Chapter 4

"A year in that place didn't teach you any gratitude, huh?" Stanley asked. "Lillian went out of her way to cook for you herself, and this is how you act."

"I'm allergic to peanuts." Zoe finally got the words out. Her voice was quiet, but steady.

Stanley frowned slightly, as if trying to recall something. But whatever it was slipped away almost instantly.

Before he could say anything, Lillian spoke up, her voice high and wounded. "Allergic? Zoe, you never told me that. If I'd known, I would never have used peanuts."

She turned and tugged at Stanley's sleeve, her face full of innocence as she looked up at him. "Stanley, I really had no idea. You have to believe me."

Stanley wrapped an arm around her shoulders, patting her gently. Then he turned back to Zoe with a cold snort. "A couple of bites won't kill you. Stop pretending to be weak just to get sympathy.

"Lillian worked hard on this. You're going to eat it, even if you have to force it down. And don't give me that excuse about allergies."

Zoe looked at him, at the face she knew so well. He didn't bother hiding the disgust in his eyes. To him, she was nothing, just something pitiful, something out of place.

She looked away, lowering her gaze to the bowl of peanut soup.

To anyone else, it was just a simple snack. But to her, it was poison.

She didn't argue. She reached out and took the bowl.

The heat burned into her fingers, leaving angry red marks, but she didn't react. She picked up the spoon and brought a spoonful to her mouth.

The thick soup coated her teeth, heavy with the taste of peanuts. She chewed a few times and forced it down.

Then, she took another spoonful, and another.

She kept going, shoveling it in, one mouthful after another. Her cheeks puffed out.

She barely chewed anymore. She just swallowed hard and forced it down. The veins in her neck stood out as she forced each bite down.

Lillian watched her. For a brief second, Zoe caught a flash of satisfaction in Lillian's eyes. A faint smile touched her lips, then disappeared just as quickly.

Stanley's frown deepened. His lips parted slightly as if he might stop her, but he said nothing.

When the bowl was empty, Zoe handed it back. "Thank you, Lillian. I'm full."

Her words came out slurred. The base of her tongue was already going numb.

Lillian took the bowl. Their fingers brushed for a second, and her skin was unnaturally cold.

Thirty seconds later, the itching started at the back of Zoe's tongue, spreading quickly down her throat. Her lips began to swell, pushing outward.

Then, large, raised patches of red appeared across her neck, burning deep into her skin and bones.

Zoe leaned against the doorframe, her body going weak. It felt like the air was being sucked out of the room.

Her throat was closing. Every breath she tried to take came out as a harsh, scraping sound.

Instinctively, her fingers dug into the wood beside her, nails catching in the cracks, pressing so hard that her fingertips turned white.

Lillian's eyes widened as she stepped back, letting out a sharp scream. "Zoe, what's happening to you? Don't scare me."

As she shouted, she let go of the bowl. It hit the floor and shattered.

Then she threw herself into Stanley's arms, burying her face in his chest as she trembled. "Stanley, I'm so scared. Zoe's face is so red. It's terrifying.

"Is something wrong with her? I swear I didn't do it on purpose. If I knew she was allergic, I would never have given her that."

Stanley held her tightly, one hand patting her back. "Don't be scared. I'm here. No one's going to blame you."

Then he looked down at Zoe with cold eyes. Zoe had already slid to the floor. She didn't have the strength to stand anymore. Her hands clawed at her throat.

Her swollen face had turned from red to a deep, bruised purple. Her eyes bulged as she struggled for air. Her nails raked across her neck, leaving thin lines of blood.

She opened her mouth, desperate for air, but her airway was almost completely blocked. Her life was slipping away.

Stanley looked at her, his face twisting with disgust, his arm still firmly around Lillian.

"Hurting yourself again for attention, huh?" he asked, his voice dripping with annoyance.