Chapter 5

The room went still, charged with tension. The nurse, clutching the medical record, made a quick exit, leaving Whitney and Colton staring at each other, a silent standoff at the doorway.

"Still upset about the blood test?"

Colton seemed to catch on to something as he moved closer, reaching out to caress her cheek. "Life and death, Whitney. I had no other choice."

Whitney dodged his hand, leaving it hanging awkwardly in the air.

Colton pulled back and softened his voice. "Once things settle down, how about we escape to the mountains for a little getaway?"

She closed her eyes, too tired to reply.

He waited, but silence hung between them.

"So, when do you get out of here?" he prodded.

A twinge of suspicion nudged her, and she opened her eyes to look at him. "What's going on?"

He paused, then admitted, "Janice is craving your cream of mushroom soup... She swears by your recipe."

Shock rooted her to the spot, a whirlwind of emotions, anger, pain, and the ridiculousness of it all, threatening to spill over. She wanted to scream at him, demanding to know if she was nothing more than Janice's personal chef in his eyes.

However, all she managed was a whisper. "Got it. I'll make it and send it over once I'm out."

His face brightened, and he leaned in to plant a kiss on her forehead. "You're always so understanding, Whitney."

She felt nothing as his lips touched her skin, her thoughts bitter.

Yes, she was the understanding one, was she not? Understanding enough to cook for his mistress while nursing a broken rib.

"All I want is for her baby to be born healthy," she whispered.

Colton's brow creased with concern. "You used to be so against that kid, remember?"

A hollow smile crossed her lips. "Not anymore."

Deep down, Whitney hoped that their twisted family would remain intact, all three of them.

He studied her face, searching for something, but eventually, he just glanced at his watch and stood up. "Janice needs her meds. I'll check on you later."

The door clicked shut, and she eased back onto the hospital bed, eyes drifting up to the ceiling. A chuckle escaped her lips.

Colton had vanished for five whole days.

Back home from the hospital, Whitney kept her word and simmered a pot of mushroom soup, asking the driver to take it to the hospital.

Next, she started packing her passport, ID, and a few favorite outfits.

Their photo together still sat by the bed. She stared at it for a moment before flipping it facedown on the table.

On the sixth night, Colton reappeared out of the blue, Janice conspicuously absent.

"Janice didn't come back with you?" Whitney blurted out.

"She's still in the hospital," Colton replied, his gaze piercing.

Whitney frowned. "She's not out yet after all this time?"

He gave a noncommittal grunt, then stepped closer. "It's better she's not here, Whitney. Remember that snow mountain getaway I promised? It's all set. Time to go."

Before she could even reply, Colton was yanking her by the wrist, pulling her out the door.

His grip was firm, sending her off-balance, a flicker of unease in her gut.

Colton's face was unreadable, his eyes icy as frost.

The car ride was eerily silent.

Colton's hands were clenched on the wheel, knuckles bone-white.

Outside the window, the world blurred by, Whitney's heart pounding in her chest.

They reached the snow mountain resort at dusk.

As they were about to head up to the summit, Colton stopped. "Whitney, I forgot something in the car. Wait here."

She nodded, shivering as the wind screamed around her, huddling in her coat for what turned into three long hours.

Darkness swallowed the sky, and she finally got through to Colton's phone. "When are you coming back?" she asked, her voice quivering against the howling storm.

However, the line was dead silent. After what felt like an eternity, Colton's voice came through, icy as the winter chill: "I'm not coming back. The car's gone. If you want to return, you're on your own."

"What are you saying?"

"It's your punishment," he said, his voice a frost she had never felt before.

"I told you to hold on until the baby was born, but you went and put abortion pills in Janice's soup, nearly causing her to lose the baby. Whitney, how did you turn into this?"

His words, steeped in a bone-chilling disappointment, made Whitney's blood turn to ice.

Abortion pills? A near miscarriage?

"I didn't do it!"

Colton erupted, "You're still lying?! You made that soup, didn't you? Who else could it be? Janice? She treasures that baby more than her own life!"

The storm was picking up, ice forming on Whitney's lashes. "So you don't believe me..."

His voice was calm but heavy. "How could I? Make your way back and think about what you've done."

The call ended, and Whitney was left alone in the snow, her fingers clutching the phone numb and purple.

Colton's words haunted her, sharp as a blade, making her whole body throb with pain.

She flashed back to the day they registered their marriage, when he had cornered her against the wall of the city hall with an arm, his voice clear.

"Whitney, if you ever try to leave me, I'll keep you by my side forever."

However, he had cast her out into the snowy wilderness.

As the blizzard intensified, she pulled her coat close and started descending the mountain, only to be stopped by a muffled rumble from afar.

The dial tone and the howling wind merged into one.

It was an avalanche.

She spun around to flee, but the snow swallowed her whole, and as she was buried, a sharp pain shot through her right leg.

Her hands shaking, Whitney pulled out her phone and desperately tried Colton's number over and over.

On the seventh attempt, it finally rang through.

"Colton! There's an avalanche! I…"

However, she only heard Janice's overly sweet voice. "Hello? You're breaking up. What's that again?"

Through the roar of the blizzard, Whitney could just make out Colton's soft voice asking, "Who is it?"

"Wrong number," Janice giggled.

"Mr. Jones, this meal is amazing. Since that scary incident with the food poisoning, your cooking makes me feel so much safer."

A slab of snow slammed into Whitney's back, and she could not bear it any longer, slowly falling into the snowy ground.

As she was losing consciousness, she had a fleeting vision of their wedding day of Colton on one knee, vowing, "Whitney, if I ever fail you in this life, may I..."

The snow came down, burying all the vows left unsaid.