A blizzard is approaching. Yet my mountain guide girlfriend, Clover Ainsley, insists on waiting for her childhood sweetheart, Elliot West, to return to the group before leading everyone down the mountain.

In order to save everyone's lives, I keep pleading with her to take us down the mountain first. Finally, she reluctantly agrees to my pleas and takes us home.

Unexpectedly, Elliot is trapped in a cave afterward. He ends up freezing to death because help never comes to him.

Clover claims that she doesn't regret saving me and the rest of the group. In fact, she even proposes to me afterward.

But on the night of our engagement, she poisons me and drags me to the snow mountain.

"If it wasn't for you demanding me to leave the mountain, Elliot wouldn't have died! He was the billionaire's son, you know! You can't even compare to him at all!

"He had died naked, and his stomach was filled with snow! I want you to suffer the same way he did!"

After that, Clover strips me naked and pushes me into a snow mound. When my body goes all stiff from the cold, she drags me to a high ledge before throwing me off the ledge.

Just like that, my body shatters into pieces because of how brittle I've become.

When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day the blizzard is about to come.

If Clover wants to wait for Elliot, who's taken on my identity as the billionaire's son, then she can go ahead and do that.

I'm not going to meddle with their fate this time.

"Clover, a blizzard is coming! Take us down the mountain now, or we'll all die here!"

One of my coworkers glanced at the sky and immediately knew something was wrong.

Clover Ainsley shook her head. "Elliot hasn't returned yet. Let's wait."

Snow fell in heavy flurries, and the roaring wind made everyone uneasy.

"What's the point of waiting?" someone snapped. "Didn't he say this mountain is like home to him? Let him come down on his own!"

"Right. We should've been off the mountain an hour ago, but he went off taking pictures. He can take his chances all he wants, but why pull the rest of us along?"

Their complaints died down under Clover's icy glare.

"If you don't want to wait, go ahead. I'm not stopping anyone."

One of them shot back, "You make it sound easy, but you're the only one who knows the way. You're the guide. If you don't lead us, no one will make it down."

"Then shut up!" Clover snapped. "If Elliot doesn't come back today, I'm not going anywhere. You're all shameless. We climbed this mountain together, yet all you care about is saving yourselves."

The words hit like a punch, and everyone flushed with anger. A friendlier coworker tugged at my sleeve. "Rowan, you need to talk some sense into your girlfriend."

I shook my head. "She's right. Elliot went up the mountain with us. We can't just leave him behind."

Everyone's faces drained of color.

"Rowan, how can you be so irresponsible?" one shouted. "We trusted you when we chose your girlfriend as our guide, and now you two are teaming up against us? When we get back, we're telling the supervisor everything."

Clover, however, seemed pleased. She leaned into my arms and whispered, "Who are you threatening? If you say another more word, I'm leaving you out here."

All of us were staff at the Frostpeak Research Institute, sent to collect samples from the glaciers on this mountain.

When the sampling site was first announced, I recommended Clover. The day before we left, she pointed out that the mountain's terrain was complicated and that we needed a second guide. That guide was Elliot West.

Elliot had mentioned he needed extra money, so he came on as a part-timer. Being a local, he knew the mountain like the back of his hand.

At first, everyone liked him. He was outgoing and cheerful, keeping spirits high on the drive up.

However, that changed when we got onto the mountain.

Even though his job was to guide us, Elliot treated it like a vacation. He goofed off with Clover, taking pictures and stopping every half an hour to rest.

Unlike them, we came to get the work done, not to have fun. Every extra moment waiting set our schedule back.

When some of my coworkers finally complained, Clover had no choice but to let Elliot wander off for his photos while she led the rest of us to the sampling site.

After collecting the samples, snow began to fall. Someone suggested going down, but Clover made us wait over an hour. No one dared say a word after that.

The storm grew worse. The wind shrieked and snow lashed at us. Just as someone was about to step forward on their own, Elliot finally appeared. "Clover, I knew you'd wait for me."

Clover let out a relieved breath, but before she could support him, a piercing cry broke out.

"Avalanche!"

