Chapter 8

I felt itchy all over as I tried to catch my breath. Sitting on a park bench, I focused on calming down, inhaling deeply.

He didn’t seem to notice my discomfort, though, as he hung his head and mumbled, “If this is what it takes to make you feel better, I don’t mind, but you need to eat breakfast. I’ll get you something else.”

His words barely registered. My head was spinning, and I couldn’t focus on whatever self-consoling speech he was giving. Just then, Chris arrived with some hot chocolate and croissant.

Leaning back against the bench, I gasped for air, my chest rising and falling uncontrollably. I tried to pull out my phone to call for help, but it was dead.

Chris noticed something was wrong and rushed over, gently cupping my face. “Tess, are you okay? Can you hear me?”

Before I could respond, Eric returned with a cheese bun he had gone to buy.

Chris, seeing my condition, grabbed him by the collar, yelling, “What did you give her to eat?”

Eric looked completely confused. C