Chapter 2

By the time the rescue team finally arrived, my body was already frozen stiff. I was completely gone.

I was dead, but somehow, not entirely gone. My spirit lingered.

I followed my own body down the mountain, into the hospital, and eventually found myself beside Chloe.

Austin was lying in a hospital bed, looking frail and pale with purple lips, snuggling into Chloe's arms with lingering fear.

"Chloe, I honestly thought we were going to die on that mountain. Avalanches are so terrifying. I've heard stories, but experiencing one firsthand was horrific."

Austin gasped for breath twice before continuing, "I can't imagine what would've happened if I was the one left behind. I'm so glad you picked me."

Chloe looked at him with gentle warmth. "Austin, of course I wouldn't leave you behind."

I had never seen that kind of tenderness from her before. At least, she had never once looked at me like that.

Our meeting had all started because of her mother.

Back when I was newly promoted to associate chief surgeon in cardiac surgery, Chloe's mother became my first patient in that role. Because of that, I took extra care of her.

That was when I met Chloe. She was tall, gorgeous, and completely my type.

As time passed, I was drawn in by her patience and attentiveness. With her mother playing matchmaker, Chloe and I eventually got together.

We respected each other, and I always assumed she was just naturally reserved and emotionally restrained.

It wasn't until I saw her holding Austin so tenderly that I finally realized the truth: she just didn't love me enough.

Her feelings for me were rooted in gratitude, far more than affection, and certainly far from love.

I had thought we would spend our lives treating each other with mutual respect, or that love would grow over time. But then Austin suddenly returned.

Austin was Chloe's college sweetheart. Because he had the same heart condition as Chloe's mother, her mother strongly opposed their relationship and tore them apart.

Austin had vanished without saying goodbye, and Chloe ended up marrying me.

Right now, Chloe and Austin held each other tightly, basking in the joy of their survival, as if I had already returned safely from the mountain.

"Oh! Chloe, Julian's still up on the mountain. I wonder if he's back yet. Why haven't we seen him?"

Hearing my name, Chloe's brow furrowed. "What could possibly happen to Julian? He's in great shape, and he's a doctor himself. He's probably home by now."

"He hasn't even called to check on us, yet you're sitting here worrying about him. You're the one who needs looking after."

Saying that, she reached out and affectionately pinched Austin's cheek—a playful intimacy she had never shown me.

After getting married, my demanding schedule meant our intimacy was already scarce, let alone casual touches like that.

Once Austin came back, it vanished entirely. Chloe barely even came home anymore.

The last time I saw her was at her mother's birthday dinner. The family had gathered for a meal, and Austin showed up with her uninvited.

The entire night, Chloe didn't exchange a single word with me. She spent the whole time tending to Austin's food, acting as though I, her lawful husband, didn't even exist.

Seeing this, her mother was so infuriated that she nearly suffered a heart attack. I spent the whole time smoothing things over, but the family dinner still ended in disaster.