Everyone inside the hospital room stared at me with wide, nervous eyes when I came back in.

Seth, who usually kept his cool, looked a bit flustered.

He quickly put out his cigarette.

"Nevaeh, you didn't leave?"

Pretending to be breathless, I said urgently, "Seth, I came back for the snow water.

"It's really important. I need to prepare it for you right away so your legs will get better faster!

"Huh, wasn't it just on the table?"

Seth looked relieved and quickly played along. "Who last saw the miracle drink? Hurry up and find it!"

While I was not looking, someone snatched the drink from the trash can. "Seth, here it is."

I took it with a big smile, looking over at Seth sitting on the bed. "Seth, I'll make you some boiled snow water tonight."

I ignored the way he looked at the dark water, like he wanted to say something but was holding back.

I rolled my eyes when he was not looking and walked out of the room.

Once I was outside the hospital room, my smile faded.

'Seth, you're just too much!' I thought.

My mind drifted back to last year when Seth hurt his legs saving me. I felt so grateful and guilty that I did not think twice about staying with him.

On our first day together, he complained about leg pain and sent me to find a traditional remedy. He told me that a scorpion tail soaked in alcohol would heal his legs and asked me to catch one for him.

I did not want to, but I agreed after seeing his face twisted up in pain, even though I was scared.

Before I left, he made me promise him something. "Nevaeh, you have to catch it yourself."

I looked into his eyes, full of love for him, and said, "Seth, I'd do anything to help your legs get better."

However, I was too scared to catch a scorpion myself. In the end, I went to a breeding facility.

It cost me fifteen dollars to buy one that was jumping all over the place.

I'll never forget how surprised and touched Seth looked. "Nevaeh, you're so kind to me."

I felt so guilty. I just wanted to repay him for saving me.

Then, Seth heard about another remedy consisting of a centipede boiled in water. He wanted me to catch a huge one, over one foot long.

Later on, he told me to boil wasp tails in water.

Over the course of a year, he had me looking for all sorts of dangerous bugs to help his legs.

I thought Seth was acting strangely because of his injury, leading him to ask for so many traditional remedies.

I could not believe he was deliberately making me take all these risks just to get back at me for his old crush.

Thank goodness I had paid someone else to handle all that stuff. If I had tried to do it myself, I would have become a casualty of his crazy adventure game a long time ago.

'So, Seth wants to embarrass me, huh? All right, I'll keep playing his game. I've already been doing it for a year, anyway,' I thought.

Feeling annoyed, I called up Draven Gibson, the heir to the Gibson family. Even though he was technically Seth's uncle, he was pretty young.

"Mr. Gibson, can we talk about setting a wedding date?"

His voice was deep and pleasant. "When do you want to hold it?"

I grinned and said, "The sooner, the better. How about next week?"

His charming voice came back, "Are you free tonight to discuss this?"

I was thrilled. I tossed the bottle I was holding right into the trash can with a whoosh.

"I'm free all night!"

I was feeling great after setting up a fancy dinner with Draven. I took my time packing up some chicken soup before heading to the hospital.

When I opened the hospital room door, I saw Janice Wheeler sitting next to Seth, feeding him grapes one by one. It was such a sweet scene, but it made me shiver.

Janice screamed like she had seen a monster when she saw me.

"Help! Seth, I'm scared!"

Seth wrapped his arms around her right away. "What's wrong? Janice, do you feel okay?"

Janice dabbed at her eyes. "I'm okay. It's just that seeing Nevaeh brought back some memories."

Seth looked like he suddenly remembered something too. He gave me an icy look and said, "Nevaeh, come in. Do you know you're supposed to knock?"

I felt a sneer inside me as I loosened my tight fists.

Back in school, she was the one who always picked on me, hit me, and spread lies about me. However, she somehow made it look like I was the bad guy.

I tried hard to keep down the fear and anger bubbling up inside me. "I'm sorry, Seth. I missed you so much that I forgot to knock."

Seth was still a bit mad. "What took you so long?"

My eyes started to tear up. "I heard that chicken soup tastes better if you let it cook a bit longer. That's why I'm late, Seth. Don't be mad, okay?"

Janice snuggled up to Seth, blinking her big, doe-like eyes. "Seth, did you know Nevaeh climbed a snowy mountain just to get snowmelt for you?

"Where's the snow water? I'd love to see it.

"Nevaeh, didn't you say you used snow water? Where is it?"

I did not say a word and just brought over the chicken soup. "It's in the soup. Ms. Wheeler. Do you want to try some?"

Janice looked at the soup in my hands with a frown. "Are you sure the snow water's safe? How do you know it's not poisonous or anything?"

I quickly said, "It's safe. Seth told me it's good for healing legs when you boil it. It's really helpful!"

Janice's eyes flickered with cruelty. She suddenly shook her hand, spilling the chicken soup all over the floor.

"Oops! Sorry, it was too hot. You're not mad at me, are you, Nevaeh?"

I did not answer and just looked at Seth. He looked annoyed at me and pushed me aside to grab Janice's hand and check on her.

"Janice, did you get burned?"

