Stella's POV

"Please treat Stella with respect. And I'll make sure to bring you something special. Please rush up and give your mommy a kiss. Please remember how much I appreciate each and every one of you." That's what Alice said.

I repeatedly nodded in agreement with my boss, Alice Adelson, to show that I was listening. She retreated to the basement to gather up a few last-minute essentials. When she was done, she gave her cats a final embrace. Once she had finished what she was doing, she returned to packing her Louis Vuitton handbag and her plush black fur coat before heading to the airport. However, despite the fact that she is only a few hours away from her flight, she continues to talk.

"You'll find all of your emergency contact information in the refrigerator's top drawer. Don't let those numbers get away from you. Before you leave for school, please remember to lock them in their room. Please make sure the cats have enough food to eat while you're away."

"I'll follow your instructions, Ms. Adelson," I said.

"Let them play after they've eaten and drank. Don't forget to."

"Never fear; I've got this. They all going to be fine."

Alice shifted her focus back to her beloved cats. Luca, a Siamese cat, likes to play with his toys by rolling them across the floor. Both Luna, the Ragdoll cat, and Tucker, the Persian cat were obedient to Alice, and Luna's fascinating blue eyes drew Alice in.

"When you're not around, I'll make sure they will be fine, Ms. Adelson." There are so many times I've said this.

"Are you sure you can sleep here while I'm gone?" She asked, a little worried, as she removed her glasses case from her purse and donned her sunglasses.

"Yes." It was a tremendous relief to find a condo so close to my university's campus. I'd come here every day if I lived in this gorgeous condo.

"Ms. Adelson, it is important to remember that I will not be letting them go. The fact that I'm taking care of them is enough to put your minds at ease."

"Let me put it this way, Stella: you have my whole trust now so take care of them. I'll be back in a few weeks, so you don't have to worry."

Her cats, on the other hand, aren't interested in listening to her. They're used to seeing me now. I've been caring for Alice's cats for about two years now, and I've fallen in love with them. Almost exactly one year has passed since I arrived in this city to finish my Veterinary degree. These animals were like family to me. I'm also the one Alice trusts to look after her cats. As a result, I'm glad I got to meet Alice.

The first time I'll be staying with them for a long amount of time is this week. When Alice last took a vacation, she entrusted the care of her pets to a cat boarding facility. It didn't bother the cats, but Alice didn't enjoy how Luna's weight shrank so drastically while she was gone. As soon as I said that Luna is a finicky eater, she changed her mind and decided not to sue the cat facility.

Alice paid me adequately for this task because I have a lot of experience doing it. I'll get paid $500 to take care of her cats. Taking care of cats is expensive, and I can't believe it. No doubt her cats receive far more of her financial resources than she does. In addition, I'm grateful since I'm a college scholar and my parents provide financial support, which I greatly appreciate. My only expenses right now are the daily stipend and my flat charge.

It doesn't matter how much Alice loves these cats; I'll do everything in my power to make sure they're safe and happy while Alice is away.

When Alice looked at the wall clock, she saw that it was already noon.

"It's noon. If I don't leave fast, I will be late in the flight. Stella, you're in command of everything. Be sure to bear in mind everything I stated to you earlier today. Okay, my babies, I'll see you soon. Mommy is going to miss all of you so much."

"Ms. Adelson, I wish you a safe trip," I told to her.

"Stella, thank you very much for your kind words. Before I forget, a new neighbor has moved in next door. Sebastian Miller is his name. Take note of that!"

"Ms. Adelson, you're welcome. I'll handle the rest." My thoughts will be drawn to that.

"The young man appears to be pretty handsome, according to other residents here. In spite of this, you're familiar with the mentality of the New York billionaires, right?"

Ms. Adelson's words made me grin and nod, but I had no idea what she meant.

"He was described by those who knew him as being cold to strangers and uninterested in cats. So, pay close attention to my cats. I'm focusing on Luca because he likes to roam around the balcony by himself. Make certain he is the one you are watching and not the neighbor." With her brows slightly arched, she offers her advice.

"Noted Ms. Adelson." With a nod, I told her,

"Okay, I'm going to leave now. Make sure they've well looked after."

I promised her I'd give it my all. "Don't worry, Ms. Adelson; everything will be okay." With a nod, Alice turned to head for the elevator.

I stayed at the entrance door since the elevator door was taking a long time to open. She waved goodbye to her cats as she entered the elevator and the doors closed. I and the cats returned to the condo after that.

Finally, I had the place to myself. And all that's left for me to do is watch over these three cats till Alice gets home from her business trip and can take them in.

I was about to close the condo door when I noticed Luca standing there with his eyes peeled toward the opening. He raced out of the apartment and hid under the privacy divider on the balcony of the next-door neighbor as the alarm went off.

As I wiped one of my eyeballs against the thin space between the outer wall and the frosted glass divider, I said, "Luca, come back here." I made my way over to the terrace's thick limestone railing and peeked over it to see if the cat was still there. "Luca?"

In reaction, Luca started meowing. A few seconds later, I heard the sound of a person's footsteps. One of the first people to walk in front of me when I turned my back was a tall, well-built man with a clean-shaven mustache and beard. A black suit and clean white shirt were his attire. In his mid-twenties, he was just about to hit that milestone.

"Sebastian Miller?" I spoke to him in whispered tones.

He didn't say a word, but his eyes were glazed over as he stared at me.