Zayden flew into a rage after getting hit in the face by a fistful of dirt. "You're a lunatic!"

He wiped the dirt off his face, and I'd be lying if I said his pathetic, bewildered state didn't satisfy me. The friends we were traveling with slowly swarmed us, hurling accusations and admonishments at me.

Quincey Jacobson, one of Zayden's friends, thundered, "You've gone too far, Noelle! How could you resort to violence after Erica was kind enough to give you her ibuprofen?"

I tried to explain, but speaking had become laborious. I could only breathe through my gaping mouth like a fish out of water. I felt like I was drowning every time I inhaled.

Tears welled up in Erica's red-rimmed eyes. She hid behind Zayden, playing the victim. The sight of it made me ill.

"Don't blame Noelle. I shouldn't have taken her medication in the first place, but Zayden told me we'd be family one day, and it was okay to share with family."

Zayden's face softened at Erica's words. He wrapped an arm around her frame. "That's right. Noelle was being unreasonable and bratty."

"Family?" I ground out incredulously. "How is she family?"

Looking stormy, Zayden warned, "Watch your words, Noelle. Erica is my younger cousin, and her health has been delicate since she was a kid. Surely an heiress like you wouldn't pick a fight with her over some pills."

Younger cousin? I froze. He'd never once mentioned his "cousin" in the last three years we dated.

Besides, why was he being so considerate of his so-called cousin as to steal his fiancee's life-saving medication for her?

Breathing became increasingly difficult, and my vision was blurring. The pain in my chest was so overwhelming that I couldn't stand upright. I held on to the car door to steady myself.

I leveled an angry finger at Erica. As much as I wanted to tell the truth, my mouth refused to form words. The only sound I could make was heavy panting.

Quincey's exaggerated imitation of me was followed by a mocking, "Goodness gracious, dabbling in performing arts, princess? It'd be a shame if the film awards committee didn't give you a prize."

The crowd burst into laughter. Even Zayden believed I was putting on a show to gain sympathy. He didn't bother hiding his disgust as he frog-marched me to the back of the car. "Enough of your tantrums. Stay here until you've calmed down enough to stop embarrassing us."

"Zayden, I might actually die…" I clutched his sleeve with shaking fingers.

He pried my hand off his sleeve impatiently. "That won't work on me. I've seen you fake an illness too many times.

"You used to fake stomachaches to skip school as a kid, then faked headaches when you didn't want to go to work. And now you're pulling this stunt?"

He shoved me into the cargo area of the car. Bang! The trunk door slammed shut, and I was left alone in the confined space.

Outside, laughter and friendly conversation ensued, interspersed by the sound of Zayden's gentle voice as he placated Erica, "Don't mind her. She's been spoiled rotten by her family since she was young and wants the best for herself."

"Does she really hate me, Zayden?" Erica asked demurely.

"No, she's tempestuous, that's all. She'll get over it in a while," Zayden reassured her.

I leaned against the trunk, feeling my breathing become more and more difficult. The thin air at high altitude made every breath hard, and the confined space made it even worse.

I had five percent left on my phone battery. With trembling fingers, I attempted to call 911 for help.

Unfortunately, my traitorous body refused to obey me. I couldn't even lift my arm.

Devastation consumed me, as did the darkness that settled around me in this confined space. I smacked the rear window with all the strength I could muster. My palms were red and stinging from the effort.

However, no one outside paid me any attention.

The confined space was bearing down on me, turning breathing into an extreme exercise. The pain in my chest sharpened with every second.

I didn't know how much time had passed before the door was finally opened again.

It was Erica.

A triumphant smile played on her lips as she crouched before me. She looked at me with a savage gleam in her eyes. "You know, Noelle, Zayden got tired of you a long time ago."

I glowered at her with wide eyes. I wanted to snap at her, to retort, but all I could do was pant.

Erica continued, "He said you were just like a porcelain doll, easily broken by the slightest touch. Bringing you along is no different than dragging around dead weight."

She produced the bottle of medication she'd taken from me, dangling it before my eyes. "These pills are expensive, right? It's too bad you won't be eating them."

I wanted to stop Erica, but my body refused to obey my will.

Erica poured all the remaining medicine onto the ground and crushed it hard under her foot.

Red clouded my vision. I gathered my strength to push her aside and clamber out of the car. I cried hoarsely, "That medication could've saved my life! My life! Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Zayden and his friends were barbecuing nearby when he heard the commotion. Frowning, he came toward us.

Erica's face immediately scrunched up, and tears promptly rolled down her cheeks. She threw herself in Zayden's arms. "Zayden, I was only trying to talk some sense into Noelle, but she pushed me and destroyed all the pills…"

Excuse me? My eyes widened in disbelief. For a second, I wondered if my ears had deceived me.

