Chapter 4

After leaving the clinic, I went straight to my storage unit and dropped off most of my bags.

By the time I got back to the apartment, Dominic was already there. And so was Chloe.

Chloe greeted me at the door like she was the owner of the place.

"Oh, Hazel, you're back. We ran out of guest slippers, so you'll have to use these disposable ones."

I looked down. She was wearing my slippers.

The ones Dominic had bought for me.

My feet were smaller than Chloe’s, so her heels were sticking out of the back of my slippers.

It looked ridiculous, but she was wearing them proudly just to mock me.

I looked past her into the living room. Dominic was drinking beer with his friends, completely ignoring the situation.

I didn't say a word. I slipped on the cheap paper slippers and walked in.

The dining table was covered in food—lobster, crab, oysters. A massive seafood feast.

My stomach instantly churned.

I was severely allergic to shellfish. Dominic knew this.

Dominic finally looked up from his drink. "Why are you just standing there? Sit down and eat."

Chloe picked up a piece of lobster, put it on his plate, and cooed, "Try this, Dominic. It’s so fresh."

Dominic smiled and took a bite, never once looking in my direction.

To them, I was invisible. An unwanted guest in my own home.

Staring at the table of food that could literally kill me, and watching them laugh and drink, I finally spoke up.

"What about me?"

The clinking of glasses stopped. Dominic turned to me, his face tight with irritation.

"What about you? Just eat. Do I need to spoon-feed you now?"

"I'm allergic to shellfish, Dominic."

"Well, that's your problem. I didn't know you were coming home for dinner tonight."

Dominic raised his glass and took a long gulp.

The atmosphere at the table turned awkward.

A few of his friends exchanged glances and tried to smooth things over.

"Uh, Hazel, maybe you can just order some UberEats? Or whip up something quick in the kitchen?"

"Sure," I said quietly.

I turned and walked back to the bedroom.

Behind me, someone let out a loud snort.

"Why are you trying to please her? Even Dominic doesn't give a crap about her."

"I don't know, man. She looks kind of pitiful."

"Pitiful? More like pathetic. I hate drama queens. An allergy is not that deep. Can't she just order a pizza and shut up?"

"True. I've never seen anyone as spineless as Hazel. It's hilarious."

They didn't even bother to lower their voices. Dominic sat there, silent, letting them drag me.

Which meant he agreed with every word.

I looked at the clock. Tomorrow was Monday.

I pulled out my last suitcase, walked out of the bedroom, and headed straight for the front door.

The laughter in the living room died instantly.

Dominic’s face darkened. "Are you really throwing a tantrum right now? Over a dinner?"

Chloe stood up, her eyes suddenly pooling with fake tears. "It’s all my fault. Hazel, please don't leave. I'll go."

But before she could step forward, Dominic slammed his glass down and stood up.

"Don't move, Chloe. If she wants to leave, let her leave."

One of Dominic's friends rolled his eyes. "Seriously, it’s just an allergy. Can you stop being so dramatic? Who behaves like this?"

"She really thinks she owns this place. Nobody even wants you here, Hazel."

"No wonder she has no family. Who could tolerate a personality like that?"

I froze. Holding back the sharp pain in my stomach, I slowly turned to look at Dominic.

His face was cold, devoid of any warmth. He stared at me and said, word for word:

"If you walk out that door tonight, don't ever think about coming back."

Even now, his first instinct was to threaten me.

I couldn't tell if what I felt was relief or freedom. I let out a soft laugh, turned the knob, and stepped out into the night.

Behind me, a loud crash echoed as Dominic threw his favorite bottle of Macallan against the wall.

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