Three years ago, Ember's parents died in a car accident while saving Atlas' parents. Her relatives quickly divided up the Sloane family's assets, leaving nothing behind for her.

Atlas' grandfather, George Ferguson, took pity on Ember and brought her into the Ferguson family. He wanted to ensure she wouldn't end up on the streets.

George then arranged a marriage between Ember and Atlas as he was afraid she might be mistreated, intending for her to become his granddaughter-in-law.

Thus, the two naturally became a couple.

Atlas, however, was extraordinarily popular. Everyone in the capital knew about the dashing eldest grandson of the Ferguson family, whose charm and good looks drew admirers from one end of the city to the other.

Ember seemed insignificant in comparison.

Desperate to hold onto him, Ember resorted to every tactic imaginable. Crying, throwing tantrums, and making dramatic threats became a routine for her. Any girl who got close to Atlas was driven away by Ember's schemes.

Everyone said Ember was a possessive girlfriend and a master of jealousy.

She often posted pictures of herself and Atlas on social media to assert her claims, flaunting their relationship for all to see.

But now, Ember simply lowered her head and replied softly as Atlas berated her, "I understand."

Atlas was taken aback by this.

Ember would have burst into tears in the past. She'd thrown a tantrum and insisted that it wasn't fair. She would have clung to him while pouting and acting cute, just as she had countless times before.

Now, she finally behaved as he always wished—submissive and quiet—yet something about it felt deeply unsettling.

"Ember, think this through. If you can admit your mistakes and beg me…"

"I've thought it through," Ember interrupted with a faint smile. She knew the bride of this wedding would likely never be her.

In six days, she planned to forget everything about Atlas. That included her love for him, and she would start over in a new place.

When the bodyguards lifted Ember onto a stretcher, they noticed her lower leg was severely frostbitten, with the flesh completely ulcerated.

She had trekked through the snow, which was above her knees, for a long time.

She couldn't stop—she dared not stop. She knew that if she did, the wolves trailing behind would catch up to her.

The snow was so deep that she slipped and fell at one point, and a sharp tree branch pierced through her foot. Blood gushed out instantly, staining the surrounding snow a vivid red.

At that moment, Ember thought she might bleed out and die there on the snowy mountain.

Ironically, these people likely wouldn't have found her at all if not for her blood staining the white snow.

Her wound was a mangled mess, with blood frozen onto her bruised and swollen skin, creating a horrifying sight.

When Atlas saw it, his eyes filled with urgency. "Doctor, is it serious? Can it be treated?"

The accompanying doctor looked troubled. "I'm not sure. For now, we can only clean the wound. The rest will have to be assessed at the hospital."

"Ember, does it hurt…"

Despite everything, Atlas still felt a twinge of compassion. Noticing Ember's fingertips were red and frozen stiff, he moved as if he wanted to warm them with his hands.

Suddenly, Kaylee, who was standing beside him, let out a faint, suppressed sigh. Her face even showed a hint of pain. "Ouch, my hand…"

Atlas immediately dropped Ember's hand and turned. His attention snapped to Kaylee as he anxiously pulled her into his arms.

"Kaylee, what's wrong?"

Kaylee's eyes reddened, and her tears threatened to spill over. "I'm fine. It's just that my arm aches after being exposed to the cold wind for so long. You should check on Ember first, she…"

Atlas sighed while looking at her helplessly. "I should've insisted you stay in the hospital to recover properly. You're always worrying about others before yourself. What would you do without me?"

As he spoke, he gently massaged the spot where Kaylee had previously fractured her arm. Though his words sounded harsh, his tone was overflowing with tenderness.

Not once did he glance back at Ember. Then, he carried Kaylee onto the helicopter without hesitation.

Ember staggered slightly from the push, and she nearly collapsed. Her palm scraped against the muddy ground, leaving several bloody scratches in its wake.

When they finally arrived at the nearest hospital, the doctor examined Ember and delivered the grim news with a heavy expression.

He told Atlas that Ember's foot injury was extremely severe, and the only solution was amputation to remove the necrotic tissue. If the infected and festering wound was left untreated, there was a high risk that she could lose her entire leg.

Moreover, the severe starvation she endured had caused significant damage to her digestive system. The doctor explained that a full recovery might take at least 10 to 20 years.

Atlas froze at the words, as if he was struck by a heavy blow. It took him a long moment to recover, and his fury erupted when he did. He kicked over a chair with a loud crash.

"How is that possible? It's just a minor injury! How could it lead to amputation? You're nothing but a quack—don't you dare spout nonsense!"

Kaylee quickly stepped in to calm him down.

"Atlas, don't get upset. It's probably because the doctors in small towns like this aren't skilled enough. Once we take her back to the capital, there will definitely be a way to fix this!

"My brother is a top-tier surgical specialist. Let him take a look first, okay? If that doesn't work, we can even find international experts."

Though he was still tense, Atlas began to rein in his anger. Nonetheless, traces of agitation remained in his eyes.

"Right. You're right. Let's have your brother take a look first," he muttered while clenching his fists anxiously. "We'll find the best doctor—there has to be a way to heal her."

They then rushed Ember back to the capital without delay. The doctor who examined Ember there was Spencer Langford, Kaylee's brother and the best trauma specialist at the city hospital.

After reviewing Ember's injuries, Spencer spoke to Atlas with an air of nonchalance.

"It's nothing serious. Ember's injury is just a superficial wound. It'll heal as long as she rests for a while.

"As for the internal damage? Absolute nonsense. She's just a little malnourished, that's all.

"If you ask me, this is probably one of Ember's usual tricks. She's still trying to gain your sympathy."

Atlas couldn't shake his doubt. He glanced back at Ember, and the image of her horrifying wound was burned into his memory.

