Chapter 2 Sean didn't answer.

But the worry and urgency in his eyes slowly faded.

Thunder cracked again, and I screamed.

Sean instinctively moved to hold me, but Serena stopped him.

"Sean, if you give in to her now, she'll have you under her thumb for the rest of your life, and she'll never get a chance to face her fear.

"Trust me. I've been studying relationships for almost ten years. I'm a professional!"

Sean hesitated and stayed where he was.

The rain eased off, and the thunder slowly died away.

I lifted my tear-streaked face as my body finally stopped shaking.

Serena smiled as if she'd known it all along.

"See? You're fine."

Sean's voice turned cold.

"You're right. I've spoiled her too much."

Serena said that, as part of my exposure therapy, I should be left alone in the room that night.

Otherwise, given the chance, I'd go right back to burdening Sean with my feelings.

And all the progress we'd just made would go to waste.

"I happen to have a room with a king-size bed next door. I suppose I can make room for you."

Sean hesitated.

Serena raised a fist and pretended to look offended.

"What, you don't want to share a room with me? Or are you worried people might get the wrong idea about us?"

That made Sean laugh. He put his hands up in surrender.

"I wouldn't dare."

They left laughing and talking. I curled up in the corner, biting my lip until it bled.

The wind and rain raged all night.

I sat on the bed and texted my mom.

"Mom, I want to come home."

It was three in the morning in Bali. Mom answered right away.

"I told you those out-of-town boys can't be trusted, but you wouldn't listen... Oh, honey. Now you've learned the hard way.

"Come home. I've got a whole list of nice young men lined up for you. You'll have plenty to choose from."

My eyes stung.

I opened a travel app and searched for flights.

It was peak travel season, and the only flight home I could get was three days out.

I barely slept a wink that night.

Sean didn't come back until noon the next day, and there was a bite mark on his collarbone, like someone had staked a claim.

He seemed a little embarrassed when he noticed me looking.

He rushed to explain, "She's a restless sleeper. She was dreaming about a drumstick and used me as a chew toy."

I didn't answer.

I didn't even care anymore whether he was telling the truth.

"Hey, you. Are you talking trash about me again?"

Serena ran over and jumped on Sean's back, wrapping her thin arms tightly around his neck and demanding an answer.

Of course Sean denied it. The two of them started horsing around like no one else was there until they knocked over a bottle on the table.

A whole bottle of red wine spilled all over me.

I'm severely allergic to alcohol. Even skin contact sets off a reaction.

Within minutes, angry red welts appeared on my bare skin and spread before my eyes.

Only then did Sean realize how serious it was. He hurried off to find allergy medicine.

Serena was the one who eventually pulled some out of her pocket.

She looked exasperated.

"Seriously? You're using such an obvious trick to frame me?

"Eve, if you can't stand me, just say so. Do you really have to go to all this trouble?

"I get that you're insecure in your relationship, so you treat every woman who comes near your boyfriend like an enemy and start competing with her."

She tossed the allergy medicine at me and rolled her eyes.

"If anything between Sean and me was ever going to happen, it would've happened long ago. You never would've had a chance. So, Eve, could you stop acting threatened by every woman you see?"

Sean's voice was low and cold. "Eve, this time you've really gone too far."