Desert Dehydration: My Husband Swapped My Electrolytes for Urine

I struggled toward my backpack to dig out some emergency medicine in the case of dehydration, hoping it would ease my condition.

However, I had only just pulled out the oral rehydration salts when Jonathan smacked me in the face and snatched it away from me.

"Why didn't you take this out earlier? Was it on purpose so you could make Maddy suffer? How could such a vicious and wicked woman like you exist?"

Was I a wicked woman? Fury and despair fought for dominance within me.

Back when we first encountered the sudden heat wave, our team members were worried about the heat and absolutely refused to get out of the car to do their jobs.

I was the only one who braved the sweltering heat to survey the suspected resource locations to gather data. That was why I so quickly became dehydrated.

Ironically, my own husband was the one disregarding my life and snatching away everything that could increase my chances of survival.

I abruptly lunged toward Madison and landed a ringing slap across her cheek.

"You have no right to use my things! You're fired!"

Jonathan, who had been sitting between us, let out an infuriated roar before opening the door behind me and swiftly kicking me out.

"Samantha York, why are you acting out?"

The other team members, also present in the car, chose that moment to speak up in shock, though they were standing on Jonathan's side, not mine.

"Ms. York, we're all colleagues here. No matter what, you still shouldn't have gotten physical."

"Judging from the force of that slap, you don't seem like you're suffering from dehydration. In that case, why are you snatching Maddy's stuff?"

This was truly preposterous. I was simply taking back what belonged to me, yet somehow, they had painted me as the villain.

Regardless, I wasn't able to make a sound in rebuttal.

The desert sand was terrifyingly hot, so hot that I wondered if this was what it felt like to be fried in oil.

The edges of my vision were growing dim, while blood was starting to drip down my throat from how dry it was.

From her position behind Jonathan, Madison shot me a provocative look.

"Maybe I should just return this to Sam. I don't mind, really. As a member of the national expedition team, it's only right that I sacrifice myself for the sake of the expedition."

Jonathan shut the car door, thereby preventing most of the heat from getting inside the vehicle.

"Don't curse yourself like that. I definitely won't let anything happen to you."

Meanwhile, I was left out in the blazing heat of the desert.

I shouted myself hoarse, every word dripping with anguish. "Don't you think it's ridiculous for her to say that when she doesn't even care about the life of her colleague?"

Rolling down the window, Jonathan glared at me. "Don't you slander Maddy like that! She's my childhood friend, and I know that she would never behave like that."

Childhood friend? That was exactly what Jonathan had said back when he wanted to bring Madison onto the team despite her lacking the qualifications.

Unfortunately, I had been stupid enough to believe him.

Would he have shown such favoritism if they were just childhood friends? To the point that he would completely ignore his own wife's peril?

My ears were starting to ring as my consciousness faded fast. Nonetheless, my will to survive had me struggling to grab the car window and hoist myself up.

In the next instant, Jonathan rolled up the window, which crushed my palms with unrelenting force.

The sharp pain had me letting out a groan.

The other team members were watching the show through the windows.

"I have to say, the team leader's so good at acting that I almost believe it's real. She should become an actress."

Jonathan still hadn't let up on the button for closing the window.

"Since you're so adamant about putting on this act, you should stay outside for a bit and experience what it's truly like to be dehydrated from the heat! I refuse to believe that someone who's been through special forces training would be unable to hold on for longer than us."

I couldn't even cry out for help. All I could do was risk breaking my bones as I forcefully ripped my hands free from the crushing force.

Then, I crawled with much difficulty into the shadow cast by the SUV, though that didn't help me much. I still felt like I was being cooked alive by the scorching heat.

Terror over my impending death loomed over me.