Tears streamed down my face as I hurried outside, but Aldric grabbed my arm, pleading, "Yamilet, I don't blame you for being with Cedric. Just give me five minutes. Can we talk?"
His grip was so tight that it hurt.
I used all my strength to try and push him away, but it was no use. I could only glare at him, my hair a mess, my eyes red, as I spoke through gritted teeth.
"My cat is gone."
"Vivienne let her out on purpose."
"She kicked my cat!"
Aldric was stunned by the hatred in my eyes. He hesitated, his lips dry as he stammered, even pulling the torn shirt he was wearing over the lipstick stain, trying to cover it.
"No, she's not that kind of person."
"She loves cats. She often feeds the stray cats on set—" Before he could finish, I slapped him hard across the face. My palm burned with pain, my whole body shaking from the explosion of emotion. I was completely broken. "I don't want to know what kind of person she is!"
"I only know that my cat is gone. I need to find her!" Aldric opened his mouth but froze, his panic evident.
He knew he should let me go, but something told him—Yamilet Knowles was right here, but at any moment, she could slip away from him.
He stood helplessly in front of me, but before he could do anything, he was punched by Cedric Lancaster, stumbling backward. His red, swollen face fell to his knees in front of me, his fingers gripping my clothes tightly, blocking the door, refusing to let me out.
"Get out of the way! Let me go!"
I grabbed a vase from the entryway and tried to throw it, but Cedric Lancaster caught my wrist. "Yamilet, calm down. I'll contact the best team to help find your cat. Sammy is such a good cat; we'll find her!"
"Yes, I need to find Sammy."
I mumbled, letting Cedric Lancaster take the vase away from me. Aldric just stood there, stunned.
His breath quickened, his eyes slowly filling with fear. He didn't know what to say, so he just kept apologizing, again and again.
"Yamilet, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I really didn't know—"
"I'm begging you, Aldric! I just want to find my cat!" I nearly screamed, the desperation consuming me. "I don't want anything else! I just want to find my cat!"
"I'll divorce you, I'll make space for Vivienne, I'll do anything—I just want to find my cat!"
I must have looked insane, like a wild animal caught in a trap, and Aldric froze in place. Eventually, in a daze, he released my arm.
