His lips pressed into a thin line, his voice unbearably cold. "Oh, right. I almost forgot you're someone who thinks even seven million isn't enough. Why would you settle for just a hundred or two hundred thousand?"

I turned and walked away, refusing to engage any further. But Jace grabbed my wrist. "I am curious, though. If you have already taken the money, why are you still working here as a waitress? Hoping to hook another rich fool?"

I struggled to free myself from his grip, then hurried to the private dining room. After handing the dishes to the server inside, I left as quickly as possible. Another second there and I would have suffocated.

My breathing grew unsteady. I gasped for air, but it felt like no oxygen was reaching my lungs. Darkness clouded my vision and then I collapsed. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a familiar voice calling my name, "Sharon." However, I knew it couldn't be him.

I had a long dream. It spanned the ten years from when I first met Jace to when we broke up. Back in university, I was just a broke student while he was the prestigious student council president. No matter where I worked part-time, I would always "coincidentally" run into him.

Our marriage was an accident. Right after graduation, my father fell into a gambling addiction. Not only did he lose everything we had, but he also managed to ruin a job opportunity I had already secured. Jace extended a lifeline. "Marry me and I'll fix it for you."

That's when I found out he was actually rich and didn't have to work part-time to make ends meet. He went against the world to marry me, living with me in a tiny rental apartment and taking the subway to work every day. We were once the most ordinary couple in the world. I still remember how he would beam with joy just because I cooked a meal for him, praising me, "Honey, you're amazing."

God knows how much I wanted to have a child with him. My mother died giving birth to me and my father raised me roughly. I had a weak constitution, so it wasn't easy for me to conceive. We tried everything to have a baby.

Even when his startup company was growing rapidly, he still made time to go with me for IVF treatments. The moment we found out I was pregnant, his eyes were filled with the entire universe. He hugged me tightly and said, "If it's a boy, he and I will protect you together."

Sadly, that child never saw the light of day. At the end of the dream, his cold face appeared. "Sharon, I find you disgusting. You better disappear completely and never bother me again!"

I desperately tried to grab his hand, but he drifted further and further away.

The hospital room was filled with the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. I struggled to open my eyes, only to see my father sitting by the bed, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry, Sharon. It's all my fault. I've been a burden on you."

A wave of disappointment washed over me. I forced a bitter smile, mocking myself for even thinking that Jace had come to save me. "Dad, I want some water."

"When the manager called me last night, I was scared to death," he said, his voice trembling. "Sharon, tell me the truth. What are we going to do about your health from now on?"

I turned my gaze toward the window. A small bird perched on the ledge as if exhausted from flying. "Dad, stop the treatment. It's a waste of money. You should keep it for yourself."

At that moment, I lost all interest in the world. Everything I had gritted my teeth and fought for suddenly felt laughable. Jace built a billion-dollar company from scratch without relying on his family. At the same time, I am just an arrogant nobody who thought she was something.

I was going to die anyway. Why keep struggling? Just then, my phone rang. I picked it up and answered. "Sharon, don't say I never look out for you. Mrs. Hawthorne needs a guide to take her around Greenhelm Mountain and she specifically asked for you. The tip is $5000 a day."

"Manager, I'm still in the hospital."

"So, what are you waiting for? If you're fine enough to pick up the phone, you're fine enough to work. Do you know how many people would kill for this job?"

True enough. A day's tips were indeed equivalent to my month's salary. "Okay, I'll go."

After hanging up, my father grabbed my hand. "Don't go. You've been on a drip all night, your body can't take it. Sharon, it's all my fault, I'm the one who ruined you. I'll change, I promise I'll change … " He sobbed uncontrollably. His hair was streaked with gray, his youthful energy long gone.

"Dad, don't worry. I'm not dying anytime soon. I've been like this for a while now. I just need to go home and grab a few things before heading to the mountains." Soon, my dad took me to the hotel on his electric scooter.

A black business van was already parked at the entrance, clearly waiting for someone. The moment I stepped inside, the manager dragged me to the lounge area. "Mrs. Hawthorne, Sharon is here."

Mila didn't even look up. She said casually, "Help me put on my shoes."

I was momentarily taken aback and the manager immediately pressed my head down. "What are you waiting for? Not everyone has the privilege of putting on Mrs. Hawthorne's shoes."

He grinned obsequiously, but to me, it felt like my face was being pressed into the dirt. Still, what did dignity even mean anymore? I knelt down, took her ankle in my right hand and reached for her sneakers with my left.

