Chapter 3

3

The company's semiannual gala dinner took place at a high-end seafood restaurant.

Selena insisted on bringing Leo, seating him directly at her right hand.

Meanwhile, I, her so-called fiancé, was shoved to the far end of the long banquet table.

Throughout the meal, Selena's attention remained entirely on Leo, peeling shrimp for him with doting care.

Nobody bothered talking to me; I was treated like an invisible plus-one.

Leo suddenly looked up, his eyes landing on the restaurant's signature dish.

It was a platter of fruit-glazed jumbo shrimp coated in a thick, rich sauce.

Using his own chopsticks, he picked one up and dropped it directly onto my plate in front of everyone.

"Director Shaw, this is their house specialty. You really should try it."

He smiled innocently, but his eyes glittered with venom.

Everyone in the company knew I was severely allergic to mangoes and specific shellfish.

A single trace of mango could trigger throat edema and kill me.

The sauce covering that shrimp was made almost entirely of fresh mango purée.

In the past, Selena had guarded my allergy fiercely, always briefing the chefs beforehand.

Now, she merely cast a casual glance at my plate, her tone indifferent.

"Leo gave it to you, so just eat one bite. Don't embarrass him in public."

"You're always so overly delicate. A tiny bite won't kill you."

The surrounding staff began chiming in, urging Director Shaw to show some respect for the boss.

The loud chatter felt like needles stabbing into my ears.

To prevent an immediate public scene, and to see just how heartless Selena could truly be, I took a small bite right in front of her.

Within three minutes, my neck burned like fire.

Suffocation crashed over me in waves, and I could feel my airway swelling shut at terrifying speed.

I gripped the edge of the table, trying to stand, but my legs gave out beneath me.

"Se… Selena…"

I wheezed out two syllables, pleading for help.

Selena was leaning in close to Leo's ear, whispering something, and scowled when I interrupted them.

"What now? You eat one shrimp and instantly start acting out a drama?"

Just then, Leo let out a sharp cry, clutching the back of his hand.

"Ow, that hurts! I think a mosquito bit me. Look, it's turning red!"

Selena's expression morphed into panic as she cradled Leo's hand like fragile glass.

"How could you be so careless? What if you're having an allergic reaction?"

She gently blew cool air onto the nearly invisible red dot, her eyes overflowing with distress.

"Don't worry. I keep imported ointment in my trunk. I'll take you out to apply it right now."

She swatted away my trembling hand reaching out for help, not even sparing me a single look.

Wrapping an arm around Leo, she rushed out of the private dining room.

She left me there alone, gasping for breath on the floor like a dying fish under the gaze of my coworkers.

My vision blurred into darkness, and my consciousness slipped away.

In the end, it was a passing waiter who noticed my convulsing body and dialed 911.

The harsh lights of the emergency room felt cold and desolate.

Doctors pumped epinephrine and steroids into my veins, the oxygen mask fogging with every ragged breath.

Listening to the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor, a strange peace washed over me.

Selena, the woman who had sworn to protect me for a lifetime, had abandoned me to die over a mosquito bite.

I was discharged three days later.

Selena finally called, her voice dripping with complaints the moment I answered.

"Austin, where the hell have you been hiding? Your phone was off."

"Leo can't finish his proposal. Get your ass back to the office and fix it for him."

"And you took that little act way too far at the dinner. You ruined everyone's mood."

I held the phone, listening to her entitled rant.

My throat still ached with raw pain, an aftereffect of the emergency intubation tube.

"Selena, I almost died."

My voice was barely a whisper, flat and devoid of emotion.

The other end fell silent for a beat before Selena let out a disdainful scoff.

"Save the pity party, Austin. Playing the victim gets old really fast."

"There's a board meeting at two this afternoon. If you're not there, I'm cutting your annual bonus."

I quietly hung up the phone.

I didn't scream, and I didn't cry.

I dialed the moving company and told them to arrive at the villa at two o'clock sharp.