Chapter 6

The city was sweltering under the street lights when Lily stepped out of the hospital. David had been injured protecting her and no matter how cruel his words were, she couldn't ignore the pain behind them. First, she went to the east side of town for some rare mushroom broth. Then just as she paid, Marina called again. “Oh, Lily, I forgot to mention David prefers steamed herbal soups now. There’s a new place in the west. Can you grab those too?” Marina’s voice was syrupy sweet over the phone, hiding the steel underneath. Lily hesitated, glancing at the heavy bags in her hand. “I already.....” “Don't forget you are his secretary, this is your job” Marina interrupted coldly. Lily gritted her teeth. “Fine.” By the time she returned to the hospital, her clothes clung to her like a second skin, her arms ached from the weight of the food, and sweat matted her hair to her forehead. But nothing could’ve prepared her for what she saw through the slightly ajar ward door. David, leaning comfortably against the bed, laughing softly as Marina fed him a spoonful of something from a bowl. His expression was relaxed, even fond — a side of him Lily hadn’t seen in years. Her chest tightened. “You already ate?” she asked, stepping inside. David looked up, startled. Marina’s eyes widened not in guilt, but victory. “I didn’t know you’d take so long,” she said flatly. Lily dropped the bags onto the nearby table with a loud thud. “Are you serious right now? You sent me to the east, then called me halfway and made me go to the west. I’ve been running around town while you two were in here... enjoying takeout?” Marina put on her best ‘guilty’ face. “I’m so sorry, Lily. I had no idea his tastes had changed while I was gone. I thought he still liked the old recipes.” Lily scoffed, unmoved. “Spare me the performance.” “Lily,” David’s tone hardened, “that’s enough.” “Oh, please don’t be upset,” Marina whimpered, tears welling in her eyes. “I won’t let your effort go to waste. If you can forgive me, I’ll eat it all myself every bite.” She dramatically reached for the container of mushroom soup, unscrewing the lid. Lily stared at her. Was this woman for real? The theatrics, the crocodile tears—it was laughable. But there was nothing funny about the way David looked at her, as if she were the unreasonable one. “You don’t have to force yourself,” Lily said coldly. “I don’t care what you do with it.” She turned to leave, her throat tight with anger and humiliation. Behind her, she heard the rustle of plastic and the clatter of chopsticks. “I mean it,” Marina said. “I’ll eat it all...see?” Lily glanced back just in time to see Marina stuffing food into her mouth, exaggerated and showy. In that moment, it seemed more like a performance than a genuine gesture. Lily narrowed her eyes, the words what is she playing at forming in her mind. But then, Marina froze. Her eyes widened. The color drained from her face. One hand clutched at her throat. “Marina?” David’s voice rose sharply. Marina stumbled to her feet, gasping. “Can’t....breathe.....” she choked, her face swelling rapidly, red blotches erupting across her skin. “Call a doctor!” David shouted, already on his feet. Lily’s heart plummeted into her stomach. “Oh my god....” she whispered, stunned. A nurse rushed in with a crash cart, shouting orders. David swept Marina into his arms and ran with her down the hallway toward the ER, barking for help. Lily followed, legs moving before she could think. But just outside the emergency wing, David turned around and faced her. His expression was venomous. “You fed her that,” he hissed. “You knew she was allergic to mushrooms.” “What? No.....I didn’t know!” Lily stammered, her throat closing. “I swear I didn’t know!” “She almost died!” he snapped. He stepped closer. “If anything happens to her....anything...I will press charges. Understand that clearly.” His words hit her like a slap. Lily took a step back, hands shaking. “You think I poisoned her?” He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. The raw accusation in his eyes said everything. The silence between them stretched for long seconds until the sound of nurses and doctors shuffling in and out of Marina’s room broke the standoff. Lily’s breath caught. Her hands trembled. David had already turned away, storming into the emergency room. She hadn’t done anything. She didn’t even know Marina was allergic to shellfish. It wasn’t her who had told Marina to eat it. Lily closed her eyes and remembered the last thing Marina had said before stuffing the food into her mouth: “As long as you can forgive me, I’ll eat it all.” What kind of person said that? And who eats something they know they’re allergic to? Unless… Unless they want something to happen. A scene, A weapon to use. A plan. The idea chilled Lily more than the night wind. one thing had become clear. Marina had orchestrated this to turn David against her, she had succeeded. Lily stood frozen in the hallway as the door shut behind him. Her chest ached, but this time it wasn’t from fatigue. It was from the sharp realization that no matter what she did… she would always be the villain in David’s eyes.