My Husband Abandoned Me in a Blizzard to Die for His Lover Chapter 2

People gathered around the campfire. A male colleague who knew me spoke up softly: "Ms. Parker, is Mr. Gray in your tent?"

Avery's tone was mocking: "Mr. Gray? What's he to you? Has he paid your salary?"

Jasper in her arms suddenly became sad, as if feeling left out.

Avery quickly comforted him, glaring at that colleague: "Call him Mr. Reed. No, that doesn't sound good. How about we call our darling 'Mr. Jasper', hmm?"

The colleague stammered for a while, anxious but helpless: "Mr. Jasper, do you know where that guy at the back went?"

Jasper snuggled deeper into Avery's arms, not answering him.

The colleague quietly called over a few subordinates, huddling together: "Let's go look for Mr. Gray. I don't think I saw him come back. What if he's hurt up in the mountains?"

They were about to head back up the mountain.

Avery had just put Jasper to sleep in the tent.

Seeing the group whispering suspiciously, she spoke venomously: "He can walk down by himself. Are you lot trying to die on the mountain, or get us all eaten by wolves?"

As if on cue, a chorus of wolf howls echoed from the distant forest.

"But, but Mr. Gray is all alone..." That colleague was nearly in tears from anxiety.

Avery angrily lifted the tent flap and went back inside, coldly tossing out one last sentence.

"How many times have you even spoken to Lucas Gray? What kind of person do you think he is, to risk your lives for him like this? What does it matter to you if he lives or dies?"

"I won't stop anyone who still wants to go look, but from the moment you step into the forest, consider yourselves fired, without even severance pay!"

Indeed, these colleagues who had only met me a few times knew I was missing and wanted to find me.

While Avery, after eight years together, all the countless money and time I had spent on her, only responded with harsh words.

When she was starting her business, I was at the peak of my career, with my songs popular across the country. I put aside all my work to help her research the market.

When a boss made her drink three bottles of liquor, I drank them for her out of concern, damaging a singer's most important asset - my voice. I could only switch to doing rap instead.

I accompanied her without complaint as she built the company bit by bit.

I didn't understand what I had done to deserve this from her.

What made her so certain I could walk out of the mountains on my own?

I couldn't help but wonder myself.

My soul was confined near Avery, watching her enter the tent.

Jasper inside was covered with her clothes.

As Avery tucked him in, she realized Jasper had only been pretending to sleep, his eyes red from crying.

"Baby, don't cry anymore." She kissed away his tears lovingly.

Jasper hugged her tightly in return.

I silently observed everything.

Whenever Avery saw me cry, she would always keep her distance.

Once when drunk, she finally revealed her true feelings to me: "Lucas, do you know how afraid I am to see your tears? They're proof of my incompetence."

I had originally thought this was her way of expressing her love for me.

But I never considered that women are naturally inclined to pity men - she simply didn't love me and chose to turn a blind eye.

Jasper and Avery were childhood friends. When I first met them, Avery was just a little brat.

I was in a band with Avery's sister Sophia. Sophia pointed at her little sister and told me helplessly: "The little brat wants to come see the world."

So Avery gradually occupied my life.

She would play games nearby while I worked, and chat with me during my breaks.

When her parents pressured her too much, she showed up at my door on a rainy night, stubbornly silent until I pulled her inside.

We gradually got together, secretly married against everyone's wishes.

She tried starting a business. Having entered society earlier, I had met many people, so I helped her negotiate deals.

At some point, I noticed Avery increasingly disliked talking about work with me.

Whenever the company came up, her face would immediately darken, and she'd throw down her chopsticks and leave.

"Don't just talk to me about money. How did you become this kind of person?"

"I know you're confident in everything you do, but when you're with me, can't you be less materialistic?"

I felt wronged, thinking of the month I stayed up late investigating competitors, the business partners I had to schmooze with a fake smile, the endless gifts I had to send even though they were useless.

My voice ruined from drinking, my body gradually falling ill from inability to adjust.

I nodded meekly.

I thought, this is the person I love most, I want a future with her.

There's nothing worth arguing about. No matter how bitter or difficult, I've come through it all alone.

When I first suspected I might be ill, I ignored how Avery kept smiling stupidly at her phone during meals, as if reliving a first love.

I recalled those pill bottles not very well hidden in the bedside drawer, which Avery always ignored.

But when I went to the hospital alone for a check-up, I saw photos sent from an unknown contact on SnapChat.

A man and woman leaning close together, laughing.

It was my wife and her childhood friend.

I wanted to go crazy, to cry my heart out, to demand why she would do this.

But then I saw the location.

It was a place where cycling enthusiasts often had accidents.

I bought the fastest ticket there, arriving at the team building location, only to receive a few harsh words.

My soul felt empty. As she wished, I would never ask about her work again, completely disappearing from her world.