Chapter 4

The charity gala was a glittering affair held in the grand ballroom of a five-star hotel. Hundreds of the city's elite were there, draped in jewels and designer gowns. The moment I walked in on Liam' s arm, a wave of whispers followed us. I could feel their eyes on me, their hushed words like tiny, stinging insects.

"That's Ava, isn't it? She looks terrible."

"I heard she had a breakdown after they lost the baby."

"Look at how Liam dotes on his sister. So strange... And is she pregnant?"

I kept my head held high, my face a carefully constructed mask of neutrality, but inside I was crumbling. Liam, for his part, was completely oblivious, or perhaps he just didn't care. He released my arm as soon as we were through the doors and went straight to Chloe's side, placing a protective hand on her back. He fetched her a glass of water, fussed over her chair, and smiled at her with a devotion that made my stomach turn. He hadn't looked at me once since we arrived. I was a prop, a necessary accessory to maintain the facade of a normal family.

Halfway through the evening, the foundation's chairman took the stage. After a long speech about their charitable work, he smiled warmly. "And we have some personal good news to share tonight. A big congratulations to our biggest benefactor, Liam, and his lovely sister Chloe. They are expecting a new addition to the family!"

The room erupted in applause. Cameras flashed. Chloe blushed and hid her face in Liam's shoulder, a perfect imitation of a shy, expectant mother. Liam beamed, accepting the congratulations as if it were the most natural thing in the world. My world tilted on its axis. It was official. The lie was now a public truth, and I was publicly erased.

Later, a waiter came around with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Chloe pointed to the grilled shrimp skewers. "Ooh, those look delicious," she said, "but my doctor said I should avoid shellfish." She looked at Liam with wide, pleading eyes. "But I want them so badly."

Liam looked at me, his expression flat. "Ava, eat a shrimp for Chloe."

"Liam, you know I can't," I said, my voice low and urgent. "I'm allergic. Severely."

"It's a mild allergy, don't be dramatic," he said dismissively. "Chloe has a craving. It's your duty to help satisfy it. Just eat one. It's not going to kill you."

A vivid memory flashed in my mind. Years ago, at a restaurant on our first anniversary, a chef had accidentally cross-contaminated my salad with shrimp. I had started to feel my throat tighten, my skin itch. Liam had leapt into action, yelling for a manager, demanding an ambulance, his face pale with a terror that was entirely for me. He had held my hand all the way to the hospital, whispering, "I've got you, Ava. I'll never let anything happen to you."

Now, that same man was staring at me with cold impatience, demanding I poison myself for his manipulative sister's whim. A woman sitting at our table, a notorious gossip columnist, overheard. "Oh, poor Chloe, pregnancy cravings are the worst! Her sister-in-law won't even eat a tiny shrimp for her?"

The people around us started to murmur. The pressure was immense. Liam's gaze was like a physical weight. My hand trembled as I picked up a skewer. My throat already felt tight with anxiety. I put the shrimp in my mouth and chewed, the taste acrid and foreign. I swallowed it down like a lump of poison.

Immediately, my skin started to prickle. A hot, red flush spread across my neck and face. My tongue felt thick, and a wheezing sound started in my chest. The crowd didn't see my distress, they saw it as entertainment.

"Look, her face is all red!" someone snickered.

"She's doing it for the baby!" another one cheered, egged on by Liam's silent approval.

The room started to swim. The lights of the chandeliers blurred into painful starbursts. My lungs burned. I was suffocating. I fumbled in my purse for my vial, my movements clumsy and desperate. I managed to get it open, tipping the contents into my mouth just as my legs gave out from under me. I took the third dose, praying for the oblivion it promised as I collapsed onto the floor, the sound of laughter and applause fading as the darkness closed in.