The rational and sober female surgeon, Zinnia, finds herself in an agreement with the man who couldn’t distinguish between heart and hand, Landon, for a business-like marriage - a three-year contract leading to divorce. Unbeknownst to Landon, Zinnia has been secretly admiring him for a whole decade. When he proposed the contract marriage, she rejoiced secretly, her decade-long unrequited love seems to have a happy end. However, everything changed the day when Landon received a distress call about his childhood friend being kidnapped. He left her in the sudden snowstorm in Norway, promising to return once he rescues his friend - a promise he did not keep. Alone and buried under the freezing snow, Zinnia’s passionate love that burned for a decade extinguished, melting away with the snow. As their contract neared its end, an anxious Landon offered her a new contract. "Zinnia, here's a new contract, for a hundred years. Please, sign it," he pleaded. But when her gaze landed on the contract, it was as still as a lake surface, disconcerting Landon. He watched as Zinnia gently pushed the contract back, her denial looming in her smile, "This contract, I won't renew it once it's expired." Later, when Landon learned about the near-death experience that Zinnia had on the day he left her behind, he could not help but tear up. He realized that he had lost - his love has ceased, with no peace in sight.

Chapter 1Svalbard, Norway.“Landon, I did my homework. There’s glacier hiking here, and right ahead, we can explore ice caves. I even asked the locals. We might catch the Northern Lights along the trek.”This was the trip Zinnia Quinn had dreamed of for years. Landon Ford had finally managed to carve out two full weeks to join her on this Arctic adventure. To make it happen, Zinnia had worked a string of brutal night shifts, swapping schedules with her hospital colleagues just to get the time off.“Let’s do the glacier hike tomorrow, okay?” she asked, her voice muffled behind a thick scarf. Her eyes sparkled with hope and excitement.Tiny crystals of frost clung to her long lashes, and her nose was pink from the cold, but her eyes shone brighter than ever. Each breath shimmered in the frigid air, a gauzy veil over the thrill on her face.Landon couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Zinnia so openly joyful. Since the day their marriage began—a practical arrangement more than a whirlwind romance—she had always been gentle, composed, unflappable, as if nothing in this world could ever rattle her.But now, her beautiful eyes seemed to contain a whole galaxy, especially when she looked at him, expectant and glowing, as if stars themselves had scattered across her gaze.Moved by the sight, Landon smiled back. “Sure,” he said softly.The happiness in Zinnia’s eyes bloomed like spring....The next day, after bundling up in layers of winter gear, the couple set out with their local guide for the ice cave tour. Outside the hotel, the snow had fallen deep and heavy, blanketing the mountains in white.“Landon, look at this place! It’s incredible,” Zinnia breathed, clinging to his arm, unable to contain her joy. “Who knows when we’ll get a chance to come back?”“If you want to come again, I—” Landon began, but his phone suddenly rang.He answered quickly. “Hello? What?”His expression changed in an instant. Still on the call, he turned and strode back toward the hotel.“Landon, what’s wrong?” Zinnia called after him, anxiety tightening in her chest. She reached for his arm but caught only cold air. He was already moving too fast, and her heavy boots couldn’t keep up.By the time she made it back to their room, Landon had changed out of his snow gear and was pulling on his regular clothes.“What happened?” she asked, worry etched across her face.“It’s Noelle. She’s been kidnapped. I have to go back now.” His tone was tense, urgent.Noelle Jensen, Zinnia knew the name well. Landon’s childhood friend. Fragile health had kept Noelle away for years, her parents sending her abroad for treatment. She’d just returned home a week ago.Seeing Landon’s distress, Zinnia felt a pang deep inside. She stood there, stunned, as Landon headed for the door.Suddenly, he paused, glancing back at her as if remembering something.“You should go out and see the Northern Lights tonight,” he said. “I’ll come find you as soon as I help Noelle.”Before Zinnia could reply, he was already gone.She hurried after him, calling his name. “Landon, wait—”He stopped and turned, irritation flashing in his eyes. The warmth he’d shown her that morning was gone, replaced by something sharp and cold.