinking into total darkness.

The firefighters finally pried the door open.

The freezing rain rushed in, making me shiver uncontrollably.

As they lifted me into the ambulance, the paramedic looked at my bleeding hand and frowned.

"Where is your emergency contact? Youre losing a lot of blood. We need someone to sign the consent forms!"

I stared at the sterile white lights on the ceiling and forced a faint smile.

"I don't have anyone."

"It's just me."

The paramedic blinked, startled, and didn't ask further.

The ambulance sped toward the hospital, sirens wailing.

I closed my eyes, his words echoing in my head: Even if you got into a crash, youre not going to die.

He didn't know that the glass shard was less than a centimeter away from my main artery.

Just then, my phonewhich the paramedic had retrieved for mebuzzed.

It was a text from Carter, Ashtons assistant.

Hey Chloe, Ashton asked me to let you know hes helping Serena find her cat tonight and probably won't make it home. Get some rest.

I didn't reply.

Instead, my eyes drifted to a new post on Instagram.

It was from Serena.

It was a photo of a dirty ginger cat snuggled in Ashtons arms.

Ashtons expensive white designer shirt was covered in mud, but he didn't seem to care. He was looking down, gently stroking the cat's head.

The caption read:

Even when the world goes dark, he is always my light. ??

Underneath, one of our mutual friends had commented:

Ashton is so sweet to you. Chloe really takes a backseat, huh?

Serena had replied with a playful emoji:

Oh, Chloe is way too mature to be petty about a cat! ??

And Ashton had liked the post.

I stared at that little red heart.

The nurse came in with tweezers, preparing to pull the glass from my hand before the anesthesia was even administered.

"Chloe, this is going to hurt. Squeeze my hand if you need to."

I nodded.

The moment the glass was pulled out, blood gushed. The pain was so intense that my fingers clawed into the bedsheets, and my breath caught in my throat.

But compared to the agony in my chest, this physical pain was absolutely nothing.

Twelve stitches.

The doctor looked at my pale face and sighed.

"The laceration is very deep. You cannot use your right hand for at least two weeks, or the stitches will rip. It could lead to permanent nerve damage."

"Thank you, Doctor," I whispered.

At 3:00 AM, the hospital corridor was dead quiet.

I sat on the plastic bench, holding the prescription with my left hand, waiting for my meds.

Suddenly, Carter appeared at the end of the hallway.

He was holding a dripping black umbrella and Ashtons favorite charcoal-grey wool coat.

When he saw my heavily bandaged hand, his eyes widened in shock.

"Chloe... you... you actually got into a car crash?"

I looked up at him.

"Did you think I was making it up for fun?"

Carter swallowed hard, looking incredibly awkward. He offered me the coat.

"Ashton... he was going to come himself. But Serena got a severe fever from the shock of losing her cat, and Ashton really couldn't leave her side. So he sent me to check on you."

I didn't take the coat.

Mainly because I could smell the faint scent of orange blossom perfume on it.

It was Serena's favorite scent.

"Take it back," I said, my voice completely flat. "I'm not cold."

Carter stood there, fidgeting.

"Chloe, please don't be mad at Ashton. You know how it is... Serena saved his life back in college. He just feels a heavy sense of responsibility toward her..."

Responsibility.

I had heard that excuse for six years.

Back in college, during a backpacking trip in the Rockies, they were caught in a sudden rockslide. Serena had pushed Ashton out of the way, getting her own leg crushed in the process. She was left with chronic pain and could no longer run or do heavy sports.

Since then, Serena had become Ashtons untouchable queen.

Whatever she wanted, Ashton gave her.

Even at Novis MedTech, the company Ashton and I had co-founded, Serena held a high-paying, do-nothing title just so everyone could cater to her whims.

I used to think that if I was supportive enough, if we finally got married, Ashton would eventually realize who was actually standing by his side for the long haul.

But I was wrong.

I stood up and walked toward the pharmacy window.

"Carter, tell Ashton Ill see him at the launch tomorrow."

Carter let out a massive sigh of relief, thinking I was letting it go again, just like I always did.

"Thank you for being so understanding, Chloe. Ashton said that as soon as the launch is over, hes going to give you the most lavish wedding this city has ever seen."

I didn't say anything. I took my meds and walked out into the freezing New York rain.

A lavish wedding?

No.

I was only going to the launch to take back what was rightfully mine.

The next morning, Ashton returned to the office.

When he pushed open my door, I was struggling to edit our presentation slides with my left hand.

The moment he saw my right arm in a sling, he froze.

A flicker of genuine guilt flashed in his eyes.

"Chloe... your hand..."

He rushed over, reaching out to touch me, but hesitated.

"Why is it so bad? Why didn't you explain it to me last night?"

I pulled my hand back, keeping my eyes fixed on the laptop screen.

"I called you twenty-three times. Did you give me a single second to explain?"

Ashton went rigid.

He took a deep breath and placed a coffee cup on my desk.

"I'm sorry. Serenas fever spiked to 102 last night, and I panicked."

"Here, I got you your favorite latte. I drove all the way downtown to get it."

