Traces in Snow When Strangers Meet Again

The harsh beeping of the disconnected call plunged straight into Ivy's heart like a dagger.

Lying on the operating table, she recalled that Julian had promised to always protect her. But now, he couldn't even care less if she lived or died.

Of course. To him, she was just a poor bumpkin and a pawn in his revenge game against Sophia. Why would he ever care about her?

Pain blurred her consciousness as she lifted a trembling hand with great difficulty. "My family can't come… Can I sign… for myself?"

Staring at her blood-soaked hand, the nurse hesitated before handing her the consent form.

Ivy signed her name as she gritted her teeth. Every stroke of the pen drained her of all the strength she had left. When she finished signing, her body gave out, and everything went dark.

…

The ward was eerily quiet when Ivy woke up. The night was pitch-black outside the window, and only the beeping of monitors was heard. Her body ached like it'd been crushed and trampled over, yet there was no one by her side.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She slowly reached for it, only to see messages bombarding the screen. They were all from Sophia. Each was like a knife that cut and made her bleed so badly.

In one photo, Julian and Sophia were dining at the most expensive romantic restaurant in the city. In the glow of the candlelight, he was gently cutting her steak.

In another, they were at an auction. He raised the paddle and bid an astronomical price for a blue diamond ring before slipping it onto Sophia's finger.

In yet another, blue fireworks burst into brilliance in the night sky and formed the dazzling word "Sophia".

Sophia's message popped up. "If I didn't send you these photos, you'd never get to see any of it in your lifetime, right? During your time with Julian, he gave you random junk, and you cherished it like treasure. But with me, he's always been generous. Ivy, you and Julian don't belong in the same world. Give up already."

Ivy clutched the phone tightly as her knuckles paled with strain. Outside the window, blue fireworks continued to bloom and light up her pale face.

She thought back to how she had once been overjoyed by a cheap bracelet from a street stall and how moved she had been by a discounted birthday cake. She even carefully kept the tiny plastic hair clip he had casually bought from a convenience store in a corner of her jewelry box.

Now that she looked back, it was ridiculous. She was Ivy Bennett, heiress of the Bennetts, and yet she had been moved to tears by worthless scraps.

But now, she'd woken up from the dream.

…

Ivy took a cab home the day she was discharged. She opened the door and was met with darkness. After turning on the lights, she noticed a thin layer of dust on the table. It seemed Julian hadn't been back in days.

She had just changed into her slippers when the door handle turned again. Julian stepped in, still wearing his delivery uniform, smiling warmly like always.

"I've been running around these days, but the rush is finally over. I can finally be home with you."

He walked over and reached out to cup her face. "I know I've been busy lately. Don't be mad, okay? I'm doing all of this for our future."

Then, he pulled out a cake box from behind his back. "Look, I remember you love sweet treats, and I got this just for you."

Ivy stared at the cake, and before she could speak, her phone buzzed. Sophia's message popped up.

"Did he give you the cake I didn't want? Ivy, a poor lady like you from the slums only deserves my leftovers."

Ivy closed her eyes. When she opened them and spoke again, her voice was chillingly calm. "I don't like sweet treats anymore. Don't bring them again."

Julian froze briefly. Sensing something off, he tried to wrap an arm around her. "Alright, I won't bring any again. But tomorrow's your birthday, and though you don't like spending money, you deserve a gift. I'll take you to the mall so that you can pick whatever you want."

Ivy shook her head. "That won't be necessary."

But the next day, he still dragged her to the mall. He held her hand as they passed luxury boutique after boutique.

"See anything you like? A necklace? A watch? Don't worry about the cost."

Ivy stared at the glittering jewelry displays with zero interest. When they passed by an exclusive designer handbag store, the shop assistant exclaimed in delight, "Mr. West!"

Julian's steps faltered, and his face paled.

The shop assistant enthusiastically hurried over. "The one-of-a-kind limited edition handbag you ordered has arrived. Will you be giving it to this young lady?"