Chapter 3

By the time I dragged myself to the hospital entrance, Mia was leaning on Julian's shoulder, giggling behind her manicured hand.

"Julian, I told you she was faking it. Look, she walks just fine without that expensive prosthetic."

"A bet's a bet. Hand over the card."

Julian glanced at his Rolex, his brow furrowing deeply.

He placed my black Centurion card right into Mia's open palm.

"Sera, you really haven't changed. Still so dramatic."

The cold wind outside cut right through my clothes.

Back when I first suspected his infidelity, my anxiety had spiraled out of control.

Whenever he worked late, I pretended to have stomach cramps just to beg him to come home.

Whenever he went on business trips, I lied about having panic attacks so he would stay.

I loved him too much, so I resorted to sick games just to keep him near.

The only difference this time was that my amnesia was a lie designed to get away from him forever.

I spoke rasply, "I want to go to my own place."

Mia sneered at me. "You were abandoned. You don't have a home anymore."

Julian shot Mia a stern, warning glare.

Mia pouted, but shut her mouth obediently.

"You're staying with us for now," Julian told me. "I promised your husband I'd look after you."

Julian pulled his Porsche up to the curb.

"Get in."

I reached for the front passenger door, but Mia cut right in front of me and slipped inside.

My eyes fell on the dashboard sticker that once read Princess Sera's Seat.

It had already been replaced with Mia's Throne.

Catching my gaze, Julian looked guilty for a split second.

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Sera, sit in the back."

Then, he added defensively, "Mia gets jealous easily. Just bear with it."

I said nothing. I opened the rear door, ready to climb in, when a soft "meow" stopped me dead in my tracks.

I froze entirely.

There was a pet carrier on the back seat holding a long-haired Persian cat.

I was severely allergic to cat dander.

Julian knew that better than anyone. I didn't know if he genuinely forgot or just didn't care.

Mia had been my assistant; she knew it too.

"On the way here, I took Zhizhi to the pet spa for a grooming session," Mia said with a smug curl of her lips. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I mind. A lot."

I slammed the car door shut, leaned on my crutches, and turned to walk away.

Julian caught up in seconds, grabbing my wrist firmly.

"What is your problem now?!"

"Being near a cat makes my entire body break out in hives."

Realization flashed across Julian's face, but he quickly puffed out his chest, completely unbothered.

"It's just an allergy. It's not going to kill you."

He snatched my crutch, grabbed my arm with brute force, and shoved me into the back seat.

"Julian, let go of me!"

"It's rush hour. You won't get an Uber out here, and the doctor explicitly said you can't stand for too long."

His tone softened into that familiar coaxing cadence.

"Be a good girl."

Before I could fight back, my nose tickled and I sneezed violently.

In that brief second, he threw the car into drive and hit the gas.

The entire ride, I pressed myself as far into the opposite corner as humanly possible.

Thankfully, the drive was short. The moment we parked in the underground garage, I practically kicked the door open and bolted.

My bare arms were already covered in angry red hives.

Seeing them, Julian looked alarmed. He pushed up my sleeve, revealing the inflamed, bumpy rash spreading across my skin.

"I'll run to the pharmacy and get some antihistamines."

Mia grabbed his arm, holding him back.

She pulled a tiny bottle of anti-itch bug spray from her purse.

"This works wonders on bug bites and rashes. Why waste time going to a pharmacy?"

Julian frowned, shaking her off. "Sera has a severe allergy! She needs actual medication!"

"I am not gambling with her life!"

Tears welled up in Mia's eyes immediately, her voice breaking into a sob.

"B-but... how do you know it won't work if you don't even try?"

Julian hesitated. Under the onslaught of Mia's crocodile tears, his resolve crumbled. He slowly took the bug spray from her hand.

He held it out to me.

"Sera... why not give it a shot?"