Chapter 1

The air at the party was stifling.

The music blared deafeningly.

My chest tightened, and my breathing became labored.

My trembling fingers reached for the emergency inhaler in my pocket.

The medicine bottle felt unusually light.

I shook it, but there was no sound.

Adrian walked over with Zoey in his arms.

He casually said, "Zoey had a sore throat, so I let her use your inhaler."

I clenched the empty bottle, my fingertips turning white.

"That was my life-saving medication..."

Zoey nestled in his arms, her voice soft and sweet, "Don't be mad, sis. I just had a little dry cough."

I gasped for air, but it felt like someone was choking me.

"A dry throat... Couldn't you just drink water?"

Adrian looked impatient. "Throat lozenges could help too. Don't make a big deal out of it."

The flashing lights on his face made him look utterly cold.

I slid down the wall, sitting on the floor.

The phone screen blurred in my vision.

I struggled to type.

Every breath came with a wheeze.

"Mom, I'm having an asthma attack."

"Adrian gave my inhaler to someone else."

Adrian glanced at his phone screen and let out a mocking laugh.

"Tattling again? Are you in elementary school?"

He snatched my phone and held it high above me, looking down with a smirk.

I struggled to get up and grab it back.

Suddenly, my vision blurred, and I collapsed back onto the couch.

"My asthma... help me..." I managed to choke out the words.

Zoey sauntered over, waving an inhaler with a sly smile.

"Oh, our dear Princess Evelyn is feeling unwell? Or is this just an act?"

"That's why we shouldn't bring girls to these gatherings. Always causing drama with their jealousy."

I gasped for air, glaring at Zoey.

She was Adrian's childhood "best buddy."

Always hanging out with the guys, acting like one of them.

Adrian often praised her in front of me, calling her straightforward and bold.

A real tomboy, he said.

When we first started dating, I thought she was interesting.

But then Adrian introduced me to his circle of friends.

Zoey always seemed enthusiastic on the surface.

"Adrian has good taste! Where did you find this princess?"

"Let's stick together, girl! We'll have fun and ignore these smelly men."

But her gaze always carried a sharp edge.

She was cunning.

She talked about sisterhood but subtly excluded me at every turn.

At every gathering, she would bring up childhood memories.

I couldn't join the conversation, so I just sat quietly in the corner.

Then she would dramatically throw an arm around Adrian's shoulder.

"Why so quiet, Princess? Are you jealous?"

I had told Adrian many times how uncomfortable I felt.

But he always brushed it off, saying I was overreacting.

He said Zoey was just being her straightforward self.

But now, Zoey didn't even bother pretending.

"Princesses are so delicate. Are you upset because we're not paying attention to you?"

The men burst into laughter.

"Give me the inhaler... I can't breathe..." My voice trembled.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Then erupted into even louder laughter.

Zoey clung to Adrian, laughing until tears streamed down her face.

"Great acting! Adrian, don't fall for it!"

The others joined in.

"Adrian, you're not scared of your girl, are you?"

"Man, you're embarrassing us! You need to put her in her place!"

Adrian's face turned red.

He deliberately avoided looking at me, raising his voice.

"Who cares about her? She needs to learn a lesson!"

The suffocation grew worse.

I desperately grabbed Adrian's sleeve, my throat making hoarse, guttural sounds.

"Help... me..."

Adrian seemed to waver.

Zoey quickly cut in.

"Enough, Evelyn. No one's buying your act."

I tried to crawl toward the door.

But Zoey shoved me back onto the couch.

"The gathering isn't over yet. Are you really going to ruin it?"

She pushed me hard.

The back of my head slammed against the wall.

A dull thud echoed, and stars danced before my eyes.

Before I could recover, Zoey suddenly screamed.