Page 1 of My son’s cake caused my fatal allergic reaction

After five hours of emergency treatment, Daisy finally pulled through. When she regained consciousness, her entire body ached and her face was severely swollen. She struggled to open her eyes, instinctively searching for those two familiar figures, only to find the hospital room completely empty.

Her phone lay on the nearby nightstand. She tried reaching for it but couldn't stretch far enough. Just as she attempted to prop herself up, a nurse entered to change her medication and quickly stopped her.

"You just came out of the ERyou can't move around. Let me get that for you." The nurse handed her the phone while replacing the IV bag, cautioning, "Didn't you know you have a severe chestnut allergy? You absolutely must remember never to eat anything containing chestnuts again. Thank goodness you were rushed to the hospital in time, or you would've died."

Daisy didn't know how to respond. Was she supposed to say that her son had deliberately given her a chestnut cake, knowing full well about her allergy? Looking at her arm bristling with medical equipment, she managed to ask with difficulty, "Where are they?"

She couldn't bring herself to use terms like "husband" and "son" to describe Asher and Justin. The nurse looked puzzled for a moment, then understood: "You mean your husband and son? They brought you to the hospital, handled the paperwork, then rushed off saying they had some urgent matter. You could give them a call."

The nurse muttered under her breath, "I really don't know what could be more important than you. They're so cold."

This offhand remark pierced Daisy's heart. There was only one person who could make that father-son duo leave so hastilyNatalie. She opened her phone, and her chat with Asher still showed his last unread message. She clicked on Instagram, where Natalie's post appeared prominently at the top of her feed:

Thanks to my two on-call heroes for helping me catch a cockroacha home really can't do without men around!

In the accompanying photo, Asher held a broom that seemed completely out of character for him, stepping on a cockroach on the floor, while Justin spread his little arms protectively in front of Natalie. Those two familiar figures, one big and one small, made Daisy's eyes well up with tears as that suffocating feeling washed over her again.

They had left her fighting for her life to help Natalie catch a single cockroach. Even more ironic was that her own biological son had caused her allergic reaction. Yet neither of them showed the slightest guilt or concern.

Daisy gave a bitter smile. Justin probably wished she'd never wake up. As for Asher, while he might not have known what Justin was planning, deep down he probably shared the same wish as Justinfor Natalie to become his wife. How could two people who despised her so much possibly stay at the hospital to keep her company?

Daisy set down her phone and stared at the hospital's harsh fluorescent lights as memories flooded back like a tide. She and Asher had grown up in the same neighborhood.

Asher had been an exceptional student since childhood, studying abroad early to prepare for returning home to inherit the family business. She, on the other hand, was introverted by naturealways sitting in corners watching while other children played, and growing up with little presence to speak of. Yet it was precisely this unremarkable girl who had fallen hopelessly in love with the brilliant Asher during her teenage years.

She had thought this secret crush would come to an abrupt end when Asher married someone else. To her surprise, the first thing Asher did after returning to the country was seek her out and ask if she would marry him. The sudden joy caught her completely off guard, and years of suppressed feelings exploded in an instantshe agreed almost immediately. Just like that, she became Asher's wife.

However, it was only after he got drunk one night that she learned the truth from Asher himself. He had once deeply loved a girl abroad. That girl had told him that if he proposed 99 times, she would accept his 100th proposal. Asher believed her. The Swiss Alps, the Eiffel Tower, Iceland's black sand beaches, Milan Cathedral... every location bore witness to his proposals.

Until graduation day, when he carefully planned his 100th proposal, ready to return home for their wedding immediately after her acceptance. But in front of numerous friends and classmates, the girl rejected him for the 100th time. She said she didn't want to marry so young and asked him to wait another three years. Asher completely lost his patience. In his fury, he returned home and married the first woman he could find. And she happened to be the girl living closest to Walker Villa.

After learning the truth, she initially didn't mind. She believed that someday Asher would fall in love with her. A year after their marriage, she gave birth to Justin, and her relationship with Asher grew much closer. To outsiders, they appeared to be a happy family of three.

Until a month ago, when Natalie returned. He seemed to forget those 100 failed proposals from college and couldn't help but gravitate toward Natalie, showering her with attention. Gradually, he began staying out all night, and even Justin often went with him to see Natalie.

