Chapter 4
Anastasia wasn’t locked up for long. She was released the next day.
Edward immediately treated her injured nails, then said coldly, “This can’t happen again.”
But when he saw her blank face, he finally gave in. His voice softened. “Honey, don’t be sad. You love snow views the most, right? I’ll take you halfway up the mountain to see the whole city covered in snow, okay?”
Anastasia didn’t answer. After a long silence, she stiffly signed, “Edward, if one day I’m gone, would you be sad?”
He pulled her into a tight embrace, as if he wanted to crush her into his chest. His voice carried raw panic. “Honey, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me. Are you mad at me? Don’t leave me. I can’t live without you. If you’re gone, my life will be meaningless.”
The fear on his face wasn’t fake. Even his arms trembled as he held her.
His reaction surprised her.
She wondered, “If he truly lost me, what would he do?”
After calming Anastasia down, the three of them set off for the snowy mountain.
Of course, Priscilla came too.
It was deep winter. Snow lay thick on the ground. From halfway up the mountain, the whole city
looked like a world of ice and snow.
Afraid she’d feel cold, Edward had brought hand warmers and even draped his coat over her
shoulders.
Worried she’d be bored, he sliced her favorite fruit himself and placed it within easy reach.
But she barely touched her fruit, only sipping hot chocolate distractedly while listening to their
chatter
Suddenly, their normal conversation shifted into Russian.
A man bumped Edward’s shoulder and teased, “Eddie, you’re so blatant with Priscilla What it your wife finds out?”
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Edward’s expression didn’t change. He even took Priscilla’s hand, replying in Russian, “So what if she does? Who in our circle doesn’t keep a wife at home and a mistress outside?”
His words drew even louder laughter. “Back in high school, you already had a crush on Priscilla. After all these years, you still do. What is it about her that you can’t let go of, Eddie?”
Edward’s lips curved, expression unchanged. “First love always shines the brightest. No one can compare.”
The group burst into louder laughter.
One bold man let his eyes fall on Anastasia. “Looks like your little Anna is crazy about you. Since you’ve got Priscilla already, why not let me have a turn once you’re tired of her?”
Edward’s face instantly darkened. He ground out each word, “Anna is mine. Even if I get tired of her, she’ll stay by my side. Don’t even dream about it.”
The men kept talking, their voices rowdy, none of them noticing her pale face.
They didn’t know–she caught every word.
In college, she’d chosen Russian just to communicate with him better, just to share more common ground.
But now, the very language she learned for him was being used to trample her heart.
Her hands trembled as she rose, ready to leave, when shouts came from outside. “Avalanche! Run!”
A mass of snow thundered down the mountain. Chaos erupted as people scrambled for their lives.
Edward quickly steadied himself, grabbed Anastasia, and pulled her to run.
But panic made her twist her ankle–she couldn’t move.
Just then, Thomas clutched Priscilla’s hand, screaming in terror, “Daddy! Daddy, come save us!”
Edward looked at Anastasia clutching her ankle, then at them. Without the slightest hesitation, he
chose them.
He didn’t even glance back, only threw her a single line as he ran
“Anna, wait here. I’ll be right back for you.”
Watching him run off without her, Anastasia let out a bitter laugh through her tears.
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At 18, Edward would’ve saved her without hesitation.
At 28, he didn’t even look her way.
As the avalanche buried her, she thought she saw him turning back for her.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in the hospital.
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