Chapter 2

Alex pulled Olivia into his arms and stumbled out of the way, but he still got covered in snow kicked up by the hiking pole. He flew into a rage instantly. "Are you out of your mind?"

He brushed the snow off his clothes. Seeing him so flustered, a cold sneer tugged at my lips.

The other team members swarmed over, chattering and blaming me one after another.

Mark Evans, Alex's close friend, spoke up, "Emily, you've gone too far! Olivia kindly let you rest first, and you attacked her with gear?"

I tried to explain, but my tongue was too frozen to move. I could only open my mouth and gasp for cold air. Every breath felt like swallowing shards of glass, stabbing my throat and lungs.

Olivia's eyes welled up with tears. She hid behind Alex, and her trembling act made my stomach churn.

"It's not Emily's fault. Maybe I shouldn't have used her blanket," she said. "But Alex told me we're teammates—we should share our gear to help each other."

Alex's expression softened when he heard that. He pulled Olivia further behind him to protect her. "You did nothing wrong. She's just making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Teammates?" I finally forced out a few words. "Is snatching someone's life-saving gear what teammates do?"

Alex's face dropped. "Emily, don't be so aggressive. Olivia was my junior in college. This is her first high-altitude mountaineering trip. As the team leader, can't you cut her some slack?"

Hearing that, I froze. Alex and I had been dating since college, and he'd never told me he had such a close junior. Since he even snatched his fiancée's life-saving thermal blanket for her, they might have been messing around for a while.

My body felt heavier and heavier, and my vision blurred, as if covered by a layer of white fog. My frozen legs could barely hold me up; I could only lean against the icy rock to stay standing.

I pointed at the thermal blanket on Olivia, trying to expose her lie. But I couldn't get out a complete sentence—only ragged gasps.

Mark mocked me exaggeratedly, "Whoa, the team leader's frozen delirious? Putting on a tragic show? If you're this delicate, you shouldn't have come to Mount Vyrthar in the first place."

Everyone laughed. Alex also thought I was throwing a tantrum, his face full of disgust. "Enough. Stop making a fool of yourself here."

He grabbed my climbing rope and dragged me forcefully toward a cave that sheltered from the wind.

He said, "Stay here and calm down first. We'll talk when the blizzard stops."

"Alex, I'm really freezing stiff..." I said weakly.

I clung to his sleeve, my fingers so cold they almost stuck to the fabric. However, he shook off my hand impatiently. "I said, stop making that face! I saw through your tricks a long time ago."

"You faked cramps when training got tough, faked dizziness when assessments were strict, and now you're pulling this stunt for sympathy?" he added.

The wind and snow rushed into the cave. When he turned to leave, he blocked the wind gap with a snowball, leaving me alone in this freezing corner.

Their voices drifted in from outside—Alex was gently rubbing Olivia's hands.

"Don't pay her any mind. She's just used to being the team leader and can't stand seeing others get any care," said Alex.

"Alex, does Emily really hate me that much?" Olivia's voice came, sickly sweet.

"No, she's just stubborn. She'll get over it soon," said Alex.

I huddled in the cave, feeling my body heat fade bit by bit. I could barely even summon the strength to chatter my teeth.

Biting cold wind surged in from all directions, making the gaps between my bones ache. This tiny cave did nothing to block the wind at all.

The satellite phone lay just ten meters away from me. I trembled, trying to reach for it, but my frozen body couldn't even move an inch.

In the dim, snowy chaos, despair flooded over me like tides.

I desperately pounded my fists against the ice nearby. My knuckles throbbed with pain, but no one outside even glanced back.

The blizzard grew stronger. My consciousness started to drift, and my body felt so cold it might split apart.

I didn't know how long it had been before a pair of hiking boots stopped in front of me. It was Olivia.

A triumphant smile played on her face as she squatted down in front of me. Her eyes held undisguised malice. "Emily, you know what? Alex hasn't wanted to be with you for a long time."

I stared at her wide-eyed, trying to scream, but only weak whimpers escaped my lips.