Chapter 1

Tags: Evil Rival, Biased Ex, Chronic Poisoning, Female Lead Awakening, Divorce With Child

At Ethan’s first love's birthday party, my daughter suddenly gasped for air, her tiny face turning a terrifying shade of purple.

I grabbed my husband's arm, desperate to leave, but he shoved my hand away.

"What kind of tantrum are you throwing now?"

I held my daughter tightly, my voice trembling violently. "Something is wrong with her!"

He barely glanced at our daughter. "We haven't even cut the cake yet. Stop ruining the mood."

I pointed at Lily's bruised, purple lips, almost screaming through my tears. "Open your eyes and look at her! Her face is blue! We have to get to the ER right now!"

He snatched the car keys straight out of my reach, his eyes dripping with disgust.

"It’s just a mild rash. Stop acting like she’s on her deathbed."

"That’s enough. Stop being so dramatic. We’ll deal with it after Chloe’s party is over."

Laughter echoed through the grand banquet hall. Chloe’s friends were raising glasses of champagne, cheering and pushing her to make a wish and blow out the candles.

I looked down at Lily in my arms. Her breathing grew shallow and rapid. Her small hands clutched my collar so tightly that her knuckles were white.

Her lips shifted from dark purple to an ashen gray. Her eyelids fluttered, looking ready to close forever.

"Ethan Hayes!"

I screamed his full name, my voice cracking over the noise of the party. Several guests nearby turned to glare at me with furrowed brows.

He finally turned around. A flash of irritation crossed his face as he strode over, his voice dropping into a harsh, warning whisper.

"Tessa, do you really have to humiliate me here? Half the city’s high society is at Chloe’s birthday party. What is wrong with you?"

I seized his wrist, my fingernails digging into his flesh. My voice shook so hard it barely sounded human. "Touch her! Feel her hands—they're freezing! She can't breathe!"

Ethan brushed two fingers against Lily’s forehead dismissively, then ripped his arm away from me. He took half a step back, as if I were carrying the plague.

"It’s just a rash! Do you always have to make a scene? Kids get sick all the time, but you always act like the sky is falling down."

"She has severe asthma!"

I practically roared the words in his face.

"She ate something with peanuts! Can't you see her throat is closing up?!"

Ethan's face darkened. He glanced back at Chloe, who was elegantly cutting the cake, then looked back at me as though I were an unhinged, spiteful shrew.

"Chloe ordered that custom cake herself. It’s strictly low-sugar and hypoallergenic. Stop trying to throw dirt on her name. If you want to leave, leave on your own. You’re not getting the car keys. I'm driving Chloe home later."

He shoved his hands into his suit pockets, lifting his chin as he looked down at me.

"Calm down, Tessa. Don't force me to embarrass you in front of all these people."

In my arms, Lily suddenly began to cough violently. A thick string of saliva splattered onto my collarbone, tinged with dark red streaks of blood.

My entire body froze, as if struck by lightning.

Her body began to convulse. Every trace of color drained from her face, and her eyes began rolling back.

"Lily! Lily, look at Mommy!"

I patted her cheeks, but she didn't respond at all.

The music in the hall continued to play. Chloe was smiling, handing the first slice of cake to a friend, looking like an angel.

Ethan stood right there, his arms crossed, watching like an amused bystander at a cheap carnival.

No one came to help.

Or rather, people saw, but chose to look away.

I gritted my teeth and shoved Ethan with all my might, sending him stumbling back two steps.

"Are you out of your mind?!" He braced himself against a table, his face livid.

I ignored him, clutching Lily close to my chest as I sprinted toward the side exit. My high heels clicked frantically against the marble floor.

At the end of the hallway was an emergency exit. I kicked the door open. Cold air rushed in, and Lily's little body twitched in my arms.

I didn’t have my phone.

He had the car keys.

This was an exclusive country club out in the secluded hills—remote enough that getting an Uber was practically impossible.

My heels came off as I ran, and I didn't bother looking back. My bare feet slammed onto the gravel road.

The sharp rocks cut deep gashes into my soles, but I felt zero pain.

"Please! Somebody, please help me!"