"Leave? But my car has broken down," Rowan said.

Hunter's gaze darkened. "Get cleaned up and wait for me tonight."

Estrella snapped back to reality and numbly closed the half-open bedroom door. Her eyes were devoid of emotion, as if she were nothing more than a lifeless shell.

Time was passing so slowly, and she felt helpless that she could not go home yet. She desperately wanted to return home.

...

When Estrella woke up, Hunter had already prepared breakfast. But when she stepped outside, she saw that Rowan, who had woken up late, was already seated. The latter was eating the breakfast meant for her.

"Oops! My bad. It's a force of habit. My boyfriend used to cook for me, too. Funnily enough, he made the exact same thing." Rowan flashed a smug smile as she looked at Estrella.

Estrella stood frozen in place. When Hunter walked out of the kitchen, he instantly saw that Rowan had eat

Hunter asked, "Why are your eyes red?"

"It's just the wind," Estrella replied. Then, a familiar light flashed before Estrella's eyes again.

[Countdown: Two Days.]

Soon, this would be all over.

...

Blake's bachelor party had also extended an invitation to Estrella. She initially did not want to go, but Hunter dragged her into the car anyway. He said, "I don't feel comfortable leaving you home alone, honey. I really can't be away from you for even a single second."

Estrella smiled sarcastically. She had once been foolish enough to believe those words.

Hunter repeatedly told her that he loved her and could not live without her, yet he could take that same love and repeatedly climb into another woman's bed. 

...

The private lounge was buzzing with energy. The moment Hunter walked in with Estrella, the atmosphere hit its peak.

Someone shouted, "Look who decided to show up! Dreamline

In the midst of the chaos, the tires sank deep into the snow. Frustration surged through Hunter as he slammed his fist against the steering wheel. He frowned, glancing at the map before looking over at Estrella.

Clenching his jaw, he stepped out of the car and carefully moved her to the back seat. Then, he stripped off his own jacket and stepped out into the freezing cold.

Hunter lay down in the snow, using the ice to lower his body temperature before rushing back inside to hold Estrella close. He repeated the process over and over until Estrella's fever finally broke, and she slowly opened her eyes.

His face was deathly pale, but at that moment, he smiled. "Honey, you scared me... I'm just glad that you're okay."

Estrella recovered, but Hunter fell sick. Fortunately, he had always been physically strong. After sleeping through the morning, he was almost better. The rest of the trip was spent mostly inside the cabin.

For once, Estrella cooked while Hunter sat at the dining table, smiling as he watched her move around the kitchen. Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Honey, don't move. I'll get it!" Hunter said, grinning as he walked to the front door. But the second he pulled it open, his smile froze in place.

"Hello, my car broke down. Would you mind letting me stay here for the night?"

The woman standing outside had a soft, delicate voice. Her face was lit with a bright, charming smile as she looked up at Hunter.

Estrella stood just behind him, her hands slowly falling to her sides. The woman at the door was Rowan.

Rowan exclaimed, "Wow, what a coincidence, Captain Greene!"
 
Hunter's face darkened. "Yes, quite a coincidence. Why are you here?"

"I'm on vacation. I heard that missing the winter scenery in this place would be a lifelong regret, so I came to check it out.

"Oh, you must be Mrs. Greene, right? We've met before on the plane."

Estrella watched as the two of them performed their little act right before her. Rowan even pretended not to know her, as if she was not the same person who frantically messaged her phone every day.

"Captain Greene, may I stay the night? It's snowing so heavily outside. Where else could a young woman like me go?"
 
Hunter was about to refuse, but his eyes instinctively glanced outside. And just like that, his response changed, and he said, "Okay." 

He had not meant to let her stay. After all, he was not stupid enough to have his wife and mistress under the same roof. Moreover, it was indeed too cold outside with the heavy snow, and he worried that Rowan would not be safe alone.

Estrella's grip on the plate tightened. She said nothing and turned to return to their room. She feared that staying one second longer would cause her to lose control in front of Hunter, and she refused to be the one who broke down first.
 
Rowan made herself at home, sliding into a chair at the dining table and helping herself to the meal Estrella had cooked for Hunter. Once Estrella returned to the bedroom, only Hunter and Rowan remained in the living room.

"Rowan, you're really pushing your luck!" Hunter lowered his voice and glared at her angrily.

Rowan maintained her flirtatious demeanor, completely unfazed by Hunter's cold expression. She purred, "I just missed you so much. When have we ever been apart for this long?"

Under the table, Rowan's legs were wrapped tightly around his.

Hunter's entire body tensed up, becoming as stiff as a rock. But a second later, he shoved her away with a sharp kick.

He growled, "Cut it out. The second the snow stops, you're leaving."

Rowan did not answer. Instead, she reached for his hand, curling her fingers around his. 

"Leave? But my car has broken down," Rowan said.

Hunter's gaze darkened. "Get cleaned up and wait for me tonight."

Estrella snapped back to reality and numbly closed the half-open bedroom door. Her eyes were devoid of emotion, as if she were nothing more than a lifeless shell.

Time was passing so slowly, and she felt helpless that she could not go home yet. She desperately wanted to return home.

...

When Estrella woke up, Hunter had already prepared breakfast. But when she stepped outside, she saw that Rowan, who had woken up late, was already seated. The latter was eating the breakfast meant for her.

"Oops! My bad. It's a force of habit. My boyfriend used to cook for me, too. Funnily enough, he made the exact same thing." Rowan flashed a smug smile as she looked at Estrella.

Estrella stood frozen in place. When Hunter walked out of the kitchen, he instantly saw that Rowan had eaten the breakfast he had prepared for Estrella, and his expression darkened.

"Sorry, Captain Greene.

Chapter 11