Chapter 3
On the third evening, I figured Zane would wake up soon. I grabbed a file and headed over to the infirmary.
When I reached the door, I could hear Janelle inside, her voice thick with tears. "Zane, you're finally awake. You scared me to death. You've been out for three whole days.
"It was so terrifying. The ice cracked and fell apart. I really thought I wouldn't make it.
"Later, I found out Evie was the one who ordered them to rescue me first. Do you think she misunderstood?
"I know you wanted to go first because you didn't want me to get hurt. You're the captain, and you have to protect everyone. But do you think Evie's upset with me?"
I stood outside the door, watching coldly through the observation window.
Zane was lying in bed, his face pale, his lips cracked, and his eyes still a bit unfocused. But when he heard Janelle, his brow furrowed. He looked at her, whose voice was choked, and in a weak voice, he tried to comfort her. "It's not your fault. I gave the order. Evie..."
He seemed like he wanted to ask about me, but he didn't know how to start.
Janelle seized the moment, her eyes shining with admiration and trust. Her voice trembled as she said, "Zane, thank you. You really saved my life. If you hadn't told Evie to rescue me first, I probably wouldn't be here.
"The doctor said your leg... It's my fault. I'm so sorry. But don't worry. I'm going to be here for you from now on. I promise I'll take care of you."
As she spoke, she reached out to hold Zane's hand.
Right then, I pushed the door open and walked in.
The sound of creaking shattered the poignant atmosphere in the room.
Both Zane and Janelle turned to look at me.
Zane's expression shifted instantly. When he saw my calm, unreadable face, the anger and suspicion in his eyes faded to something more cautious.
Janelle, on the other hand, pulled her hand back like a frightened rabbit, quickly getting to her feet. With red-rimmed eyes, she stared at me as if I were the villain.
"E-Evie, you're here," she whispered, inching closer to Zane's bed and leaning on him, as if he were her shield.
I didn't even glance at Janelle and walked straight to Zane's bedside. My eyes landed on his legs, trapped in heavy casts and metal braces.
"You're awake," I said flatly.
Zane stared at me, swallowing hard. His voice came out hoarse and strained. "Why did you choose to save her first?"
Just as I thought, he confronted me, demanding an explanation.
I raised an eyebrow with a hint of amusement in my eyes. "Why? Captain Lowe, before the comms cut out, you were shouting and begging me to save Janelle. Do you need me to remind you?"
His words caught in his throat, and his face grew grimmer. "I was—"
"The situation was critical. The monitoring data showed Janelle's location was about to collapse again, and her chances were worse than yours," I interrupted, my tone professional, like I was giving a mission briefing. "As the highest-ranking officer on site, I decided to prioritize saving the person you specifically asked me to help. Any problem?"
I paused, glancing at Janelle, who was biting her lip. Then I looked back at Zane. "Or were those words for show, Captain Lowe? Did you want me to ignore your so-called 'last wish' and save you instead?"
"You—" Zane struggled for words, his chest rising and falling sharply as his face turned an unnatural shade of red. He was so angry he could hardly breathe.
I bet he never expected me to talk to him like this, so coldly.
Seeing the tension, Janelle stepped forward, her voice barely above a whisper, shaky yet gentle. "Evie, please don't be upset. Zane didn't mean it that way. He just woke up. He's probably still a bit disoriented. He never thought he'd get hurt this badly."
Tears streamed down her face again as she spoke and cast a guilty, heartbroken look at Zane's legs. "It's all my fault. If it weren't for me—"
"Of course it's your fault," I interrupted coldly, cutting her off without a trace of sympathy.
Janelle stopped crying, gaping at me, wide-eyed and speechless.
Zane's head snapped up, his eyes filled with disbelief.