My boyfriend, Brody, loved playing "pranks" on me. During a road trip to a desert national park with him and my best friend Cassie, he claimed the car tire was flat and asked me to step out and check. The moment my feet hit the scorching gravel, he floored the gas pedal and drove off with her. Half an hour later, a voice message from Cassie popped up on my phone. "Hahaha, you're so gullible, Dani! You really believe everything Brody says." Then Brody's casual, remorseless voice chimed in. "I heard the desert scenery is gorgeous. Consider it a cardio workout. We'll wait for you at the hotel." The desert had zero cell service. My phone battery soon died. As the sun set and darkness swallowed the wasteland, absolute panic overwhelmed me. I trekked for miles in thin canvas sneakers. My heels were rubbed raw and bleeding, my legs were scratched by dry brush, and my stomach cramped violently from hunger and chronic stress. It wasn't until midnight that Brody finally drove back to pick me up. "It was just a joke to build your stamina, look how weak you are," he said dismissively, not even glancing at my bleeding feet. "Don't be mad. Cassie prepared a huge surprise for you at the hotel." When we arrived at the hotel suite, Brody covered my eyes and led me inside. When he uncovered them, a massive silver platter sat on the table, piled high with tempting red lobster and king crab. Exhausted and starving, I eagerly picked up a lobster claw and bit down—only to taste cold grease and an empty, sucked-dry shell. Cassie burst into hysterical laughter, clutching her stomach until tears streamed down her face. "Brody, look how greedy she is! Like a starving beggar!" She pointed at the pile of debris with a smug look. "We specially packed this seafood feast for you! It's all the leftovers Brody and I gnawed on, it even has my spit on it!" A violent wave of nausea hit my empty stomach. I rushed into the bathroom, collapsing by the toilet and dry-heaving frantically until I tasted bitter bile and a faint trace of blood. For three years, I had hidden my identity as a billionaire heiress, working sixteen hours a day unpaid as a ghost-designer to build Brody's jewelry startup from scratch. I thought my devotion would earn his love. But in his eyes, I was just a pathetic joke, a punching bag for him and Cassie to satisfy their sick entertainment. I wiped my mouth and looked at my pale, exhausted face in the bathroom mirror. This cruel game was finally over. Chapter 1 Daniela POV I dry-heaved, but nothing came up except sour, bitter stomach acid that burned my throat. Brody stood by the bathroom door, his arms crossed over his chest. He frowned, his lips curling in sheer distaste. "Are you done being melodramatic?" Brody said, his voice flat and annoyed. "It was just a joke, do you really have to overreact like this?" "Besides, it's just what Cassie and I left over. It's not like it's dirty." Cassie covered her mouth, bursting into hysterical laughter. It took her a long time to calm down. "Actually, it even has my spit and snot on it." "Dani is just so greedy, she'll even eat spit." She let out another fit of laughter, even leaning directly against Brody's chest. A violent wave of nausea hit me, and my stomach churned all over again. "Here," Brody muttered, tossing a crumpled paper napkin at my chest. "Clean yourself up. You're embarrassing." He reached into his pocket and tossed a plastic-wrapped, crushed convenience store snack cake onto the table. It landed right next to the dirty, spit-covered lobster claws. "Eat that," Brody said. "It's chocolate." Cassie giggled, sipping her wine. "Eat up, Dani. I know you love this cheap junk food anyway." I had been abandoned in a scorching desert, walking until my heels bled. And now, I was being fed garbage, watching them blatantly flaunt their betrayal. I stood up, ignoring the shooting pain in my torn feet. I raised my arm and swiped the spit-covered snack cake off the table with full force. "Keep it for yourselves," I said, my voice trembling but cold. Brody grabbed my wrist immediately, his grip tight and punishing. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed, his face inches from mine. "It was just a joke. Cassie and I thought the trip was getting a bit dull, so we came up with this to mess with you. Can't you just be a little more mature? We're all out here to have a good time, and you insist on throwing a tantrum and ruining the mood." The exclusive seafood dinner reservation I had spent days fighting to get, he and Cassie had gone to eat by themselves. They abandoned me in the wasteland for an entire day, and now he was telling me it was a joke. "Leaving me in the middle of a desert without water or food is not a prank! Leaving me garbage to eat is not a joke!" I shouted, my voice cracking with hoarseness. Cassie immediately set her wine glass down, affectionately grabbing my hand and acting spoiled. "Brody, stop, please," Cassie pleaded softly, her voice trembling like a frightened child. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have suggested the lobster prank. Dani, don't be mad at Brody. To make it up to you, he actually prepared a gift." Brody exhaled heavily, reached into his jacket, and pulled out a small velvet jewelry box. "I had this specially made for you," Brody said, his voice tense and arrogant. "Try to show some gratitude for once."

