Chapter 4

I didn't clearly see who was calling, so I just tapped to call back.

“Kylie, why didn’t you follow?!”

The voice from the phone merged with a real-life voice, and I saw Ethan standing right in front of me.

His face was dark, and when he saw my suitcase next to me, he immediately roared.

“What are you pulling now?!”

“Why didn’t you follow? Do you have any idea how worried Fiona was when she couldn’t reach you? She went looking for you and fell down the slope! We still haven't found her!”

I shook my head, checking each missed call.

“She didn’t call me—”

Ethan slapped my phone out of my hand forcefully, and it fell into the snow.

Ethan's gaze was as cold as ice.

“Kylie, aren’t you just throwing a tantrum because I picked up Fiona? Now you’ve put her in danger, and you’re pretending to be innocent?”

“I never thought you were the type to be so cruel, to be able to hurt your best friend like this.”

My temples were throbbing. I rubbed them, then bent down to pick up my phone.

“If that’s what you think, then fine.”

I pulled my suitcase, ready to leave, but my wrist was grabbed.

“Something happened, and you still want to leave? Come up the mountain with me to find her!”

Ethan was stronger than me, and I was running a fever, my limbs heavy with fatigue.

I didn't even have time to put on more clothes before I was dragged up the mountain.

A rescue team had already arrived, but the wind was picking up, and visibility was dropping fast.

Ethan pulled me along, and all I could hear was our breathing.

He frowned and looked back.

“How many hand warmers did you put on? Your hand is burning up.”

My lips were pale.

“None.”

The person in front of me scoffed.

“Still pretending.”

After another hundred feet, the wind and snow grew heavier, and visibility was less than a meter.

Suddenly, a crying sound came through the wind.

I didn't even have time to react,

my hand was forcefully shaken off.

“Fiona, it’s me!”

The snow was deep but not stable.

I stumbled backward, falling and rolling about thirty feet until my back slammed hard against a rock, finally stopping me.

Through the blurry snowstorm, I saw Ethan pick Fiona up and carry her on his back.

Their outlines merged.

The wind was howling, and Fiona yelled into his ear.

“Kylie? What about her?!”

Ethan looked around, seeing no sign of me.

“Forget her! You’re what matters now!”

When I woke up, I was in a small hospital in the ski resort town.

Fiona, her eyes red-rimmed, was gripping my hand tightly.

“You’re finally awake! I was so worried about you!”

“It’s all my fault. There was no signal on the mountain, so I couldn’t call you, and then I accidentally slipped and fell down the slope. And Ethan, seriously, why did he even bring you up here?!”

I listened quietly until Fiona ran out of things to say.

“Kylie, why aren’t you talking? Does your throat hurt?”

“Of course, she has nothing to say. Don't make excuses for her; she was in the wrong first.”

Ethan walked in, his face expressionless, carrying a pizza.

“I bought your favorite pizza. Kylie, it’s fine if you don’t go up the mountain because of your fever, but why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

“You’re an adult. Can’t you be a little more considerate?”

I looked at the now cold pizza, without an ounce of strength to explain.

Ethan, impatient, picked up a slice and tried to put it in my mouth.

I turned my head away.

“I don’t like seafood pizza.”

“How is that possible? You clearly…”

Fiona looked anxious, reaching out to take it.

“Stop arguing—ouch!”