"Julia, stop kidding yourself. I told you already, I'm never going to marry you. Not in this lifetime." The words left Elvis's lips, sharp and cold. Claire watched from the side, her heart sinking. Something felt wrong. And almost instantly, Julia started gasping for air, her face turning ghost-pale, lips tinged with blue. It was terrifying, classic signs of a heart attack.
"Julia!" One of the bodyguards shouted, panic hitting his voice.
"Her meds, hurry!" Someone else called out, desperate.
"We don't have any. She came so suddenly today, we forgot to check her bag," another guard said, rifling through the luggage, his expression going white with fear. Now even Elvis looked worried. He might have been annoyed by Julia, but he definitely didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Their families lived next door to each other, and they practically grew up together, best friends when they were kids. But somewhere along the way, Julia became obsessed. She started treating Elvis like her own personal property, never letting anyone get close. It was suffocating, and that was why Elvis had kept pulling away.
"A doctor! Is there a doctor here?" Elvis shouted, searching around for help.
Claire pulled Norris's sleeve. "Norris, I have emergency heart pills in my bag."
Norris shoved his hands in his pockets, confused. "Why do you even carry those around?"
"Do you have a heart problem too?" He looked Claire up and down, clearly doubting it. She looked too healthy for that.
"Did you forget? I started studying medicine way back in grade school," Claire said, rolling her eyes. "I keep emergency meds and even a set of acupuncture needles in my purse."
She actually hadn't brought her gold needles, figuring traveling overseas was risky enough already. She really didn't want her family's heirlooms getting lost somewhere unfamiliar.
By now, the hotel manager had shown up, frazzled, already calling for an ambulance. "Is there a doctor here?" he yelled into the lobby, voice echoing.
No one stepped forward. Just Claire, who zipped open her purse quick as lightning and grabbed a tiny bottle of pills.
She handed one to Elvis. "Have her take this."
Elvis stared at the pill, guilt twisting on his face. Why did he say those things he knew Julia was fragile Now he just looked miserable totally out of sorts-though he didn't snap at Claire.
"It's a special heart medicine from Solenia. Works really well for sudden chest pain.
Make her hold it under her tongue," Claire explained.
Elvis gave her a skeptical look. "Really? This is safe?"
"Just give it a try. It's not poison," Claire replied, a little impatient at how much he was hesitating.
Norris stepped in, ever the practical one. "It'll only help if she actually has angina. If it's something else, she shouldn't take it."
"She does. She's had a heart problem since she was a kid!" Elvis blurted out, rushing over to Julia with the pill in hand.
The bodyguards hesitated for a
second, not sure if they could trust it, but Julia saw the medicine came
from Elvis, and she didn't even think twice-she took it right away.
"If I died because of her, would you finally stop hating me?" Julia thought as she
swallowed, the pain twisting her insides even more.
Elvis just stared at her, lost for
words. "I don't hate you," he set
quietly. "I just don't want you
controlling my life have the right to
make friends, Julia."
For the first time, Julia was silent. The heart pill actually helped. Her breathing
steadied, color returning to her cheeks.
She looked up, still clinging to something she couldn't let go of. "That girl... she's the one who gave you the medicine? Do you really like her?"