Ellie''s POV


    I took my first bite of the beef tartare, expecting it to be just as delicious as


    everything else had been tonight - only to be met with a hint of sweetness that quickly turned bitter and left my tongue feeling oddly numb.


    I dropped my fork, staring at the te as an uneasy feeling settled over me. Something was very wrong. I discreetly spit the food into my napkin, not swallowing any of it.


    I felt a wave of nausea, but it passed quickly. I looked around the room to make sure no one had noticed my reaction, worried that it was simply a sudden wave of morning sickness that made the food taste wrong - but then I noticed Felicity.


    She was across the room, surrounded by her usual group of followers, but her eyes were undoubtedly fixed on me – and the look on her face unsettled me. As soon as she noticed me looking, she turned her attention back to her group, chatting and smiling, pretending everything was normal. But I knew it wasn''t.


    I nced down at the food again, an unsettling thought entering my mind. Could she have tampered with my food? I knew she was angry about the dress and the way Nn had been looking at me, but would she really go that far?


    I waved over a waiter. I didn''t want to cause a huge scene, but I couldn''t just let this go. He was a young man, and he looked nervous as he came close enough for us not to be overheard. I pointed to my te.


    "Something is wrong with this," I said.


    He frowned. "I''m sorry?"


    "There''s something wrong with the food," I insisted. "With the beef. Please bring it back to the kitchen and have them check it."


    "Check it for what?"


    "I want it tested. To see if it''s been tampered with- to see if it''s been poisoned."


    His eyes went wide at that word, and I could tell I''d made a misstake - but it was toote to take it back.


    “Poisoned?” he said in rm, just loud enough for someone nearby to hear.


    And then I saw Felicity react. She said something to her group, and they scattered. I watched as at least one of them slipped into the kitchen before the waiter drew my attention back to him.


    "There''s no way your food could have been tampered with,” he insisted.


    "I want it tested,” I said, irritation rising in my chest,


    Then I saw it the waiter''s eyes flicked to Felicity, just for a second, but it was


    enough. I stood up, angry, and raised my voice. "Do what I said."


    People started to whisper. They were staring. And then Nn was there, appearing behind the waiter, that look of cold fury in his eyes.


    This had gotten out of control so quickly, but I wasn''t about to back down.


    +25 Bonus


    "What are you throwing a fit about now?" Felicity asked from behind me. I turned to re at her. Her hands were on her hips, an exaggerated frown on her face as she added, “You''re just trying to ruin the party, aren''t you? So the food didn''t taste the best - you''re overreacting."


    “This isn''t about the food tasting bad," I insisted.


    “Keep your voice down," Nn growled in irritation. “Are you trying to embarrass me? Or is this just another cry for attention because I walked away from you for five minutes?" 1


    I looked at him in disbelief. He didn''t even know what was happening yet, and he was already ming me. Of course he was - because Felicity was standing right there. I shouldn''t have been surprised.


    "I want the food tested," I repeated firmly.


    "Tested for what?" Nn demanded.


    "Poison. Tampering. Anything. There''s something wrong with the taste.”


    A look of irritation and disbelief crossed Felicity''s face before she covered it with an exaggerated frown." There''s no way it tastes wrong," she said.


    I narrowed my eyes at her. "And how would you know?"