Chapter 6 Previously, to make it easier to care for my mother, I had moved all my daily necessities to a rented apartment near the hospital. Only a few inconsequential items remained at the villa, and it took me mere minutes to pack them. Dragging my suitcase out of the room, Everett was still sitting on the sofa, as if our previous conversation had never happened. I didn't spare him a glance and walked directly to the door. "Where are you going?" he finally asked, his voice taut, though barely noticeable. "Away from here."I didn't break stride. "The contract has expired. I have no reason to remain." I pulled the door open. A gust of icy wind hit me, making me shiver, but it also sharpened my focus. I didn't look back. Resolute, I walked out and left the villa-and the three years of joy and despair it contained-far behind me. I went to the hospital to arrange a transfer, contacting the hospital where Professor Mitchell worked. Although moving to a new city meant higher costs, the environment was better, and my mother's privacy could be better protected. While handling the paperwork, Dr. Harris looked at me, hesitant, "Miss Serena... actually, Mr. Vance called before and asked about your mother's condition." I froze for a moment, then shook my head. "There's no need to tell me. He is no longer any part of my life." After the transfer, my mother's condition gradually stabilized, and Professor Mitchell confirmed the surgery date. Two months later, she fully recovered. She seemed to sense my situation and encouraged me to pursue my own dreams. It suddenly came back to me before I married Everett, my dream had always been to become a wilderness vlogger. With my mother's encouragement, I applied to Summit Ridge Adventure Academy at the foot of Mount Serenity. After passing the interview, I started as an assistant and created my own account. By day, I guided students on ice climbing. By night, I taught myself the language of Valeria by the campfire's glow. Chapter 6 60.00% Three years later, an invitation arrived from the Global Exploration Society, appointing me as a wilderness survival expert. My past marriage, like an avalanche, had long been buried beneath the glaciers of an eight-thousand-meter peak. Until that day, a static-laced radio transmission crackled through the base. "Coach Serena, the military specially requests your guidance for this high-altitude training. Your liaison arrives tomorrow." A jolt went through me. "Which base?" "Southwest Command. Major General Everett Vance is leading the team.' Clang! My ice axe hit the ground. When the helicopter landed, the swirling snow blinded me. The door opened, and Everett leapt down, his combat boots crushing the frozen earth. Six years had passed. His jawline was sharper than the glacier peaks, and the stars on his shoulder insignia glinted painfully in the sun. Advisor Collins enthusiastically introduced him. "Mr. Vance, this is the internationally renowned Coach Serena!" He gave me a meaningful look. "Coach Serena, our commander is here specifically for you." I extended my frostbitten hand. "An honor, Mr. Vance." Everett gripped my hand firmly. I frowned and pulled back. "What do you mean by this, Mr. Vance?" Collins hastily explained, "Seems the general is impressed by your presence, Coach Serena." Everett tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Without a doubt." That evening, I sat beside him, calmly demonstrating survival techniques for extreme cold. The blizzard held no fear for me. But I noticed that whenever I spoke, Everett would lean in slightly, listening with a quiet, unwavering intensity. A pang of bittersweetness struck me. In the three years of our marriage, he had never listened to me like this. Those years of confinement had truly been lost. When it was time to leave, the wind and snow were fierce. Chapter 6 60.00% I tightened my scarf, preparing to get in the vehicle, when his voice called behind me. "Serena." I froze, refusing to turn. He asked again, a hint of grievance in his tone. "Is there really nothing you wish to say to me?" "The explanations have been given. There's nothing else," I replied coldly. But he hurried up, voice anxious. "Why did you leave without a word? We've known each other for three years." "Did those years mean so little that you could just walk away without a backward glance?" I turned and smiled, letting the snow land on my shoulders. "Mr. Vance, you were the one who warned me not to have other feelings for you." "The contract reached its end, so I terminated my presence. What, precisely, is the issue?" Everett seemed to choke on his reply, rooted to the spot, making no move to follow. I looked at his sharp profile and couldn't help but laugh inwardly. So he had sought me out now-was it to repudiate the man he had been? How laughable. In the snow, our shadows stretched long under the streetlights. The entanglements of past and present were only just beginning. Chapter 6 60.00%