I opened my eyes to find Jacob by my bedside, but Catherine was gone.

There was a hint of panic in his eyes.

"Mia, the doctor said you're not fully recovered yet. You shouldn't get so emotional."

I nodded faintly, not saying a word.

He pulled out his phone and fiddled with it for a while before looking up at me with a reproachful gaze.

"Why didn't you say you weren't feeling well earlier? Do you know how guilty Catherine feels now?"

The tenderness that used to be in his eyes was gone entirely, replaced by outright disdain.

I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears welled up in my eyes as I demanded sharply.

"Jacob, I'm the one who's sick!"

"I've already been pushed to this point because of you—do you even have a heart?"

"I told you I was allergic, but Catherine still forced me to eat it. What exactly was she trying to do?"

He didn't used to be like this.

Whenever I got hurt in the past, he would be so distressed that he would hug me in his arms.

"Mia, don't get hurt anymore. It breaks my heart."

But now, he's the one who's turned me into this.

Perhaps overwhelmed by shame and anger, he stood up abruptly.

"Mia, do I need to remind you that you're nothing more than a little pet my family supports?"

"Catherine is my girlfriend and she's the woman I've chosen to marry. Show her some respect."

"If you cross the line again, I'll make you pay for it."

With those cutting words, he turned and walked away.

It felt like a giant hand was squeezing my heart, leaving me gasping for air.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I tried to speak. My voice shook, barely audible.

"Jacob, I think it's time I gave up on you."

I watched him walk away.

While clutching at my chest as a pang of sorrow hit me.

For some reason, I felt like I was about to lose something—something slipping through my fingers no matter how tightly I tried to hold on.

I stayed in the hospital for three days.

Since that day, it felt like Jacob had utterly forgotten about me. He had yet to show up again.

I packed all my things. I dragged my weak body back to the Yales’s house. I didn't want to return here.

But I had no other place to go. I went back to my room.

My teacher gave me two weeks to finish everything, which was plenty of time.

I had a competition in a week. It's a design competition that's recognized throughout the industry.

Winning a prize in this competition would be a big boost for my future So, I took it very seriously.