I looked at the cup.

There was no condensation on it. It was lukewarm.

The sticker on the cup read: Decaf oat milk latte, two pumps of vanilla.

I let out a soft, humorless laugh.

"Ashton, I don't drink decaf lattes. I drink iced black Americanos."

"Sweetened decaf is Serena's order."

Ashtons face turned pale, then incredibly tense.

He stared at the label, opened his mouth to explain, then sighed.

"I... I must have ordered wrong. Ive been so stressed about the launch. I'll buy you another one."

"Don't bother."

I swept the cup directly into the trash can.

"We clearly have different tastes. Forcing it down will only make me sick."

Just like our relationship. It was time to stop forcing it.

Ashton stared at the discarded cup in the trash, his eyes darkening.

But he didn't snap. Instead, he softened his voice.

"Chloe, our engagement is in three days. Its also the launch of Project Nova, the AI surgical robot weve spent three years developing. This is the most important week of our lives. Please don't pick a fight right now, okay?"

I looked up, staring straight into his eyes.

"Okay. I won't pick a fight."

Ashton let out a sigh of relief and reached out to pat my hair.

"Good girl. I have a meeting to run. Let's do lunch later."

He turned and left.

I watched his retreating back, my eyes turning ice-cold.

He had no idea that the file I was editing wasn't just the presentation slides.

It was the legal document to revoke Novis MedTech's authorization to use the patent for Project Nova's core algorithma patent registered solely under my name.

Ashton didn't show up for lunch.

Because Serena came to the office.

She was wearing a flowing white sundress, looking incredibly pale and fragile as she pushed open Ashtons office door.

"Ashton... my head is spinning so bad. I don't think my fever is completely gone..."

I was walking over to get Ashtons signature on some financial papers at the time.

Through the glass wall, I saw Ashton immediately drop his tablet, rush over to the couch, and place a hand on her forehead.

"Why aren't you resting at home? Chloe and I have everything under control here."

Serena leaned into his chest, her eyes pooling with tears.

"I just didn't want Chloe to think Im useless and getting paid for nothing... and I really wanted to help you guys pick out the party favors for the engagement gala."

Ashton sighed, his voice dripping with affection.

"You worry too much. Chloe isn't that petty."

Serena bit her lip, her eyes darting toward the hallway.

She saw me.

Then, she gasped softly.

"Oh no, Ashton, my necklace is caught on your shirt button."

Ashton leaned down to untangle it.

They were so close their breaths were practically mingling.

From where I stood, it looked exactly like they were kissing.

I didn't knock. I didn't interrupt.

I just stood there, watching them for a quiet moment, and then turned back to my own office.

That afternoon, the bridal boutique delivered my engagement dress to the office.

It was a stunning, custom-made midnight-blue gown dusted with crystals, designed to look like the night sky.

Ashton had picked it out himself.

He once told me that blue was my colordeep, mysterious, and elegant.

The stylist carefully helped me try it on, but when she saw my bandaged hand, her face fell.

"Oh, Ms. Vance... this dress has tight, long sleeves. With your hand bandaged like this, it won't fit. If we force it, it's going to rip your stitches."

I stared at myself in the mirror.

My makeup was flawless, but it couldn't hide the dead, exhausted look in my eyes.

"Then cut the sleeve off," I said flatly.

The stylist gasped. "Cut it? But this is a two-hundred-thousand-dollar custom gown..."

"Cut the right sleeve," I repeated.

Just then, Ashton and Serena walked in.

Ashtons eyes lit up with momentary awe when he saw me in the dress.

But when he heard me tell the stylist to cut it, his brows furrowed.

"Chloe, the entire beauty of this dress is its symmetry. Cutting it ruins it. Just bear with it for a few hours. Once the ceremony is over, you can take it off."

I looked at him.

"The doctor said any pressure on the wound will rip the stitches."

Ashton walked over and grabbed my left hand.

"Chloe, there will be major tech investors and media outlets there. If you walk on stage with a ripped, asymmetrical dress, what will that say about Novis MedTech's attention to detail? For the sake of the company, just deal with it."

For the sake of the company.

For the sake of appearances.

For the sake of his perfect night.

But never once did he consider whether I would be in pain.

Serena chimed in from behind him, her voice dripping with fake sweet concern.

"Yeah, Chloe, Ashton spent so much time custom-ordering this dress for you. It would be such a shame to ruin it. Besides, the bandage is on the inside, nobody will even notice. You can do it for him, right?"

I looked at Serenas innocent, wide eyes and smiled.

"Serena, since you think it's no big deal, why don't you wear it instead?"

Serena flinched, waving her hands in panic. "Oh, Chloe, don't play like that, it's your engagement dress..."

Ashtons face completely darkened.

"Chloe Vance, what is wrong with you lately? Serena is just trying to help, why do you have to be so toxic to her?"

I ignored him, turning to the stylist.

"Take it off. I'm not wearing it."

Ashton exhaled sharply, clearly trying to suppress his rage.

"Fine. You don't want to wear it? I'll have them send a short-sleeved option. But you better make sure you look flawless on that stage in three days!"

