After days of relentless storms, a landslide swept through the mountains.

My parents were missing.

I asked Brad Watson to drive me home.

But halfway there, his lifesaver, Evelyn Smith, called him.

"Brad, the thunder's too loud. I'm so scared, where are you?"

Without a second thought, he kicked me out of the car.

In a blink, the storm soaked me to the bone.

Shivering, I clung to the car window. "Brad, please, just take me to see my parents first..."

Remote and blocked by the landslide, the roads were deserted.

It was deep into the night, and walking home would take until dawn.

But Brad, impatient, shrugged off my hand. "She has a heart condition. I owe her; I have to be there whenever she calls."

With those words, he drove away, leaving me in my most desperate moment to go to Evelyn.

Brad's car faded into the distance.

Standing in the pouring rain, I felt an unprecedented despair.

Once Brad makes up his mind, nothing can change it.

He wouldn't come back.

There was no signal on the mountain roads, and my phone was useless.

Anxiety burned inside me like wildfire.

All I could do was run forward in the cold rain, hoping to speed up my journey.

The road was slippery, and in my haste, I'd only worn slippers.

After countless falls, I staggered home to find it buried in mud.

The rescue team had already retrieved my parents' bodies.

Even though I had braced for the worst, seeing it tore my heart.

Just the day before, they had asked me to bring Brad home for dinner.

Now, they were just two cold bodies.

I could barely manage my grief, only mustering the strength to support my weary body with the help of nearby residents to organize their funerals.

It wasn't until my parents' ashes were buried that Brad finally called me.

"Don't make a scene. Evelyn is in the hospital right now, and I can't leave. I'll come for you and your parents when I'm free."

Even through the screen, I could feel the cold indifference on his face as he spoke.

That night, as I kept vigil for my parents, I had intended to call him over.

Instead, I saw a post on Instagram from Evelyn.

Brad and she were in the same hospital bed.

Even in sleep, he clutched Evelyn's hand tightly as if fearing she might slip away the next second.

The caption read simply: [As long as you're here, I fear nothing.]

I glanced once, daring not to look any further.

It felt as though a sharp dagger had been thrust into my chest, instantly drenching me in blood, the pain unbearable.

I silently turned off my phone.

Then, in the makeshift shrine, I wept all night before the bodies of my parents.

At dawn, I sent a message to Brad.

[Brad, am I not as important to her?]

He didn't reply at the time.

Three days had passed since I sent that message.

It seemed he had only just remembered his fiancée, finally deigning to call me.

But it wasn't to check on me.

Instead, as usual, he spoke in an impatient, commanding tone, chastising me to stop making a scene.

Stopped make a scene.

Those words I'd heard for two whole years.

But now, I didn't want to hear them anymore.

I didn't want to know my worth in his heart anymore.

I said, "Brad, let's break up."

After that, I hung up the phone.

My exhausted body, compounded by profound sorrow, couldn't take it anymore, and I passed out.

When I awoke, I was in the hospital.

The doctor said it was fortunate someone had passed by and rushed me to the hospital in time.

I had hypoglycemia from not eating for a long time, and a wound on my leg had gone untreated and became infected.

I needed to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation.

However, when I returned from paying at the window, I encountered Brad and Evelyn in the hallway.

Evelyn, looking frail, cooed in his arms, "Brad, the medicine the doctor prescribed is so bitter, I don't want to take it."

Brad soothed her gently. "Sweetheart, there's a reward if you do."

With blushing ears, Evelyn asked, "What's the reward?"

Brad chuckled and tapped her nose. "Take it and you'll find out."

They flaunted their love as if no one else was around until they heard footsteps behind them.

The next second, they faced my expressionless gaze.

Evelyn quickly pulled away from his embrace, looking at me in panic. "Ashley, what are you doing here?"

I scoffed, "Just checking if you're dead yet."

Tears welled up in Evelyn's eyes, spilling over as she spoke.

"Ashley, I know you're upset, but don't worry, I'll be discharged tomorrow, and I'll give Brad back to you.

"Don't be mad at him; it's my fault for being so weak."

Brad immediately stepped in front of her, his face darkening. "Ashley, it's only been a few days, and you've turned this venomous. Where have your manners gone?"

The hatred inside me churned as I trembled with rage. "Brad, do you even realize my parents are dead?

"And you? You abandoned me to be with her. For three whole days, you didn't even bother to call.

"Before you question my upbringing, ask yourself if you're even fit to be someone's fiancé!"

I used to be graceful and generous.

At least until Evelyn came along, I was not like now.

Seeing me sharp-tongued for the first time, Brad was stunned.

Evelyn's eyes widened in disbelief. "Ashley, that joke isn't funny at all. Who jokes about their own family dying?"

