Chapter 15
Isla pushed open the window, letting in a warm breeze. The sky outside was clear, sun–drenched, and so was her heart.
Maybe she’d go for a walk. She still had time before that interview she’d scheduled.
Downstairs, as she passed a patch of wild grass near the building, she heard something–a faint, broken meow.
She paused, scanning the area. Nothing.
She took a step, but there it was again.
Curious, Isla knelt down, brushing aside some weeds. Tucked deep inside an old rusted drainage pipe was a tiny orange kitten, dirty, bleeding, and so thin its ribs showed through.
It didn’t cower when it saw her. If anything, it tried–limping, dragging itself forward with all the strength its little body had.
Her heart clenched.
Without hesitation, she reached for it—but the pipe was blocked by a few heavy cement slabs. Isla tried moving them, but they wouldn’t budge. She didn’t know anyone in this neighborhood… except maybe that guy who’d paid for her meal at the diner.
She remembered him walking up the stairs the other night–unit 2B, right above hers.
After
a moment’s hesitation, she decided to try her luck.
She headed upstairs and knocked.
The door creaked open.
The man looked like he’d just woken up, shirt wrinkled, hair messy. He blinked, a little surprised.
“Uh… hey. Something wrong?”
“I–sorry for bothering you,” Isla said quickly. “But there’s this kitten stuck in a pipe do and I really need help moving the
blocks in front of it…”
He didn’t even ask more.
“Got it. Just give me a sec.”
He disappeared, reappeared in jeans and a hoodie, and followed her down.
Once he spotted the kitten, he got to work. The stones were heavy, but he managed to move them aside one by one. Then, gently, he reached in and pulled the kitten out.
The kitten cried a small, hoarse sound—but didn’t resist. It curled into his chest, like it somehow knew he was safe.
“Back leg’s probably injured,” he murmured. “We should get it to a vet.”
“I know one not far from here,” Isla said. “Come on.‘
“3
They walked together in silence, the kitten wrapped in a towel, barely moving
The clinic was only a few blocks away. A nurse took them in right away, then disappeared into the exam room.
When she returned, she looked relieved.
“No major damage–just some scrapes and a bad limp. Needs rest and nutrition. We’ll keep her for a few days to monitor.” Isla exhaled. “Thank God.”
She looked up at the man beside her. “Seriously. I don’t even know what I would’ve done without you.”
“I’m just glad we got her out in time,” he said. Then added with a smile, “I’m Riven Maddox, by the way.” Chapter 15
GoodShort
Bom entretenimento não prene
15.79%
“Isla,” she replied.
“Isla,” he echoed, like he was tasting the name for the first time.
They walked back to the building together. And maybe it was the adrenaline, or maybe the shared experience–but somehow, the walk back wasn’t awkward at all.
In fact, they talked the whole way back.
He told her he worked as a legal advisor for a firm nearby. She told him she’d always been fascinated by law and had thought about studying it once.
The more they talked, the more the walls fell. And suddenly, he didn’t feel like a stranger anymore.
When they reached the front door, Isla suddenly grinned. “Wait here.”
“Uh… okay?”
Riven raised an eyebrow but stayed put.
A minute later, she came jogging back–holding two oversized ice cream cones.
“You remembered,” he said, eyes widening.
“Of course,” Isla smiled, handing one to him.
He took it, touched.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves above, dappled and warm. Rings
looked at her–really looked–and felt his face grow hot.
He cleared his throat. “I should probably head back before this melts all over me.”
She nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then? For the kitten check–up?”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
And with that, Isla watched him disappear upstairs, her smile lingering long after.
Chapter 15
