Chapter 3

Tia Brown paused for a moment. “Probably went out to play again.” “That kitten is such a handful. There are so many bad people out there. What if it runs into someone cruel? I read a story the other day—some psycho took out a kitten’s liver. It was absolutely disgusting.” Tia let out a cold laugh without turning around. “Oh, removing a kitten’s liver is disgusting, is it? What about taking out a human’s liver?” Hargrove Myers stiffened. “That would make them a deranged killer.” “Exactly. A deranged killer.” Sensing something unusual, Hargrove cautiously asked, “Tia, do you regret donating your liver to me? Your liver saved my life; it was used for something meaningful. That psycho just threw the kitten’s liver away like garbage. I’m not like that.” No, you’re not like that. He just threw the kitten’s liver away. But you? You chopped mine up and fed it to stray cats. You’re far more cruel. Hargrove softened his tone, gently coaxing her. “You should go rest. No need to cook tonight. I’ll take you out for dinner.” … Tia Brown assumed “going out for dinner” meant a quiet meal at a restaurant. She didn’t expect Hargrove Myers to take her to a private dining room in a high-end hotel. When the door opened, seven or eight people were already inside. Tia recognized most of them—they were Hargrove’s close buddies. The same group who had joked in the hospital room about drawing her blood to feed rats and cockroaches. “Tia! You’re here!” “Make some room for Tia!” Hargrove Myers, ever the gentleman, pulled out a chair for her and said softly, “Tia, have a seat.” The group cracked jokes as she sat down. “Wow, Hargrove, you really spoil her. Such thoughtful service!” “You two always flaunting your love—have some pity on us lonely souls!” Hargrove laughed and scolded them. “Even eating doesn’t shut you guys up.” He guided Tia into her seat before sitting beside her. With care, he used the communal chopsticks to place food on her plate. “Tia, here’s your favorite broccoli.” “And this tofu stew—it’s light and full of protein.” “This pork liver, too, is good for your blood. You should eat more of it.” “And some chicken soup. I made sure they added ginseng. It’s very nourishing. Have more of it.” In the past, Tia would have been moved to tears by this level of attention from Hargrove Myers. But now, staring at the pork liver on her plate, her hands began to shake. Was he trying to replenish her blood to make it easier to draw later? His tenderness and care only filled her with an icy dread. “What’s wrong, Tia? Are you cold?” Hargrove handed her a bowl of chicken soup. “Drink this. It’ll warm you up.” Tia took the bowl and drank it all in one go. The warm soup settled in her stomach, making her feel alive again. But soon, a sharp pain tore through her abdomen. She fell from her chair, clutching her stomach as she curled into a ball. “Tia! What’s wrong?” The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was Hargrove Myers’ anxious face. Her final thought wasn’t about his concern for her well-being. No, he’s just afraid that if something happens to me, I won’t be able to keep donating blood. And then he won’t have anything to impress May Cross with anymore. — When Tia woke up, the smell of disinfectant filled her nose. The doctor’s voice was stern. “You just donated part of your liver not long ago. Your body is still recovering. Why would you take diet pills? And you’re not even overweight!” Tia’s mind was a blur. “I didn’t take any diet pills.” “Didn’t you? Your bloodwork shows a high concentration of laxatives. Wasn’t that from diet pills?” “I swear I didn’t take anything. Not even laxatives…” “Then how do you explain the laxatives in your system? Did they appear out of thin air? Think carefully—what did you eat today?” Today… She hadn’t eaten much of anything. Except the bowl of chicken soup Hargrove Myers had given her. Chicken soup. Laxatives… It was him?! The sound of a phone ringing broke her thoughts. It wasn’t her ringtone—it was Hargrove Myers’. Back when she was still in love with him, Tia had bought matching phone cases for the two of them—both light blue with small, slightly different designs in the corners. He must have picked up her phone by mistake and left his behind. She glanced at the screen. The caller ID read: Norwell Martinez. Norwell Martinez was one of Hargrove’s closest friends. Tia knew that much. She answered the call. From the other end came the sound of laughter and chatter. “Hargrove! Congrats, man! Another success!” “She just donated her liver and now she’s taken the laxatives you spiked her with. This time, Tia Brown’s not dying, but she’ll be hanging by a thread!” “Haha, I got that laxative from the vet’s office! It’s meant for cattle, hundreds of kilograms heavier than her. The stuff is crazy strong!” “I just told May about it, too. She replied with a kiss emoji in the group chat! First time in years! Looks like all these little revenge stunts are finally winning her over!” “Hey, Hargrove, why aren’t you saying anything?”