I shouted from outside, "Open the door, Randall! I'm going to freeze to death! Let me in! The hail is still coming down! I don't even have my jacket now! This is murder!"

The hail was falling around me. I quickly stepped aside to avoid being hit. With only a thin blanket wrapped around me, the cold wind made my body tremble uncontrollably.

Randall hesitated for a moment.

"What's the big deal? We've been out fishing on the ice for hours, and we're fine. She's been in the tent this whole time. She's so fat. How could she be cold?"

Tessa's voice could be heard even through the door.

"And I can hear the hail getting quieter. I'm sick. All I want is a bite of potato stew. Are you going to give it to me or not?"

I couldn't hear Randall's response. I just pounded on the door again and again. My palms quickly swelled with pain from the force.

Just then, the door cracked open slightly. I felt a glimmer of hope. Just as I was ready to rush inside, Tessa blocked the doorway and pushed Belle out.

"Belle!"

I caught her, but my knee hit the ground hard. Pain shot through me.

"Here! In case you forget your place and don't focus on foraging for wild vegetables. Take Belle with you! Come back when you've gathered both the vegetables and firewood."

"Mommy…"

Belle was bleeding from her nose. I scrambled to wipe it clean, knowing that if I delayed even a little, the cold would freeze it.

"Don't go to sleep, Belle," I said.

"Mommy, the lady is so bad. Daddy's bad too…"

Belle's body arched, and her neck stiffened. I panicked, not knowing what to do.

My willingness to back down hadn't made them realize their mistakes. Instead, they'd only become more ruthless.

Tears froze on my face, and I screamed at the villa, "Randall Hamilton, Belle is your daughter! She's only five! If you push her out here, she'll freeze to death!"

"Blame yourself for raising her to be so evil and arrogant. She's just a child, yet she dares to challenge adults? She needs to be taught a lesson in manners!

"Tessa has helped me more than anyone. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am today. I won't let anyone hurt her!"

Helped him? I held Belle, whose body was burning with fever. My anger was so intense it almost consumed my sanity.

He always said that Tessa had helped him get ahead in his career and was his mentor.

I admired Randall's ambition and supported him in maintaining that relationship. I bought her dinner, sent gifts during the holidays, and went shopping with her when she was upset. I wasn't sure if he saw her as a boss or something else entirely.

Every time we argued, he'd turn to Tessa for advice, like she was his guiding light in life.

Now, that light was pushing his wife and child toward the abyss and leading him to the brink of ruin. Yet, he was blindly following her.

What a joke! That shameless couple!

The wind and snow stung my face, but it only sharpened my mind.

What Randall didn't know was that I had been watching them closely ever since he got involved with Tessa.

I'd already realized she wasn't a good person.

I'd planned to talk to him about it after the trip, but it seemed there was no need for that now. If I survived this, they'd both have to pay the price.

I wrapped Belle tightly in the blanket, trying to share whatever warmth I could with her.

She began to vomit. The mess landed on my clothes. The wind blew again, and the wet fabric froze solid.

I found a new spot and held her close. "Just sweat it out. Stay awake, Belle. Talk to me. Don't fall asleep."

The cold wind tore at my face, and hail continued to fall around me. I cradled Belle in one arm and used my other hand to shield my head while trying to find tools.

"They're set on killing us both. You can't die, Belle."

I spotted a flowerpot in the corner of the yard. The plants inside were frozen and lifeless, leaving only the stiff branches standing.

I emptied the soil and used the pot to shield my head from the snow and wind.

Inside the villa, just a wall away, they were discussing what food I might be able to bring back.

Tessa asked, "Randall, do you think Tessa will be mad at me?"

"She can't be. Since she got pregnant, she hasn't worked a single day! All she does is cook and look after Belle. Now, she won't even cook, and she can't even teach Belle properly. Did you hear what Belle just said? She called you a tramp! You can put up with it, but I can't!"

"Maybe we should just let them in. It's not a big deal if we're a little hungry. It's still snowing outside. What if something happens? You'll regret it," Tessa said softly.

Noticing Randal's hesitation, Tessa immediately grew upset and was ready to stand up and leave. He quickly tried to calm her down.

"I won't regret it! All you want is a bowl of potato stew. What's so hard about that? She's getting more and more difficult! Are you still cold? Let me warm your feet."

"I'll do what I promised, but you need to keep your promise too." Tessa playfully kissed his cheek.

Through the glass window, I could see their figures entwined.

Randall bent down to take off Tessa's shoes and socks and held her feet against his chest.

The dimly lit room was filled with tension, while outside, the storm raged. I could feel my lower abdomen cramping.

He was still so practiced at warming feet. Back then, I was sensitive to the cold. He would do the same for me. He would warm my hands and feet when we were dating.

After we got married, he gave me tonics to help with my cold body, so I could get pregnant.

With more heaters and heating pads, the intimacy between us dwindled. I used to think this was a good thing. The improvement in our economic status freed us from much of the repetitive labor.

But now, it just disgusted me.

I used the flowerpot to shield my head. Holding Belle close, I took a detour toward the underground parking lot, where there was a camper van with some supplies inside.

Before leaving, I took everything useful from the villa.

If they wanted that potato stew, they'd have to make do without the cookware and utensils. Let them eat the cold wind instead.

I left the potatoes, though. They had already become moldy. That shameless couple could have them all.

Randall had no idea that I knew this villa very well. I had scouted it countless times in preparation for a surprise I wanted to give him.

Randall and I met in college. When I confessed my feelings to him, he was thrilled. He eagerly shared the news in the campus group chats. It was as if he wanted the entire world to know.

He said I was his moon in the sky, that I would always be bright and beautiful.

When he proposed, he promised to love and pamper me forever, to never let me be trapped by housework or social obligations.

When I was pregnant with Belle, he said that we would be his whole world and that everything he worked for would be for us.

Yet, he did none of it. After seven years of marriage, we were still living in a cramped three-bedroom apartment. We could barely fit the three of us, and we had to constantly accommodate his parents.

Now, with another baby on the way, I had planned to find us a better place.

The villa's previous owner was a friend I met through work. Her husband had accumulated debt and needed cash, so they sold the villa and everything inside for a pittance. That was why the villa was so empty.

I bought it not only to help my friend but also to give Randall a surprise.

Our anniversary was in a week, and the baby would be stable by then. It would be the perfect time to decorate the villa together and make it our new home.

But now, it was clear I wouldn't be able to keep the baby. I prayed that the heavens would let Belle survive.

The hail hit my hand. At first, it stung, but my limbs were growing numb. I couldn't feel anything. Belle's breathing was becoming rapid. It was as if she were struggling to breathe.

Finally, we reached the basement. I climbed into the camper van, turned on the heater, and then massaged Belle's body.

She woke up and wanted to cry, but she seemed too shy to do so. Instead, I was the first to break down.

"It's okay, Belle. Good girl. Don't open the door for anyone. There are snacks and bread in the van. If you're hungry, just eat something."

I gave her a reassuring smile, but a wave of warmth surged below me. I finally couldn't hold on any longer. My eyes closed, and I lost consciousness.