Chapter 1
At my boyfriend Liam's startup funding celebration, his best friend Mia showed up with a homemade cake.
I'm severely allergic to peanuts. The second I caught that smell, I said no.
Mia's face fell. Liam shot me a dark look and told me to eat it.
So I did.
The reaction hit within minutes—throat swelling shut, hives breaking out everywhere, couldn't breathe.
I reached for my EpiPen.
Mia got there first.
She grabbed it and started tossing it between her fingers like some party trick, showing off to everyone.
"Yo, check this out!"
The room went wild.
I grabbed Liam's arm, gasping for help. He jerked away, irritated.
"Stop being so dramatic. Mia had a sip of my drink and now you're gonna fake an allergy attack for attention?"
No one believed me.
No one helped.
My vision blurred. I found my phone between the cushions and sent one last text to my brother before everything went black.
Chloe's POV
"Who the hell are you texting now? Tattling to your brother? Jesus, Chloe, what are you, twelve?"
Liam snatched my phone away, looking at me with pure disgust.
I tried to grab it back, but the allergic reaction had drained all my strength. I made it halfway up before collapsing back onto the couch.
My throat had swollen almost completely shut. Every breath felt like swallowing razor blades.
"Liam... this is real... I'm actually allergic..." My voice came out as a broken rasp. "There are peanuts in the cake... I need my EpiPen... please..."
He looked down at me. Hives had spread from my arms up to my collarbone, red and furious.
His expression shifted.
Just for a moment, I thought he might believe me.
"Babe, seriously? You're still going?"
Mia's voice came from behind me. She had Liam's black jacket draped over her shoulders, and was holding my EpiPen, walking over with that sweet little smile.
"Chloe," she tilted her head, voice soft and innocent, "you can't seriously think my cake did this, right? Everyone knows you're allergic to peanuts. Why would I put them in? God, I feel so bad that you'd even think that..."
Half an hour ago, the second Mia walked over with that cake, I smelled peanuts. I said no. Her eyes got all watery. Liam kept insisting it was fine, pressuring me to just take one bite.
So I did. And here we are.
"Mia Hall, cut the bullshit!" I choked out the words and lunged at her. "You DID put peanuts in it—now give me my damn EpiPen!"
Mia took a quick step back, eyes instantly welling up.
"Chloe... that's so mean..." Her voice broke perfectly. "I spent hours baking for you guys... I just wanted to celebrate Liam's funding..."
"Enough!" Liam stepped between us immediately, face dark. "I watched her bake that thing. There was nothing in it. What the hell is wrong with you, accusing her like this?"
"Look at me!" I shoved my arm toward his face, covered in welts. "Does this look FAKE to you?"
Liam glanced at it, his jaw clenched.
Before he could say anything, Mia grabbed his sleeve gently.
"Liam, don't... Remember last time she drank too much? Same thing happened. It's probably just the alcohol. She's not feeling good, just... let it go, okay?"
Liam bought it instantly, his voice turning harsh.
"You hear that? She's defending YOU. And you're over here accusing her of what, attempted murder? In front of everyone? Are you serious right now?"
"Serious?" I was shaking, barely able to breathe. "YOU forced me to eat that cake! I'm DYING and you're—you're asking if I'm serious?"
His face went red.
Getting called out by his girlfriend in front of the guys was the ultimate humiliation.
"Don't make ME the bad guy here!" He stepped closer, towering over me. "Nobody forced shit. You ate it. Mia's been killing herself for six months helping me get Sterling's investment, she bakes you ONE cake, and this is the thanks she gets? I know exactly what this is. You saw Mia drink from my cup and now you're faking this whole thing because you're jealous."
I tried to respond but could only gag.
Mia seized the moment. The hurt look vanished, replaced by a megawatt smile as she spun toward the crowd.
"Alright, alright, enough of that. Let her rest—yo, check this out!"
She flipped my EpiPen into the air, spun it around her fingers like a baton, and caught it with a flourish. The silver injector glinted under the party lights.
The guys went absolutely insane.
"YOOO Mia!"
"No fucking way!"
"That's amazing, do it again!"
Whistles, hooting, hands slamming tables. My lifeline was now a party trick.
Everything started going fuzzy. The ringing in my ears got louder. I couldn't get enough air. With my last bit of strength, I grabbed Liam's sleeve.
"Liam... please... I'm dying..."
He ripped his arm away so hard I fell back against the cushions.
"Die from cake? Really?" His laugh was ice-cold. "Then die."