“Zinnia, I married you because you’re considerate and sensible. Are you really going to get jealous and stop me from helping someone in trouble right now?” Disappointment and annoyance edged his words.The jab landed hard. Zinnia stared at him, dumbfounded, a sting of hurt in her chest.Landon seemed to realize, for a split second, how harsh he’d been. Guilt flickered across his face. “I…”“I just wanted you to put on these goggles.”The words barely left his lips before Zinnia cut him off. She held out the goggles in her hand. “The sun’s out. It’s nothing but ice and snow from here on. If you don’t wear these, you’ll end up snow-blind.”Landon stared at the goggles she offered, her explanation gentle and matter-of-fact. For a moment, he just stood there, thrown off balance.It took him a while to take the goggles from her. Rubbing his brow with a complicated expression, he finally murmured, “Sorry. I got a little carried away just now, I just…”Zinnia shook her head. “It’s all right. When someone’s life is on the line, I understand.”Seeing that faint, forced smile at the corner of her lips made something twist sharply in Landon’s chest. He started to speak, almost without realizing it. “Zinnia—”“Go,” she cut in, pressing him. “There’s no time to lose. You need to help them.”At the thought of Noelle kidnapped, her fate uncertain, Landon didn’t waste another second. He gave Zinnia a single, hurried promise, “I’ll be back”, and rushed out the door.The moment he disappeared down the hallway, the smile vanished from Zinnia’s face.In over two years of marriage, she’d never seen Landon lose his composure. He’d always been calm and collected, a picture of quiet gentility. But just now… that panic, that raw urgency—it was nothing like him.Maybe this is what people mean by “love makes fools of us all.”With a sigh, she went back to her hotel room. The excitement she’d felt that morning was gone—snuffed out, leaving nothing behind.Their marriage had always been a strange mix of melodrama and cold logic.She and Landon met through her mentor, Dr. Zephyr Locke, a professor at Veridian University’s School of Medicine. Zephyr happened to be an old family friend of the Fords. When he heard that Zane Ford was nagging Landon to settle down, Zephyr decided to play matchmaker and introduce his star student—Zinnia herself.Her own family was nowhere near as illustrious as the Fords, a dynasty with a century of influence in Veridian City. But Zinnia’s family was still respected in academic circles—a true family of scholars.Her grandparents had been among the first professors at Veridian University. Many of the city’s current power players had once been their students. Her parents, too, were both professors at the university’s medical school.Zinnia herself was a double PhD in clinical medicine from Veridian University, graduating three years ahead of schedule, no less.Her pedigree and intellect were just good enough to meet the Fords’ standards for a daughter-in-law.And so, she and Landon went on a blind date.Zinnia had been both nervous and excited to meet him. Still, she put on the best performance of her life, making sure their first meeting went off without a hitch.“Ms. Quinn,” Landon told her, “I should be honest. I have no intention of marrying. My grandfather is just putting a lot of pressure on me.”“I… I feel the same,” Zinnia replied, forcing a natural smile and sighing as if resigned. “My grandfather’s very ill. He wants to see me settled before he goes, so…”She gave a small, awkward smile, as if that explained everything. And it was true—her grandfather was sick, and he did want her to get married. But the real reason she’d agreed to this date was because it was Landon.She’d been secretly in love with him for ten years, ever since high school.“If you’re open to it, Ms. Quinn, we could sign a marriage contract. Three years. Once the term’s up, we’ll divorce—say it’s due to irreconcilable differences. How does that sound?”“A… a contract marriage?” Zinnia repeated, stunned.Landon nodded, utterly serious.She looked again into Landon’s eyes—calm, distant, but utterly sincere.There was no trace of a joke. Landon meant every word.Even so, she agreed without hesitation. To become Landon’s wife… after ten years of quietly loving him from afar, it felt like her patience had finally been rewarded.“Well then… here’s to a good partnership.”Landon smiled as he offered his hand. His fingers were long and elegant, refined and striking, just like the man himself.