Chapter 2

"Ethan, this is a highway. It's minus twenty degrees outside."

"And I have an open wound. Are you sure you want to throw me out?"

Ethan sneered dismissively.

"Who are you trying to scare? The service station is just three miles ahead."

"Since you're so afraid of the cold, get out and run. Running will warm you up."

"It'll be good for a spoiled princess like you to wake up and learn how to be a decent human being!"

"Don't think I've forgotten how your father humiliated me back then."

"Now the tables have turned. It's time you got a taste of being thrown out too."

So he'd been holding a grudge all this time about the harsh things my father said when trying to stop me from leaving with him.

Even though I gave up my inheritance for him.

Even though I became a housewife for him, the thorn in his heart had never been removed.

Cold wind rushed in through the door crack, bone-chillingly cold.

Jason made faces at me from the front seat with glee.

"Bye-bye! Mean lady get out! Godfather's the best!"

I looked at the ugly faces of everyone in this car, and the last bit of hope in my heart died completely.

"Fine."

I didn't argue anymore. With trembling hands, I pushed open the door.

As I got out, I looked back at Ethan one last time.

"Ethan, don't regret this."

Ethan didn't even look at me as he hit the gas.

"Slam!"

The door wasn't even fully closed when the car shot forward.

The wheels kicked up dirty snow and ice water, splashing all over me. My pants were instantly soaked through.

I stood on the deserted highway, surrounded by endless white.

I still clutched that unopened hand warmer in my hand.

Worse yet, my backpack was still in the car.

It contained the anti-rejection medication I had to take on schedule after surgery.

The doctor had said that if I went more than an hour without this imported anti-rejection drug, my heart would go into severe failure.

I had less than half an hour until my next dose.

The minus-twenty-degree wind felt like needles piercing densely into my pores.

I pulled my thin cashmere coat tighter. Every step I took sent tearing pain through the incision on my chest.

This coat was one I'd brought with me three years ago when I left home for Ethan.

Back then he said he'd buy me the finest fur coat one day and never let me suffer the cold.

The irony was almost laughable now.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out. My frozen fingers could barely swipe the screen.

It was a message from Ethan on SnapChat.

Just a photo.

In it, Lauren sat in the passenger seat.

She was wearing Ethan's down jacket, holding a pink rechargeable hand warmer.

Jason was draped over Ethan's shoulder, laughing happily, playing with several hand warmers in his hands.

The caption read:

[Some people just need to be taught a lesson. Let her freeze out there and cool off, then she'll know who really runs this household.]

Right after that, Lauren's social media updated too.

[Even though it's freezing outside, it's warm and cozy in here.]

[Thank you Ethan for taking care of us and finding hand warmers everywhere. Jason says his godfather loves him the most.]

The photo was a close-up of Jason.

In his hands, he was tossing around a plain white pill bottle like building blocks.

The moment I recognized that bottle, my whole body froze. My blood felt like it turned to ice.

That was my life-saving medication!

These pills were extremely fragile—the slightest pressure would crush them and make them ineffective.

Ethan, you're trying to kill me!