Tons of snow tore loose from the cliffs, tumbling down like a white tidal wave straight toward us.

My colleagues' eyes went wide, and even Elliot and Clover turned pale.

Everyone froze in place. Before the rolling snow reached us, I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Follow me! There's a cave over there!"

The group snapped out of their daze and ran with me to a nearby cave. As soon as the last person entered the cave, the avalanche struck. Snow heaped at the entrance, cutting off every ray of light.

"What do we do now?" someone whispered in the dark. "We're not going to die here, are we?"

"It's all the two idiots' fault. If it weren't for them, we'd be home by now."

Arguments broke out, and I switched on the ultra-bright emergency light I always carried. The cave glowed.

When my coworker spotted Clover, he lost control and swung his fist toward her. "Clover, this is all your fault!"

Elliot stepped between Clover and the angry coworkers. "Do you think hitting a woman makes you impressive? If you want to fight, take it out on me."

"Fine, then we'll take you both on," several others shouted, wanting to teach them a lesson.

Some even turned on me. "Rowan, don't think you can hide either. If you hadn't recommended such an irresponsible guide, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Just as I was about to plead with them to stop, fists were raised toward me and Clover.

"Stop!" Elliot shouted urgently. "If you keep this up, I won't get you out of here."

All eyes turned to him. "You can get us out?"

Elliot nodded and raised his wrist. "See this watch? My father had it custom-made. It automatically sends a distress signal if I'm in danger. It already sent a signal during the avalanche. In less than three days, my family will send someone to rescue us."

The cave fell silent for a few seconds, then someone voiced doubt.

"A watch that magically calls for help? Do you think we're in a movie?"

"How is it even supposed to send a signal in this weather?"

"Wait, I heard the son of a billionaire has one of those because he loves the outdoors. Are you the billionaire's son?"

Elliot lowered his head sheepishly. "My dad told me not to reveal my identity."

That was as good as admitting it.

Clover frowned and asked, "Elliot, didn't we agree not to reveal who you are?"

"Clover, it's too late for that. If we don't say something now, we'll get beaten to death," Elliot said urgently. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. After we're rescued, I'll have my dad give everyone a little compensation."

The promise of guaranteed rescue and compensation thrilled everyone. Only I stood in the corner with a frown.

It was true that the billionaire's son had a watch capable of sending distress signals and tracking his location.

The catch was that the watch was on my wrist, and I had never heard of my father having another son.

As I watched Clover fawn over Elliot, memories of my previous life came rushing back. After Elliot's accident, Clover had received a letter from him.

The letter revealed that Elliot had loved Clover for a long time, yet he hadn't confessed because of me and wouldn't come between her and anyone else.

Clover cried all night after reading it, and by the next day, she declared she wanted to marry me.

I had planned to introduce her to my father at the engagement party, but she dragged me to the snow mountain and cruelly killed me.

At the time, I had thought she had belatedly realized her feelings for Elliot. Now, it seemed far more likely that that wasn't the case. She had only ever treated him well because he was the billionaire's son.

She killed me because I had ruined her chance at marrying into wealth.

I sneered quietly. After everything came to light, would Clover treat Elliot like she treated me once she realized she had missed her chance with the billionaire's son again?

After learning that Elliot was the billionaire's son and that he could very likely get everyone out alive, the entire group began fawning over him. They gave up the cleanest, most comfortable spot in the cave for him without hesitation.

When we climbed the mountain, Elliot had said he liked to travel light, so aside from his trekking pole, he hadn't brought anything with him.

The moment he mentioned being thirsty or hungry, everyone rushed to offer him their water bottles and chocolate. As he ate and drank without restraint, he promised generously, "When we get out, I'll pay you back ten times over."

Food and water could still be spared, but when night fell, no one was willing to give up their sleeping bags. Going without food or water for a few days was survivable, but spending a subzero night without a sleeping bag was a death sentence.

No matter how much money Elliot offered, not a single person was willing to hand theirs over.

He frowned and turned to Clover. "Clover, what should I do? I'm going to freeze to death."