Zayden's gaze fell on the white powder on the ground. A grave look registered on his face. "Noelle, you’re hopeless! That was life-saving medicine! You’re ruining yourself and framing Erica?"

"I didn't do it! It was her!" I pointed angrily at Erica, my voice shaking.

But Zayden didn't want to hear my explanation. He fixed me with a look so icy that it devastated me completely.

Beside him, Quincey added fuel to the fire. "I bet she’s just jealous that Erica can handle the altitude, so she ruined the medicine on purpose to frame her!"

"Yeah, she probably can't stand having someone one-up her!"

"She throws a fit about everything! Says a lot about her spoiled upbringing."

Our friends began to admonish me. Their words sliced my heart open like a sharpened dagger.

I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound escaped me. I could only shake my head in disappointment. Why was this happening? Why didn't anyone believe me?

With an arm wrapped around Erica, Zayden gently patted her back. "There, there. She's been this way since she was a kid. There's no changing her for the better."

Erica sobbed in his embrace. "What did I do wrong, Zayden? Why does Noelle hate me so much?"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Erica. She's just so twisted that the idea of you doing well infuriates her," Zayden comforted her.

His words shattered whatever hope I had left for us.

I'd loved this man for three whole years, yet he didn't hesitate to put me down in front of everyone. I crashed to the ground. My heart was aching to the point of bleeding as I stared at the white powder ground into the dirt.

The pills were supposed to save my life. They'd been my only hope for making it through this trip alive.

And now, they were ruined.

I caught Erica tossing me a smug look. The corners of her lips curled up with satisfaction.

"I'll make this simple for you, Noelle," Zayden said, looking down at me. "You can either apologize now, or we break up for good."

I raised my head and stared at him like he was a stranger. He'd reduced our three-year relationship to nothing with just a simple statement.

My heartbeat was gradually weakening, and my body began to seize up uncontrollably. I felt a strange, electric current passing through me with each seizure. For a minute, I thought I was dying.

"Noelle! Noelle, are you okay?" Erica suddenly bounded up to me. Her voice was full of alarm despite the triumph and malice I saw on her face. She crouched beside me and put her hands on my chest. "I'll perform CPR!"

I wanted to turn her down, but I couldn't even make a sound.

Her technique was completely wrong, and the force she used was dangerously brutal. It felt like she'd mustered every ounce of strength she had to push down on my ribcage, threatening to break my ribs with each pump.

A sharp pain filled my chest. I choked, then coughed out a mouthful of blood.

She wasn't trying to save me; she wanted to kill me! I used the last of my strength to grip her wrist. My nails sliced through her skin.

A yelp escaped her as she smacked my hand away. "She scratched me! She wanted to hurt me!"

Zayden rushed over. He gave me a hard shove, and I rolled over on the ground. "Instead of thanking Erica for her kindness after she tried to save you, you decided to attack her? I think I've seen enough of your nonsense, Noelle! You're nothing but a selfish ingrate! I'm done with you!"

I lay on the ground and watched as black spots appeared in my vision. I could feel my consciousness slipping.

Erica cried, "I was only trying to save her, Zayden! But she…"

I closed my eyes and waited for death to come.

Suddenly, a loud roaring came from overhead. A gust of wind descended upon the campsite, toppling the tents.

Everyone had a hard time keeping their eyes open, and their hair blew wildly in the rogue breeze.

I raised my head with some effort to see a white medical chopper hovering above. The blades spun, and the thunderous roar rang in my ears.

A figure in a white coat hurried down from the chopper. He moved quickly, darting over to me the moment he hit the ground.

It was Logan Gardner.

"Move!" He shoved Zayden out of the way and, with practiced ease, examined my pupils and measured my heart rate. His fingers were cold, but his movements were gentle.

"She's suffering from critical cardiogenic pulmonary edema! She needs ECMO, stat!" Logan calmly instructed his team of nurses.

Shocked, Zayden stammered, "W-What… ECMO? Who are you anyway? Get your hands off her!"

Logan didn't even glance at him and continued examining me. "I'm the doctor her father hired. Please stay out of my way and leave me be. Someone will come along and make you pay for what you've done."

His voice was cold and hard.

The medical team wasted no time in hoisting me onto a stretcher and hooking me up to all kinds of equipment. An oxygen mask was swiftly strapped over my nose and mouth, and I relished finally being able to breathe again.

When I passed by Zayden, I saw Logan's assistant holding up a tablet behind him. On the tablet screen was my father's face, the very image of hell's wrath.

"Zayden," my father's voice rang out through the loudspeaker. "The Shepherds will terminate any and all collaborations with the Lowrys, effective immediately. You'll get a letter from my lawyer."