Chapter 1

To get even with my foster sister Sophia,

Rescue Captain Mark left me, three months pregnant, stranded in the snow-covered mountains.

And that day, an avalanche came.

I was buried under the snow, crying as I called the rescue team,

"Help, this is Ava... there's been an avalanche, I'm trapped under the snow."

A cold voice sneered back,

"Miss Ava, Captain Mark already told us you'd be making a malicious call today."

"He said not to pay you any attention."

The line went dead. I called my parents next.

They heard me sobbing, and their voices were dripping with impatience,

"Ava, Sophia's always been frail."

"But you deliberately locked her out in the cold and made her run a fever."

"Sending you to the mountains was just supposed to teach you a lesson."

I called Mark one last time. His reply was ice-cold,

"Stop being dramatic. Just reflect on what you did."

The final avalanche buried me completely.

As my eyes closed, blood stained the white snow.

And he walked toward me slowly, holding Sophia's hand...

...

"Help... there's been an avalanche, I'm buried at the north slope camp..."

The snow was already up to my waist. I kept dialing the rescue team's number over and over.

My right leg was pinned under a snapped tent pole; every move sent a searing pain through my bones.

Worse still, my abdomen was starting to cramp.

The call finally connected.

Like clutching a final lifeline, I sobbed into the phone,

"This is Ava, I'm buried in snow, my exact location is—"

Before I could finish, a familiar voice cut me off coldly.

"Ava?"

I froze.

"Mark gave us a heads-up. He said you'd be making a malicious call today because you two had a fight."

"If this is about getting him to come back, I'd advise against it."

Tears streaming, my vision blurry with frost,

"No! I'm not wasting your time!"

"There really was an avalanche. I'm buried. My leg is broken. I can't get out!"

"Please hurry—my stomach hurts so much, I'm going to die—"

The operator replied impatiently,

"Ava, this isn't a marriage counseling hotline."

"If you and Mark have issues, I suggest you sort them out privately."

The call ended with a click.

The dial tone buzzed in my ear.

I clutched the phone, my fingers numb with cold.

The next second, the wind sliced across my face like a blade.

Frost formed on my lashes; each breath I drew was a knife in my lungs.

My trapped leg was completely numb, but my abdomen ached as if a dull blade were twisting inside.

Biting my lip, I tremblingly wrapped my arms around my belly.

"Don't be afraid..."

"Baby, don't be scared. Mommy will try again..."

I redialed immediately.

This time they answered faster.

Before I could get a word out, the voice hardened,

"Ava, you again?"

I cried into the phone,

"I swear I'm not lying!"

I held the phone up to the roaring wind.

A low rumble echoed from the mountain, and snow began to slide down in sheets.

"Can you hear that? There's an avalanche here. I'm pregnant and my stomach hurts so badly."

"I can't hold on much longer!"

"Please triangulate my phone and send someone—"

A few low chuckles came through.

"Mark was right."

"With a woman this dramatic at home, no wonder he doesn't want to come back..."

The operator's tone turned flippant,

"Ava, this is ridiculous."

"If you keep harassing the emergency line, we'll log it."

"Please stop affecting people who really need help."

I was shaking all over.

"But I am the one who really needs help..."

Before I could finish, the line went dead again.

As the screen went dark, a message popped up.

From Mark,

[Ava, are you done yet?]

[All I asked was that you stay in the mountains and reflect. Did you have to make a scene out of it?]

[The rescue team is busy. They don't have time for your theatrics.]

I stared at the words, and the tears that splashed onto the screen froze into ice.

I was really dying, and no one believed me.

With the last of my strength, I dialed the emergency medical line.

When they picked up, I was practically screaming,

"Help... I'm on a snowy mountain, my stomach hurts, I'm bleeding so much—"

The operator paused.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Our system shows multiple malicious help requests from this number."

"Per protocol, we need to confirm with a family member."

I panicked.

"Don't call him..."

"Please just come get me! I really—"

But the call had already been transferred.

A few seconds later, the background noise changed.

It was lively over there.

I thought I heard someone comforting Sophia,

"It's okay, Sophia, don't be scared. Just rest in the hospital."

"Mom and Dad are here. No one's going to make you suffer."

Then Sophia's weak voice came through.

"Is that sister calling?"

"Is she still mad at me?"

I heard Mark murmur soothingly to her,

"Don't mind her. If she won't admit she's wrong, let her stay there."

The emergency operator asked,

"Does Ava appear to be in actual danger?"

Mark's voice was cold and absolute.

"No."

"She's just throwing a tantrum. Don't send anyone."

I gripped the phone so hard my knuckles went white, a broken sob escaping my throat,

"Mark..."

Snow and wind rushed into my mouth; I could barely form words.

"I really... hurt so much..."

Another cramp tore through my abdomen, and I curled into myself.

The snow beneath me was starting to turn red.

Ignoring the pain, I tried to crawl forward.

But my leg was pinned, and the pain in my belly felt like I was being ripped apart.

With every movement, my vision went dark.

I screamed with all my might,

"Help!"

"Can anyone hear me—"

The wind snatched the words away before they could travel.

The next moment, the snow above me trembled.

A massive wall of white crashed down on me.