Chapter Eleven: Grandma's allergy

Jessica’s plan had been simmering for days, and today, she was finally ready to put it into motion. She arrived at the Sinclair mansion with a confident stride, her mind set on her mission. Aria had been gaining Alexander’s attention for too long, and Jessica had no intention of letting her keep it. If she couldn’t win Alexander’s heart with her beauty charm, she’d resort to more nefarious means.

As she entered the kitchen, she noticed it was empty, except for the pot of soup simmering on the stove.

Jessica’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Let’s see how perfect you are after this, Aria,” she whispered under her breath.

With a quick glance around to ensure no one was watching, Jessica opened the lid of the soup. She pulled a small container from her purse and sprinkled a fine layer of nut powder into the soup, knowing full well that grandma was highly allergic to nuts. Her lips curled into a satisfied grin as she stirred the soup, ensuring the powder dissolved completely.

"Oops. Grandma’s allergic to nuts, isn’t she?" Jessica mused, closing the lid quietly. "Guess you forgot that, Aria.”

Her intention was twofold—first, to frame Aria and make Alexander chase her out of his life. He was deeply filial to his grandmother, and if anything happened to her, he would never forgive Aria. Secondly, she wanted to punish the old woman herself for bringing Aria into their lives in the first place. It was grandma’s fault that Aria was Alexander’s wife instead of her. Grandma had never liked her, no matter how hard she tried to please her.

Today, she was going to make them both pay.

Satisfied with her work, Jessica quickly hid as she heard footsteps approaching. She watched from her hiding spot as Aria entered the kitchen, completely unaware of what had been done. Aria scooped a bowl of the tainted soup and left to serve grandma. 

Everything was falling into place. With a smug smile, Jessica quietly slipped out of the kitchen. 

“It’s only a matter of time”, she thought as she left, picturing the chaos that would soon unfold.

***

In the courtyard, Aria smiled as she carefully fed the soup to grandma. The warmth of the afternoon sun made the atmosphere feel light, peaceful—just the way Aria liked it. Grandma took another spoonful, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Aria.

“You know, dear,” Grandma said, her voice soft but teasing, “you should really be spending more time with Alexander, not an old woman like me. You two are still young. Strong. Maybe even start thinking about giving me a great-grandchild, hmm?”

Aria blushed, uncomfortable as always with such direct talk. She didn’t know how to respond, so she just smiled politely and continued feeding grandma.

But the lighthearted moment quickly shifted. As soon as grandma finished the soup, her body began to react. Her face paled, her breathing became labored, and hives started appearing on her skin. 

Panic set in as Aria realized something was terribly wrong.

"Grandma?" Aria called, her voice trembling with fear. "Grandma, what's happening?”

Grandma clutched her chest, her voice barely a whisper. “I... I can’t breathe.”

Panic set in. Without thinking, Aria bolted from the courtyard, her heart pounding in her chest. 

"Alexander!" she screamed, the fear in her voice unmistakable. "Alexander, come quick!”

***

Jessica was already lingering nearby when Aria burst into the hallway, shouting for help. Her grin widened as Alexander rushed out of his office, the worry written across his face.

“What happened?” Alexander demanded, rushing toward Aria.

"It’s grandma. She’s—she’s not breathing right. I don’t know what happened!" Aria cried, her eyes wide with panic. "She just—”

"Move!" Alexander didn’t wait for more details. He pushed past her and sprinted toward the courtyard, with Aria and Jessica trailing behind.

He rushed to his grandmother’s side, fear and worry etched on his face. Jessica followed closely behind, carefully observing the scene. As Alexander knelt beside his grandmother, who was barely conscious, Jessica’s eyes landed on the empty bowl of soup.

Jessica, eyes sharp, walked over to the soup bowl lying next to grandma. She picked it up, her voice dripping with false concern. 

"What did you feed her, Aria?" she asked, lifting the bowl higher for effect. "Could it have been... the soup?”

Alexander turned to Aria, his expression dark and questioning. "Aria, what was in the soup?" he asked, his tone sharp.

Aria shook her head, utterly confused. "It’s just a regular, healthy soup I always make for her," she said, her voice trembling. "I’ve fed it to her before, and she’s never had a reaction like this.”

Jessica seized the opportunity. "Or maybe you slipped something in it this time," she suggested slyly. Were you trying to harm her, Aria? Maybe even… kill her?”

Aria’s eyes widened in horror. "What? No! I would never—”

"Enough! We’re taking her to the hospital." Alexander’s voice left no room for argument, and with one swift motion, he scooped his frail grandmother into his arms, his face hardened with determination.

Jessica’s smile barely faded as they all hurried out of the house. Everything is playing out exactly the way she wants.