Page 26 of Abandoned By My Alpha Husband

Allergic reaction. The thought flashed through my mind.

"Someone help!"

The door slammed open. Lina burst in. She saw Liam and went white. She screamed "Healer!" and ripped him from my arms. I stumbled back, palms hitting the carpet, pressing into cake crumbs.

The room exploded into chaos. Maids ran in, the healer rushed in, Liam curled in Lina's arms gasping for air, lips turning black-purple. The healer pried his mouth open and poured medicine down his throat, laid him flat on the carpet, and pressed something against his chest. Lina knelt beside him, gripping his hand, murmuring something over and over.

I sat on the carpet, watching them form a circle. I couldn't get through.

My mind went blank, eyes fixed on the cake crumbs.

After a long time—or maybe just minutes—Liam's breathing steadied. His color shifted from blue-purple to pale pink. The healer straightened up. "He's stable for now."

Then the door opened.

Someone had told Lucifer. He practically charged in. The air in the room dropped. His steps were fast. In seconds, he was beside Liam, crouching down, scooping him up, pressing the back of his hand to the boy's forehead. He turned his head to listen to the healer's report. He nodded, handed the child back to Lina, then stood. Turned around.

He saw the cake crumbs. The white porcelain plate. The almond flour dusting my dress.

"What did you feed him?" His voice was a low growl.

"Cake," I said, standing. "I baked an almond cake—"

The next second, Lucifer roared. "You didn't know he's allergic to almond flour?"

The servants went silent.

I flinched, heart racing. "I didn't know—"

"You didn't know and you fed him anyway?"

His voice shot up, suffocating. He stepped forward, towering over me. I forced myself to stand my ground. "Today in the kitchen, I asked the maids. They said Lina makes it all the time—"

Lucifer's eyes swept coldly over them.

"Really?"

The maids didn't dare speak. I spotted the one who'd told me in the kitchen that Liam liked almond flour cake. "It was her! She said it."

But she immediately bowed her head. "I never said that, Your Majesty. Why would I? I said Lina never uses almond flour."

"Really?" Lucifer stared at the other maids. They nodded hesitantly, eyes avoiding mine.

"Yes, that's what Senna said—"

"We were confused too, why Luna would... use almond flour."

Lucifer's gaze grew colder, like two blades piercing through me. "Anything else you want to say?" he said in a low voice, punctuated with growls.

I'd been struck by lightning. I'd fallen into a trap. I looked at Lina. She held Liam, tears of worry still on her face. When she felt my gaze, she turned.

She smiled at me.

A taunting smile. "You idiot," I read in her expression.

"Get out!" Lucifer finally said. The way he looked at me—like I was trash. I knew my explanation was useless. Or rather, the moment Lina used the maids to set her trap, my explanation was already a waste of time. My heart cracked open, fissures spreading, but it kept beating, so every pulse deepened the pain.

My wolf was howling too.