Brad's expression turned grave instantly. "Ashley, you're insane. Do you think lying like this is fun?"

Evelyn tugged at his sleeve. "Brad, don't be angry. It wasn't easy for Ashley to come all the way from afar."

Her words led Brad to believe that my jealous rage was why I'd traveled so far, hunting him down.

To torment him, I'd even cursed my parents.

Brad's anger subsided a bit, yet he mocked me. "So, you stalk me and come up with such vile excuses? Ashley, I underestimated you."

He added, "Look at you now, what a sight, like a shrew throwing a tantrum in the street."

After so many years together, Brad knew precisely how to hurt me.

The most important thing was he didn't believe a word I said.

I couldn't be bothered to argue. "Fine, Brad, let's break up then. I'm sure you've heard enough over the phone."

Brad frowned. "Ashley, is this really necessary?"

"You know Evelyn saved my life. Can't you stop being so petty? Is it just because I didn't go home with you? I'll go with you next time."

His tone in the last sentence was as if he was doing me a favor.

My gaze was cold and still. "Brad, there won't be a next time."

I have no home left.

Evelyn stood there, nervously pulling at Brad's sleeve. "Brad, Ashley really seems angry. Maybe you should go and calm her down, and I can handle the discharge papers myself."

After speaking, she forced a smile, but the light in her eyes seemed about to shatter.

Brad ruffled her hair, his tone coaxing. "Come on, don't you know your own body? There's no way I'm leaving you here alone."

After saying that, he turned to look at me. His demeanor completely changed, his gaze icy. "Ashley, you know I hate threats the most. Go back first, and once Evelyn's condition stabilizes, I'll naturally come home to find you.

"Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

With that, he put his arm around Evelyn's shoulders and walked past me.

Out of his sight, Evelyn curled her lip at me.

I read her eyes in an instant. Her gaze said, "You think you can compete with me?"

It wasn't the first time she provoked me.

In the past, I might have lost my temper and angrily pointed at her in front of Brad, saying, "You see? She's doing this on purpose! She's trying to drive a wedge between us!"

But Brad would just ignore me as if he were blind.

"Ashley, can't you let go of your hostility towards Evelyn?

"She's so timid. What if you scare her? Could you live with yourself then?"

Eventually, he got tired of it. No matter what I said, he had only one response. "If it weren't for saving me, would her heart condition have relapsed? Why do you have to nitpick everything with her?"

However, in this world, it was not always the case that the weak were right.

And so it was with love.

But clearly, Brad didn't see it that way.

To him, Evelyn had saved his life, and with her heart condition, her words were his law.

Time and again, Brad let her hurt me, provoke me.

Yet, I was supposedly the one he loved most.

It seemed Brad had forgotten that.

Of course, I knew Evelyn had saved him.

Two years ago, while Brad was on a business trip, a deranged man suddenly burst out, wildly swinging a knife.

Brad was caught off guard, holding a frightened child, and couldn't escape. Evelyn rushed forward and took a knife for him.

When I heard the news, I rushed over.

Evelyn had already been taken to the hospital, and out of guilt and gratitude, Brad took me to see her.

In the hospital, we found out that not only was Evelyn injured, but the shock had also triggered her heart disease to recur.

Brad felt even more guilty.

He compensated Evelyn generously and told her, "If you ever need anything, feel free to ask me."

Evelyn's eyes were nearly glued to him, and she asked, "Really? I can ask you for anything?"

I had a bad feeling about it.

Brad was safe, yet I felt far from happy.

My intuition as a woman told me she might have feelings for Brad.

What should I do?

Later, feeling down, I asked, "Brad, could you ever like her?"

Brad sighed helplessly, "Ashley, don't overthink it. She just happened to save me, that's all.

"Don't worry. If I ever dare to cheat, you can break my penis!"

I was so embarrassed by his half-joking remark that I ignored him for a whole day.

But deep down, I was relieved.

After all, we had known each other for ten whole years since college.

I thought our relationship was strong enough that no one could just interfere.

But soon, I realized I had underestimated human nature.

Evelyn often used excuses like feeling unwell to have Brad come over and keep her company.

Even if her car broke down, the electricity went out, a pipe burst, or she had menstrual cramps, she always called him for even the most minor things.

I finally confirmed that Evelyn had fallen for him.

She was openly pursuing him, using his guilt.

She was also flaunting it in my face.

One more time, when Brad picked up her call and was about to rush over, I lost it. "Brad, she keeps calling you over, can't you see that she likes you?"

Perhaps seeing me so distraught, Brad patiently tried to soothe me. "Ashley, I just feel guilty. A girl living alone, some things in life, men indeed handle better.

"Besides, she once saved my life. I just want to do more for her, to repay her. I don’t want to owe her anything, you understand?"