She whispered a few words to calm him, then turned and looked around. When her gaze fell on me, Clover walked over.

"Rowan, give him your sleeping bag," she said flatly.

I refused without a second thought. "No."

She reached out and tried to grab it anyway.

I panicked. "Clover, are you insane? If you give him my sleeping bag, what am I supposed to sleep in?"

"Can't you just endure it?" she snapped. "Everyone's counting on Elliot to survive. Stop being childish."

Fearing Clover would target them next, the others quickly joined in. "Rowan, don't be selfish. You brought plenty of gear. Wrap yourself in a jacket and lean against someone. You'll survive the night."

Clover was stronger than most men. That was what had drawn me to her in the first place, especially after I saw her drop a grown man with a single punch.

No one helped me. Before long, my sleeping bag was ripped away.

After taking it, Elliot walked over and thanked me. "Thanks for lending me your sleeping bag. If not, we could even share this one."

That wasn't lending at all. He had taken it by force, and the sleeping bag was only meant for one person.

I replied coldly, "No need."

Then I pulled a down jacket and a windbreaker from my pack.

Luckily, I was an outdoor enthusiast and always came prepared. When Elliot saw the extra clothes, his eyes darkened. After putting them on, I closed my eyes to conserve my strength.

Before long, Elliot spoke again. "Clover, I don't feel well."

There was a rustling sound, followed by Clover's anxious voice. "Elliot, you have a mild fever."

"I'm so cold," Elliot said weakly. "Can you find me another jacket?"

I opened my eyes. As expected, Elliot was staring straight at me.

I was speechless.

Clover walked over and held out her hand. "Give me your windbreaker."

I clenched my teeth. "I'm not taking it off. If he wants clothes, why don't you give him yours?"

Clover dropped the chatter and went straight for my windbreaker.

I forced down the urge to hit her. "Clover, if you give him my clothes today, I will never forgive you."

Clover hesitated for just a second, then immediately tugged at my windbreaker. "Whether you forgive me or not, I don't care."

In no time, she had yanked my windbreaker from me and placed it on Elliot.

Even then, he still shivered and complained about the cold. Clover reached for my winter coat next.

I snapped at Elliot, "Are you doing this on purpose? You're not even cold. You just want me dead!"

Elliot said softly, "Clover, forget it. I'll just endure the cold."

The harder he insisted, the more forcefully Clover pulled. Without thinking, I bit down hard on her hand.

Clover cried out and slapped me across the face. "Rowan, don't push your luck. You should consider it an honor that the billionaire's son wears your clothes."

I shouted, "He's not the billionaire's son. The real billionaire's son is—"

Before I could finish my sentence, Elliot interrupted, "Don't just stand there. Help Clover! Are you seriously going to let a man bully a woman?"

My colleagues had intended to stay neutral, yet seeing how he behaved, they knew he was deliberately picking on me.

One of them finally couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up for me. "Mr. West, that's enough. If you take his clothes, he'll freeze to death."

Elliot looked at him coolly. "Either he freezes, or I do. Neither of us gets out."

With that, their hesitation crumbled, and they closed in together.

I felt my clothes being pulled off, and the biting wind cut through me, leaving me trembling from head to toe.

Someone muttered an apology as they handed the clothes to Elliot. Within seconds, my skin was turning blue from the cold. I glared at them. "I'm the real billionaire's son. You'll all regret this."

"Nonsense! When has my father ever had a son like you?"

Elliot's gaze fell on the watch, and he yanked it from my wrist. "You really went all out to impersonate me. He's clearly out of his mind. Someone needs to snap him out of this."

A few of them caught on immediately. "Let's dump him into the snow and let him cool off."

"No! You can't do this to me!" I yelled in desperation.

Memories of dying from the cold in my last life surged back. At this temperature, I could lose consciousness in a minute.

I called out desperately for Clover, but she didn't even flinch. She gestured to a few others, and they lifted me, throwing me into the snow inside the cave.

At that moment, a deafening crash echoed from the entrance as a wall of snow was shoved aside. A team of men in black shell jackets stepped through.

"Sir, we're here to bring you home."