I felt so unfairly treated that my eyes filled with tears. "Seth, what's going on between you two?"

Seth did not even glance my way. "We've been friends since we were kids. What do you think our relationship is?"

He had just finished shouting when he noticed me on the ground. His voice softened. "Nevaeh, I just think of Janice as a sister. Don't get it wrong."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Seth's friends were outside, laughing and calling out, "Hey, Seth! Are you and Janice finished? Can we come in now?"

I pretended to be shocked. "Finished with what? Seth, what are they talking about?"

Seth's face turned red with embarrassment. He quickly said. "Nevaeh, don't mind them. They're just spouting nonsense!"

He shouted back at them, "Nevaeh's here too, so cut it out with the jokes."

Everything went quiet outside. Then, the door creaked open, and Seth's buddies piled in.

"Nevaeh, you know we were kidding, right?"

"Totally! We were just messing around."

Seth saw me still on the floor and asked gently, "Nevaeh, come here. Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"

I held back an eye roll and walked over quietly.

Seth took my hand, about to say something, but then he saw the huge ring on my finger.

His voice turned icy. "Nevaeh, who gave you that ring?"

I felt a chill run through me. Why had I not hidden the ring from Draven?

I quickly slid the ring off and shoved it in my pocket, looking sad. "I just picked it up at the dollar store for fun."

My words set off a wave of laughter in the room.

Janice nearly choked on her laughter. "A diamond ring from the dollar store? Nevaeh, you're too much!

"Even if Seth won't buy you one, you should get a nicer ring. Isn't getting a fake diamond ring a little desperate?"

I kept quiet, pretending to be flustered like Janice had caught me red-handed. I looked at Seth with puppy-dog eyes.

Seth wrapped his arms around me and promised, "Nevaeh, don't you worry. By next week, I'll get you a real diamond ring, and you'll be the happiest girl ever."

Right after he said that, everyone in the room glanced around, trying not to laugh.

I just stared at Seth's 'honest' smile and thought to myself, 'Yeah, right! Next week, I'm marrying your uncle.'

Marrying the heir to the Gibson family fortune? Of course I'd be over the moon!

The chicken soup errand was done, and I no longer felt like playing pretend with these people. "Seth, it's getting late. I'm gonna head out," I said.

I was about to leave when Janice grabbed my sleeve, grinning at me. "Nevaeh, I've never seen snowmelt from the top of the mountain. It's such a shame. Could you get me some more?"

I just stared at her, speechless. "If you're that curious, why don't you collect some yourself?"

Janice did not like my tone and clung to Seth's arm, whining, "Seth, did you see that? I just asked her a simple question, yet she was so rude to me!" Then, she snarked, "Well, she's about to marry into a rich family next week, so I guess she's allowed to be snooty."

Seth was so wrapped around Janice's finger that he looked at me seriously and said, "Nevaeh, let's keep our engagement under wraps. I want to surprise everyone when the time comes."

What else could I do but nod and play along? However, before I left, I could not help but say, "Ms. Wheeler, Seth and I are getting engaged next week. Could I ask you to not make up any rumors after that?"

The moment I said that, the room burst into loud laughter again.

I looked at Seth, pretending to be confused. "Seth, what's gotten into them?"

Seth glanced around with a stern face. "Enough, everyone. Settle down."

"Okay, okay, we'll stop. Nevaeh, we wish you a joyful engagement next week. You're going to be the star of the show."

"Absolutely! Didn't Seth get you a fancy dress from a famous designer? You'll be the most stunning girl there, won't you?"

"Of course she'll be! And I've heard the engagement party is going to be huge. Seth's really going all out for you."

After saying goodbye to Seth and closing the door, I heard Janice's sarcastic voice from inside.

"Seth, make sure you invite lots of reporters to our engagement next week. We want everyone to see it live."

Seth's voice came through, loud and clear. "Don't worry. I'll make sure everyone knows how she's been treating you.

"We'll show everyone her cruel side, and she'll be the talk of the town."

"Haha! Seth, you're such a badass. Nevaeh's face is going to be a sight to behold."

"She shouldn't have messed with Janice, but her comeuppance is going to be legendary!"

I smirked and walked away. As soon as I left the hospital, Draven called me. "Are you free tomorrow? Let's go pick out your wedding dress."

The next week was a whirlwind.

On the first day, I tried on what seemed like a million dresses.

On the second day, I posed for photographs in my chosen dress.

On the third day, I picked out jewelry that perfectly complemented the dress.

...

Seth called to ask why I had not visited him lately. I told him I was just swamped with engagement matters.

On the day of the engagement, Seth called a bunch of reporters and internet stars to broadcast it for everyone to see.

Everything was set for the big day, but I was nowhere to be seen, and my phone was out of reach.

"Seth, why hasn't Nevaeh shown up yet?"

"Do you think she discovered something and decided not to come?"

Seth was frantically redialing my number. "No way! We just talked this morning. Maybe she's caught in traffic."

Out of nowhere, someone rushed over to Seth with a phone in hand.

"Seth, check out the woman marrying your uncle. She looks a lot like Nevaeh..."