Chapter 6

When Tamara was discharged, Braxton held a celebratory banquet in their home. He invited a few nutritionists to prepare various dishes.

Braxton placed a hand on her waist.

"Everyone else will only be able to eat dishes you've approved and tried. If not, they're prohibited from even touching it. Then, choose the nutritionist you like."

Braxton's gentleness no longer made her heart flutter. She allowed him to lead her into the hall. The second she stepped in, she became the center of attention.

Annalise was pushed into a corner, but her eyes were boring holes into Tamara. Once, Annalise had been the center of attention at an event like this as well. How had she fallen from grace to the point of only being allowed to eat Tamara's leftovers? If looks could kill, Tamara would've been dead.

One of the nutritionists brought out a new plate of desserts and placed it beside. Suddenly, a loud clink disrupted the peaceful atmosphere. Everyone turned around to see that a bite had been taken out of the cake in front of Annalise.

"Ms. Prescott, Mrs. Merrick hasn't tasted that dessert yet," someone pointed out.

Calmly, Annalise put her fork down and said, "My apologies. I was just too hungry."

Then, she slowly took a second piece out of the cake.

Whispers erupted around her.

"Where's this little rascal from?"

"How could she disobey the rules set out…"

"How did she even get in here?"

As everyone tensed, Tamara was overcome by exhaustion. Braxton was already hers. Did she really need to claim ownership of a cake as well?

Walking over, Tamara dismissed the onlookers by saying, "It's alright. There's no need to follow the rules so strictly. Just enjoy yourselves. I'm a little tired, so…"

Before Tamara realized what was happening, she fell into the huge cake with Annalise. When Tamara scrambled to her feet, her dress and hair were covered in sticky cream.

"What happened?"

Braxton immediately rushed over and pulled out a handkerchief to help Tamara clean up. However, he was too rough. When he wiped over the needle wound where Tamara had been given the IV drip, she let out a noise from the pain.

He stopped and turned to Annalise.

"You like the cake, right? Take the nutritionist who made this cake, then. You're forbidden from firing her. She'll finish her three year contract with you, and she's not to take a day off. I'll be watching."

The guests gasped in surprise.

"This is a Vichelin-starred foreign cook, right? How could she afford it?"

"She'll probably be sobbing every time she eats it."

"When she took a piece of the cake, she should've known that this would happen."

Annalise froze. In the end, she left with teary eyes. Tamara would've believed their act if she hadn't picked up on Braxton's concerned, longing gaze.

While Annalise couldn't afford it, Braxton certainly could.

Tamara felt as though all her strength had been sapped from her. She turned to go back and rest, but Braxton pulled her into a corner.

"Why are you getting mad at her? She's just a little hungry rascal."

"I'm not mad."

Tamara's calm demeanor set Braxton off.

"Right. You weren't mad. You just punished her on the spot."

Tamara's head snapped up. She met his glazing eyes. Any trace of the warmth he'd displayed at the banquet was gone.

"What do you mean by that? Do you think I'd intentionally pushed her into the cake with me?"

Although Tamara found it ridiculous, she tried to keep her voice level.

"Go and check the surveillance footage."

Frowning in annoyance, Braxton said, "You know I'll never investigate it when it comes to you. That being said, Tamara, don't play these tricks out of jealousy. It's very out of character for you."

Tamara stared into Braxton's eyes, studying her warped reflection. This was utterly absurd. Braxton, who'd once flown across the world just because she told him she missed him, could no longer be bothered to even hear her out.

"You don't believe me, Braxton," said Tamara softly. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. She was sure.

When Braxton's phone began buzzing in his pocket, he got into his car without looking back.

With the hosts gone, the guests dispersed unhappily.

Tamara sat back down and picked up her fork. She chewed and swallowed, repeating the motions mechanically until she could no longer stomach any of it. Rushing to the bathroom, she threw up. In the end, the pill she'd taken to regulate her emotions was flushed down the toilet as well.