The Poison She Cured, the Love She Killed

It was then that the maid of honor, Yvonne Smith, hurried to cover Whitney with a bath towel. She then turned and shot me a disapproving look, saying, "I know your wedding is set for today, Daniel, but would it have been too much to exercise some control? How could Whitney be seen in public—"

Whitney, tightening the towel around her, shot me a furious glare and snapped, "Daniel had nothing to do with how I look! Steven was exposed to some aphrodisiacs last night. I was just being kind by helping him, but someone here is being completely petty about it!"

In that instant, a sudden tension fell over the room.

Yvonne's teasing grin instantly faltered. She still tried to smooth things over, though, saying, "You shouldn't kid around like that, Whitney. You know, we're absolutely delighted to see such affection between you two! You should get changed first."

"I'm not joking about this!" Whitney suddenly bellowed.

She then marched to the bedside, took Steven's hand, and declared in a loud, arrogant tone, "Steven is right here! I'm the one who saved him, and as for what we did last night—"

"That's enough, Whitney!" Yvonne immediately pinched Whitney's arms to stop her from speaking further.

"I haven't done anything wrong! You've always known how much I liked Steven since I was young, Yvonne! I'm also doing something noble by saving someone's life!" Whitney argued.

"That's enough!"

I felt a profound sense of weariness settling over me as I witnessed Whitney's complete lack of remorse. I immediately turned and walked away.

Whitney rushed toward me, cutting off my exit. "Have you had enough of your tantrum, Daniel? You can't just walk away now that the bridesmaids are here!"

It was then that a bunch of her bridesmaids started chiming in.

"You should calm down first, Mr. Lister. You're about to tie the knot, and you can't just throw away five years of love!"

"That's right! She wasn't willfully sleeping around with another man—she was saving someone's life! You really should try to be less exacting about the whole thing!"

"Exactly! I mean, since Steven and Whitney have known each other since childhood, you'll all become friends moving forward. You should be the bigger person!"

I let out a short, cynical laugh, saying, "I'll only be inviting contempt by standing here and letting everyone see me getting cuckolded!"

I was just about to say something when Steven's condition took a sudden turn for the worse, and the medical team rushed him off to the hospital.

Whitney's eyes were brimming with concern. She waited until Steven was gone, then turned and bellowed, "I hope you're satisfied now, Daniel. Your ridiculous accusations destroyed all my efforts from last night. You would be held responsible if Steven doesn't make it!"

I couldn't believe that she actually had the audacity to mention her efforts from the previous night. I looked at the resentment brimming in her gaze and felt my heart aching terribly. It turned out that my five years of sincere dedication were nothing compared to Steven's single appearance.

Whitney rushed out, not even bothering to slip on a pair of shoes, intending to follow the departing ambulance. She merely commanded me before leaving, "You'd better put the wedding on hold since Steven can't be left unattended."

She suddenly asked when the bridesmaids stood in her way, "What are you guys doing?"

"You're about to get married, Whitney. You shouldn't let an impulse destroy such an important occasion."

"That's right, Whitney! You see, we can just hire a caretaker to look after Steven. You should just stay put and focus on your upcoming wedding ceremony."

Whitney refused to heed any of their suggestions. She fought hard, trying to break free and get away.

I observed the unfolding spectacle with an icy gaze, then stated flatly, "You guys should just let her go since the wedding is off."

Upon hearing that, Whitney immediately stiffened, her expression one of utter disbelief. "You're threatening me, Daniel!"

I wasn't really threatening her. I was just emotionally drained from this whole thing. It was five years ago when Whitney claimed that she fell in love with me at first sight and began a relentless pursuit. I remained unmoved by her stubborn pursuit for three months, and it wasn't until a major storm struck that she defied the peril and traveled to my work location, solely to confirm my safety.

In that moment, she looked radiant, and despite being utterly drenched and disheveled, she simply said, "I'm glad that you're fine, Daniel."

I felt my heart hammering in my chest at that moment, and from then on, I became instantly and hopelessly trapped in the throes of love. I first helped the Sullivan family negotiate a billion-dollar contract when we became a couple and subsequently contributed funds and labor to enable their international expansion, thereby systematically eliminating every hurdle in their way.