Verena's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do? Open the door!"
She pounded on it, thumping again and again, feeling suffocated by the overwhelming scent of pollen in the room.
Her skin was already flushed, red rashes spreading across her arms.
"Lanny, you bastard! Let me out! I can't breathe…" Verena screamed, her body slowly going limp.
In the living room, Lanny watched the surveillance feed on the phone, his expression unchanged.
"Why are you so stubborn, Verena?" he asked, taking a deep breath. "If you apologize, Bethany will drop any legal claims. Do you want to go to jail?"
"I didn't hit Bethany… why won't you believe me…" Verena's weak voice drifted out.
Lanny's brows knitted slightly, but he didn't soften.
"You're reckless and headstrong. If I don't let you learn your lesson now, you'll end up in even bigger trouble later."
He thought of all the complaints his mother had about Verena and decided this would be a good opportunity to discipline her.
"You'll come out when you admit your mistake," he said, then went upstairs.
In his study, Lanny worked while glancing at the surveillance every now and then. Verena was still lying on the floor, muttering curses under her breath.
He shook his head in exasperation.
At midnight, after finishing a sudden meeting, he realized he hadn't checked the feed in hours.
Picking up his phone, he saw that Verena had passed out.
Her pale cheeks and neck were covered in dense red rashes…
Lanny's heart twinged sharply.
He rushed downstairs and opened the guest room door. A suffocating floral scent hit him immediately.
"Why… won't you behave?" he sighed, lifting her into his arms and driving swiftly to the hospital.
Verena was rushed into the ER.
An hour later, a doctor emerged.
"The patient went into severe anaphylactic shock from a respiratory allergy. If she had arrived an hour later, she wouldn't have made it."
Lanny stiffened.
He had only meant to give her a small lesson. He hadn't expected it to be this serious.
In the hospital room, Verena remained unconscious.
Lanny tucked the blankets around her and stayed by her side all night.
When dawn broke, he rubbed his temples and went downstairs to get her breakfast.
Passing a VIP ward, he paused..
"Bethany, your cousin didn't do it on purpose. And now he's overseas, so there's no way we can pursue it legally…"
"I deserved to be hit and end up a vegetable?!" Bethany's shouted reply echoed.
Lanny pushed open the door and met her tearful eyes. "So Verena didn't hit you?
The room fell silent for a second. "…I… must have misheard while I was unconscious," Bethany stammered.
Seeing her guilt and helplessness, Lanny nodded. "Rest well."
He decided not to tell Bethany about Verena's allergic shock, or she would only blame herself.
Returning to Verena's room, he saw that she had awakened.
"About last night—"
Smack!
Before he could finish, Verena slapped him hard across the face.
"Get out!" she yelled, grabbing a vase from the bedside and smashing it against his head.
Crash!
Glass shattered.
Blood ran down Lanny's forehead.
He winced at the sharp sting. "Last night was a misunderstanding. As compensation, I canceled my symposium. Everything for the wedding will follow your plan."
Verena scoffed.
How many simps had she tolerated before he got so arrogant?
Rolling her eyes, she said, "Finished? Then get out already."
"I'm leaving for a business trip in a few days. Behave and don't cause trouble."
Lanny, knowing she was still angry, turned and walked out.
The room fell silent.
Verena shivered at the memory of being suffocated by pollen the night before, heart still racing.
She couldn't believe Lanny could be such a brute.
But how did he already know it was a misunderstanding after just one night?
Never mind.
Verena didn't want to think too much.
Over the next few days, she stayed in the hospital, working on her designs with her laptop.
Three days later, a charity gala hosted by a world-renowned jewelry brand was set to showcase the latest works of designers.
"Finally…" Verena exhaled, satisfied with her final designs. She changed clothes and prepared to check out.
Returning to her room, she saw Lanny and Bethany together.
"Lanny, I lied back then when I said I liked Vernon," Bethany said, stepping forward to hug him. "You don't need to marry someone you don't love for me."
Then she tiptoed and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "Can we be together?"
Lanny fell silent.
His Adam's apple bobbed.
His hand hesitated as if he wanted to push her away, but he didn't.
With a loud bang, Verena kicked the door open.
She sneered at the two of them clinging together. "Couldn't afford a hotel room, so you have to get frisky everywhere in my room?"
Almost instinctively, Lanny stepped in front of Bethany. "Watch your words."
"What? Am I wrong?" Verena scoffed, shoving them toward the door. "Stop disgusting me!"
Bethany stumbled and hit her head on the doorframe.
"Ah!" she screamed, then passed out.
"Verena! Her brain already has a clot. You're trying to kill her?!"
Lanny's voice shook with fear and anger.
He scooped up the unconscious girl, glancing at Verena with utter disappointment. "You really are hopeless."
Verena froze.
Seeing the cold sharpness in Lanny's eyes, the kiss between him and Bethany, her heart slowly cooled.
Once she decided to let go, she realized she wouldn't hurt or mourn over a man anymore.
One man wasn't worth all that pain.
Verena drew a deep breath and packed her laptop into her bag.
Then she froze.
Why was her laptop open to her jewelCAD software?
She was sure she had closed it before leaving the ward.
Did she misremember?
She scratched her head and didn't think too much of it.
Just as she stepped out, her phone rang. It was the wedding planner.
"Miss Johnson, we've canceled the wedding scheduled for five days from now. Would you like to reschedule?"
