Chapter 360

Serena’s POV

Mateo was likely gone already.

I wasn't deliberately looking for him, but I noticed Hattie sitting alone in the great hall, scrolling through her phone. Normally Mateo and Hattie were inseparable, so if he wasn't by her side now, he must have left early.

He probably had something to attend to.

I didn't think much of it as I casually took a slice of cake from one of the servers. I thought I'd bring this dessert upstairs for Milo and Stella after dinner.

Just as I was about to head upstairs, I heard a voice behind me.

"Serena." It was Hattie's sweet voice.

I paused mid-step. Despite my complicated feelings, I couldn't just ignore her friendliness with a cold face.

"That cake looks so delicious," Hattie said, her eyes lighting up as she stared at the dessert in my hand.

I actually envied her a bit. She appeared to be such a foodie, yet she never gained weight—if anything, she was almost too thin. No wonder Mateo was always concerned about her health.

"Would you like it?" I asked.

"Can I?"

"Of course. The house prepared plenty. I can just go get another piece." I told her.

"Thank you, Serena." Hattie accepted without hesitation.

There was something about her that was sweet and charming in a way that wasn't off-putting. She had a natural girlish quality that seemed genuine.

I handed her the cake.

Hattie took a bite, her eyes filled with satisfaction. She looked as though she'd never tasted something so wonderful before. Given the Langston family's wealth—while not as influential as the Kennedys—they could certainly afford high-end desserts without difficulty. Perhaps it was simply her genuine appreciation for good food.

I didn't dwell on it, going back to get another slice before heading upstairs.

I had only been upstairs for a few minutes when I heard a commotion below. Thinking the Langston family might be leaving and that I should see them off respectfully, I hurried back toward the stairs.

As I reached the staircase, I heard someone shouting, "Something's wrong! Help! Something's wrong with Hattie!"

My heart skipped a beat. What did they mean something was wrong with Hattie? I quickened my pace, practically running down the stairs.

At the same moment, Mateo rushed in from the main entrance. He immediately pushed through the gathering crowd, frantically taking Hattie's limp form into his arms.

I saw her labored breathing, her flushed face, her whole body clearly in tremendous distress. She looked as though she'd suddenly been struck with a severe illness!

In that moment, I couldn't help but wonder if Hattie had pre-existing health problems. I recalled how her grandfather had specifically asked about her health when we first met, and how Mateo always took special care of her.

"Call an ambulance, quickly!" Mateo demanded.

"It's already been called. The medevac helicopter will be here any minute," Hattie's older brother said tensely. "Wasn't she doing better? How did this happen so suddenly? What's going on?"

Mateo quickly examined Hattie's body, and when he saw the red rash suddenly spreading across her neck, his expression transformed into one of intense anger. "Did someone give her mango?"

Everyone looked at each other in confusion.

Benjamin Kennedy quickly spoke up, "We didn't serve any mangoes. We specifically didn't purchase any, knowing about Hattie's allergy. We were very clear about this."

"Wasn't there mango cake tonight?" someone from the Langston family suddenly asked.

Benjamin didn't try to defend himself and immediately called for the house butler.

The butler explained, "We did indeed prepare a mango cake today—some of the young masters and misses specifically requested it from the pastry chef. But I can assure you, we absolutely did not serve any to Miss Langston. I personally oversaw everything she ate, and none of it contained mango. The mango cake was the only exception, and I personally handled its distribution."

The butler was quite certain.

Benjamin seemed to trust the butler—after all, someone who had served the Kennedy family for so many years must be reliable. But with the Langston family present, he didn't want to create any tension between the families and simply said, "Check the security footage."

My heart sank as I suddenly realized what had happened.

"I gave it to her," I admitted.

All eyes turned to me.

When I had gone to get cake earlier, I'd taken the mango cake. The butler had indeed been distributing it personally. He knew I was taking it for Milo and had even selected a nice piece for me. But on my way, I'd encountered Hattie, and she had taken it from me.

In that moment, I suddenly understood why Hattie's expression had been so rich with satisfaction when she ate the cake. But if she knew she was allergic to mangoes, why would she eat it? And eat so much of it? The cake clearly had a strong mango flavor—there was no way she couldn't have tasted it.

As soon as I spoke, everyone stared at me.