Chapter 2
“Zeke, one more thing.” My voice was ice cold.
“Get photos of Julian and Jade together in that hospital room. Then send them to every gossip site in Manhattan. Anonymously p>
I paused.
“Subject line: ‘Heiress Still Missing, Fiancé Already Cozy with Stepsister in Hospital Suite p>
Zeke let out a low whistle.
“Damn. Remind me never to cross you p>
“Finally playing dirty, huh? About time. Those bastards deserve it p>
“This is just the appetizer,” I said quietly.
After hanging up, I forced down the last energy bar. I needed to conserve my strength.
The real fight was waiting for me below.
Eventually, darkness swallowed everything. Inside the snow cave, I couldn’t see my own hand.
Just when my body started shutting down, I heard it–boots crunching through snow, voices cutting through the wind.
“Vivian p>
“Miss Montgomery p>
Zeke and his people!
I summoned every ounce of strength left and dragged myself out of the cave.
Through the blizzard, I spotted them–figures moving toward me with flashlights cutting through the white.
Zeke was leading the pack.
The second he saw me, he rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug.
“Holy shit, you’re actually alive p>
His voice shook.
I patted his shoulder weakly. “Told you I wouldn’t die p>
“ Yeah, yeah. Save the tough talk. Let’s get the hell out of here before we all turn into popsicles p>
Immediately, one of his guys threw a heavy parka over my shoulders. Another handed me a thermos.
Hot coffee burned down my throat. First real warmth I’d felt in hours.
The climb down was brutal.
Zeke’s team strapped me into a harness and kept me sandwiched between them for safety.
Even then, I nearly slipped and fell more times than I could count.
“Vivian, hold ON!” Zeke yelled over his shoulder.
1 gritted my teeth and forced myself to keep moving, one step at a time.
I couldn’t die here.
Not before I got to watch my loving father and darling sister go down in flames.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally made it to base camp.
Instead of heading to the main rescue site, Zeke steered me around back where a black SUV sat waiting in the shadows.
“Get in. We’ll sort everything out once we’re back in the city p>
The heat slammed into me the second I climbed inside. My frozen muscles started to unthaw.
Zeke pulled a first aid kit from the back and started checking me over.
“Could be worse,” he muttered while wrapping gauze around my fingers. “Frostbite, exhaustion, some cuts. Nothing life–threatening p>
As he worked, he kept up a steady stream of curses under his breath.
“Richard Montgomery, that son of a bitch–when we get back, I’m gonna have someone break both his legs! ”
“Don’t.” I caught his wrist. “Assault lands you in prison. I want him destroyed in ways that hurt way worse than broken bones p>
Zeke went still and stared at me.
“ Viv … you’re different p>
“Yeah, well.” I leaned back against the seat, exhausted. “Dying has a way of changing you p>
The SUV tore through the night, mile after mile, until finally the city lights blazed into view.
Zeke brought me straight to a penthouse suite at the Waldorf in Midtown.
“Stay here for now. Whatever you do, don’t go home. That place is a viper’s nest p>
I didn’t argue.
“What about my dad p>
“Already handled,” he cut me off. “Got people watching him round the clock. He breathes wrong, I’ll know p>
Then Zeke tossed me a brand new phone.
“Your number’s already ported over. Anything comes up, call
me immediately p>
I took a long, scalding shower and changed into clean clothes. Finally felt like a human being again.
Standing at the floor–to–ceiling windows, I stared out at the glittering Manhattan skyline. Inside, though, I felt nothing but cold emptiness.
After Mom died, I’d completely fallen apart. The depression nearly killed me.
Dad and Jade were the ones who “saved” me–wrapped me up in all that warmth, all that concern, all that picture perfect family love.
But now I understood the truth. They never wanted to save me.
Chapter 2
They just needed me alive long enough to slowly bleed my inheritance dry.
My phone buzzed. A text from Zeke.
[ Photos sent. All the outlets bit. Tomorrow morning’s gonna be a circus p>
I typed back: [Perfect p>
Then I scrolled through my contacts and dialed another number.
Uncle Chen. Mom’s lawyer. The only person she’d ever truly trusted.
“Uncle Chen. It’s me, Vivian p>
A sharp intake of breath on the other end.
“Vivian? But I thought–weren’t you stuck on that mountain p>
“I made it back,” I said evenly. “And I need your help with something. I need a complete inventory of everything Mom left me–every stock, every account, every single asset. After that, I need you to draft an emergency freeze on all of it p>
Long silence.
“Vivian… what’s going on p>
I stared at my pale reflection in the dark glass.
“Someone just tried to leave me for DEAD on that mountain,” I said quietly. “And now they’re coming for everything Mom left me p>
Sara Lili This text is hosted at find
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.