The mountain valley echoed with harrowing screams, the metallic scent of blood saturating the air.

I stood still, watching, waiting for their demise, when suddenly, a gunshot cracked through the stillness. The bear, startled by the sound, turned sharply and bolted back to its cubs, gathering them before vanishing into the forest's shadows.

As the chaos ebbed, I emerged from my hiding spot. The scene before me was grotesque: both of them lay sprawled on the ground, their bodies riddled with bite marks, their clothes shredded, and wounds deep enough to expose bone. Blood pooled around them, and their groans of agony punctuated the air.

"Kate, help me, please," my husband whimpered, his voice hoarse with pain. "I don't want to die…"

I regarded them with detached calm, setting my backpack down slowly. From it, I retrieved bandages, though I made no immediate move to use them.

Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps filled the air—a group of park rangers had been patrolling the area and had heard the cries for help. Their timely arrival was an unexpected stroke of luck for the wounded pair. It seemed fate wasn't entirely cruel after all.

The rangers worked swiftly, hauling Damon and Bonnie down the mountain and transporting them to the hospital.

Watching them—Damon with a chunk of flesh missing from his arm, and Bonnie with her leg brutally mauled—I felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. Their glazed expressions as they lay in the hospital beds, still gripped by the terror of the bear's attack, were almost poetic.

The ranger department head arrived not long after, visibly concerned upon hearing of the bear attack. He visibly relaxed only when he saw that I was unharmed.

Soon, Damon's colleagues crowded the room. Their faces twisted in shock as they took in the extent of the injuries. Swathed in thick bandages, neither Damon nor Bonnie faced life-threatening danger, but their external wounds were severe.

The moment Bonnie saw me, her eyes reddened, and she pointed at me with trembling fury. "It's all her fault!" she shrieked. "She provoked the bear! She wanted to kill us. She's the one who deserves to die!"

Damon quickly chimed in, his anger matching hers. "How could you be so heartless? I'm your husband! You planned this, didn't you? You led us into the bear's territory on purpose!"

Their baseless accusations stirred the onlookers into a frenzy of condemnation.

"How irresponsible can you be? Taking on a job you're not capable of and endangering lives?" one exclaimed.

"Clearly some nepotism got her this job. We need to report her and get her fired!" another added.

"You almost cost two people their lives! This is inexcusable!" The room buzzed with their indignation, and I could see the fleeting glances of satisfaction Damon and Bonnie exchanged. They thought they had successfully rallied everyone against me.

Despite the noise, I remained silent. Ten years as a guide had never seen an accident under my watch. I didn't need to defend myself against fools.

Before I could respond, the department head raised his hands, his voice calm yet firm. "Everyone, please, let's not jump to conclusions. Kate is an experienced guide. I trust her professionalism completely. There must be some misunderstanding here."

Bonnie picked up the water cup beside her bed and hurled it to the ground with a furious crash. "Misunderstanding? We nearly died out there, and you're calling it a misunderstanding? Are our lives worth so little to you?"

I scoffed, finally breaking my silence. "I followed protocol to the letter. It was you two who ignored my warnings and acted recklessly, leading to the bear's attack."

"Liar!" Damon spat. "You deliberately lured us into the bear's territory. You wanted this to happen."

I stared at him coldly. "You know the truth as well as I do, yet you choose to twist it. Do you think that if the two of you band together in your lies, I'll be unable to defend myself?"

Their accusations hung in the air, heavy but baseless. I let them simmer in the silence, their desperation evident.

"I know exactly why you're doing this," Damon sneered. "You want me dead so you can collect the insurance payout."

I laughed, the sound dry and cutting. "You think I care about your pitiful insurance money?"

After all, my father was the wealthiest man in Boswolt. I didn't need his insurance money.

He continued, "If you have evidence to prove your innocence, then produce it."

His colleague, unwilling to back down, muttered, "It's suspicious, though, isn't it? They're heavily injured, and you're perfectly fine."

"Call the police!" Damon yelled, his eyes wide with anticipation. "Get Kate arrested!"

But before he could revel in his imagined victory, the next moment brought a swift end to his delusions.