The next day, the Thanksgiving team dinner was held in a banquet hall at an upscale hotel.

Clark, flushed from alcohol and holding a glass in hand, was delivering yet another speech about "unity" and "team cohesion".

I sat in a corner, quietly eating, trying to make myself invisible.

After a few rounds of drinking, the banquet hall doors opened. Hotel staff wheeled in a cart stacked with beautifully packaged tart gift boxes.

Davin was the first to rush up, open one, and hold it high. "Wow! Everyone, look! Mixed nut tarts! These must be expensive."

My heart sank. Mixed nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and melon seeds… Those were all a disaster for me. Especially walnuts. Even touching them could give me hives. I didn't even want to imagine what would happen if I ate one.

Meanwhile, my colleagues crowded forward to grab the boxes, opening them up and sharing the tarts on the spot. Praise filled the room.

"Mr. Rackham has great taste. These look amazing!"

"This is much more meaningful than 800 bucks."

I lowered my head, hoping no one would notice me. But of course, that didn't happen.

Davin walked straight over to me, holding a plate of tarts, his smile sickeningly sweet. "Fabian, why aren't you eating? We all gave up our bonuses for these. Try some. They're really good!"

He nudged the plate closer. A tart full of nuts stared right at me.

I clenched my hands, forcing a stiff smile. "Thanks, but I'm not really into sweet stuff."

"Oh, come on! Whether you like it or not, you should at least try a bite." His voice rose, drawing everyone's attention. "These tarts represent our department's collective pride. Fabian, you're not going to disrespect everyone like that, are you?"

The words "collective pride" pressed down on me like a weight.

Clark walked over, glass in hand, and patted my shoulder. "Fabian, Davin is right. It's just a gesture—a show of appreciation. Everyone's eating. What does it look like if you're the only one who doesn't? Don't kill the mood."

The others chimed in.

"Yeah, Fabian. It's just one bite."

"Don't be such a party pooper. Let's all have a good time."

"You're not still mad about the 800 dollars, are you? That's petty."

Everyone surrounded me. It felt like I was on trial, and my crime was being a "party pooper".

I took a deep breath, making one last attempt. "Mr. Rackham, I'm allergic to walnuts. I really can't eat it."

For a second, the room fell silent. Then, Davin burst into exaggerated laughter. "Fabian, that excuse is so old. Last time, it was alcohol. Now, it's walnuts. Next time, you'll tell us you're allergic to water."

He turned to Clark, looking aggrieved. "Mr. Rackham, I'm just trying to help Fabian fit in. Why would he lie like this just to reject everyone's kindness?"

Clark's expression darkened. He looked at me with disappointment. "Fabian, I didn't expect this from you. Making up lies like this just to throw a tantrum."

He then shoved a tart into my hand, his tone firm. "Today, you're eating this tart whether you want to or not. This is about attitude."

I gripped the tart in my hand, still trying to refuse.

Seeing that I wouldn't give in, Davin shot a look at a male colleague he was close with. The guy quietly stepped behind me and jabbed his fingers into my side.

Pain shot through me, causing me to gasp. And in that instant, Davin shoved the tart into my mouth. The other guy immediately followed up, forcing a glass of alcohol down my throat.

The moment I swallowed the tart, my throat felt like it had been scraped raw with sandpaper. A burning pain exploded from within. Then, a suffocating swelling surged up from deep in my throat. My breathing turned rapid as rashes broke out across my face and neck, itching and burning.

I coughed violently, trying to force it out of my throat, but nothing came out.

Davin stood to the side with his arms crossed, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Oh? Putting on a show now? Fabian, with skills like that, you should've gone to acting school."

His friend laughed along. "Right? His face is all red. He's really going all out. If I didn't know better, I'd think we forced him to drink poison."

Clark snorted heavily, his face full of disdain. "That's enough, Fabian! Stop this act. You're ruining everyone's mood. If you don't want to stay, then get out!"

I braced myself against the table, trying to stand, but my legs felt like they were filled with lead. My vision blurred. Everything around me seemed distant, like I was underwater.

I clawed at my throat, feeling my airway tighten bit by bit. "Meds. My meds…" The words squeezed out through my teeth.

Summoning everything I had left, I reached for my briefcase on the chair, but it fell to the ground. Everything spilled out. Wallet. Keys. Tissues…

I fumbled through the mess on the ground like a madman. Finally, I found the pill case. My lifeline!

My hands trembled violently as I pried it open. But the next second, my blood ran cold.

It was empty. The white tablets that had been inside were gone. And in their place were crushed crumbs of a mixed nut tart.

How did this happen? Where were my meds? I had clearly checked before leaving the house. There had been at least three pills left.

Despair gripped me.

Watching me like this, Davin's smile widened. He crouched down, picked up the empty case, and waved it in front of my face. "Looking for this?"

His voice dropped low, laced with satisfaction. "Don't bother. I threw them out for you."

I snapped my head up, staring at him with bloodshot eyes. "Why?" I gasped out the word with great difficulty. It felt like a blade had sliced through my throat.

"Why?" Davin's grin grew brighter. "I think you're too delicate, allergic to this and that. It must be from taking too much medication. Medicine is basically poison. You should eat more sweets instead to build up your energy.

"So, I helped you out. I swapped your meds for tarts. See? I'm looking out for you."

His voice wasn't loud, but it hit my ears like thunder.

He switched out my medication. He knew about my allergy all along. Everything he did was him trying to kill me!

I felt the air in my lungs growing thinner by the second. Each breath felt like I was inhaling shards of burning glass.

No. I couldn't die here!

Clinging to my last survival instinct, I used the remaining strength in my body to fumble my phone out of my pocket. My fingers trembled from lack of oxygen, but relying on muscle memory, I hit the contact shortcut I knew by heart, then typed out the message, "Mom, help me. I'm having an allergic reaction. I'm at the Harroway Hotel, third floor, Peony Hall…"

The moment I hit send, the phone slipped from my weakening grip. At that moment, a sharp pain shot through my calf.

Davin had stomped on me with his leather shoe. "Hey! Don't play dead. Everyone, look. He's really getting into character now. He's even twitching! Should I call him an ambulance? Maybe add some dramatic lighting too?"

The crowd erupted in even louder and more unrestrained laughter.

"Davin, you're terrible! He's acting. Don't ruin his performance!"

"I bet he's just trying to win Mr. Rackham's sympathy after embarrassing himself in the vote."

Clark watched coldly, showing no intention of stopping it. Instead, he casually lifted his glass and took a sip.

Seeing that, Davin grew even bolder. He grabbed another nut tart from the cart, forced my jaw open, and shoved it into my mouth. "Fabian, since you like acting so much, here's a prop for you! Eat another one, and I guarantee you'll win the Best Actor award this year."

The rough edges of the nuts cut my throat. Crushed nuts mixed with my blood. The taste made me want to vomit, but I didn't even have the strength to retch.

My airway was blocked. The last bit of oxygen was gone. The world around me dissolved into spinning patches of color. The laughter around me faded into a blur.

"Mom, hurry up… I can't hold on…" I thought desperately.

Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the banquet hall doors slammed open. The deafening crash made everyone turn to look.

At the entrance stood my mom. She shouted at the top of her lungs, "Fabian, I'm here!"