I was in a veterinary hospital, the sharp smell of disinfectant burning my nose.
Not far away, on the operating table, the Caucasian Shepherd that had once bitten me was lying completely still for some reason—no sign of life left.
Shanna collapsed over her dog’s body, screaming so hoarsely that it sounded like her voice might snap in half.
But the moment she saw me awake, she jerked her head up, her eyes red, and pointed right at my face, shrieking.
“You wicked woman! You hated that I broke your bracelet so you took it out on me? Why did you have to poison and kill my Hawkeye?!”
I stared at the scene, completely lost. Before I could even figure out what was happening, she was already rushing at me, her nails sharp as blades, clawing straight across my face.
A few stinging scratches instantly split open on my cheek, the pain shooting straight into my bones.
Instinctively, I looked toward Leland. But he only frowned and turned his head away, not even bothering to say a single word to stop her.
It was as if I really was nothing but a stranger to him.
It wasn’t until I finally snapped and raised my hand, ready to fight back, that he rushed forward and pulled Shanna away not because he was afraid I’d get hurt.
It was because he was terrified she would.
My throat tightened. My heart felt even colder than my face.
“She used chocolate to poison Hawkeye!” Shanna trembled violently as she cried into Leland’s arms. “This dog was the one we adopted together from the rescue center when we were kids! How can you just watch him die for nothing like this?!”
The stinging in my cheek kept burning. I bit down hard on my lip, swallowing back the tears in my eyes. My voice shook, but I forced it to stay firm.
“I didn’t even touch your dog!” I protested. “Since yesterday until now, I’ve been unconscious and locked in the room. When would I have had the chance to go near that dog?!”
“You’re still pretending!” Shanna snapped her head up, her eyes full of pure malice.
“We asked all the servants. Someone saw you leave your room! And the thing that killed Hawkeye was that limited-edition chocolate Leland brought you from Belgium on his last business trip!
“Besides you, who else could’ve gotten their hands on it?”
As soon as she finished accusing me, she buried herself into Leland’s chest again, her voice breaking with despair.
“Leland… if you don’t handle this… I… I don’t want to live anymore…”
Leland’s whole body tensed at once, worry written all over his face.
He patted her back gently, murmuring to calm her down. Only once she’d settled did he finally look over at me.
His eyes were cold, filled with disappointment.
“Charmaine… I never thought you’d become this cruel.”
I looked right back at him, my voice silent but my heart full of mockery.
‘Who’s really being cruel here—me, or the man who only ever listens to that woman?’
He then had someone bring over a bowl of cheddar cheese soup and set it in front of me. The surface was still bubbling from the heat.
“You did something wrong. You need to pay for it. Today, you’re going to taste what it’s like to eat something that could kill you.”
My chest tightened so hard my breath caught.
He knew. Leland knew I was severely allergic to cheese; even a bite could make me stop breathing.
Yet he still wanted me to drink the entire hot bowl.
All for Shanna, he was willing to gamble even my life.
I slowly lifted my eyes, my sorrow settling deep into my bones.
“Leland… After all these years we’ve been together, you trust her that easily? You’d condemn me based on her words?”
For a moment, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes.
But Shanna saw it, too. She immediately tore herself out of his arms and ran to the window, half her body leaning dangerously out.
“Leland… I know she’s your fiancée. I don’t want to make things hard for you… but Hawkeye was my family! If you’re going to protect that woman, then… then I’ll just meet you in another life!”
Leland panicked instantly, any hint of pity he had for me gone in a heartbeat.
He rushed toward her but didn’t dare touch her too suddenly.
“Don’t be impulsive! I’m not protecting her!”
Then he whirled around, his face turning frighteningly cold, and barked at the stunned bodyguards.
“What are you waiting for?! Pry her mouth open and force the whole damn bowl of soup down her throat!”
