Greenhelm Mountain was rugged and unpredictable. I had only been there a few times, so I wasn't confident leading the way. Alas, Mila insisted on exploring the undeveloped areas. "Miss Lenox, I'm not a professional guide. I can't predict the dangers ahead, so I can't take you there."
Mila's expression turned cold. "Sharon, do you still think you're the high-and-mighty Mrs. Hawthorne? Have you forgotten? You and Jace divorced a long time ago."
I could never forget. Even though I never wanted to leave Jace, I had no choice but to run away like a rat in the dark. "This has nothing to do with that."
I tried to explain the danger, but Mila turned away and walked forward. I had no choice but to chase after her, my backpack weighing me down. If we went any further, there would be no phone signal. I couldn't afford to take that risk, but she suddenly stopped. She turned around and gave me a strange, almost eerie smile. "Want to hear a secret? That note you left for Jace back then, I threw it in the trash. So, from beginning to end, he never knew you were forced to leave. In his eyes, you're nothing but a heartless traitor."
My fists clenched. "You're going too far!"
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then let me tell you something else. I teamed up with his mother and put on a whole show. Jace thinks you ran off with some rich old man and abandoned him. In his eyes, you're nothing but a pathetic loser."
Tears welled up in my eyes and the anger brewing in my chest exploded. I shoved her. "Shut up!"
The next second, a figure rushed over and shielded her. Jace held Mila protectively in his arms, towering over me with a cold, scornful gaze. "I must have been blind to ever give my heart to you."
"Jace, listen to me … " I didn't know how long he had been standing there or if he had heard what Mila just said.
But he didn't listen to my explanation and pushed me to the ground. "You have no right to say my name. Isn't money what you want? Here, take it. Consider it a tip. Ten thousand. Just don't even think about hurting the people I care about."
He threw a handful of cash at me, but it felt more like he had slapped me across the face. My palm scraped against the rough gravel, breaking the skin. Then, the blood seeped out.
I remembered how, once, when I accidentally cut my finger while chopping vegetables, he had panicked and insisted on taking me to the hospital. Meanwhile, now, he was speaking to Mila in a gentle, soothing voice. "Baby, are you okay? If you wanted to go hiking, why didn't you call me?"
"You were busy. I didn't want to bother you."
"But I'm your husband. How could that ever be a bother?"
***
I didn't dare to lift my head. Their affectionate words rang in my ears, stabbing into my heart like tiny needles. It hurt so much I could barely breathe. I couldn't believe that the man who once promised to protect me for a lifetime was now calling someone else his wife right in front of me.
I sat there for a long time. The couple's voices slowly faded into the wind. When I finally looked up, they were gone. The hike had drained me, but I still reached for my backpack, pulling out a first-aid kit to clean my wound.
It turned out that when a person was genuinely heartbroken, they couldn't even cry. My eyes burned, but not a single tear fell. I kept wondering, why couldn't Jace have just listened to me for one more second? We were so in love before. I could have accepted us becoming strangers again, but he clearly saw me as an enemy.
I was so useless. I couldn't even part ways peacefully with the person I loved the most. Later, when I couldn't find the alcohol wipes to disinfect my wound, that last bit of helplessness overwhelmed me. I slumped to the ground, whispering over and over again, "I lost it … I lost him … "
Finally, tears streamed down my face. In the vast, empty wilderness, my cries echoed, raw and unrestrained. I cried until I had no more strength left. I stared blankly at the sky, but even the blue sky and drifting white clouds couldn't bring me peace. It wasn't until the sun began to set that I forced myself to stand up and start making my way down the mountain.
