Brad had always wanted to climb the snowy mountains.
The Simpson family had typically turned a blind eye to his antics over the years, as long as he came back safe and sound.
But when Kori suggested they venture to an undeveloped snow-capped mountain without a guide, it crossed a line for the Simpson family, and they outright refused.
Brad tried every possible way and finally sought Bella's help.
Bella, however, was not inclined to agree. She was unaccustomed to hardship. Extreme sports were out of the question for her. She would have the butler meticulously plan even simple trips, leaving her unruffled in her travels.
Bella and Brad often clashed over such matters. Now that Bella had agreed, Brad was overjoyed to use her name to persuade the family. Martin was skeptical but eventually relented, for Bella's sake.
Bella was uneasy about the journey before setting off. Despite her thorough preparations, something went wrong during the actual climb.
Bella experienced severe altitude sickness.
Her face flushed red, and she was so dizzy that she could barely see the path ahead. Her breathing became increasingly labored. She couldn't take it anymore and clutched at Brad's sleeve. "I... I need to go down... I think I'm suffering altitude sickness..."
Brad's expression changed instantly. He held her tightly and said anxiously, "I'll call for help with the satellite phone and have someone come up for you..."
"No way!" Cory snatched the phone from his hand before he could even dial.
She frowned and said unhappily, "Your grandfather barely agreed to let you go. If he finds out something happened to her, he'll definitely make a big deal out of it and might even drag you down, too. Do you still want to reach the summit?"
Brad hesitated.
"Besides," Kori glanced disdainfully at Bella and continued, "it's just altitude sickness. It won't kill her. She's too weak to follow us. Should we jeopardize the whole team for her, one sheltered woman?"
Kori grew increasingly agitated. She glared at Brad and added, "I told you from the start not to bring this burden. If you keep this up, we won't take you on the next adventure."
Brad's face immediately fell. "No way."
He forcefully picked up Bella, who was slumped over, trying to drag her up the mountain. "Bella, just hold on a little longer..."
Bella's face was ashen. Her breath felt like knives slicing through her nose, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth.
"Why not let Miss Shaw wait here?" Kori suddenly suggested, interrupting Brad's actions. "It's not as cold here as the summit, and she has plenty of gear. Waiting for a few hours won't hurt her."
Bella looked at Kori in disbelief.
They asked her to stay there for a few hours in the snow with altitude sickness. And she was an inexperienced novice. It was practically a death sentence.
Desperately, Bella fumbled for the satellite phone in her backpack. Her only hope was self-rescue.
But as soon as she took it out, Kori kicked it into the icy lake.
"No..." Bella cried out.
Kori sneered, "Miss Shaw, I'm sorry, but we won't let you ruin our plans before we reach the summit."
Anger surged through Bella. Her heart pounded furiously. She struggled to turn to Brad, and her words came out in broken gasps. "I'll... explain to them... won't disrupt your... plans... but I really need... to go down... please..."
By the end, Bella was practically on her knees, pleading with Brad.
Brad couldn't bear it any longer and turned away. He walked off in another direction. "Settle Bella in. I'll wait for you at the pines up the mountain."
As he left, Bella's last glimmer of hope vanished.
Kori stepped closer and crouched down to mockingly whisper in Bella's ear, "You loser, what makes you think you deserve to marry Brad?"
Bella's breathing grew more labored. She was too weak to respond to Kori's taunts. "The best end for you is to die quietly, saving Brad and me from unnecessary hassle."
Kori stood, looked down at Bella with cold disdain, and said to her friends, "She's not consuming anything as she just rests here. Take all her supplies away. We shouldn't waste anything."
Bella leaned against a tree weakly. She helplessly watched as Kori and her friends took all her food and emergency supplies. They didn't even leave a single energy bar.
"She doesn't need so many oxygen tanks. Leave the one she's using. Let's take the rest with us."
One of her friends hesitated. "But Miss Shaw has altitude sickness..."
"She's not suffering altitude sickness. It's just an act. She can argue back with such vigor. Take them all. Avoid waste."
Soon, Bella was left with just her cold-weather gear, slumped against a tree.
Kori was about to leave, but she suddenly paused. She returned to Bella with a smile. "The summit is much colder. I don't have many clothes, so why not lend me your cold-weather gear?"