Daniela POV Before Brody could even hold the box out to me, Cassie's hand darted forward and snatched it straight from his fingers. "Wait, let me see it first!" Cassie squealed, popping the velvet lid open. She lifted a delicate silver chain from the black cushion and held it up against her own collarbone, tilting her head toward the mirror. "Oh, Brody, it's so tiny and cute! Look at how it catches the light!" As she tilted her chin, the collar of her silk shirt shifted. Resting against her throat was a thick, dazzling platinum tennis necklace set with brilliant round-cut diamonds. The stones caught the chandelier light, throwing brilliant rainbows across the room. I recognized that necklace instantly. Two months ago, I had drawn the CAD sketches for it by hand. It was McCarty Jewels' limited-edition "Eternal Radiance" piece, retailing for fifteen thousand dollars. "Do you like your necklace, Dani?" Cassie asked, her lips curling into a sweet, poisonous smile. "Brody bought my diamond choker at the flagship store yesterday, and the jeweler threw this silver chain in for free as a promotional giveaway. Brody immediately thought of you! Isn't he the sweetest?" A free promotional giveaway. A mass-produced, silver-plated chain worth maybe twenty dollars. That was what Brody had prepared for me, while the custom diamond piece I designed sat on Cassie's neck. "It really suits your simple look, Dani," Cassie continued, stepping closer to me with the cheap silver chain dangling from her fingers. "Here, let me put it on you. Don't be shy." Cassie reached behind my neck, trying to force the cold metal against my skin. I grabbed the chain with both hands, jerked it out of her grip, and snapped it in two. The tiny links broke with a faint click. I dropped the broken pieces onto the wooden floor. "I don't want it," I said flatly. Cassie let out a dramatic gasp, dropping to her knees to gather the broken silver bits. "Dani! How could you?" she whimpered, looking up at Brody with glossy, tear-filled eyes. "Brody gave that to you with love! It doesn't matter how cheap it is, it's the thought that counts! Why do you care so much about price tags?" Brody's face darkened with pure rage. He stepped over Cassie, glaring down at me like I was dirt under his shoes. "You ungrateful bitch," Brody snarled. "Cassie defended you, and you break my gift right in front of her? Is that how you treat my gestures?" "Your gestures?" I laughed, the sound cold and hollow in my throat. "Your gestures are pretty damn cheap." Cassie blinked with fake innocence. "Dani, don't be so sensitive. Brody meant well." "Besides, you always dress so plain and simple. This little minimalist necklace suits you perfectly. If you wore something too expensive, you wouldn't be able to pull it off anyway." I looked at them standing side by side. In that moment, the fog of the last three years cleared completely. I remembered how Cassie, using our friendship as an excuse, slowly moved her clothes into Brody's apartment, claiming she was scared to sleep alone and wanted to stay with me. But gradually, she even rushed to play nurse whenever Brody had a slight fever. Later, Brody told me that Cassie was like a sister to him, and that if I questioned their bond, it proved I was insecure and toxic. "You're obsessed with money, Dani," Brody said, shaking his head with an expression of deep disgust. "You've become shallow, bitter, and completely unbearable. I need some fresh air. Come on, Cassie. Let's go down to the resort lounge. Let her sit here and think about her attitude." The heavy oak front door slammed shut. Silence settled over the cabin. I stood alone in the bright, cold kitchen. My stomach contracted again, sharper this time, a sudden cramp that forced me to double over. At 3:00 AM, I opened my phone. An Instagram notification popped up. It was Cassie's story: a photo of two crystal martini glasses clinking against a neon-lit pool. Brody's hand, wearing his Rolex, was clearly visible. The caption read: Street food beats a seafood dinner any day! I didn't cry. I just tapped the screen and cleared my notifications. Three minutes later, a voice note arrived from Brody. "Cassie drank too much and can't be left alone. I'm staying with her." "Dani, stop throwing a tantrum. Cassie is in a really bad emotional state right now, and I can't abandon her. I'll explain everything tomorrow." I tried to call him, but his phone was already turned off. At 4:00 AM, the pain woke me from a fitful daze. It felt like someone had poured boiling acid into my internal organs. Cold sweat drenched my clothes. I dragged myself toward the bathroom on my elbows and knees. When I reached the toilet bowl, I gagged violently. What came out was dark, clotted blood. Panic gripped my throat. I grabbed my phone with trembling fingers and dialed Brody's number again. He picked up on the fourth ring. "What the hell is your problem, Dani?" Brody roared into the receiver, his voice thick with irritation. "I told you Cassie needs me! She just fell asleep!" "Brody... please..." I gasped, blood bubbling at the back of my throat. "I'm bleeding... inside... I'm vomiting blood... call an ambulance..." A heavy sigh echoed through the phone. "Vomiting blood? Are you serious right now?" Brody sneered. "You'll really make up any excuse just to drag me back from Cassie's room, won't you?"

