“Oh, calm down, Ariel! It’s not like I’m going to break it or anything,” Demi scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m just curious about what’s inside.”

“Give it back, Demi,” I said, reaching for the jewelry box she clutched.

But seeing me react only seemed to amuse her, and a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. She danced out of reach, her fingers still firmly wrapped around the box.

“Oh, I wonder how important this cheap jewelry is to you,” she taunted as she cracked open the box, revealing the delicate necklace inside.

Her eyes lit up as she took in the intricate design. Then, she took the necklace and threw the box carelessly.

“Let me just try it on,” she said, ignoring my outstretched hand. “Don’t worry, I will give it back once I’m done.”

“Demi, don’t!” I lunged forward, but she spun around, holding the necklace just out of reach.

She was practically laughing as she dodged my attempts, clearly enjoying herself.

Finally, I managed to grab hold of the necklace, but Demi clung to it stubbornly, refusing to let go.

“Get your dirty hands off of it, Demi!” I snapped, desperation rising in my voice.

“Why are you so stingy, Ariel?” she sneered. “I told you I would give it back. You’re overreacting.”

We wrestled for control, neither of us willing to back down. In the heat of the struggle, the necklace slipped from our grasp and clattered to the floor, snapping at the delicate clasp.

I froze, staring in horror as the piece lay in fragments on the floor.

At that moment, the front door opened, and Morgan and Nate stepped inside, arms full of bags of food they had bought for Demi. Their eyes widened as they took in the scene.

Demi, sensing an opportunity, instantly burst into tears, clutching her hand where the broken jewelry had cut her.

Morgan and Nate dropped their bags, their faces pale with concern as they rushed over to her.

“Demi, are you alright?” Nate asked, his voice filled with worry.

He shot me a glare as he examined her hand. “Ariel, you should be grateful that Demi's okay after yesterday’s accident, but here you are making her cry again. What’s wrong with you?”

It was the first time Nate had ever raised his voice at me, and his words struck deep. He was not looking at me as the friend he had known for fifteen years, but as some villain in Demi’s carefully spun web.

Morgan did not even acknowledge me as he knelt beside Demi, softly asking her what had happened and completely uninterested in hearing my side.

“I just wanted to try on the necklace,” Demi whimpered, her voice shaky as she clung to Nate. “But Ariel got all possessive and grabbed it from me. I just wanted to see it up close.”

“Ariel,” Morgan said, his tone heavy with disappointment, “She is your younger cousin. You should have just let her try it on. As the older cousin, it would not have hurt you to be generous.”

I took a deep breath, willing myself not to cry, even as the hurt and frustration welled up inside me.

I knelt down to collect the broken pieces of my father’s last design, feeling the sharp edges cut into my palm. But I forced myself to stay calm, determined to play the game Demi had set.

Forcing tears to my eyes, I looked up at them with a trembling voice. “This isn’t just any jewelry, Morgan. This was my father’s final piece, the one he designed before he passed away. He left it for me, for my dowry, for my wedding day.”

My voice broke as I stared at the broken necklace, knowing I had never seen it intact again. “How could I be calm while Demi was trying to make it hers?”

Morgan and Nate stared at me, but instead of understanding, their expressions hardened.

“Ariel,” Morgan said quietly, shaking his head, “Demi just wanted to see it, not steal it. You are blowing this way out of proportion.”

Nate, meanwhile, was busy cleaning Demi’s cuts, his voice filled with anger as he looked at me. “Look at her hand, Ariel. If you would just let her try it on, she would not have gotten hurt. She just got out of the hospital, crying out loud.”

I glanced down at my own hand, where blood from the broken jewelry smeared across my skin. But neither Morgan nor Nate seemed to notice.

Their attention was solely on Demi, who looked at me with smug satisfaction, her face hidden from their view.

After making sure Demi was comfortable, Nate picked her up and carried her over to the sofa, cradling her as he took out the first aid kit.

Morgan crouched down in front of me, his voice low and firm. “When you’re done cleaning up this mess, you owe Demi an apology. At the hospital, she told us that she was the one who had provoked you on the stairs yesterday. She even blamed herself for pushing your buttons, but never once did she demand an apology from you.”