“To a good partnership,” she echoed, reaching out to shake his hand.His touch was warm, the heat spreading through her, melting away the last of her doubts.And so, just like that, she and Landon became husband and wife, at least on paper, for the next three years.A gust of icy wind swept past, making Zinnia shiver and snapping her back to reality. Without Landon around, her enthusiasm faded. She curled up in her hotel room and slept through the afternoon.That whole day, Landon didn’t call her. Not once....The next morning, she woke up early out of habit.She suited up in her snow gear, grabbed her hiking kit, and arranged for a local guide to take her trekking. She was here, after all—no sense wasting a two-week vacation.There were plenty of other groups from all over the world on the trail. Zinnia didn’t feel nervous or afraid.She snapped dozens of photos along the way.Opening WhatsApp, she instinctively started to send a picture to Landon, but stopped herself.By now, Landon should have made it back home.Noelle had just been “kidnapped”. How could she send him vacation photos? That would be completely inappropriate.She put her phone away, but then, almost against her will, opened Noelle’s Instagram.A week ago, Noelle’s family had returned to the States and paid a visit to the Fords. After a family dinner, Noelle had added her on Instagram.The first post on Noelle’s Instagram was from just an hour ago.[Noelle will always be priceless to Landon, teehee.]Nine photos were attached: a selfie of Noelle in a hospital room, a few shots of a man’s tall figure from behind, and a close-up of hands peeling an apple.Even though Landon’s face wasn’t visible, Zinnia recognized him instantly. Especially the hand peeling the apple—the wedding ring was unmistakable.So, Noelle had already been rescued from her kidnappers?Relief washed over Zinnia. She figured Landon would probably be on his way to find her soon.Her gaze drifted down to the comments:[You’re only this bold because Landon spoils you. Who else would lie about being kidnapped?][Trust Noelle to pull this off. Landon left Zinnia freezing halfway across the world just to take care of you. When Zinnia gets back, Landon’s going to have to grovel for forgiveness.][Don’t ever pull a stunt like this again.]That last one was from Landon. Out of all the comments, Noelle replied only to his:[Landon, I know I was wrong. I’ll apologize to Zinnia when she gets back.]More comments piled on:[Even if the kidnapping was fake, Noelle’s depression can be just as dangerous. Zinnia has no reason to be mad.][Honestly, Landon should have married Noelle in the first place. She’s familiar, and maybe with Landon around, her depression would’ve improved.][Isn’t Landon with Noelle right now? It’s obvious who’s more important to him.]Zinnia read the comments, calm and detached.Maybe these people looked down on her, or thought she was just too easygoing—either way, they didn’t care if she saw their words.And Landon never stopped them, never defended her.Suddenly, it all felt pointless.She closed Instagram, feeling completely deflated.She was about to keep walking when, out of nowhere, the mountain trembled.A split second later, the snow above roared to life, surging downhill like a wild beast.She barely had time to react before the avalanche swallowed her whole.Terror. Helplessness. Despair. It all crashed over her, flooding her chest and lungs.Buried beneath the crushing weight of snow, Zinnia somehow managed to clutch her phone and dialed Landon’s video call.If this was the end, she wanted to see Landon’s face one last time. A final moment, to close ten years of loving him in silence.But as soon as the call connected, it was cut off.In that instant, bitterness and humiliation filled her up, hot and suffocating. It hurt so much she almost didn’t care about dying anymore; the ache of rejection drowned out even her fear.On some stubborn impulse, she dialed again.Predictably, the call was declined a second time.Her heart was as cold as the snow weighing down on her, chilled to the bone.She sent him a message on WhatsApp:[There’s been an avalanche. I’m trapped under the snow.]She didn’t really expect anything. After all, someone who’d just hung up on her twice was hardly likely to answer a text right away.Still, she couldn’t help herself.Maybe she was giving her ten-year crush one last shot.Or maybe she just needed a reason to finally let go.Against all odds, this time a reply came back instantly.Every word cut through her like a blade, tearing her heart to shreds.[Zinnia, don’t try to trick me into coming back with such a transparent lie. I’m staying with Noelle for a few more days. When you’ve had enough fun, come home yourself.]The cold seeped into her bones, as if a thousand poisonous insects were crawling through her veins.She didn’t reply.Buried under the snow, Zinnia’s body slowly lost its warmth.Chapter 2Svalbard, Norway.