Chapter 48. A Familiar Allergy
635 Words
That afternoon, Elena was tied up in an important partnership meeting with several European investors.
Meanwhile, Camilla volunteered to pick Isabella up from Velmont Royal Elementary.
As soon as Isabella came out of class, she spotted a familiar face leaning against a luxury sports car.
"Uncle Damien!"
Damien grinned.
"There she is."
Before Isabella could run over, another voice interrupted.
"Where are you going?"
Leonardo.
The little boy had overheard Isabella telling her classmates she was spending the afternoon with Camilla and Damien.
"We're getting ice cream," Isabella replied.
Leonardo's eyes immediately brightened.
"I want to come too."
Camilla sighed.
"Your father will kill me."
But after several calls and a lot of pleading from Leonardo, permission was eventually granted.
Unfortunately, Sofia was furious.
"Why does he always want to follow that girl?"
But Adrian surprisingly defended his son.
"If he wants to spend time with a friend, let him."
Sofia could only remain silent.
Soon the four of them arrived at one of Milan's most famous dessert cafés.
The children happily sat together while Damien ordered enough desserts to feed an army.
Camilla laughed.
"You're spoiling them."
"That's the point of being the rich uncle."
Everyone laughed.
The afternoon was peaceful.
Until Isabella noticed a special seasonal ice cream flavor.
"Ooh! Can I try that one?"
Normally she always ordered vanilla.
But today she wanted something different.
Neither Camilla nor Damien realized the flavor contained pistachio.
The one ingredient Elena always carefully avoided for Isabella.
Minutes later, Isabella stopped talking.
Her breathing became uneven.
Then she began coughing.
Camilla immediately frowned.
"Isabella?"
The little girl's face had started turning pale.
Damien instantly stood up.
"Something's wrong."
Leonardo looked terrified.
"Isabella?"
Suddenly the little girl collapsed.
The entire café erupted into panic.
---
At Milan Central Hospital.
Doctors rushed Isabella into emergency treatment.
By the time Elena arrived, she was completely frantic.
"My daughter!"
She rushed toward the emergency room doors.
Camilla stood nearby looking devastated.
"I'm sorry, Elena."
Elena immediately hugged her.
"I know you didn't do it intentionally."
Still—
Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Meanwhile another familiar group arrived.
Adrian.
Leonardo.
And Sofia.
Leonardo immediately ran toward Elena.
"Is Bella okay?"
His eyes were red from crying.
Elena gently touched his head.
"She's strong."
But truthfully—
She was terrified.
Inside the treatment room, doctors worked quickly.
One of them stepped out.
"Pistachio allergy."
Elena immediately nodded.
"Yes."
The doctor looked surprised.
"You knew?"
"Since she was little."
Suddenly Adrian froze.
His expression changed.
Pistachio.
That word hit him strangely.
Because he had the exact same allergy.
A severe one.
Only a handful of people knew about it.
Years ago—
Only Elena knew how serious it was.
For a brief moment, blurry memories flashed through his head.
A younger Elena taking food from his hand.
"No, Adrian. This has pistachio in it."
Then darkness.
The memory vanished again.
Adrian pressed a hand against his temple.
"What is it?" Sofia asked nervously.
"Nothing."
But it wasn't nothing.
Hours later, Isabella finally regained consciousness.
The entire waiting room breathed with relief.
"Mama?"
Elena immediately hugged her.
"You scared me."
"I'm sorry."
Nearby, Leonardo looked as if he was about to cry again.
"I'm sorry too."
Isabella smiled weakly.
"You didn't do anything wrong."
Soon the children were talking again.
The crisis had passed.
But while everyone focused on Isabella's recovery—
One man remained unusually quiet.
Adrian.
Because the more he looked at Isabella...
The more questions appeared in his mind.
The same eyes.
The same stubbornness.
The same allergy.
The same strange feeling he couldn't explain.
And for the first time—
He found himself wondering something impossible.
Could there be a connection between Isabella and him?
Across the room, Sofia noticed his expression.
And suddenly—
Fear crept into her heart.
- Writer