He looked at me with a mixture of pity and frustration. “She is two years younger than you, Ariel. You need to act more maturely.”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I replied, “Oh, so that’s the story you two believe. Fine. Just go on believing it.”

Ignoring the blood trickling from my hand, I gathered the broken pieces of the necklace, each shard feeling like a weight against my palm.

My chest ached, but it was not the cuts that hurt, it was the pain of being completely dismissed by the people I once trusted most.

While Nate gently bandaged Demi’s hand, the two of them took turns feeding her the food they had brought, treating her like a delicate doll.

Meanwhile, I quietly cleaned my own wound under the kitchen faucet, feeling more alone than ever.

Once the bleeding had stopped, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen and saw my mother’s name.

Her familiar voice brought a calm I had not felt all day.

“Hey, dear. Are you finished with everything there?” Her voice was warm, laced with that steady reassurance I had come to miss so deeply. “If you’re ready, I can arrange a plane ticket for you on a private flight.”

I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “Thanks, Mom. I can book the flight myself. I have plenty of savings. Maybe not as much as yours, but enough.”

She chuckled. “I’m sure your dad and your grandparents left you more than enough to get by. Oh, and don’t forget to say goodbye to them before you leave.”

“I was planning to,” I said, glancing toward the hallway, where Demi’s laughter echoed as she chatted with Morgan and Nate. “I will make my rounds, then take care of my ticket.”

“Okay, tell me if you have booked your flight, since I will ask your future husband to pick you up,” she teased with a broad smile.

I couldn’t help but stutter when she replied teasingly, “Oh my God, it is not like the marriage will….”

But just as I said that, I sensed someone behind me.

Turning around, I found Nate and Morgan rushing towards me from the door with shocked faces, and they both said in unison: "What? You're going abroad to get married?"

Both of them stared at me, and I felt the weight of their curiosity pressing in. Even Demi’s attention turned sharply toward me, a flash of irritation crossing her face at the thought of the attention shifting my way.

Trying to deflect their suspicion, I answered with a casual smile, “Well, it’s nothing major. There’s a jewelry show abroad, and they sent me an invitation. He just wanted to know if I could make it, so I have got to take care of the travel details right away.”

I glanced pointedly at Nate and Morgan, skipping Demi. But their expressions told me they were not entirely satisfied with that explanation, so I offered more.

“Oh, for the wedding, it just so happens that my friend overseas is also getting married, so after the jewelry show, I'm going straight to her wedding. Would you two like to come along?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light, though I knew they would likely refuse.

As expected, both of them shook their heads, exchanging a glance. “No, we will pass,” Nate said quickly, not even considering it.

Morgan nodded, his tone apologetic but firm. “Thanks, Ariel, but I think we should not go if Demi could not go.”

Of course, Demi did not hide her smirk, clearly pleased that they had chosen her over me.

My chest tightened, but I kept a calm face. “Alright then,” I said, forcing a small, disappointed sigh. “Just thought I would ask.”

Relieved that their interest was satisfied, they quickly lost focus on me and returned to whatever they found fun, their backs turned as they resumed their laughter and conversation with Demi.

Forcing down the sting of hurt, I headed back to my room, the once-familiar warmth of their presence replaced with an isolating chill.

As I stepped into my room, I closed the door and leaned against it, feeling the silent weight of everything I had lost pressing in on me.

They did not even care enough to ask why I wanted to leave or if I was alright. With a resigned sigh, I continued packing, mentally preparing for my final days there in Stanmore.

**

The next morning, I made my way to the kitchen, hoping for a quiet breakfast.

But as I entered, I froze and my eyes widening at the mess of dishes and flour scattered everywhere.

Demi, Nate, and Morgan were crowded around the kitchen counter, laughing and joking as they worked together, clearly in the middle of baking.

Hearing me open the refrigerator, Nate turned with a playful grin. “Well, well, Sleeping Beauty is finally awake!”

Morgan chuckled, joining in. “Never thought I would see the day when Ariel sleeps in! Back in college, you were the one always up early, getting us out of bed.”

I managed a tight smile, saying nothing. Their laughter continued as if I were just a passing guest in my own home, not the person who once shared those moments with them.

