Chapter 3

Suddenly, the phone rang in the ward.

It was Alicia, Damian's agent, calling to confront him. "Damian, don't you think you owe me an explanation? Why are you in the hospital right now?"

However, before Damian could say a word, Alicia cut him off, her voice sharp with anger. "Didn't I tell you? You're a celebrity now. If you're sick, call your private doctor.

"The hospital is already mobbed by your fans. Whatever you do, don't show your face. Stay put, and I'll come pick you up."

The call ended, and Damian's expression darkened instantly.

Celia gave me a wounded, suspicious look. "Marie, did you leak the news to those fans?" she asked.

I looked down at all the tape wrapped around me and almost laughed at how crazy her accusation was.

I could barely stay alive. If I could reach a phone, the first thing I would do is call the police and get these two thrown in jail.

Celia didn't bother with the facts. She kept stirring Damian up. "Even if you're upset, you can't just risk Damian's whole career.

"You know Damian's new show is about to air. He needs to keep his reputation spotless, so why are you causing him all this trouble?"

I didn't bother explaining. Instead, I just played along, my voice weak and shaky. "If you really don't want anyone to find out, you should let me go while you still can.

"Otherwise, you won't be able to handle what comes next."

Damian glanced out the window. The hospital entrance was already packed with people.

It wasn't just fans; there were media vultures everywhere, cameras flashing nonstop.

He yanked the curtains shut, desperate to keep the paparazzi from getting any shots.

He marched over, his face full of hatred, and he clamped his hand hard on my face. "Marie, I fought my way up to where I am now. How dare you use my career to threaten me?"

Celia was glued to her phone, scrolling through the latest gossip, her tone sharp and accusing. "Marie, people are saying Damian brought his girlfriend to get an abortion. Is this what you wanted?

"Damian, we should just let her go. Who knows what other shameless moves she might pull on us if we keep her here?"

Damian's face was stormy as he let go of me, wiping his hand with a tissue as if I were something filthy. He barked at the bodyguard, "Dump all the pollen on her."

Hearing those words sent a chill through me, and my teeth chattered. I cried, "How could you do this to me?

"Damian, don't you dare forget. If it wasn't for my financial support, those thugs would have finished you off long ago."

Damian's dad was hooked on gambling, constantly borrowing at high interest and mortgaging the company.

One time, a gang of thugs cornered Damian for money. If I hadn't stepped in, he'd have been dead or crippled that day.

I felt so bad for him that I gave him half my money so he could stay in school, and I even tagged along to film sets, working as extras just to help him pay off his debts.

A flash of guilt showed in Damian's eyes as I brought up the old days.

Then, seeing Celia lying in the hospital bed and the reporters lurking outside, he clenched his fists and shot me a look full of resentment.

He snapped, "Sure, I owe you, but Celia doesn't owe you anything."

This time, the bodyguard didn't hesitate. He grabbed the bag and dumped the whole thing right over my head.

The pollen was so strong that I could barely breathe, coughing violently. The hornets got agitated and kept stinging me.

I used the last of my strength to yell for Damian, my voice raw and desperate. "Damian, please, get a doctor. Hurry."

When Damian saw my face turning deathly pale, he finally realized just how bad things were.

My vision blurred, and my throat couldn't make a sound anymore.

Only then did panic set in. He frantically asked, "Where's your asthma inhaler?"

My arms and legs felt like jelly, and I was in so much pain that I couldn't even open my eyes, let alone answer him.

Damian's eyes were bloodshot as he yelled at the bodyguard, "Where's the asthma inhaler? Didn't I tell you to always keep one with you? Hurry up and give it to me."

The bodyguard hurriedly handed Damian the inhaler.

Damian crouched and helped me up from the floor.

Noticing things were getting out of hand, Celia quickly got up from the bed, trying to sound considerate. "Put Marie on the bed."

Damian hurried over and set me down on the bed. He started wiping the pollen off my face with a tissue, then asked Celia to open the inhaler for him.

However, Celia let the inhaler "slip" from her hand, acting all innocent as it hit the floor.

Celia made a show of struggling to bend down and pick it up, but her leg in a cast just so happened to press down hard on the bottle like she didn't mean to, but it was way too obvious.

Finally, the plastic bottle gave out with a sharp pop, and the medicine spilled everywhere.