Chapter 1

I went to visit my boyfriend, Damian Glover, the award-winning actor, on set and brought Starbucks for the entire crew.

His assistant, Celia, refused coldly, "Just leave it there. I'm allergic to milk."

Well, how was I supposed to know?

I didn't care and set the drinks on a nearby table.

That night, Celia went into an allergic shock on her way home and almost got hit by a truck.

Damian confronted me, his face full of anger. "What did you give her?"

I was completely baffled.

I said, "How would I know what she's allergic to? Besides, I didn't force her to drink it."

Damian went into the kitchen without saying another word.

It was rare for him to cook, but this time, he cooked a full meal, saying he wanted to celebrate the movie wrapping with me.

The next morning, however, I woke up wrapped head to toe in plastic tape and covered in flowers.

The fact was, I had asthma, and he knew that. Even the slightest pollen exposure could be deadly.

Damian sat by Celia's hospital bed and said softly, "I packed her in the freshest flowers and brought her over to apologize to you.

"Come on, eat some food, or your stomach will start hurting again."

I sneered, looking up at the security camera in the corner.

Then I said, "Come get me right now, and I'll agree to your request."

Damian frowned as he fed Celia the last spoonful of food.

Then he turned to me, who was writhing in pain on the floor, and said coldly, "Are you out of your mind? What are you babbling to the camera? Just apologize to Celia."

Red blotches started blooming across my skin as the allergy kicked in.

The pollen was suffocating me, and I could only force my mouth open, making desperate, raspy sounds for help.

Seeing this, Damian pulled out a handkerchief and gently dabbed at the pollen on my face.

As he looked at the raw red streaks on my skin, his eyes softened just a little.

He said, "I can tell that you're suffering, so why are you still keeping up this stubborn act? Just say sorry, and I'll let you go."

Damian seemed to have forgotten what he used to promise me.

My heart twisted painfully, but I was so numb that I couldn't even feel it anymore.

I forced a bitter smile, staring at him in disbelief, my voice hoarse. "I was just trying to be nice and brought drinks for your crew, and somehow that's my fault, huh?

"Celia didn't have to drink it. Why am I the one to blame?"

Celia Stanley looked pale and delicate, propped up in the hospital bed as she softly reached for Damian's hand.

She said, "Damian, I'm fine. The doctor said just a few more allergy shots, and I could go home.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have posted our picture online and made your fans misunderstand. No wonder Marie felt upset.

"From now on, I won't take anything from Marie. She never planned to include me anyway."

Damian's face clouded over in an instant.

He just tossed the pollen-stained handkerchief at my face, ignoring how swollen and bruised I looked or the hopelessness in my eyes.

He said, "Marie, it was just a dumb photo. If it bothered you, why didn't you just tell me to delete it?

"You chose the lowest, most despicable way to threaten Celia's life. How am I supposed to just let that go?"

Damian just shot the bodyguard a look, and the guy immediately came over to me with a bag in hand.

I thrashed and fought, but the pollen-covered duct tape wrapped around me only squeezed tighter the more I struggled.

The bodyguard grabbed a fistful of pollen from the bag and viciously ground it into my bare skin.

The pollen blocked my nose and throat, and I was gasping in pain, tears falling uncontrollably.

Celia let out a startled scream and buried herself in Damian's arms.

Damian tenderly cupped Celia's ears. "Don't listen if you're scared, or you won't sleep a wink tonight.

"If you knock on my door in the middle of the night again, I won't take you in."

Seeing them so cozy together made my chest feel tight, and I curled up without thinking.

I remembered how I used to always bug Damian to watch horror movies with me.

He'd laugh at how much of a chicken I was, but whenever I got freaked out, he'd just put his hand over my eyes and whisper, "Don't worry, I'm right here with you."

I desperately tugged at my collar, my face flushed from lack of air, and the ceiling swam before my eyes.

When Damian saw me struggling, his expression changed slightly, and he released Celia and moved toward me.

However, he had barely taken a step before Celia grabbed his arm.