Chapter 3

I was at my limit.

The snow pressed up to my chest; every breath felt like swallowing glass.

The pain in my belly grew sharper; the white snow was stained scarlet over a wide area.

I clutched my stomach with frozen hands, crying until I was nearly unconscious.

"It's okay, baby. Mommy will make Daddy come save us..."

My phone had barely any battery left.

I kept sending video requests to Mark. After dozens, he finally answered.

"Mark!"

The moment I screamed his name, snow shook loose from above.

I immediately lowered my voice, begging through sobs,

"Don't hang up, please. Just don't hang up yet."

"I'm not lying. I'm dying. I've lost so much blood—"

He looked at me, frowning.

"Ava, what are you playing at now?"

"You're pregnant. Burying yourself in snow for sympathy—does that seem fun to you?"

Warm tears froze instantly on my face, making me shiver uncontrollably,

"Mark, I'm not..."

I quickly turned the phone to show the patch of red behind me.

"Look. I'm bleeding. I'm not faking."

"My stomach hurts so much, the baby feels like it's dropping."

"Even if you don't believe me, don't you care about our child? It's yours too!"

His pupils constricted. He was silent.

I kept pleading, my voice trembling,

"Mark, will you come save me?"

"I won't fight over anything anymore."

"If Sophia wants Mom and Dad, I'll let her have them."

"If she wants the family name, I won't compete."

"If she wants you..."

My voice broke, as if something was tearing my heart apart.

"I'll step back."

"I just want you to save our baby now."

At that, his pupils dilated, and his voice was shaken,

"Don't say that."

"Ava... don't be scared. I'm coming right away."

At that moment, tears burst from my eyes.

He finally believed me.

But then Sophia's voice came from beside him,

"Oh my god... Mark, how can sister be bleeding so much?"

"When I was little, I saw them prepare a turkey in the kitchen, and the color was about the same."

She quickly covered her mouth and added,

"Sister, I'm not saying you're lying."

"It's just that the color and the amount seem so exaggerated. It's scary..."

The hesitation in Mark's eyes turned cold.

He looked at me, disappointment etched across his face, "Ava, you really let me down."

"Can't you just be happy for Sophia for once?"

In that moment, the flicker of hope was extinguished.

Rage surged in my chest, "Mark, you're a rescue captain!"

"You've saved so many people. Why won't you save me?"

"Can you, just once, not believe Sophia?"

"If I'm lying, you can let me die."

"But what if I'm not?"

"Mark, what if the baby and I really die out here?"

The snow above shook loose from my screaming, but I didn't care anymore.

At that moment, something felt like it was being torn out of me.

I was crying so hard my whole body shook.

He seemed slightly moved, but when he saw Sophia's pitiful expression, his voice hardened again.

"Ava, calm down."

"Stop threatening me with death."

"You're not in a good state right now. I'm afraid it might upset Sophia. I'll come get you when you've cooled off."

Then he hung up again.

I stared blankly, unable to speak.

When I tried to call again, my phone was dead.

I listened to the wind and gave up completely.

Some time later, a distant roar came from the mountain.

I had no strength to run. I used my last bit of energy to shield my belly.

"I'm sorry, baby..."

An avalanche of snow buried me alive.

Then, through the snow, I heard footsteps.

Sophia's sweet voice drifted through the storm.

"Sister, we're here."