At my boyfriend Asa Clark's birthday party, all attention seemed to focus on his childhood friend, Ellie Perkins. Because Ellie disliked strawberries, Asa insisted I eat an entire slice of strawberry cheesecake, dismissing Makenzie Grant’s warning about my allergy as trivial. "Come on, stop being so dramatic," he said impatiently.

As I experienced an allergic reaction, struggling for breath, Asa was busy comforting Ellie’s tantrums. While my friends rushed me to the ER, Asa didn't even glance up, too busy promising Ellie some jewelry as a peace offering. Even as I lay there, pale and weak, he mocked, "Putting on a show for whom? Once we get the marriage license next Monday, it'll be just what you wanted, right?"

That night, Ellie sent me a message dripping with provocation: "He's not going to show up next Monday. You'll never win against me." She’s right, I thought. If I can’t win, why bother at all?

By the time Makenzie got me to the hospital, my throat was completely constricted, as if drowning in an endless wave. Panicking, I clutched at my neck. The doctor quickly set up an emergency airway, and amidst the chaos of the ER, I passed out on the stretcher.

I woke to darkness in a hospital room, an IV needle tugging painfully at the bruise on my hand. Makenzie gently stopped me from pulling it out, her voice laden with emotion, "You're still on the IV, don’t move."

I looked at her, and she turned her face away awkwardly. Trying to speak, I found my voice gone, so I wiped her tears instead. Sniffling, Makenzie finally offered some comfort, "Loretta, don’t be upset. Asa probably didn't realize your allergy was that severe..."

I shook my head with a weak smile. Just then, my phone buzzed with Ellie’s text: "He’s not going to show up next Monday. You'll never win against me."

I blinked back sudden tears as Makenzie looked at me with deep concern. "Loretta, don’t hold it in. If you feel like crying, just cry," she urged.

But I shook my head again, trying to show her I was fine, even as tears filled my eyes. I knew I shouldn't cry. With my allergy symptoms still strong, crying would only worsen the risk of suffocation. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't quash the ache in my heart.

Makenzie, flustered and unsure how to console me, watched helplessly.

Through watery eyes, I typed a message on my phone: "I’m okay; I just need to let off some steam."

Exhausted from crying, I fell asleep again. Makenzie gently tucked the blanket around me, then quietly left the room with her phone.

When I woke again, I heard Asa's voice, lowered and hushed. For a moment, I thought he had come to see me and was about to get up to find him.

But as I pulled the blanket aside, Ellie’s playful voice followed, "Asa, my stomach's only hurting a little. It doesn’t stop us from going for a midnight snack."

"You little foodie, always thinking of food," Asa chuckled indulgently.

Through the gap in the privacy curtain, I saw Asa sitting by Ellie’s bed, his long fingers gently caressing her hand. Ellie, with a pout, was being playful. The intimate atmosphere enveloped them, so much so that even I, his official girlfriend, couldn't help but acknowledge, "They really do suit each other."

The warm ambiance shattered as Makenzie stormed in. "What do you think you're doing, Asa?" she demanded.

Ellie, unfazed, turned cheerfully, "Makenzie, you brought oranges? You’re so sweet!"

Makenzie walked briskly to her bedside, looking down at her, "Ellie, Asa is Loretta's boyfriend. Have you no shame?"

Ellie froze, tears welling up as she looked at Makenzie with feigned innocence. Asa frowned deeply, pulling Ellie closer protectively, and snapped at Makenzie, "Watch your mouth, Makenzie!"

Boiling with anger, Makenzie yanked back the curtain beside my bed, pointing at my frail form. "Asa, I thought you’d seen my message and came to take care of Loretta. But instead, you’re here flirting in Loretta’s hospital room? Disgusting!"

Asa, momentarily caught off guard, quickly regained his composure. Still holding Ellie, he didn’t inquire about my condition but instead coldly justified, "Ellie has cramps. I brought her here. As a woman, you should understand."

A thousand needles seemed to pierce my heart, but I forced a smile and nodded. When I remained silent, Asa’s frown deepened, "Such bad manners!"

Ellie jumped in, "Don’t say that," then softly whined to me, "Loretta, you don’t know how slow Asa can be. I was nearly passing out from cramps before he noticed."

Despite my pale complexion, I managed to keep a composed smile.

"Asa, you're massaging the wrong spot. It's my stomach that hurts, not my hand," Ellie teased with a playful pout. Asa smiled warmly at her, "Alright, little princess. You're hard to please."

Watching her bright smile and Asa's boundless affection, my heart shattered into pieces.

I never knew Asa could be so gentle.

Thinking back to those days when my cramps left me bedridden, all I wanted was for him to get me a cup of hot coffee.

Just a simple request.

He not only refused to help but mocked me, "Can't you use your own hands?"

And now, my boyfriend was doing what I wouldn’t even dare to dream of, for another woman, right in front of me.

People truly can't be compared.

When it came to Ellie, Asa never gave me a fighting chance.

I lost, and I accepted it.

Makenzie wanted to stand up for me.

But I gently tugged at her sleeve and, with all the strength I had, whispered, "Makenzie, let it go."

