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.

Unexpectedly, my foot slipped and I accidentally fell to the cliff. At the moment of falling down, I even thought that it would be better to die like this. After all, there was nothing left in this world worth holding on to.

However, fate had other plans. Maybe this was my punishment for past mistakes. Instead of crashing straight to my death, I hit a tree branch on the way down, which slowed my fall. The pain was unbearable. My leg was severely broken, the bone almost visible through the torn flesh.

I had a small first-aid kit, some water and a bit of food. If it were daytime, I might've been able to hold on until rescue arrived. That was if someone even reported me missing. Still, the real problem was the mountain's unpredictable weather. Once the sun went down, the temperature would drop drastically.

I had only worn a thin jacket for convenience while hiking. I opened my bag, only to remember I'd given the food to Mila earlier when she said she was hungry. My phone's screen was shattered and there was no signal. I had no way of knowing which direction to go to find coverage.

I grabbed a dry branch, trying to prop myself up, but the moment I moved, I realized I couldn't feel anything below my waist. At that moment, I gave up. I dropped the branch and lay back wholly. Even if I died here, no one would care.

At the hotel where I worked, I was always alone. The only person who ever spoke to me was Lior, the cheerful one. Other than that, I had no close connections. The sky darkened. The damp air crept into my bones, making me feel even colder.

I found a sticky note and a pen in my bag, intending to write a farewell letter. Too bad my hands were trembling so much that I could barely form words. In the end, I only managed to write a single sentence, less than I had written when I left the hospital back then. "I'm sorry. I love you."

I didn't remember when I lost consciousness. I didn't even know if I was rescued. All I remember was sinking into an endless darkness, cold and silent. Maybe I really did die, but every now and then, I would hear Jace's voice. Sometimes, he was on the phone. Other times, he was calling out "Honey."

Even in death, why did I still have to hear him showing off his love? Eventually, his voice became fainter and less frequent. Had he finally left? Was I truly dead?

***

After humiliating Sharon, Jace left with Mila in his arms. However, only he knew he didn't feel as good as he made it seem. Once they turned the corner, he let go of her, his usual cold and distant demeanor returning. Mila acted as if she hadn't noticed. She clung to his arm and said sweetly, "Hubby, thank you for standing up for me. I'm so happy."

Jace lowered his gaze, looking at the hand wrapped around his arm. His heart remained unmoved. There was a time when, if Sharon took the initiative to hold his arm in public, his heart would swell with warmth. Maybe that's what happens when you've experienced love at its peak. That bittersweet taste was something only he could understand.