"Just as I was about to put them on her, she suddenly stepped down hard. The sharp heel of her stiletto dug into the back of my hand. I gasped in pain and looked up at her.

"Oh, sorry. I was replying to a message, I didn't notice," Mila said without a trace of sincerity.

Pain shot through my hand as if my bones were about to break. I wanted to walk away right then and there. Still, the manager leaned in and whispered, "Don't forget, you've already taken two months' salary in advance. Even if I fire you, you still need to pay it back."

I clenched my teeth and swallowed my pride, silently finishing the task.

"I really don't understand why Jace thinks you're disgusting," she said with a smirk. "Your service is actually quite good. I'm very satisfied." She got up and walked away. I had no choice but to pick up her bag and follow. I didn't even notice the piercing gaze locked onto me from behind.

Greenhelm Mountain was rugged and unpredictable. I had only been there a few times, so I wasn't confident leading the way. Alas, Mila insisted on exploring the undeveloped areas. "Miss Lenox, I'm not a professional guide. I can't predict the dangers ahead, so I can't take you there."

Mila's expression turned cold. "Sharon, do you still think you're the high-and-mighty Mrs. Hawthorne? Have you forgotten? You and Jace divorced a long time ago."

I could never forget. Even though I never wanted to leave Jace, I had no choice but to run away like a rat in the dark. "This has nothing to do with that."

I tried to explain the danger, but Mila turned away and walked forward. I had no choice but to chase after her, my backpack weighing me down. If we went any further, there would be no phone signal. I couldn't afford to take that risk, but she suddenly stopped. She turned around and gave me a strange, almost eerie smile. "Want to hear a secret? That note you left for Jace back then, I threw it in the trash. So, from beginning to end, he never knew you were forced to leave. In his eyes, you're nothing but a heartless traitor."

My fists clenched. "You're going too far!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then let me tell you something else. I teamed up with his mother and put on a whole show. Jace thinks you ran off with some rich old man and abandoned him. In his eyes, you're nothing but a pathetic loser."

Tears welled up in my eyes and the anger brewing in my chest exploded. I shoved her. "Shut up!"

The next second, a figure rushed over and shielded her. Jace held Mila protectively in his arms, towering over me with a cold, scornful gaze. "I must have been blind to ever give my heart to you."

"Jace, listen to me … " I didn't know how long he had been standing there or if he had heard what Mila just said.

But he didn't listen to my explanation and pushed me to the ground. "You have no right to say my name. Isn't money what you want? Here, take it. Consider it a tip. Ten thousand. Just don't even think about hurting the people I care about."

He threw a handful of cash at me, but it felt more like he had slapped me across the face. My palm scraped against the rough gravel, breaking the skin. Then, the blood seeped out.

I remembered how, once, when I accidentally cut my finger while chopping vegetables, he had panicked and insisted on taking me to the hospital. Meanwhile, now, he was speaking to Mila in a gentle, soothing voice. "Baby, are you okay? If you wanted to go hiking, why didn't you call me?"

"You were busy. I didn't want to bother you."

"But I'm your husband. How could that ever be a bother?"

***

I didn't dare to lift my head. Their affectionate words rang in my ears, stabbing into my heart like tiny needles. It hurt so much I could barely breathe. I couldn't believe that the man who once promised to protect me for a lifetime was now calling someone else his wife right in front of me.

I sat there for a long time. The couple's voices slowly faded into the wind. When I finally looked up, they were gone. The hike had drained me, but I still reached for my backpack, pulling out a first-aid kit to clean my wound.

It turned out that when a person was genuinely heartbroken, they couldn't even cry. My eyes burned, but not a single tear fell. I kept wondering, why couldn't Jace have just listened to me for one more second? We were so in love before. I could have accepted us becoming strangers again, but he clearly saw me as an enemy.

I was so useless. I couldn't even part ways peacefully with the person I loved the most. Later, when I couldn't find the alcohol wipes to disinfect my wound, that last bit of helplessness overwhelmed me. I slumped to the ground, whispering over and over again, "I lost it … I lost him … "

Finally, tears streamed down my face. In the vast, empty wilderness, my cries echoed, raw and unrestrained. I cried until I had no more strength left. I stared blankly at the sky, but even the blue sky and drifting white clouds couldn't bring me peace. It wasn't until the sun began to set that I forced myself to stand up and start making my way down the mountain.