Briana Bond POV:
The memory of her cruel words, her dark eyes, left a bitter taste in my mouth. I knew then, as I lay bleeding in the snow, that she hadn' t just intended to push me; she intended for me to die.
I remembered hearing the helicopter approach, the frantic shouts of the search party. I could almost feel the vibrations of the rotors above. But I was buried deep, a forgotten ghost beneath the thick blanket of snow and my own despair. I knew she was lying, weaving her tale of woe, playing the victim. When Gabriel finally arrived, she was already positioned, a fragile figure in the snow, ready to be rescued. He carried her away, leaving me for dead, just as she had wanted.
It was a profound, suffocating loneliness. Ever since my parents died, leaving me utterly alone, I had been haunted by an irrational fear of being abandoned. Gabriel, in his early kindness, had been my anchor. He had kept the loneliness at bay. I had agreed to this ski trip, this foolish venture, only to spend time with him, to claw back some semblance of the connection we once shared. I never imagined it would almost cost me my life.
A shudder ran through me, despite the warmth of the hospital room. The cold, the hunger, the constant threat of unseen predators – it all came rushing back, a torrent of terror and pain. My forehead beaded with cold sweat, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a rough hand seized my arm, yanking me from the bed. "Apologize, Briana!" Gabriel roared, his face livid. "Apologize to Candace right now! If her hand is permanently damaged, if she can never paint again, you will pay for it!"
The sudden movement, the brutal grip, sent a fresh wave of agony through my injured leg. My bandages, already stained, began to seep crimson again, the fresh blood a stark contrast against the pristine white gown. Gabriel' s eyes, still locked in fury, finally registered the fresh blood. His face blanched. "What is this?" he demanded, turning on Cory, his voice laced with confusion and anger. "Why isn't her leg healing? What have you been doing?"
Cory momentarily froze, his eyes wide with surprise. Then, quickly recovering, he launched into a smooth defense. "I'm doing everything, Gabriel. I personally check on her every day. The nurses, they can attest to it! But she's been so difficult, so uncooperative with her treatment, always trying to garner sympathy." He turned to me, his face a mask of false concern. "Briana, why won't you let us help you? You're worrying Gabriel and me sick."
Gabriel's rage, momentarily diverted, now roared back, directed squarely at me. "Is this true, Briana?" he thundered, his voice shaking the room. "Are you sabotaging your own recovery? What is wrong with you? If you don't stop this foolishness, the wedding will be postponed indefinitely!"
He didn't know. He didn't know that Cory hadn't touched my leg except to prod it with a tweezers, laughing at my silent pain. He didn' t know Cory had been selling the expensive medication Gabriel ordered for me, keeping me in agony for his own sick amusement. I looked at Gabriel, my throat tightening, the words of explanation dying on my lips. What was the point? He wouldn't believe me. He never did.
Gabriel stormed out, slamming the door behind him. For a moment, I allowed myself a faint, humorless smile. It didn' t matter what he said. I wasn' t playing games. I was simply facing the truth.
Outside the room, Gabriel paced, his anger a hot, burning coal in his chest. He hated this. He hated that Briana was so stubborn, so manipulative. He convinced himself that he had spoiled her, that his kindness had somehow twisted her into this difficult, self-destructive person. He believed she was hurting herself, refusing treatment, just to get his attention. Yet, despite his rage, a gnawing worry persisted. He couldn't stop thinking about her, about the blood, about the vulnerability he had glimpsed.
Candace, ever observant, saw the conflict warring in his eyes. She approached him cautiously, her voice soft and persuasive. "Perhaps," she began, "it's time to... break the engagement. Just until she learns to behave. It might be the only way to teach her a lesson."
Gabriel's head snapped up, his eyes blazing. "No," he said, his voice firm and unwavering. He would never cancel their engagement. He loved Briana. He just wanted her to be more compliant, more manageable. He wanted to scare her, not abandon her. Just the thought of her, alone and injured, without his protection, made his stomach churn with a strange, possessive guilt. He pictured the diamond ring he had given her, the way it sparkled on her finger. It always softened his resolve. He felt a pang of guilt, thinking of her mangled leg, the pain she must be in. She's been through enough, he thought, I can't push her away completely.
A flicker of pure venom crossed Candace's face, quickly masked by a fragile smile. She swayed slightly, feigning dizziness. "Oh," she gasped, clutching her head. "I feel quite faint."
Gabriel was instantly at her side, scooping her into his arms. "Candace!" he cried, his voice thick with concern. He rushed her to the nurse's station, leaving me, once again, forgotten in the silent room.
