Chapter 11
856words
So, he had been nothing more than a fool who was played by Kaylee all along.
This venomous woman—someone he had treated like a cherished younger sister—had nearly killed his fiancée!
Ember had explained herself so many times, yet he had refused to listen. He had dismissed her words as baseless accusations and tantrums.
But she had been the one wronged all along.
The realization hit him like a punch, and Atlas slammed his fist into his leg in frustration.
Why? Why hadn't he taken a moment to truly hear Ember out?
If he had believed her even once, she wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed now, trapped in a coma.
Guilt and fury tore at Atlas, and just as he was about to push the door open to confront Kaylee and Spencer, the head of his security team hurried to his side.
He handed him a USB drive and said, "Mr. Ferguson, this is the footage from the camera on Ms. Sloane's gear the day of the avalanche.
"It's been restored now."
Atlas froze mid-motion, and his hand hovered over the door handle.
Of course, he remembered it now.
The ski resort staff had attached miniature cameras to everyone's ski suits for safety, allowing real-time monitoring of their status.
After the avalanche, Ember's camera had gone offline, cutting off any signal and leaving them unable to locate her.
When she was eventually found, the damaged camera's cache required repair before the footage could be accessed.
Atlas returned to his room and played the footage on his laptop.
The video showed that Kaylee was the only one standing beside Ember. Her voice was sharp and venomous as she scolded Ember.
"Ember, do you even realize how much of a nuisance you are? If it weren't for you, I would be Atlas' fiancée.
"You're just like your short-lived parents—better off dead!"
Since the footage was from Ember's perspective, her face wasn't visible, but Atlas could clearly hear the tremble in her voice that was quivering with anger.
"Kaylee, I won't let you insult my parents!
"They were selfless heroes! What gives you the right to speak about them that way?
"And for all these years, I've been the one by Atlas' side. You're nothing but an intruder—a third party!"
Just as Ember's words ended, a few teammates appeared in the distance.
Kaylee clearly noticed the teammates approaching as well and gave Ember a taunting smile.
"Oh? You should know that the one who isn't loved is the real third party. Atlas doesn't love you at all. Don't believe me? Just wait and see."
With that, she slammed her wrist hard against a nearby rock.
The injured area instantly swelled, turning a deep shade of purple. Turning around, Kaylee began to cry, and her voice was trembling as she spoke to the approaching teammates.
"Could you guys call for help?
"Ember and I got into an argument, and… She pushed me! My hand hit the rock, and it hurts so much right now…"
The teammates were alarmed by her words, and they hurried off to find help, leaving only Ember and Kaylee behind.
Atlas remembered this incident vividly. When the teammates first reported it to him, his immediate reaction was to blame Ember.
"What? She hurt Kaylee? Why the hell does she always cause trouble for me?"
By the time he rushed over, the avalanche had already occurred. The snow had swept Ember off the cliff, erasing all traces of what had happened.
He recalled considering using Kaylee's camera footage to track Ember's location. But Kaylee had claimed Ember had wandered off elsewhere and wasn't standing in the same spot.
That last critical lead to finding Ember had been lost because of her.
Back on the screen, the video continued to play. Ember's voice now carried a trembling sob.
It was the tone she always used when she felt wronged—angry, hurt, and frustrated.
Since Kaylee's arrival, Atlas had heard that tone countless times.
In a voice shaking with emotion, Ember demanded, "Why are you always targeting me? I've never done anything to hurt you!
"Can't you just like someone else? Why do you have to take Atlas from me?"
But before Ember could finish speaking, a thunderous rumble echoed in the distance, growing louder and closer.
The screen shook violently, and the camera panned to show an avalanche roaring down the mountain. It was an unstoppable wave of snow.
"Avalanche! It's an avalanche!" Ember screamed in panic.
But before she could react, Kaylee suddenly shoved her with all her strength. Ember tumbled off the cliff as she was caught off guard.
The wind roared past her ears, drowning out all other sounds, except for Kaylee's venomous curses that followed her down.
"Why don't you just die here and save everyone the trouble of dealing with you?
"There are plenty of wild animals in these mountains. At least you'd have done something useful for once if you can be their food supply.
"Just die already, Ember Sloane!"
