Daniel jerked his head up, bloodshot eyes blazing. “We’ve been like this since we were kids. She’ll cool off. Why won’t you drop it? Now look—she’s really mad and even deleted me on WeChat!”

I pointed at the suitcase by the sofa—stuffed with his things. “We’re done. I packed your stuff. You can leave now.”

“I’ll cancel the wedding, too. You can explain it to your family.”

He froze, then trailed after me, rubbing his hands, lost. “Olivia, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. Bella… she’s just blunt and thoughtless. I already talked to her. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“Look, I took off the ring. I’m really drawing a line with her.” He held the ring out to me, trying to appease me. “Olivia, give me one more chance, please? We’re about to get married…”

He headed toward the bedroom. “Okay, okay—if you’re still mad, I’ll calm Bella down and have her apologize to you, alright?” As he spoke, he yanked open the nightstand, pulled out a pill box, and tossed it to me. “You were coughing hard just now. Take some medicine.”

I looked at the label—Bella’s allergy meds. “I need cold medicine, not this.”

“Huh?” Daniel glanced back, waved it off. “Same difference. Take that for now; I’ll buy the right one tomorrow.”

He tried to put an arm around my shoulders. “Forgive me this once. I promise I’ll keep my distance from her from now on, I—”

His pocket buzzed, cutting him off. He stiffened, then answered on reflex, voice instantly soft. “Hey? Bella? You done being mad?”

Whatever she said drained the color from his face. He shot to his feet. “You’re in a bad mood? You’ve been drinking? Where are you? I’m coming right now.”

“Take your suitcase and get out,” I said evenly.

He stared, irritated. “Olivia! Don’t be unreasonable! I’m the only friend Bella has. She’s upset—I have to go! I don’t have time to babysit you!”

The door slammed. I stared at the pills and felt sick.

My fever spiked past midnight; cold sweat soaked my back.

Gritting my teeth, I ordered a car to the ER. I braced against the wall and shuffled to the door, turning the lock.

My phone buzzed: a text alert for charges on Daniel’s add-on card—2:00 a.m., Riverside Hotel, “Honeymoon Suite—extended stay,” plus a “strawberry cake,” note: “Miss Brooks’ favorite.”

I opened Bella’s alt account I hadn’t blocked yet. Ten minutes ago she’d posted: “Being cuddled by a thoughtful boyfriend, eating cake in his arms—nothing beats this.”

In the photo, she wore a man’s shirt. At her collar, above the hickey, hung a necklace I recognized—the couple’s necklace I’d given Daniel for his birthday last year. He’d said it was “too girly” and never wore it. Turns out he’d given it to Bella.

Those five minutes waiting for the driver were the longest—and clearest—of my life.

IV fluid dripped into my vein; I stared at the catheter in the back of my hand.

I reached for the water on the nightstand, but an arm beat me to it, lifting the cup and angling the straw to my lips. Daniel.

“Why are you hospitalized? You were fine yesterday.” He set the cup down.

I didn’t answer. My eyes fell on the fresh lipstick mark at his collar—clearly new.