He grabbed Serena's arm and turned to leave.

"Let's go, Serena. Don't waste your breath on her."

The door slammed shut.

The stylist trembling as she helped me unzip the dress.

During the process, the heavy fabric dragged across the back of my hand.

A sharp, white-hot pain flared up, and warm blood instantly soaked through the white bandages.

I closed my eyes, fighting back the tears.

Ashton, you always do this.

In the name of love, you force me into the most painful compromises.

But this is the absolute last time.

The day before the launch, we had a full-dress rehearsal.

It was held at the Jacob Javits Center, the biggest convention venue in the city.

Project Nova was our baby. If tomorrow went well, we would secure a $50 million Series A funding round, officially making Novis MedTech a unicorn company.

I stood on the massive stage, clicking through the slides with my left hand, double-checking the flow.

My right hand was throbbing with a dull, white-hot pain, but I had popped three painkillers to numb it.

Ashton sat in the front row, frowning at his Rolex.

"Chloe, this is going too slow. When is Serena's segment?"

I stopped and looked down at him cold.

"Serena is literally just walking on stage to hand us a bouquet of flowers. What is there to rehearse?"

Ashton stood up, his voice tight.

"Her leg isn't fully recovered, and those stage steps are steep. I'm not comfortable. Plus, I want to add a tribute video at the end of the presentation to thank everyone who supported us. Serena is going to be the main highlight."

I froze.

"A tribute video? Thats not in the schedule. And for the past three years, the people who worked eighty-hour weeks in the lab writing code and debugging were me and the dev team. Serena did absolutely nothing but bring us Starbucks once a month. Why is she the highlight?"

Ashton walked up the stage stairs, lowering his voice.

"Chloe, don't be so petty. Serena lost her ability to run because of me. I owe her this. Giving her some recognition on a stage like this will make her feel valued."

"Besides, you're going to be my wife. You're the co-founder of this company. Why are you jealous of a silly little highlight?"

Always the same excuse.

I let out a cold laugh.

"What if I say no?"

Ashtons gaze turned freezing.

"Chloe, I'm the CEO of this company. It's already decided."

He turned to the tech booth and shouted, "Cue Serena's video!"

The massive LED screen behind me flickered, and the video started playing.

It wasn't a documentary of our engineering team's sleepless nights.

It was a compilation of Ashton and Serena.

Ashton carrying Serena on his back during a hike.

Serena feeding Ashton fruit in his office.

Even a snapshot from two nights agoAshton holding the ginger cat, smiling warmly at Serena under a streetlamp.

At the end of the video, text faded in:

To the one who never gave up on me. Thank you for being in my life.

The crew members in the venue looked at each other awkwardly.

Everyone knew tomorrow was our engagement gala.

Yet this video looked like a public love confession to another woman.

A wave of intense nausea hit me.

"Ashton, do you honestly think playing this at our engagement is appropriate?"

Ashton looked slightly embarrassed, but he doubled down anyway.

"This is just a rough cut. I'll have them add some photos of you in there before tomorrow."

"Add me in? To make it look like a throuple?" I mocked openly.

Ashton snapped.

"Chloe Vance! Does everything out of your mouth have to be so venomous? Serena cried all night because of what you said yesterday. She was too scared to even show up to rehearsal today! What more do you want?"

Just then, his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID and picked up immediately.

"Serena, what's wrong?"

Serenas terrified scream pierced through the quiet venue.

"Ashton, help me! I'm on the rooftop skywalk... my vertigo kicked in and my legs locked up. It's so high... I'm so scared..."

Ashtons face went pale.

"Don't move! Close your eyes, I'm coming up right now!"

He hung up and bolted toward the exit.

I lunged forward and grabbed his arm.

"Ashton! The lead investors are arriving in ten minutes to review the rehearsal. If you leave right now, what happens to the pitch?"

Ashton violently shook my hand off.

The force of his shove threw me off balance, sending me crashing to the floor.

My right hand slammed hard against the wooden stage.

Thud.

An agonizing pain ripped through my arm, and my vision went black for a second.

Blood immediately seeped through the bandage, pooling onto the stage.

Ashton stood over me, his eyes devoid of any pityonly burning rage.

"Chloe, the investors can wait. But if anything happens to Serena, I will never forgive you!"

With that, he ran out of the hall without looking back.

I lay on the cold stage, staring at the fresh blood on the floor, and suddenly burst into laughter.

I laughed until tears streamed down my face.

You'll never forgive me?

Ashton, you have it backward.

I am the one who will never forgive you.

The stage crew rushed over to help me up.

"Ms. Vance, you're bleeding really badly! We need to get you to an urgent care!"

I used their support to stand up, then gently pushed them away.

"No need."

I picked up the presentation clicker with my left hand, wiped my tears, and stood tall.

"Tech booth, delete that garbage video. Restore the original slides."

"Everyone, back to your positions."

"We are continuing the rehearsal."

At that moment, I finally woke up.

Depending on a man whose heart was never yours is a fool's errand. You can only depend on yourself.

AsAshton, since you love Serena so much.

I'll gladly let you have her.