“Landon, I did my homework. There’s glacier hiking here, and right ahead, we can explore ice caves. I even asked the locals. We might catch the Northern Lights along the trek.”This was the trip Zinnia Quinn had dreamed of for years. Landon Ford had finally managed to carve out two full weeks to join her on this Arctic adventure. To make it happen, Zinnia had worked a string of brutal night shifts, swapping schedules with her hospital colleagues just to get the time off.“Let’s do the glacier hike tomorrow, okay?” she asked, her voice muffled behind a thick scarf. Her eyes sparkled with hope and excitement.Tiny crystals of frost clung to her long lashes, and her nose was pink from the cold, but her eyes shone brighter than ever. Each breath shimmered in the frigid air, a gauzy veil over the thrill on her face.Landon couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Zinnia so openly joyful. Since the day their marriage began—a practical arrangement more than a whirlwind romance—she had always been gentle, composed, unflappable, as if nothing in this world could ever rattle her.But now, her beautiful eyes seemed to contain a whole galaxy, especially when she looked at him, expectant and glowing, as if stars themselves had scattered across her gaze.Moved by the sight, Landon smiled back. “Sure,” he said softly.The happiness in Zinnia’s eyes bloomed like spring....The next day, after bundling up in layers of winter gear, the couple set out with their local guide for the ice cave tour. Outside the hotel, the snow had fallen deep and heavy, blanketing the mountains in white.“Landon, look at this place! It’s incredible,” Zinnia breathed, clinging to his arm, unable to contain her joy. “Who knows when we’ll get a chance to come back?”“If you want to come again, I—” Landon began, but his phone suddenly rang.He answered quickly. “Hello? What?”His expression changed in an instant. Still on the call, he turned and strode back toward the hotel.“Landon, what’s wrong?” Zinnia called after him, anxiety tightening in her chest. She reached for his arm but caught only cold air. He was already moving too fast, and her heavy boots couldn’t keep up.By the time she made it back to their room, Landon had changed out of his snow gear and was pulling on his regular clothes.“What happened?” she asked, worry etched across her face.“It’s Noelle. She’s been kidnapped. I have to go back now.” His tone was tense, urgent.Noelle Jensen, Zinnia knew the name well. Landon’s childhood friend. Fragile health had kept Noelle away for years, her parents sending her abroad for treatment. She’d just returned home a week ago.Seeing Landon’s distress, Zinnia felt a pang deep inside. She stood there, stunned, as Landon headed for the door.Suddenly, he paused, glancing back at her as if remembering something.“You should go out and see the Northern Lights tonight,” he said. “I’ll come find you as soon as I help Noelle.”Before Zinnia could reply, he was already gone.She hurried after him, calling his name. “Landon, wait—”He stopped and turned, irritation flashing in his eyes. The warmth he’d shown her that morning was gone, replaced by something sharp and cold.“Zinnia, I married you because you’re considerate and sensible. Are you really going to get jealous and stop me from helping someone in trouble right now?” Disappointment and annoyance edged his words.The jab landed hard. Zinnia stared at him, dumbfounded, a sting of hurt in her chest.Landon seemed to realize, for a split second, how harsh he’d been. Guilt flickered across his face. “I…”“I just wanted you to put on these goggles.”The words barely left his lips before Zinnia cut him off. She held out the goggles in her hand. “The sun’s out. It’s nothing but ice and snow from here on. If you don’t wear these, you’ll end up snow-blind.”Landon stared at the goggles she offered, her explanation gentle and matter-of-fact. For a moment, he just stood there, thrown off balance.It took him a while to take the goggles from her. Rubbing his brow with a complicated expression, he finally murmured, “Sorry. I got a little carried away just now, I just…”Zinnia shook her head. “It’s all right. When someone’s life is on the line, I understand.”Seeing that faint, forced smile at the corner of her lips made something twist sharply in Landon’s chest. He started to speak, almost without realizing it. “Zinnia—”“Go,” she cut in, pressing him. “There’s no time to lose. You need to help them.”At the thought of Noelle kidnapped, her