She had thought that after six years as husband and wife, and five years of mother-son bond, she would still hold a place in their hearts. Only today did she finally wake up from the fantasy she had woven for herself. Six years had passed, and she had never won Asher's heart. Even the child who had come from her own body, like his father, had no room for his mother in his eyes.

Bang! The sound of the door opening interrupted Daisy's thoughts. She instinctively looked toward the entrance, where two figuresone tall, one smallstood in the hospital room doorway. Asher nudged Justin forward, his expression stern as he said, "Go apologize to your mother."

Justin fidgeted with his fingers, slowly shuffling to her bedside, his voice barely audible: "Mom, I'm sorry."

Daisy turned her head away without responding. She didn't miss the perfunctory reluctance in Justin's eyes.

Asher added in a low voice, "Justin didn't mean ithe didn't know you were allergic to chestnuts. I've already scolded him, and we won't prepare any food containing chestnuts for you again. There was an urgent matter at the company earlier, and since you were still unconscious, I went back to handle some work first."

Though it was the height of summer with heat waves rolling through the air, Daisy felt colder than in the depths of winter. From the moment she woke up until now, Asher hadn't sent her a single message. After entering the room, both sentences he'd spoken to her were lies.

Seeing her continued silence, Asher frowned with displeasure: "Alright, today is your birthdaydon't hold grudges against a child. Justin and I prepared a gift for you. Take a look and see if you like it. We'll put it on you after you're discharged."

With that, he produced a gift box and opened it to reveal a diamond necklace. Anyone could tell they had just picked it up casually at some mall along the way.

Daisy glanced over briefly before looking away, saying softly, "I have a gift for you two as well."

Asher instinctively asked, "Isn't today your birthday? Why are you giving us gifts?"

Justin also looked at her with confusion. A relieved smile crossed Daisy's lips: "Don't worry, you'll receive this gift in a few days, and I'm sure you'll love it."

It was a signed divorce agreementexactly what they wanted.

Asher remained indifferent, completely unbothered. "Just rest well in the hospital. Don't worry about preparing any gifts for us."

After speaking, he glanced down at his phone screen.

Justin beside him also pursed his lips, looking equally disinterested.

Daisy took in their reactions, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

It didn't matter that they weren't interested now. When they actually saw the divorce papers, they'd probably be more excited than anyone else.

She suddenly found herself curious about what she actually meant to them.

Was she an emotional substitute? A nanny? Or perhaps just the most familiar stranger sharing the same roof?

With these thoughts in mind, she decided to ask directly.

The moment her last word fell, a sweet female voice rang out from Asher's phone. "Asher, answer my call quickly, or I'll get mad!"

Daisy froze.

As a CEO, Asher's ringtone had always been the default system sound.

But she quickly realized what this meant, her nails digging deep into her palms.

This was probably a recording from when Asher and Natalie were dating, which he'd set as her exclusive ringtone.

So even the cold, emotionless Asher had once made such sweet gestures.

What was even more surprising was that after six years, he'd never deleted this ringtone.

He'd probably been waiting for it to ring all these years.

Asher answered the call without hesitation.

Faint sobbing could be heard from the other end.

He immediately stood up, grabbed his coat from nearby, and headed toward the door.

"I'll be right there." His tone was unusually gentle.

After hanging up at the doorway, he seemed to remember something and turned back to look at Daisy on the hospital bed, his voice calm. "A friend of mine is having some trouble. I need to go handle it. Rest well."

Perhaps in his rush to see Natalie, Asher didn't notice how clumsy his lie was.

What "friend" would warrant such a special ringtone?

Justin immediately followed as Asher stood up. "Mom, I want to go with Dad."

Only then did Daisy finally realize that the father and son hadn't listened to a word she'd said.

Even after rushing from Natalie's house to the hospital, she was the only one truly on their minds.

Asher had been staring at his phone simply to answer her call at the first opportunity.

Daisy lowered her head and softly responded with a quiet "Mm."

Though they hadn't answered her question, she'd already gotten the answer she was looking for.

After the father and son left, Daisy called her lawyer. "Draft a divorce agreement and send it to me as soon as possible."

The lawyer asked matter-of-factly, "What about custody of Justin? Do you want to fight for it?"

"No." Daisy spoke softly. "I no longer need anything or anyone related to the Walker family."

The only thing she wanted now was a divorce.