The Accusation and the Evidence

Hazel's POV

I turned slowly, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. Alistair Everett was striding toward me, his face a mask of confusion and suspicion. Of all the times for him to appear, it had to be now—with his sister collapsed on the sidewalk, paramedics minutes away.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, eyes darting between me and Gloria's slumped form.

I straightened my spine, refusing to look guilty for something I hadn't done. "Your sister's in trouble. She needs medical attention."

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing she didn't do to herself," I said coldly. "Your sister tried to drug me at dinner. I switched our drinks. Now she's having some kind of allergic reaction."

Alistair rushed past me to Gloria's side, kneeling beside her. "Glo? Can you hear me?"

She mumbled something I couldn't hear. Whatever she said made his shoulders stiffen.