fate uncertain, Landon didn’t waste another second. He gave Zinnia a single, hurried promise, “I’ll be back”, and rushed out the door.The moment he disappeared down the hallway, the smile vanished from Zinnia’s face.In over two years of marriage, she’d never seen Landon lose his composure. He’d always been calm and collected, a picture of quiet gentility. But just now… that panic, that raw urgency—it was nothing like him.Maybe this is what people mean by “love makes fools of us all.”With a sigh, she went back to her hotel room. The excitement she’d felt that morning was gone—snuffed out, leaving nothing behind.Their marriage had always been a strange mix of melodrama and cold logic.She and Landon met through her mentor, Dr. Zephyr Locke, a professor at Veridian University’s School of Medicine. Zephyr happened to be an old family friend of the Fords. When he heard that Zane Ford was nagging Landon to settle down, Zephyr decided to play matchmaker and introduce his star student—Zinnia herself.Her own family was nowhere near as illustrious as the Fords, a dynasty with a century of influence in Veridian City. But Zinnia’s family was still respected in academic circles—a true family of scholars.Her grandparents had been among the first professors at Veridian University. Many of the city’s current power players had once been their students. Her parents, too, were both professors at the university’s medical school.Zinnia herself was a double PhD in clinical medicine from Veridian University, graduating three years ahead of schedule, no less.Her pedigree and intellect were just good enough to meet the Fords’ standards for a daughter-in-law.And so, she and Landon went on a blind date.Zinnia had been both nervous and excited to meet him. Still, she put on the best performance of her life, making sure their first meeting went off without a hitch.“Ms. Quinn,” Landon told her, “I should be honest. I have no intention of marrying. My grandfather is just putting a lot of pressure on me.”“I… I feel the same,” Zinnia replied, forcing a natural smile and sighing as if resigned. “My grandfather’s very ill. He wants to see me settled before he goes, so…”She gave a small, awkward smile, as if that explained everything. And it was true—her grandfather was sick, and he did want her to get married. But the real reason she’d agreed to this date was because it was Landon.She’d been secretly in love with him for ten years, ever since high school.“If you’re open to it, Ms. Quinn, we could sign a marriage contract. Three years. Once the term’s up, we’ll divorce—say it’s due to irreconcilable differences. How does that sound?”“A… a contract marriage?” Zinnia repeated, stunned.Landon nodded, utterly serious.She looked again into Landon’s eyes—calm, distant, but utterly sincere.There was no trace of a joke. Landon meant every word.Even so, she agreed without hesitation. To become Landon’s wife… after ten years of quietly loving him from afar, it felt like her patience had finally been rewarded.“Well then… here’s to a good partnership.”Landon smiled as he offered his hand. His fingers were long and elegant, refined and striking, just like the man himself.“To a good partnership,” she echoed, reaching out to shake his hand.His touch was warm, the heat spreading through her, melting away the last of her doubts.And so, just like that, she and Landon became husband and wife, at least on paper, for the next three years.A gust of icy wind swept past, making Zinnia shiver and snapping her back to reality. Without Landon around, her enthusiasm faded. She curled up in her hotel room and slept through the afternoon.That whole day, Landon didn’t call her. Not once....The next morning, she woke up early out of habit.She suited up in her snow gear, grabbed her hiking kit, and arranged for a local guide to take her trekking. She was here, after all—no sense wasting a two-week vacation.There were plenty of other groups from all over the world on the trail. Zinnia didn’t feel nervous or afraid.She snapped dozens of photos along the way.Opening WhatsApp, she instinctively started to send a picture to Landon, but stopped herself.By now, Landon should have made it back home.Noelle had just been “kidnapped”. How could she send him vacation photos? That would be completely inappropriate.She put her phone away, but then, almost against her will, opened Noelle’s Instagram.A week ago, Noelle’s family had returned to the States and paid a visit to the Fords. After a family dinner, Noelle had added her on Instagram.The first post on Noelle’s Instagram was from just an hour ago.