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!"

Ember had been in the hospital for three days, and only an interning nurse had occasionally come by to disinfect and dress her wounds during that time.

Calling it treatment was an overstatement; all they did was clean the wounds and apply a bit of mercurochrome, offering negligible healing.

The interning nurse's rough handling often left Ember trembling in pain and drenched in cold sweat. She clutched the bedsheet tightly beneath her, her gaunt fingers turning white from the strain.

When Atlas saw this, he couldn't help but snatch the bottle of medicine and tend to her wounds himself.

"Why didn't you say it hurt? Wouldn't… You have already made a fuss and demanded I comfort you in the past?"

In the past, Ember would have pouted and insisted Atlas pamper her when she felt wronged. But now, she would rather grit her teeth and endure it alone.

Atlas softened his tone deliberately, waiting for Ember to respond. If she gave in, even a little, he was willing to give her another chance.

After all, Ember was still his fiancée in his mind. She was still his person.

But Ember simply turned her head away, as though she couldn't bear to look at him. Her voice was calm as she replied, "I'm sorry for troubling you in the past.

"It won't happen again. If the engagement is an inconvenience to you, I can talk to Mr. Ferguson Senior and have it annulled."

Atlas' expression darkened instantly. "What?"

"Ember Sloane, are you pulling another one of your tricks? Are you playing hard to get again? Can you just stop being so unreasonable?"

His temper flared like an enraged lion as he tossed the bottle aside and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He simply left her alone, surrounded by scattered bottles and disarray.

Ember gave a faint, powerless smile. She wasn't playing any tricks—she was simply speaking the truth.

The next day, George appeared at the door to her hospital room.

Ember's eyes welled up with tears the moment she saw the man who wasn't family but had always treated her as such.

During her time trapped on the mountain, beyond her fear of death, her greatest concern had been this kind and gentle old man.

Years ago, it was George who held her hand and brought her into the Ferguson residence when she lost both her parents. He personally arranged for her care, ensuring she was clothed, fed, and housed.

He had always told her, "If you're ever wronged, come to me. I'll stand by you no matter what."

Seeing George's kind smile, Ember swallowed all the grievances she had buried deep inside. After all, she was planning to leave soon. There was no need to make him worry more.

But George trembled with rage the moment he saw the wounds on Ember's leg.

"Do the doctors here even know what they're doing? Is this how they treat my precious granddaughter-in-law? What kind of useless fools are they?"

George's cane thudded heavily on the floor as he emphasized his words.

In his younger years, George had dominated the business world, and he exuded an intimidating authority. Now, Spencer was drenched in cold sweat with just a few sharp words.

"P-Please, don't be angry! I'm an expert—I couldn't possibly make a mistake!" Spencer stammered.

"It's Ember who refused to cooperate with treatment. She's just trying to gain sympathy and use you to her advantage!"

But George didn't buy his excuses. With a swift swing of his cane, he struck Spencer and sent him rolling on the ground.

"You little scoundrel! How dare you spout lies in front of me? Looks like you're asking for a beating!"

Hearing the commotion, Kaylee rushed into the room with a panicked expression. "What's going on? What happened? Mr. Ferguson Senior, did Ember upset you again?

"Please, calm down. Ember's always been unruly. Don't let her get to you…"

Before she could finish, George raised his hand and delivered a slap across her face. "Ember upset me? She has never upset me, not even once!

"As for you and your brother—who do you think you are? Did you really think I wouldn't see through you?

"You're just two frauds trying to worm your way into my family, and you dare to deceive me! Let's see how I deal with the likes of you!"

George's fury was so intense that no one dared to intervene. The slap landed squarely on Kaylee's face, leaving a streak of blood slowly trailing from the corner of her mouth.

Atlas arrived just in time to witness the scene.

Kaylee seized the opportunity to throw herself into his arms, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath.

"Atlas, I'm so sorry. I don't know what Ember said to Mr. Ferguson Senior to make him hate me so much…

"But I don't care how much he hits me, as long as it makes him feel better…"

Atlas' expression turned icy as he shielded her protectively. "Ember doesn't even deserve to be compared to you.

"Let's see who dares to lay a hand on you with me here to protect you!"