Although my allergic reaction was subsiding, my voice was still terribly hoarse when I first spoke.

Hearing my voice, Asa finally glanced at me.

"Loretta, what's with your scratchy voice? Have you been up to something behind my back?"

His insinuating tone cut like a sharp blade.

I had promised myself not to care about him anymore, but when it came to facing reality, it was much harder than I had imagined.

Tension filled the air for a moment, then Rosemary, the nurse, walked in.

She removed my IV needle and reminded me to take my allergy medication regularly.

"It's nothing serious. You'll be able to leave tomorrow morning."

I clutched the nurse's arm and asked with effort, "Can I be discharged tonight?"

With Asa and Ellie around, I couldn't stay in that space another moment.

Rosemary didn't understand my urgency but nodded in agreement.

As I followed her to leave, Asa suddenly caught up and grabbed my arm.

I turned and met his intense gaze.

"Loretta, what are you doing? You know I won't let you leave in the middle of the night alone. Ellie's still getting her IV. Are you trying to cause trouble?"

"I'm not..."

I hurried to explain but didn’t know where to begin, so I fell silent halfway through.

Taking the opportunity, Ellie spoke up, "Asa, you should go. Loretta's more important."

Despite her words, when Asa looked back at her, a tear the size of a pearl slid down her cheek.

Then, as if not wanting to be noticed, she stubbornly turned her head away.

Predictably, Asa's heart ached.

He forcefully dragged me back to the hospital room and flung me onto the bed.

Then, he went over to hold Ellie in his arms, kissing away her tears with tender kisses.

"Nonsense. In my heart, you're the most important."

The girl, who was avoiding his kisses earlier, clung tightly to his waist upon hearing those words.

They couldn't resist kissing.

Only when Makenzie dropped a glass did they snap back to reality.

After reluctantly pulling apart, Ellie finally seemed to remember my presence.

She looked at me apologetically, "Sorry, Loretta. Asa was just trying to comfort me. Please don't misunderstand."

Asa wiped away the corner of her mouth, "Are you done fussing?"

His voice was cool and pleasant, but it made my ears ring.

I wanted to pull the blackout curtain, but Makenzie held it firmly to keep me from doing so.

"Loretta, you..." Her voice rose in frustration, knowing my inability to take a stand.

But I was truly out of strength.

This allergic reaction nearly cost me my life.

Fortunately, fate was still on my side.

This disaster opened my eyes to Asa's true nature, and it strengthened my resolve to leave him.

For a girl who values her worth, there's no place in a loveless home.

I lay on the bed, staring out at the black night sky.

It wasn't until the first rays of dawn broke through the clouds that I closed my tired eyes.

Last night, Makenzie said she'd risk a heart attack from anger and left the hospital against my wishes.

Now, the two on the adjacent bed were sleeping in each other's arms.

I quietly got out of bed and went to complete the discharge paperwork.

Stepping out of the hospital building, the fresh air cleared the knots in my heart.

I pulled out the email from a week ago—the invitation from the National Dance Company in Dublin—to join as their lead dancer.

I dialed the number provided.

"Mr. Long, I've decided to join the Dublin Dance Company."

Asa Clark and I have known each other since childhood. Our mothers were best friends, so naturally, we often played together. I remember Asa’s parents jokingly referred to me as their "future daughter-in-law." My own parents would laugh and say, "Maybe Asa will marry little Loretta when they grow up."

I’m not sure if Asa ever took those words seriously, but I did—I kept them close to my heart. However, when I was in first grade, my parents had to relocate to Manchester for work, and we lost touch with the Clarks.

Tragically, not long after, my parents passed away in an accident. I became a child without a home until the Clarks took me in. That’s when Asa and I reconnected. Whether it was out of pity or a sense of responsibility, after we graduated college, he proposed marriage. So just like that, we ended up together, as if by default.

At first, I was always insecure, thinking that someone as handsome and talented as him deserved a better partner. But Asa would reassure me, telling me not to worry and that I was the only bride he wanted.

I had been studying ballet since I was young, dreaming of becoming the principal dancer in a prestigious company. But Asa didn’t want me in the spotlight. So, out of love for him, I gave up performing and settled for working backstage. Back then, I naively believed his possessiveness meant he couldn’t stand the thought of me dancing for others.

Just when I thought we were heading toward marriage, Ellie Perkins returned from studying abroad. It was then I discovered that after we moved, Asa had grown close to Ellie and they’d stayed connected for over a decade, not becoming a couple only because of our parents’ joking promise.

Initially, Asa was often impatient with me. I understood he held me responsible; he believed that if I hadn’t been in the picture, he could have been with Ellie freely. But over time, he seemed to grow accustomed to my presence, maybe out of pity or because I was always attentive and put him first. He was touched by this and softened toward me, which I mistakenly took for love.

I now realize that what I perceived as love was merely one-sided. Asa’s reluctance for me to be in the spotlight wasn’t about love; he was afraid I’d embarrass him. In his mind, I could never measure up to Ellie. Now that I see things clearly, I refuse to lose myself for anyone. I’ve come to believe that letting go might be the real path to freedom.