Demi, ever the opportunist, seized the moment to take a jab. “Ariel always wakes up late now. I think the two of you were just too noisy and woke her up.” She laughed, her tone mocking.

Nate and Morgan both chuckled and gave a half-hearted apology. “Oh, sorry about that,” Nate said, not sounding sorry at all.

“But since you’re up,” Nate continued, holding up a plate, “come on and try this cake we made! Since Demi’s birthday party was canceled, we decided to celebrate it with a cake, but Demi’s got a real knack for baking; it’s amazing.”

Morgan nodded enthusiastically. “You will love it. Honestly, if I had known she was this good, we should have asked Demi for baking tips back when we were making those failed cookies.”

A pang of sadness hit me. Baking had been one of our favorite things to do together. We did not care if we failed or succeeded; it was just about spending time together.

At that moment, it was as if those memories had faded, as if those moments were just trivial parts of the past, replaced by Demi.

Demi cut a slice of cake and held it out to me with a sweet smile. “Here you go, Ariel,” she said, her tone dripping with insincerity. “Hope you like it.”

I looked at the cake, suspicious of Demi’s sudden kindness. “No, thanks. I’m on a gluten-free diet,” I replied smoothly, trying to avoid it without causing a scene.

But Nate rolled his eyes. “Come on, Ariel. Stop being so stingy and give Demi’s cake a chance. She worked hard on it!”

Morgan added with a grin, “Yeah, a little piece won’t kill you, Ariel.”

Reluctantly, I picked up a fork and took a small bite, mostly to get them to stop pressuring me.

The moment the cake touched my tongue, a familiar, sickly-sweet taste hit me, and my stomach dropped.

As the taste of mango fulfilled my throat, it tightened, and my skin began to itch almost immediately.

I dropped the fork, feeling panic rise as I tossed the plate aside, unable to hold back my reaction.

But as the plate clattered to the floor, Nate’s and Morgan’s eyes widened, and Demi let out an exaggerated gasp, dropping to her knees to clean up her supposedly ruined cake.

“What is your problem, Ariel?” Nate snapped, a hint of anger in his tone. “Demi worked so hard on this, and you just threw it away?”

Demi’s voice trembled, her eyes filling with tears as she glanced up at me. “Is my cake really that bad?” She sniffed, her face twisted in an expression of hurt that anyone would believe.

Morgan glared at me; his tone filled with disappointment. “Could you not just pretend to like it, Ariel? You did not have to humiliate her like that.”

But I could not focus on their scolding, since the allergic reaction was already kicking in.

My throat was tightening, and my vision started to blur. My hands even shook as I reached into my pocket for my phone, struggling to dial emergency services.

My ears were also buzzing, muffling their voices as they continued to clean up the mess, oblivious to my distress.

“Hello?” I rasped into the phone, trying to stay calm as the operator answered. “I need an ambulance. It is an allergic reaction…” My voice was faint, but I managed to give them my address before my hand dropped to my side, barely able to stay on my feet.

Finally, my labored breathing caught their attention. Nate turned, his brow furrowing as he took in my pale face and the way I clutched at my throat.

“Ariel? Are you...?” His eyes widened with sudden horror. “Are you having an allergic reaction?”

Morgan’s earlier frustration melted into shock. “You... are you allergic to mango?”

I managed a weak nod, sinking against the counter as my airway tightened, making every breath a struggle.

Demi, sensing the shift, widened her eyes in feigned shock, though I caught a flicker of satisfaction before she masked it with wide-eyed innocence.

“Oh, Ariel, I had no idea you were allergic.” she gasped, looking perfectly distressed. “You never told me anything about it.”

She shook her head as if deeply regretful. “I thought you would love it, so I added mango. I’m so, so sorry.”

Here she was again, pretending she did not know. Since that was not actually even the first time she had done that.

I remembered the day she had handed me a glass of dragon fruit juice, only to learn later she had mixed it with mango. She had deliberately used dragon fruit to disguise the color, making me think it was safe.

Demi knew everything about me, about my weaknesses, about my allergies, and about how deadly mango could be to someone like me. And here she was, lying again, right in front of Nate and Morgan.

But I did not have the energy to fight, to argue, or to expose her. My body was already shutting down, and if one of them had held a knife at that moment, I would have surrendered, too tired to resist.

