Chapter 3

Damien froze in his steps.

"Elara, I promised I'd marry you. There's no need to go after Nina."

I smiled gently. "Damien, you seem to have gotten something wrong. It's not that I'm desperate to marry you."

Damien looked confused.

That handsome face so close to mine looked at me with slightly trembling eyelashes, tenderness nearly overflowing from his eyes.

I lifted his chin, laughing softly.

"It's the Sinclair family begging me to marry down to you, to facilitate a business alliance between the Sinclairs and Hartleys. I also hope you can be loyal, not lie to me, and not disappoint me."

Damien stayed by hospitalized Nina's side day and night. I was happy to have the peace and quiet.

However, after Nina was discharged.

She completely changed from her usual arrogant demeanor, bringing cake to my door to apologize.

I frowned.

I didn't need to guess to know the cake contained chocolate that would cause me to go into anaphylactic shock.

I pretended everything was normal, smiling as I accepted the cake.

Perfect. Let her experience the taste of her own medicine.

My nose filled with the scent of chocolate. I asked, knowing full well:

"Is this mango cake? I love it!"

Nina paused, then smiled in agreement.

"Of course! It's definitely mango flavored!"

"Hurry and try it. It tastes amazing!"

I took a deep breath and cut a large piece, handing it to her first.

Nina quickly took a big bite, as if proving her sincerity. Seeing me hesitate, she asked with reddened eyes:

"This mango cake is delicious. Won't Elara eat any? Are you still unwilling to forgive me?"

I curved my lips slightly.

Nina had nearly gone into shock from secretly eating mangoes as a child. How could she not know she was allergic to mangoes?

Heaven has a road but you won't take it. Hell has no gate but you insist on breaking in!

Then I'll play along!

Before long, Nina suddenly clutched her stomach, looking like she wanted to cry but couldn't, more like a stubborn little white flower.

"Elara!"

She opened her mouth trembling.

"Even if you're jealous that I've had parents who loved me since childhood, you can't poison me! If I hadn't eaten so little, I'd be dead here today!!"

Damien rushed over at the sound.

He held the disfigured Nina, looking at me with undisguised disgust.

"Elara Hartley, don't you know Nina is allergic to mangoes? When did you become so... vicious??"

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Look at her mouth running off like that. She knows she's allergic to mangoes but still eats it? Isn't she looking for death? Maybe her depression is acting up again and she's seeking death? Call the police quickly, don't let her die in my house!"

I scoffed, not looking at her pig-liver-colored face, leisurely pulling out my phone.

Nina bit her lower lip, looking like she was making a noble sacrifice.

"Don't call the police!"

Seeing me completely unharmed and even mockingly taunting her, a flash of hatred crossed her eyes. She said through gritted teeth:

"Even if she's jealous of our childhood friendship, I can't call the police. That would ruin the Hartley family's reputation..."

Looking at the red rash on her arms and neck, Damien frowned slightly, his gaze falling on the cake on the table.

"Nina is still being generous, but didn't you buy a chocolate cake?"

Hearing this, I quickly stopped Damien from taking Nina to the hospital, pretending to be shocked.

"What chocolate?"

"She clearly said it was mango cake!"

"Damien, don't you know I'm severely allergic to chocolate?"

Damien coughed lightly, explaining helplessly:

"Elara, you can't blame this all on Nina! She didn't know you were allergic to chocolate."

"Besides, you're fine. Nothing happened..."

"Damien."

I looked up into his eyes.

"Are you blind?"

"She lifted my skirt to humiliate me, and now she sends me chocolate cake to make me go into shock!"

"Damien, my patience has limits too."

Damien said nothing. The atmosphere instantly returned to silence.

I was too lazy to figure out his true feelings. After all, it was Damien who would marry only me, not that I could only marry him.

Watching Damien drive away with Nina, I gently swirled the wine glass in my hand.

I wondered if they'd still be able to smile after going to the hospital.

I took a hot shower and turned off my phone to avoid being bombarded with calls.

Just as I drifted into sleep, the bedside lamp suddenly blazed on.

Then, a man's roar woke me up.

Damien gripped his phone tightly, his voice trembling slightly.

"I've been calling until I nearly broke my phone! And you're still in the mood to sleep! Nina's face is ruined! Do you know that?"

I rubbed my eyes and looked up to see Nina's face covered in red rashes, swollen like a pig's head.