Chapter4

After leaving the club, I didn't head straight back to the apartment. Instead, I took a detour to a large off-campus supermarket, my hands gripping the shopping cart a little too tightly the whole way down the aisles.

I made my way to the nut butter section. My gaze swept past rows of elegantly packaged goods, finally settling on the oversized jars of chunky peanut butter on the very bottom shelf. A small label was stuck to the edge of the rack: "Allergen Warning: This product contains peanuts." I stared at that line for two seconds, then bent down and picked it up.

I tossed them into the cart, one after another—five jars of peanut butter, two massive bags of dry-roasted peanuts, and a box of dense peanut energy bars. The cart's wheels squeaked in protest. The cashier gave me an extra look as he scanned the items, his brow furrowing slightly. "These are all major allergens. You sure you need all this?"

"It's a gift," I replied deadpan, swiping my card without offering further explanation.

Back at the apartment, the living room was empty. Mia wasn't home yet. I sat at the dining table and twisted the lid off a jar of peanut butter. The sound of tearing the plastic seal echoed distinctly in the quiet room. There was no aroma to it, only a sticky, heavy weight in my hand. I scooped out a heaping spoonful and shoved it straight into my mouth. My Adam's apple bobbed as I forced it down. It tasted like nothing, but I could feel that dense mass sliding down my esophagus and settling like lead into my stomach.

Ten minutes later, the front door burst open. Mia stumbled in, dropping her backpack to the floor and sending a few books spilling out. An unnatural, feverish flush covered her cheeks, and angry red hives were rapidly blooming across her neck. She scratched at her throat frantically, gasping for air as if she had just finished a marathon.

"Allergies... how am I having an allergic reaction..." she muttered, collapsing onto the sofa. She rummaged through her bag for antihistamines, her hands shaking so badly she could barely grip the bottle. Pills scattered across the floor. "I haven't eaten anything today!"

Sitting in the shadows of the dining area with a glass of water in my hand, I watched her coldly. I remained perfectly motionless, like a spectator watching a play that had nothing to do with me.

"Are you okay, Mia?" I stepped out of the shadows, feigning concern. I crouched down and reached out a hand, pretending to help her up.

She snapped her head up, her bloodshot eyes locking onto mine. She violently slapped my hand away, her gaze darting toward the dining table—but I had already locked the peanut butter in my private cabinet. The tabletop was completely spotless.

"What... what did you eat today?!" she demanded through gritted teeth. Her voice was hoarse and cracking from her swelling throat.

"Me?" I blinked innocently. My tone was light, carrying a faint hint of amusement. "I took Liam's advice and had some whole-wheat bread and a salad. Why do you ask?"

She stared dead at me, scrutinizing every inch of my face, desperate to find a crack in my composure. But my chronically undernourished, expressionless face gave absolutely nothing away.

She finally found a pill and swallowed it dry. The red hives slowly began to recede, and the heavy heaving of her chest gradually leveled out. But a new trace of terror lingered in her eyes. She stumbled to her feet, fled back to her bedroom, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang, locking me out.

I stood up, walked over, and pressed my ear against the wood. I held my breath and listened, entirely still.

"System! What the hell is going on? How did I suddenly get a peanut allergy?!" Her voice was panicked and shaky, trembling with a sob.

"Warning: The nutrients recently received by the host contain a high concentration of peanut protein. Due to the host's underlying history of severe allergies, this substance has triggered a rejection reaction." A mechanical voice drifted faintly through the door, perfectly flat and devoid of any emotion.

"Then why didn't you block it?!" she raised her voice, nearly screaming.

"The system is solely tasked with transferring all ingested matter to the host. It cannot filter specific allergens. Immediate unbinding is advised, otherwise there is a risk of death."

"No! I will absolutely not unbind!" Mia's voice spiked into a shrill, near-manic tremble. I could even hear the muffled thud of her fist pounding frantically against the mattress. "I worked too hard to get everything I have now! Liam is about to make our relationship public! If I unbind, I'll turn back into that weak, sickly loser! I won't do it!"

Leaning against the doorframe, I smiled silently. My shoulders shook slightly, but the amusement never reached my eyes.

Greed, as it turned out, was the deadliest weakness of all.

Since she refused to let go, she had better be prepared to choke it all down to the bitter end.