Love Behind Dangerous Avalanche

Part 2

There was a knock on the bedroom door. It was Frederick.

"Sophie, what trouble are you causing again? I know you're in there—open the door!"

"When did you become so petty? Why are you ignoring me like this? I know it was wrong to leave you behind back then, but I couldn’t just let Lucia die! And can you stop being so difficult? If you don’t like Lucia, I’ll see him less, okay? Eight years of being together and you want to break up just like that? What do you take me for?"

The more Frederick spoke, the angrier he became. His blindness and arrogance left me too tired to argue. I dragged my barely healed leg and opened the door.

“Frederick, I’m not messing around. I really want to break up."

He looked stunned for a moment, then said, "You’re still saying you’re not causing trouble? You’ve never mentioned breaking up before! Do you need me to admit I’m having an affair with Lucia just to make you happy?"

I laughed bitterly. He truly believed I couldn’t live without him, that I'd never dare to break up. In his eyes, everything I did was to get his attention—nothing like his perfect Lucia.

I was exhausted. My voice was calm.

"I’m done, Frederick. I know you’re innocent. If you had anything with her, you’d have been together already. I trust you. But I don’t love you anymore."

He looked shocked, confused. Just then, his phone rang. I caught a glimpse of the caller: Lucia.

Frederick hesitated for less than a second before answering, his face turning tense. "Okay, I’ll be right there."

He glanced at me before leaving. "We’ll talk about this breakup when I’m done."

I went downstairs and poured myself a glass of water. To my surprise, Hugo, my junior brother, was there.

"How did you get in?"

He held up a small package of medicine, looking embarrassed. "I came to bring you medicine. The door was open, so I came in to check."

I wondered how much he had heard.

"You’ve caught me at a bad time," I said, while rubbing my forehead.

Hugo shook his head. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you."

I nodded for him to continue.

"The war between Country Y and Country B has dragged on with so many casualties. Our boss wants to send a two-person team to report from the front lines as a war journalist. Would you consider joining the project, Senior?"

He rushed on before I could answer. "There aren’t many who can speak three languages like you and no one else has your resilience. Boss really wants you to go. Will you consider it?"

His words stirred something deep inside me—memories of my younger self. I once vowed, "If I can’t stop the war, then I’ll at least tell the truth to the world."

But when I told Frederick my dream, he dismissed it. He hated the idea of me becoming a war Journalist, he said it was dangerous and pointless. He wanted me to stay safe, said he could provide for me. Because of him, I gave up my dream and became just another entertaiment Journalist.

Now, looking back, I felt a bitter amusement. I had thrown away ten years of passion for a man who didn’t value it. This avalanche accident had shaken me awake.

I nodded. "Yes, I’ll go."

Hugo beamed with excitement. Before he left, he promised to tell the boss about the good news himself.

"Thank you, Hugo."

He waved it off with a smile. "It’s nothing."

But I meant more than just his help today. If not for him, I wouldn’t be alive. After the avalanche, it was Hugo who found me in time and brought me to the hospital. Without him, I wouldn’t have survived.