Life Is So Much Sweeter Without You

Noelle's body went rigid, and her face drained of all color. She threw all her strength into shoving Simon off her and curled up at the head of the bed.

He frowned at her before lifting a brow. "Are you still mad?"

He rubbed his temples, his mannerisms exactly like Chester's. Even his voice, soaked with alcohol, was indistinguishable.

If Noelle hadn't heard that Chester had kept himself chaste for Winona, she wouldn't have been able to tell them apart.

Simon leaned in again, caging her in with his arms on either side of her, their noses nearly touching. "I already told you that if I had feelings for Winona, you and I would never be getting married."

He moved to kiss her. Her eyes widened, and she jerked aside, gagging.

She retched until her eyes turned red; she couldn't stop. She shoved Simon away and ran for the bathroom.

He watched her, his brows knitting and eyes glinting.

In the bathroom, Noelle slid down the wall, ending up in a squat on the floor. Outside the door, Simon's voice cut in abruptly. "You guys heard that, right? She's gagging. Don't tell me she's pregnant."

A burst of startled chatter followed. One of his buddies shouted, "Don't let this get out of hand, Simon! What if she clings to you after the truth is out?"

Noelle stiffened, and her blood ran cold. It hit her that Simon's phone had been on a call the whole time.

Winona's voice came through. "Chester, Simon, this is too much…"

"Too much?" Chester's tone was icy. "She's been targeting you for ages. This is the punishment she deserves."

Winona sounded worried. "But what if she really is pregnant?"

After a beat of silence, Chester and Simon said in unison, "That's impossible!"

Chester sounded merciless on the other end of the line. "Even if she is, we'll make sure it's taken care of. Right, Simon?"

Simon's Adam's apple bobbed. "O-Of course."

For some reason, he felt a sudden, sharp twist in his chest. The next second, he saw Noelle open the door and stare at him, her face as white as a sheet.

His heart sank. He hurriedly hung up and stepped forward. "What's wrong, Elle? You look awful. Are you feeling okay? Are you… Pregnant?"

Noelle held his gaze and curled her lip. "No. My stomach's just acting up."

…

The following morning, Noelle went to the hospital for her scheduled abortion.

The attending doctor knew her and tried to persuade her otherwise before the procedure. "Elle, the baby already has a heartbeat at seven weeks, and all the indicators look good. Are you sure you want to terminate?"

Noelle nodded, looking steady. "I'm positive."

It was noon by the time she left the hospital. Chester called, and his car pulled up at the entrance moments later. He hopped out and guided her into the passenger seat. "Come on, I'm taking you to lunch."

They rode in silence, a small smile playing on Chester's lips the whole time. The song playing in his car was Winona's favorite from their college days. It was also the one Noelle hated most.

As soon as they reached the restaurant, they saw Winona and Simon already waiting for them.

Winona pointed at the cake on the table. "Elle, I crossed the line yesterday, so I queued for this trending cake to apologize. You have to try it."

During the meal, she kept reminiscing about her, Chester, and Simon as kids.

"Chester and Simon have always spoiled me. When we played house, they'd fight over who got to be my groom!

"Once, I climbed a tree and couldn't get down. Chester sprawled on the ground to be my cushion.

"In middle school, some boys cornered me, and the two of them got hurt badly trying to protect me. They were in the hospital for ages."

Chester and Simon laughed along. The three of them chatted warmly, while Noelle stayed silent.

Winona suddenly turned to her. "Elle, why aren't you saying anything? Do you have a problem with me? I know we had misunderstandings in college, but I hope we can be best friends now that you're marrying Chester."

She lifted her glass and smirked at Noelle.

Noelle didn't move for a long moment or even look at her. She suddenly clutched the front of her blouse as her breath came in gasps. Angry red hives spread across her forearm, forming a shocking and raw sight. She fumbled for her bag.

"You're having an allergic reaction!" Chester shot to his feet, reaching for her bag.

Noelle had a severe peanut allergy. She was usually careful, but in case of accidental exposure and no time to get help, she always kept an EpiPen in her bag. It was something that could save her life when seconds mattered.

She'd already grabbed the EpiPen when Winona said weakly, "Chester, I feel awful…"

She also clawed at her chest, her face looking pale as she fell back.