Chapter 2
Stephen's hand jerked unexpectedly.
The bowl of scalding soup spilled right onto Carley's hand with a loud splash.
Carley screamed.
The dining room instantly erupted into chaos.
Carley's hand was bright red from the burn, and tears streamed down her face.
"It hurts. Stephen, my hand..." Carley cried.
But Stephen acted like he didn't hear a thing, just standing there, frozen.
His eyes were locked on the back of my hand, the very spot we'd just touched by accident.
His breathing picked up again, and his handsome face turned red so fast I could see it happening.
"You..." His throat worked as he swallowed hard, his voice coming out hoarse.
I calmly took a tissue and handed it to him.
"Mr. Benton, here, wipe it off. Looks like you've got a nosebleed," I said.
Yeah, he was having another nosebleed.
Two crimson streaks slid down his prominent nose, dripping onto his pricey white shirt.
Everyone froze in shock.
Dariel slammed the newspaper onto the table and barked, "This is outrageous. Stephen, what on earth is wrong with you?"
Stephen jolted awake, as if he'd just been shaken out of a trance.
He fumbled for the tissue, wiping his face in a panic, but he couldn't bring himself to look at me, his eyes darting everywhere.
"I... I'm fine. Just been feeling a little off lately," he blurted out, clearly flustered, as if he was hiding something.
Carley glanced at him and then at me; her expression was all over the place.
Biting her lip, she said in a pitiful voice, "Stephen, are you blaming me? It's all my fault."
The moment she spoke up, Stephen seized the chance to vent his anger.
He suddenly turned and glared at me, snapping, "This is all your fault! Elianna, are you some kind of jinx? The second you show up, Carley gets hurt."
Before I could even respond, Dariel cut in, unable to stand it any longer, "You idiot! You're the one who was being careless. What does this have to do with Elianna? Stop wasting time and get her to the hospital."
Stephen's face went from pale to flushed under Dariel's scolding.
He took a deep breath and barely managed to say, "Carley, I'm sorry."
Then he turned to the butler and said, "Have the driver take Miss Bowers to the hospital. Bill everything to me."
With that, he grabbed his coat and hurried out of the dining room without looking back.
He looked like he was running for his life.
Carley watched his retreating figure, trembling with rage, her pretty face contorted with fury.
In the end, the butler sent Carley off to the hospital.
The spacious dining room was suddenly just me and Dariel.
Dariel took a sip of coffee and then glanced at me with something thoughtful in his eyes.
"Elianna, sorry you had to deal with all that," he said.
I shook my head. "I'm really not bothered."
"You're a good girl," Dariel let out a sigh. "Stephen's not a bad kid. He just gets stuck on things. His condition is really more of a mental burden.
He paused and then added, "You're my rightful granddaughter-in-law. Carley? She's not someone who belongs in the spotlight."
I knew Dariel was backing me up.
"Thanks, Dariel," I said.
*****
After breakfast, I got a call from my friend Harry Newton.
He had been working on a movie lately and wanted me to share some real experiences about childhood trauma and scent memories for reference.
I changed into something else and got ready to head out.
Just as I reached the entrance, I spotted Stephen's car parked in the yard.
Stephen was propped against the car, cigarette in hand.
When he spotted me, he crushed out his smoke and gave me a look I couldn't quite read.
"Where are you headed?" he asked.
"Just meeting a friend," I replied.
"Hop in, I'll drive you," he said, as if it was no big deal.
"Don't bother," I said.
"Bother?" Stephen snorted.
He gave a cold chuckle and yanked open the car door.
"Just stepping out as Mrs. Benton is already making waves. Get in," he said.
I slid into the passenger seat.
The car smoothly pulled out of the Benton estate.
Silence filled the car.
Suddenly, something popped into my head.
"Mr. Benton, is it all women you're allergic to?" I asked.
His hand tightened on the steering wheel as he turned to look at me, his eyes full of caution.
"Why are you asking?" he said, sounding guarded.
"Just curious," I replied.
I watched his tense profile, noticing how his jaw was clenched.
"I mean, you couldn't help but react to me both last night and this morning," I added.
"Shut up!" Stephen barked.
He jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly on edge.
"That was just an accident. A woman like you only makes my allergies worse," he retorted.
I nodded.
"What about Miss Bowers? You must really like the way she smells, huh?" I pressed.
The car slammed to a stop at the curb.
Stephen spun around, eyes blazing red as he stared me down.
"Elianna, what are you really trying to say?" he snapped.
I looked him straight in the eye and spoke calmly, "Mr. Benton, have you ever considered you might have chosen the wrong 'cure'?"
The air felt frozen, thick with tension.
Stephen's eyes narrowed suddenly, locking onto me with an intense, unblinking stare.
"What do you mean?" he snapped.