Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
After three years at the company, I finally received my promotion notice.
It was an overseas assignment. Terrified of putting distance between us, I called her immediately to talk it through.
"Babe, come home early tonight. There's something really important we need to discuss."
A brief silence hung on the other end of the line.
"Not tonight. Julian is craving those viral garlic oysters, so I promised to wait in line with him. Afterwards, we're heading to the beach to watch the sunrise."
"When I asked you to watch the sunrise with me, you said it was a complete waste of time."
"Why do you always have to kill the mood? He's all by himself in the city. I can't just abandon him."
Right after she hung up, a message from her childhood friend, Julian, popped up on my phone.
[Hey bro, she's mine for the night. I'll watch the sunrise in your place.]
I looked down at the transfer order in my hands and let out a dry laugh.
Then, I typed back:
[She's all yours from now on.]
I didn't sleep a wink that night.
I sat alone on the living room couch, watching the sky outside turn from pitch black to pale gray, and finally to bright morning light.
Not a single text came through.
Lauren was probably too busy—busy watching the sunrise with Julian.
At nine sharp the next morning, I arrived at the office.
I walked straight into my boss's office.
"I accept the overseas relocation."
Mr. Davis was thrilled. He pulled out a document and handed it to me.
"Fantastic! This is a once-in-a-lifetime career move for you."
"Fill out this transfer form and hand it back before the end of the day."
"Will do."
I completed the paperwork in minutes and submitted it.
After work, I caught an Uber home.
The moment I pushed the door open, bursts of laughter echoed from the living room.
Lauren and Julian were sitting close together on the sofa, with takeout boxes of barbecue and open beer cans scattered across the coffee table.
They were scrolling through photos on his phone, laughing hysterically.
"Look at this angle! The morning sun hitting the water is pure magic," Julian said, pointing at the screen with smug, youthful pride.
Lauren tilted her head toward him, wearing a bright, tender smile I hadn't seen in years.
A smile that once belonged exclusively to me.
I stood by the entryway kicking off my shoes, completely ignored.
It wasn't until I walked over to the kitchen counter to pour a glass of water that Julian finally glanced up.
His eyes lingered on my face for a split second.
Then, a grin spread across his lips.
"Hey bro, you're back? Where've you been all day? You look like crap."
Only then did Lauren turn around. She immediately frowned.
"Where the hell did you go? You didn't even bother calling to let me know."
I didn't answer. I just took my glass and sat down at the dining table.
Julian chimed in again, his tone dripping with fake innocence. "Is he mad at us for staying out to watch the sunrise?"
My hand tightened around the glass.
Lauren's face instantly hardened, and she glared at me.
"Chase, are you serious right now? It was just a sunrise! Who are you making that miserable face for?"
I looked up into her eyes.
There was no concern, no guilt—only pure annoyance.
"I'm not making a face."
"Then why are you sitting there pouting like a child?"
"Julian rarely has a good day, and you have to ruin it the second you walk through the door?"
Julian gently tugged at Lauren's sleeve.
"Lauren, drop it. He's probably just exhausted from work today."
His touch softened her demeanor immediately.
"At least you know how to be considerate," she sighed.
She stood up, walked into the kitchen, and pulled a takeout container from the fridge.
"By the way, we had a few grilled oysters left over from last night. Saved them for you."
She shoved the box in front of me like she was tossing scraps to a stray dog.
"Eat up. We stood in line forever to get those."
I stared at the greasy shells, smothered in minced garlic and chili oil.
"I'm not eating that."
"Why not? Don't you love seafood?"
"I'm severely allergic to seafood."
The room fell dead silent for two seconds.
Lauren's face stiffened momentarily, but she brushed it off just as fast.
Julian tilted his head, smiling sweetly.
"You know, Chase, a lot of people have mild seafood allergies. It's really not that big of a deal."
"A bite or two won't kill you."
"My friend gets mild hives sometimes, but honestly, most of the time it's totally fine."
Hearing this, Lauren nodded in instant agreement.
"See? Even Julian knows. You're just being dramatic as usual, blaming every little thing on an allergy."
"It's just a couple of oysters. What could possibly happen?"I stared at Julian.
He shot me a fleeting, mocking smirk that Lauren couldn't see.
I put down my glass, my tone dead flat.
"I said no."
Julian's smile vanished instantly.
He dropped his head, his voice turning small and fragile. "Are you mad at me, Chase?"
"Is it because I went with her? Are you blaming me?"
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have asked her out."
As he spoke, tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.
Lauren blew a gasket on the spot.
"Look at what you're doing! Julian was just trying to be helpful, and you're treating him like garbage!"
She shoved the container right against my chest.
"Eat it."
I didn't budge.
"Chase, I told you to eat it. Are you deaf?"
I still didn't move.
Lauren completely lost her temper.
Grabbing a pair of forks, she stabbed the largest oyster out of the shell and shoved it straight toward my face.
"Open your mouth!"
I jerked my head away, but the greasy meat brushed hard against my lips.
The spicy oil smeared across my skin, instantly triggering a sharp, burning itch.
Julian gasped dramatically from the couch.
"Lauren, stop! If he hates it that much, don't force him!"
"No, he's eating it today."
"He pulls this childish act every single time. I've coddled him for too long."
She grabbed another one, pinched my jaw with brutal force, and shoved it straight down my throat.
The rancid, fishy stench exploded across my tongue, sending an intense wave of nausea straight to my gut.
I doubled over, gagging violently until tears spilled from my eyes.
Julian stood up, looking deeply wounded.