Daniela POV "I'm not... making it up..." I wheezed, curling tightly on the cold floor. "Brody... I can't breathe... please..." "Stop screaming into the speaker," Brody snapped, his voice entirely devoid of warmth. "Cassie finally fell asleep after tossing off her blankets, and your screeching is going to wake her up. Take some antacids, drink some water, and go to bed." "Brody!" I choked out, a fresh wave of warm blood rising. "I'm hanging up," Brody said coldly. "I'm so tired of your constant drama." The line went silent. I lay on the floor, listening to the dial tone fade. I was vomiting blood, and he didn't care. But Cassie kicking off her blankets was enough to make him stay up all night in worry. With the absolute last ounce of strength in my body, I dialed 911 directly. When I opened my eyes, the smell of antiseptic filled my lungs. Plastic tubing ran into the back of my hand. A doctor in blue scrubs entered the room, his face grim. "Miss Monroe, you suffered a massive bleeding gastric ulcer brought on by extreme exhaustion, starvation, and stress. You lost nearly two units of blood. If the paramedics had arrived twenty minutes later, you would have gone into irreversible hemorrhagic shock." He looked at me with pity. "Is there a family member or boyfriend we can notify? You shouldn't be alone." I looked at the bare white wall. "No," I whispered. "There is no one. I am alone." By eleven the next morning, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Brody. Brody: Cassie is awake and feeling better. We are heading back to the cabin now. I bought some stomach medicine for your little tummy ache. Pack your bags, we're leaving. No question about where I was. No concern about the blood on the floor. I typed back three words: Let's break up. Half an hour later, the door to my hospital room swung open. Brody walked in, looking furious. Right behind him was Cassie, dressed to perfection, pretending to look worried. "What kind of stunt is this now, Dani?" Brody barked. "You didn't answer my text, and the cabin manager told me you called an ambulance! Do you know how humiliating that is for me? You break up with me over a little stomach bug?" Cassie stepped forward, resting a hand gently on the edge of my mattress. "Dani, you really took this too far," she said softly. "Brody barely got any sleep taking care of me, and then we had to rush over here. You could have just told us you felt sick instead of calling an ambulance to get attention." Cassie reached out, pretending to check on my condition. Her fingernail deliberately pressed hard directly into the fresh IV puncture on the back of my hand. A sharp, searing pain shot up my arm. Instinct took over. I jerked my arm back violently, shoving her hand away. Cassie stumbled backward with a loud gasp, her heels slipping on the linoleum floor. She fell dramatically. "Daniela!" Brody roared, his eyes blazing with fury. He lunged forward to help Cassie up, then glared at me like I had committed murder. "Are you insane? She came here out of the goodness of her heart to check on you, and you assault her in a hospital bed?" I looked at Brody, completely silent, my face devoid of any emotion. He glanced at the IV bags above my head, then at my pale face. Suddenly, his expression shifted to a sickening display of guilt. He stepped toward my bed, sinking to one knee. "Dani... baby..." Brody choked out, his eyes turning red. "I'm sorry. I swear, I didn't know you were really sick. I thought you were just playing along with the cabin prank. You know I love you, right? Please don't say we're done."