Chapter 5

Maya went rigid, color draining from her face. She shoved Carter off with everything she had and scrambled to the headboard with her knees tucked tight. Carter frowned at her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you still mad?" He rubbed his forehead. His voice was so similar to Cole's, only roughened by alcohol. If Maya hadn't overheard their scheme for Valerie, she wouldn't have known the difference. Carter leaned in again, palms braced behind her, and their noses almost touching. "I told you already. If I wanted her, I wouldn't be marrying you." Carter dipped in to kiss her. Maya jerked aside, gagged hard, and turned away as her eyes stung red. She shoved past him and rushed for the bathroom. He watched her head for the bathroom, a crease pinching his brow. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes. Inside the bathroom, Maya slid down the tiled wall until she was a tight ball on the floor. Suddenly, she heard Carter's voice outside. "You hear that? She's dry heaving. Is she sick?" A burst of chatter came through the open line. One of the guys said, "Be careful, Carter. When the truth gets out, she'll cling to you." The words sent a chill down her spine, and a cold numbness crept into her fingers and toes. Carter had left the call connected. Valerie's voice followed. "Cole, Carter, you two need to stop..." "Stop?" Cole's tone grew cold. "She's gone after you for long enough. This is the least she deserves." "What if something's actually wrong with her?" Valerie asked. There was a beat of silence before both men said at once, "No way!" Cole's voice turned icier. "If she's faking it, we'll handle it. Right, Carter?" Carter's throat tightened. "Yeah. Sure." For a second, he felt his heart clench with pain. Just then, Maya opened the door, her face white as paper. Carter quickly ended the call and stepped toward her. "What's wrong, Maya? You look awful. Are you sick?" She held his gaze and forced a thin smile. "Nothing. My stomach's acting up." ... At noon the next day, Maya got a call from Cole. Moments later, he pulled up at the curb. He got out of the car, opened the passenger door, and ushered her inside. "Come on. Let's get lunch." They drove in silence while he kept an easy smile on his face. The playlist was Valerie's favorite back in university, which also happened to be the music Maya hated the most. Valerie and Carter were already waiting at the restaurant. Valerie gestured at a cake on the table. "Maya, I crossed a line yesterday. I queued for this bakery's viral cake to make it up to you. You have to try it." Throughout the meal, Valerie kept bringing up their childhood memories. "Cole and Carter have always spoiled me. When we played house, they fought over who got to be my groom! "Once, I climbed a tree and couldn't get back down. Cole dropped to his hands and knees so I could jump onto him. "I remember getting cornered by a few guys in middle school. Both of them got hurt standing up for me and ended up in the hospital for days." The brothers laughed along. The three of them chattered warmly while Maya stayed silent. Valerie suddenly turned to her. "Maya, why are you so quiet? Do you still have a problem with me? I know we had misunderstandings in university, but you're marrying Cole now. I hope we can be friends." She raised her glass and smiled over the rim at Maya. Maya didn't reach for hers. She didn't even look up. Instead, she clutched at her blouse and drew a strained, ragged breath. Angry hives had flared across her forearm in a vicious red bloom. She fumbled for her bag. "You're having a reaction?" Cole shot to his feet and reached for her bag. Maya's peanut allergy was severe. Even though she was always careful with her food, she carried an adrenaline autoinjector at all times in case she needed seconds shaved off an emergency. Maya had already closed her fingers around the adrenaline autoinjector. Right then, Valerie's fragile voice rang out. "Cole... I don't feel well..." Her slim hand twisted in the fabric over her heart, and her face went chalk white, tipping backward in a swoon.