"Lauren, if Chase hates me, he could just say so. Did he really have to put on a show just to humiliate me?"
"I tried to do something nice by saving those for him. Why does he have to be so cruel?"
Lauren's expression turned murderous.
Looking down at me as I choked and heaved, she felt zero pity—only convinced I was performing.
"Chase, you are going to finish this entire box right now."
Leaning against the table, I wiped the oil from my mouth, my voice barely a whisper.
"Lauren... you know I could die from this."
"Julian just told you it's harmless! Stop playing the damn victim!"
"Eat it!"
She forced every single piece into my mouth, fork by fork.
I fought back with everything I had, but she pinned me down, forcing me to swallow each slimy mouthful under sheer force.
When the box was finally empty, Lauren slammed it onto the table.
"There. Done."
"Look at you—you're perfectly fine! Stop being so pathetic."
She turned to Julian, her tone instantly melting into sweetness.
"You barely slept last night. Go into the guest room and take a nap."
Julian gave an obedient nod and followed her toward the guest room.
I sat frozen at the dining table, staring at the empty container.
Red hives were already erupting across my hands.
My neck was on fire, itching uncontrollably.
I glanced down at my phone. It was 2:45 PM.
Gripping the table, I forced myself to stand, grabbed my wallet, and walked out the door.
Once downstairs, I dialed 911.
"Operator, I'm having a severe seafood allergy attack. I need an ambulance immediately."
"Sir, can you still breathe?"
"Barely."
"Stay calm, help is on the way."By the time the paramedics arrived, I couldn't string a full sentence together.
My throat felt like it was closing up, and my breathing grew shallow and frantic.
The angry red rash had spread from my arms to my neck and face, burning like thousands of fire ants crawling under my flesh.
As the emergency crew lifted me onto the gurney, I faintly heard the radio dispatch.
"Male, twenty-six. Severe anaphylaxis, widespread urticaria, suspected laryngeal edema. ETA ten minutes to ER."
I closed my eyes on the stretcher, thinking: At least I'm still conscious.
At least I'm not dead yet.
The moment we reached the ER, the medical staff hooked me up to an oxygen mask and shoved an IV into my vein.
Lying on the hospital bed, I stared at the sterile white ceiling tiles.
The harsh white lights looked just like the ones in the operating room from years ago.
Once the allergic reaction was finally brought under control, the attending physician came in for rounds.
He flipped through my chart, his face stern.
"Your allergy is critical. If you had arrived thirty minutes later, your airway would have closed off completely. You were looking at full anaphylactic shock and suffocation."
I nodded weakly, unable to speak.
The doctor glanced around the empty room. "Where's your family? Why are you alone?"
"She's... busy."
The exact same excuse I gave the nurses earlier.
The doctor looked at me with quiet sympathy, didn't press further, and wrote 'Keep for six-hour observation' on the chart.
The ward was dead quiet, save for the old man in the next bed snoring softly.
I watched the IV fluid drip down drop by drop. Suddenly, my phone buzzed.
It was Lauren.
I answered.
"Chase, where the hell are you? Why haven't you cooked dinner yet?"
No concern. Just cold, impatient interrogation.
"I'm at the hospital."
"Hospital? What are you throwing a fit about now?"
"Severe allergic shock."
The line went dead silent for two seconds.
Then, Julian's voice drifted through the speaker, faint but deliberate enough to be heard.
"Lauren... is he blaming those oysters? But allergies really shouldn't be that bad..."
His voice sounded trembling and wronged, as if he were the real victim here.
Lauren's tone instantly hardened into venom.
"Chase, did you do this on purpose?"
"What?"
"Julian told you it wouldn't be serious, and yet here you are, running to the hospital!"
"Are you pulling this pathetic stunt just to force an apology out of me?"
My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles turned white.
"Lauren... the ER doctor said thirty more minutes and I would've choked to death."
"Stop exaggerating! Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?"
Julian's gentle voice floated through the receiver again.
"Lauren, don't be too hard on him. Maybe he's just really fragile."
"I mean, he spends so much time home alone. Now that you're finally around, he probably just wants your attention."
Fragile.
Attention-seeking.
A pity play.
The words pierced through me like needles, but I didn't even have the strength left to feel the sting.
Lauren let out a heavy, disgusted sigh.
"Enough with the drama, Chase."
"You ate something, you got a rash, get the meds and get your ass home."
"Stop lying around in the hospital playing the victim. There's a pile of chores waiting for you here."
"Bye."
She hung up.
I placed the phone beside my pillow and stared blankly at the ceiling.
The elderly man in the next bed rolled over, muttering under his breath, "Kid... your people are pure poison."
A bitter smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth, but I said nothing.
By the time the six-hour observation ended, it was already 1:00 AM.
The doctor repeatedly reminded me to rest, avoid allergens at all costs, and return for a follow-up in a week.
I signed my discharge papers and called an Uber home.
At the front door, I rang the bell.
I waited on the cold porch for what felt like an eternity before the door finally swung open.
Lauren stood there in her silk pajama set, hair disheveled, rubbing her half-open eyes.
She gave me a cold glance and immediately turned back inside.
"You're finally back? Done throwing your tantrum?"
I remained by the entryway, completely still.
The guest room door was firmly shut; Julian was sound asleep inside.
Lauren walked over to the couch, slumped into the cushions, and checked the time on her phone.
"It's past one in the morning. What the hell do you want from me?"
I walked over and stopped on the other side of the coffee table.
"Lauren, let's get a divorce."
Chapters (3)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Watch & Promotions
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