Traces in Snow When Strangers Meet Again

Julian's expression turned cold as he snapped, "You've got the wrong person!"

But just after he spoke, a soft, sweet voice rang out behind him.

"Yeah, you've got the wrong person. He isn't Mr. West, and the bag you mentioned is Mr. West's gift for me." Sophia approached, wearing high heels and a smug smile.

"We grew up as childhood sweethearts, and he has always treated me well. He's always giving me nice things."

Though unsure of what was playing out, the shop assistant wisely didn't press further. She quickly brought over the handbag and other luxurious shopping bags, respectfully presenting them to Sophia.

"Here's your bag and all the luxury items Mr. West pre-ordered for you, Ms. Lane."

Sophia nodded and shot Ivy a triumphant glance. Ivy's chest tightened, and she turned to leave, but Sophia arrogantly called after her, "Ivy, since fate brought us together, why don't I treat you and your boyfriend to a meal?"

"No thanks," Ivy said flatly.

But as she turned to leave, a loud crack sounded overhead. Then, the giant advertisement board above her came crashing down.

"Watch out!"

In that split second, Julian lunged straight at Sophia and shielded her protectively beneath him.

As for Ivy…

The board landed squarely on her back with a loud bang, the sharp edge slicing through her skin. Blood immediately soaked through her clothes.

She staggered and fell to her knees, just in time to see Julian fussing over Sophia's arm. There was only a mild scratch.

"Does it hurt? I'll take you to the hospital right away!" he said, his voice full of panic. He didn't even glance back at Ivy.

She lay on the cold floor as blood seeped through her wounds and dyed the ground red. Meanwhile, Julian carried Sophia away without so much as a glance at Ivy.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up and stumbled to a nearby pharmacy. The shop assistant was alarmed by the sight of her bloodied self and panicked. "You need to go to the hospital, miss!"

Ivy shook her head. She bought antiseptic and bandages before limping home alone.

Standing before the mirror, she slowly cleaned her wounds. The sting of alcohol on the torn flesh sent cold sweat pouring down her back, but that pain could never compare to the one in her heart.

…

As Ivy stayed home alone for the next few days for recovery, she cleaned the entire apartment. She sorted through everything, burning and throwing out the things that were no longer needed.

Finally, she opened a drawer that kept all the trinkets Julian had ever given her, including cheap earrings, clearance bracelets, and hair clips from roadside stalls. She used to treasure everything he had casually bought her without a second thought.

Now, she tossed everything into the trash expressionlessly, just like how he had treated her feelings.

Later, she met up with her best friend, Hazel Summers, and used all the money she had saved over the years to buy her gifts.

The table was stacked with luxurious packages, from limited-edition bags to fine jewelry. Those were brands Hazel usually admired from afar.

"Oh my God, Ivy! Did you win the lottery!" Hazel gasped as she ran her trembling fingers over the boxes.

Ivy shook her head slightly. "To be honest… I'm the heiress of Bennett Group."

"W-What!" Hazel's jaw dropped.

"When I ran away from home, my family cut me off financially. I'm planning to go back now," Ivy explained as she stirred her coffee.

Hazel leaped to her feet, nearly knocking over the coffee cup. "Bennett Group? That Bennett Group? Y-You're not joking?" She grabbed Ivy's hand in disbelief.

"I'm not. I don't have much right now, so I could only buy these. Once I return home and my accounts are unfrozen, I'll send you better gifts." Ivy smiled and patted her hand.

Hazel asked three more times to make sure she wasn't dreaming before letting out a scream and throwing her arms around Ivy. "Gosh! My bestie's a real-life heiress!"

After the excitement wore off, Hazel suddenly frowned in concern. "Ivy, with how rich your family is, what about Julian? He's poor, and your family won't accept him, right?"

Ivy lowered her gaze, softly tapping the spoon on the rim of her cup as she murmured, "No, so we're breaking up."

She didn't expose the fact that he was lying to her or mention his obsession with another woman. After all, even if they stood on equal ground, there was no going back now.

…

Three days later, Julian finally returned.

When he opened the door, he saw Ivy struggling to reach the wound on her back with a cotton swab. The medicine dripped down her spine and left dark stains on the bedsheet.

He frowned and rushed over. "Let me help you."

Ivy evaded his touch, and the sudden movement had her stabbing the cotton swab into her wound by accident. Her hand trembled in pain.

Julian's hand froze in midair. After a moment of silence, his voice dropped low. "Are you still mad?"

"No."

"When the board fell that day, I instinctively protected the person closest to me and didn't mean to leave you. Plus, I ran into Ms. Lane once, so I had to rush her to the hospital first because I was afraid something might happen to her. Don't be upset, alright?" He rarely sounded so apologetic.

"I'm not upset. Your saving her has nothing to do with me." Ivy suddenly looked up and met his eyes with a calm, eerie gaze.

Julian felt something stabbing into his chest. "But we're a couple, so how could it have nothing to do with you?"

She didn't answer and simply lowered her head to continue applying the medicine. The cotton swab soaked the medicine and drew cold, sharp lines across her wounds.

Julian stood by the bed and stared at her distant profile. For the first time, something in his chest tightened with a pain he couldn't quite explain.