“What should we do?” Demi cried, bringing her hands to her face and starting to sob. She even slapped herself lightly, as if blaming herself. “It’s all my fault! I always make Ariel suffer.”

Morgan immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her as if she were the one in pain. “It’s okay, Demi. Don’t do this to yourself,” he murmured, gently stroking her hair to calm her down.

Nate joined in, his voice soft and reassuring. “The ambulance is on its way, Demi. Ariel will be fine. You did not know about it, so you don’t need to blame yourself.”

Morgan nodded, hugging her tighter. “Exactly, Demi. You did nothing wrong. Calm down, okay?”

Demi sobbed into his chest, clinging to him like a frightened child, and I could only watch, feeling as though I were being erased from my own life.

My vision blurred as memories surfaced, memories of when Morgan and Nate had been my defenders, my friends.

When we were children, kids at school would tease me, calling me “the unwanted girl” because my mother had left. So, I would be left in tears, only to have Morgan and Nate step in to protect me.

“Ariel is a princess,” Morgan would say defiantly, hugging me as I cried. “A gem we will protect no matter what, so stop teasing her, you bullies!”

Nate would stand beside me too, ready to take on anyone who dared insult me.

They were my bodyguards, my childhood heroes, and the friends who saw me through every hardship. But then, as my breath grew fainter, they were the ones turning their backs on me, charmed by Demi, a devil with an angel’s face.

My body felt heavier and the world around me fading as darkness crept in.

I barely registered the sound of the ambulance arriving or the feeling of being lifted onto a stretcher.

But my last glimpse before passing out was Nate and Morgan standing beside Demi, holding her hands to comfort her as she sniffled, looking away from me as though I were nothing more than an afterthought.

“Have you really changed that much, Nate? Morgan?” I wondered silently, despair filling my heart as I finally succumbed to the darkness.

**

When I woke, the sterile white ceiling of a hospital room greeted me.

I had spent countless days in rooms like that for treatments, so that the smell of antiseptic, the soft hum of medical equipment, and the feel of the IV in my arm were my constant companions.

That time, though, a wave of relief washed over me. I was alive, safe, and breathing.

But as I came fully awake, the memories of what had happened flooded back, and tears filled my eyes.

I could have died. Demi’s cake could have been the end of me.

If I had not woken up, I would not have been able to leave, to go to Warlington and finally find peace with my mother.

As I cried, the door opened, and my doctor rushed in, alarmed by my tears.

“Ariel, are you in pain? What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gentle as he approached, knowing me well after years of caring for me.

I shook my head, trying to stifle my sobs. “No, nothing hurts, Doc. I just... I thought I might not make it this time.” My voice wavered, but as I explained, he listened patiently, like an old friend.

Once I had calmed, I told him about my decision to leave for Warlington to be with my mother, the last family I could rely on.

The doctor nodded thoughtfully, a small smile crossing his face.

“Ariel, you nearly gave me a heart attack. I was ready to call your mother myself,” he said with a chuckle, relief softening his eyes.

I managed a weak laugh, wiping away my tears. “Sorry, Doc. I just realized how much I will miss chatting and joking with you once I leave.”

His gaze softened, and he placed a hand on my shoulder. “You don’t need to apologize, Ariel. And I think this will be good for you. You need your mother now, more than ever.”

He paused, as if gathering his thoughts. “I will tell a colleague in Warlington to look after you. You will be in good hands, I promise.”

“Thank you, Doc,” I whispered, grateful beyond words. We chatted a little longer before he left, and I drifted into a restful sleep.

**

Even as I recovered in the hospital, I began preparing for my departure.

I secretly arranged for Jerome to handle the sale of my home, instructing him to sell it quickly, even at a lower price.

But Jerome, always one step ahead, managed to find a buyer willing to pay more. What was more, he was a former colleague of my father’s who respected our family’s legacy.

So, I thanked him deeply, grateful for his support.

Shortly before I was discharged, a message from Morgan and Nate appeared in our group chat. Demi had clearly informed them of the house sale, and they were not pleased.

[Morgan: Ariel, don’t you think selling the house over a minor allergy incident is a bit extreme?]