Chapter 4

"Ah!"

My face went white, and I jerked back a step.

But I was too slow.

The snake sank its fangs hard into my calf.

My head buzzed and every drop of sense drained out of me.

Then, right beside my ear, came that overblown laughter.

"Hahaha, Benedict, look at your girlfriend!"

Maud pointed at me, cackling.

"Rosie's such a coward. Look how white her face got."

"That snake isn't even venomous. I heard your footsteps, so I was just playing a little joke on you…"

Benedict laughed and egged her on right beside her.

"Rosalie, you really are too much of a coward. You could learn a thing or two from Maudie."

"She reached bare-handed into a hornets' nest earlier. Now that's guts."

I didn't bother with the two of them, still shoving at each other. I just stared, silent, at the bite on my calf.

Cold ran through my whole body.

"Venomous or not, do you two actually think this is funny?"

The air went quiet in an instant.

Seeing I was angry, the smile on Maud's face faded a little.

"Come on, you're not really mad, are you?"

She came over smiling to take my arm. "It was only a joke…"

"Don't come near me."

I coldly threw her hand off. "Give me my ID."

Maud looked at my face and couldn't keep smiling. She could only hand it over meekly.

"Rosie, I really was just messing around with you. Don't be mad, okay?"

Maud chased after me to apologize, but Benedict stopped her.

"That's just how she is. No need to coax her. She'll come around in a bit."

"Weren't you dying to fish? I promise I'll catch you a big one today."

I went to bandage the wound myself.

A man in a white suit saw how clumsy I was with it and stepped in to help.

"That guy just now, that's your boyfriend?"

"Not much of a stand-up guy."

"Why not love someone else instead? How about it?"

My head snapped up. The man in front of me was actually Stanley Fox, my senior from school.

"Stanley, thank you."

"I'm not planning to date anyone for now, though. But the breakup, I'll go home and think it over."

Back home, I packed my things. Three days passed.

Only then did Benedict and Maud land and come back to take turns apologizing to me.

"I'm sorry, Rosie."

"We had no idea you weren't having fun and went home by yourself."

"After we got back I spent a long time thinking it over. It really was my oversight, deciding on that backwoods lodge on my own. It wasn't a good time for you."

Maud looked all wronged.

"So we came to apologize."

"See, we even brought you a brand-new cake to make it up to you, didn't we?"

The cake in Benedict's hands looked exquisite.

Maud said, smiling, that the engagement ring was inside the cake.

The moment I ate it, that was the moment Benedict would propose.

Fighting down the nausea and the sickly-sweet cloy, I finished the entire cake and never found the ring.

Benedict burst out laughing.

"Rosalie, you really are a little glutton. Don't tell me you swallowed the ring?"

While I sat there a mess, Maud suddenly held out her finger to show it off.

"I was afraid Rosie would eat it, so I slipped the ring on early."

"Rosie, shouldn't you be thanking me?"

She didn't want to take it off, admiring it with a face full of pretend regret.

"It's exactly my size. I don't even want to take it off."

And I, forcing down the churning and the sickness in my stomach, tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"It really does suit you."

"Then you keep it."

I turned and walked away. This time I wanted none of it.

While I was outside letting the wind clear my head, a message came in from Benedict.

"Don't be mad. I bought your favorite mango cake. I'll bring it to you when I get back."

I stared at that message, and suddenly I laughed.

Six years together, and Benedict still couldn't keep it straight.

Between Maud and me, which one of us was the one who loved mango cake.

If that was how it was.

Benedict, I'm letting you go.

I turned around and went home, took my packed suitcase, and headed for the airport.

Looking at the boarding pass in my hand, I called my mother.

"Mom, I'm coming home today. That marriage match you mentioned last time… is he still around?"

My mother went silent for three seconds.

Then her voice broke out with a delight she couldn't hold back:

"He is! He is, he is, he is! He's such a catch, good-looking, steady job, just never had a girlfriend… you're willing?!"

"Mm."

I gripped the phone. "When do we meet?"

"Today! I'll have them set it up!"