Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3229

The woman appeared to be in her forties, sporting short hair and eyeing Norah with clear wariness.

Startled, Norah quickly explained. "I live right next door. Your cat got out!"

As she spoke, she gently tried to set the cat down on the sofa.

But the feline practically glued itself to her arm, scrambling right back up into her embrace. Flustered, Norah had no choice but to hold it again, offering a sheepish smile.

She had no idea why this cat was so deeply attached to her.

The woman let out a relieved laugh. "Oh, I'm just a pet sitter hired to come in and make her meals. I must not have closed the door properly when I came in and let Circe slip out. Thank you so much, sweetie."

"No problem at all!" Norah smiled. "So her name is Circe!"

At the sound of her name, Circe let out two happy chirps, looking absolutely delighted.

"Circe is usually terrified of strangers. She barely even lets me near her, but she seems to have taken an instant liking to you," the woman chuckled. "The owner will be home soon, so I need to hurry up and finish her food."

"Alright, I'll head home then!"

Norah set Circe down again and turned toward the door, but the cat immediately lunged at her leg, desperately trying to climb back into her arms.

"Be a good girl. I have to go home now. Once your owner gets back, I'll come over and play with you!"

No matter how gently Norah coaxed her, Circe refused to let go, stubbornly clinging to Norah's leg like her life depended on it.

Seeing the struggle, the sitter offered a suggestion. "Are you busy right now? If not, why don't you hang out here for a bit?"

She could tell Norah really liked the cat too.

Norah agreed easily. "Sure, that works. You go do your thing, I'll keep Circe company."

"Thank you so much!" The woman smiled gratefully before hurrying back into the kitchen.

Norah took a seat on the sofa. Circe happily climbed into her lap, rubbing affectionately against her before flopping over to demand belly rubs. The cat's absolute adoration made Norah feel like they were meant to be best friends.

A few minutes later, the sitter brought out Circe's freshly prepared dinner and placed it in her bowl. Circe was starving, but even as she ate, her eyes kept darting back to Norah, terrified she might disappear.

Since the owner had explicitly agreed, Norah saw no reason to refuse. "No problem."

Thanking her profusely one last time, the woman grabbed her things and rushed out the door.

As the front door clicked shut, a heavy silence settled over the apartment. While Circe was busy eating, Norah stood up and took a slow lap around the living room.

The decor was understated, grounded, and intensely minimalist. Dark hardwood floors contrasted with pale gray marble walls laced with white veining. The matching drapes were impeccably arranged, every single fold flawlessly symmetrical, making the place look more like a designer showroom than a lived-in home.

The bedroom door was slightly ajar, but since that was deeply personal territory, she naturally didn't go anywhere near it.

This was undeniably a man's apartment. Judging by the aesthetics, the owner was likely a strict, disciplined, and rather cold individual. And yet, this icy man somehow owned an incredibly affectionate cat!

She felt a tiny pang of disappointment that her neighbor wasn't a cute girl, but she was intensely curious about the kind of aloof, serious guy who would raise such an adorable pet.

Sitting back down on the sofa, she watched Circe eating at the coffee table and reached out to scratch behind her ear. Circe instantly leaned into her palm, purring loudly.

Since she still had some work to finish, Norah pulled the laptop she'd brought from the office out of her bag, set it on the coffee table, and started typing away, petting Circe with her free hand.