Part 1Taking Back the Charm: He Panicked

Everyone in South City knew that Stella Wallace and Julian Quinn were famous for never getting along.

As Julian’s fiancee in name only, Stella had laid out three rules. He was not allowed to go street racing. He was not allowed to stay out all night. Above all, he was not allowed to go see his crush, Yara Xenford.

Julian deliberately went against her.

He would either race along every inch of South City’s mountain roads or spend the entire night drinking at a private club until he could barely stand. On Stella’s birthday, he even purposely kissed Yara under a sky full of fireworks.

He made a complete fool of Stella in front of everyone.

Everyone was waiting for the drama to begin.

They were sure that Stella, South City’s most sought-after socialite, would see the photos of Julian and Yara kissing all over the internet and storm over there and would drag that reckless playboy home.

An hour after the photos went viral, Stella finally showed up.

But she did not lose her temper, and she did not drag Julian home. She simply walked up to him and held out her hand. Her voice was so soft that it almost seemed to disappear into the air.

“Julian, seven years ago, I gave you a lucky charm. Can you return it to me?”

The private room went completely silent.

Julian froze too. He instinctively reached up and touched the red lucky charm around his neck.

Seven years ago, he had gotten into a car accident while street racing. He remained in the ICU for an entire day and night before he finally woke up. The first person he saw was Stella.

* * *

Stella Wallace’s eyes were red from crying, and she looked much thinner than before. When she saw Julian Quinn open his eyes, tears streamed down her face again.

She took the lucky charm from around her neck and awkwardly put it around his neck.

“My grandma gave this to me. I wore it ever since I was a little girl, and I was never hurt as long as I had it with me.”

Her voice had been hoarse and stern that day. “I’m giving it to you now. Julian, you’d better keep it on. From now on, you’re not allowed to get hurt ever again.”

Julian had always hated his fiancee. He should have taken the lucky charm off right then and thrown it back in her face. But for some reason, he did not. He only let out a cold chuckle.

“That’s pretty bossy. What, am I not allowed to take it off for the rest of my life?”

She had stayed silent. Then, she said softly, “You can take it off the day I stop loving you. When that day comes, I’ll come and take it back myself.”

For some reason, those words stirred a strange feeling in him. He could not explain what it was. He quickly pushed it aside. He stayed on the couch and let out a careless, mocking laugh. “What do you want it back for?”

“No reason.” Stella’s voice was calm and distant. “I just don’t want you to have it anymore.”

That same inexplicable irritation rose inside Julian again. He looked at the face he had known better than anyone else’s for as long as he could remember.

Ever since they were children, she had always had that same gentle and proper look of a well-bred young lady. She was always so composed. She was always so restrained. She had always seemed boring to him.

He remembered how she had followed him around all those years. He recalled how she was always telling him what to do and what not to do. Suddenly, he thought he understood.

“Oh…” He let out a breath. A cocky smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes shone with mockery.

“After all these years, you finally realized that clinging to me isn’t going to make me fall for you, and now you’re trying to play hard to get, aren’t you?”

Stella said nothing.

Julian was convinced that he had figured her out. He stood up and looked down at her. “Fine! If you want to play hard to get, go right ahead. If you want your lucky charm back, that’s fine too. Eat the plate of mangoes on the table, and I’ll give it back to you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room gasped.

Yara Xenford was the first to speak up. She tugged on Julian’s sleeve and whispered, “Julian… isn’t that a little too much? Ms. Wallace is allergic to mangoes.”

Julian did not even look at her. His eyes stayed fixed on Stella. “If she thinks it’s too much, she doesn’t have to eat it. I’m not forcing her.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Stella sat down in front of the coffee table.

She picked up a piece of mango and put it in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed.

After the first piece, her lips started to turn red.

After the second, tiny red bumps appeared on her cheeks.

After the third, her breathing became labored, and large red patches appeared across her neck.

The room fell completely silent.

Julian stared at her. Her pale skin quickly turned red, and her breathing came out raspy. She did not stop. She kept pushing mangoes into her mouth.

She did not stop until the plate was empty. Then, she finally looked up.

Her eyes were so swollen that she could barely open them. Her lips had turned dark purple. Her voice came out in broken gasps, as if she had used every last bit of her strength. “I… ate it all. Can you… return it to me now?”

Julian’s anger flared even more. He suddenly kicked the coffee table in front of him. The glass shattered with a sharp, piercing crash.

“Take it!” He yanked the lucky charm from around his neck and hurled it at her. “Get out!”

With that, he grabbed Yara’s hand and walked out without looking back.

The others took the hint and quietly slipped out too.

Just as Julian was about to walk out the door, a dull thud sounded behind him.

Yara turned around and cried out, “Julian, Ms. Wallace collapsed! Her allergic reaction is really bad! Is she going to be okay? Should we take her to the hospital?”

Julian stopped and instinctively looked back. Stella was curled up on the floor. Her whole body was shaking, and the rash had spread across her face. Her breathing was heavy and labored.

His heart ached. He was about to walk over to her when Yara suddenly twisted her ankle and fell into his arms.

He immediately turned around and caught her. His brows drew together. “How did you twist your ankle? Does it hurt?”

Yara leaned against him with a helpless look on her face. “I’m fine… I can handle it. You should go check on Ms. Wallace. She looks really bad…”

Julian glanced back at Stella on the floor in disgust. He felt a strange wave of irritation for some reason, but his voice remained cold.

“Leave her alone. She chose to eat the mangoes. If she dies, that’s her own fault. At least, I won’t have to deal with her anymore. I’ll take you to the hospital and have your ankle checked.”

With that, he took Yara in his arms and walked out of the room.

The private room fell silent again.

Stella lay on the floor. She used the last of her strength to pull her phone from her pocket and dial 911.

“I’m… at The Belle Club in South City… third floor… Room 308…” Her voice was broken and barely audible. “I’m having an allergic reaction… I need an ambulance…”

After she hung up, she pressed her face against the cold floor. She could feel herself slowly losing consciousness.

“Don’t worry, Julian…” she whispered. Her voice was soft and faint. “I won’t bother you… for much longer.”

She thought, ‘You still don’t know.

‘They found out that I’m not really the Wallace family’s daughter.

‘The real daughter’s coming back soon.

‘I’m leaving this place.’