Was it really not as serious as it looked?

Kaylee quickly clung to Atlas' arm. Her tone was sweet and coy as she said, "Atlas, stop worrying. My brother's medical skills are top-notch."

Spencer shot Atlas a disapproving look. "I haven't even held you accountable yet! Didn't you promise to protect Kaylee? So, why is her hand still injured and not healed by now?

"Instead of worrying about that troublemaker Ember, you'd better focus on Kaylee. Her hands are meant for painting—if anything happens to them, I'll hold you responsible!"

Kaylee shot him a gracious smile. "Spens, don't say that. Ember didn't mean to hurt my hand. She was just momentarily blinded by anger and acted out.

"And besides," she said while looking at Atlas with a sad yet resilient smile, "even if I can never paint again… I'll be content as long as Atlas stays with me."

"How could that happen?" Atlas' attention was immediately drawn to her, and he grasped Kaylee's hand firmly. "Kaylee, don't worry. I'll make sure you can pick up a paintbrush again!"

The sibling duo's perfectly coordinated act successfully shifted Atlas' focus entirely away from Ember. Ember, however, was no stranger to their skillful manipulation.

A week ago, she had actually managed to avoid the avalanche when it struck. But then Kaylee had shoved her down the mountain during an argument. In the scuffle, Kaylee dislocated both her arms, while Ember tumbled to the bottom of the slope.

She had crashed hard against a rock when she fell, and her entire body was wracked with pain as if all her joints had been dislocated. The agony left her unable to move or make a sound.

As Ember plummeted, she clearly heard Kaylee's venomous curses.

"Why don't you just die here and save everyone the trouble of dealing with you?

"There are plenty of wild animals in these mountains. At least you'd have done something useful for once if you can be their food supply."

As she spoke, Kaylee adjusted herself into a comfortable position and lay down in the snow. By the time Atlas arrived in a panic, Kaylee was already lying there, while Ember had been buried under the deep snow at the base of the mountain.

Kaylee told Atlas that Ember wasn't with her and that she had no idea where Ember had gone.

Atlas then rushed Kaylee back to the hospital for treatment, leaving Ember alone and abandoned at the foot of the mountain.

Ember had developed an unexplainable fear of being alone ever since witnessing her parents' deaths. Back then, though, Atlas had been there to stay by her side.

It was for this reason that she had agreed to come skiing with them. She wanted to spend as much time with Atlas as possible, even if it meant competing for his attention against Kaylee.

But she never imagined it would nearly cost her life in the depths of the snowy mountain.

Recalling the despair of being trapped, Ember began to tremble uncontrollably. The physical pain and mental anguish surged over her, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

Atlas grabbed her roughly by the arm, yanking her up from the hospital bed. "Apologize immediately! Do you hear me?

"If it weren't for you, how would Kaylee have injured her arms? If Kaylee can never hold a paintbrush again, you'd better be ready to atone for it!"

His rough handling reopened Ember's wounds, and blood seeped through her hospital gown, soaking it.

It was only then that Atlas noticed her injuries showed no signs of improvement. If anything, they looked worse than before.

"What's going on here?" he demanded while turning to Spencer with a furious glare.

"She's been given the best medicine, and people are looking after her every day. Why isn't there any progress?"

Spencer froze for a moment, then quickly tried to defend himself. "How would I know? I've been coming in every day to examine and treat Ms. Sloane. The nurses can vouch for me!"

Seeing this, Kaylee immediately turned to Ember, speaking with apparent concern.

"Ember, I know you're upset, but you can't refuse treatment like this. If you keep this up, you're just going to make Atlas and me even more worried."

"Ember Sloane!" Atlas roared in fury after hearing this. "You don't even care about your own health now? There's just no saving you!

"If you keep this nonsense up, the wedding can wait until your next life!"

What Atlas didn't know was that Spencer had never actually treated or examined Ember during his visits. Instead, he had intentionally worsened her wounds, peeling them open for his own twisted amusement.

As for the imported medicine Atlas had ordered for Ember, Spencer had secretly taken it out of the hospital to sell for profit. He didn't use a single dose on her.

Ember looked at him, yet the words she had wanted to say caught in her throat. She simply swallowed them back silently.

At this point, it didn't matter what she said—Atlas wouldn't believe her.

Atlas was still fuming outside the hospital room. It had to be his fault for spoiling Ember over the years. He'd allowed her to develop such an unbearable personality.

Yet, despite his anger, he couldn't stop himself from worrying about her. She was defying him, but wasn't she also hurting herself in the process?

Kaylee, who was carefully watching his expression, seized the moment to suggest, "Ember is too stubborn and too unwilling to change. If we want her to fix her bad habits, why don't you… cancel the wedding for now?"

"No." Atlas rejected the idea without hesitation.

He only wanted Ember to be more obedient—he had never considered letting her leave him.

Every time he saw the engagement ring on her hand, which matched his, he couldn't help but soften no matter how furious he was—especially when he thought about those horrifying wounds he'd just seen.

A pang of guilt stirred in his heart.

Ember had already endured so much; he couldn't bring himself to push her further.

"But if you let her continue like this…" Kaylee's eyes briefly flashed with resentment, though she quickly hid it as Atlas glanced at her. "She's not just hurting herself. It pains you too, Atlas."

Atlas pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

"The engagement was arranged by our elders. It can't be canceled lightly. This decision is final."

A flicker of malice passed through Kaylee's eyes, but she quickly masked it. She then weakly swayed slightly as she spoke, "I'll do whatever you say. I just…"

"What's wrong? Is your hand hurting again?"

Atlas immediately held her in concern, scooping her up and rushing toward the duty room in a panic. "Help!"