[Noelle will always be priceless to Landon, teehee.]Nine photos were attached: a selfie of Noelle in a hospital room, a few shots of a man’s tall figure from behind, and a close-up of hands peeling an apple.Even though Landon’s face wasn’t visible, Zinnia recognized him instantly. Especially the hand peeling the apple—the wedding ring was unmistakable.So, Noelle had already been rescued from her kidnappers?Relief washed over Zinnia. She figured Landon would probably be on his way to find her soon.Her gaze drifted down to the comments:[You’re only this bold because Landon spoils you. Who else would lie about being kidnapped?][Trust Noelle to pull this off. Landon left Zinnia freezing halfway across the world just to take care of you. When Zinnia gets back, Landon’s going to have to grovel for forgiveness.][Don’t ever pull a stunt like this again.]That last one was from Landon. Out of all the comments, Noelle replied only to his:[Landon, I know I was wrong. I’ll apologize to Zinnia when she gets back.]More comments piled on:[Even if the kidnapping was fake, Noelle’s depression can be just as dangerous. Zinnia has no reason to be mad.][Honestly, Landon should have married Noelle in the first place. She’s familiar, and maybe with Landon around, her depression would’ve improved.][Isn’t Landon with Noelle right now? It’s obvious who’s more important to him.]Zinnia read the comments, calm and detached.Maybe these people looked down on her, or thought she was just too easygoing—either way, they didn’t care if she saw their words.And Landon never stopped them, never defended her.Suddenly, it all felt pointless.She closed Instagram, feeling completely deflated.She was about to keep walking when, out of nowhere, the mountain trembled.A split second later, the snow above roared to life, surging downhill like a wild beast.She barely had time to react before the avalanche swallowed her whole.Terror. Helplessness. Despair. It all crashed over her, flooding her chest and lungs.Buried beneath the crushing weight of snow, Zinnia somehow managed to clutch her phone and dialed Landon’s video call.If this was the end, she wanted to see Landon’s face one last time. A final moment, to close ten years of loving him in silence.But as soon as the call connected, it was cut off.In that instant, bitterness and humiliation filled her up, hot and suffocating. It hurt so much she almost didn’t care about dying anymore; the ache of rejection drowned out even her fear.On some stubborn impulse, she dialed again.Predictably, the call was declined a second time.Her heart was as cold as the snow weighing down on her, chilled to the bone.She sent him a message on WhatsApp:[There’s been an avalanche. I’m trapped under the snow.]She didn’t really expect anything. After all, someone who’d just hung up on her twice was hardly likely to answer a text right away.Still, she couldn’t help herself.Maybe she was giving her ten-year crush one last shot.Or maybe she just needed a reason to finally let go.Against all odds, this time a reply came back instantly.Every word cut through her like a blade, tearing her heart to shreds.[Zinnia, don’t try to trick me into coming back with such a transparent lie. I’m staying with Noelle for a few more days. When you’ve had enough fun, come home yourself.]The cold seeped into her bones, as if a thousand poisonous insects were crawling through her veins.She didn’t reply.Buried under the snow, Zinnia’s body slowly lost its warmth.Chapter 3Svalbard, Norway.“Landon, I did my homework. There’s glacier hiking here, and right ahead, we can explore ice caves. I even asked the locals. We might catch the Northern Lights along the trek.”This was the trip Zinnia Quinn had dreamed of for years. Landon Ford had finally managed to carve out two full weeks to join her on this Arctic adventure. To make it happen, Zinnia had worked a string of brutal night shifts, swapping schedules with her hospital colleagues just to get the time off.“Let’s do the glacier hike tomorrow, okay?” she asked, her voice muffled behind a thick scarf. Her eyes sparkled with hope and excitement.Tiny crystals of frost clung to her long lashes, and her nose was pink from the cold, but her eyes shone brighter than ever. Each breath shimmered in the frigid air, a gauzy veil over the thrill on her face.Landon couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Zinnia so openly joyful. Since the day their marriage began—a practical arrangement more than a whirlwind romance—she had always been gentle, composed, unflappable, as if nothing in this world could ever rattle her.But now, her beautiful eyes seemed to contain a whole galaxy, especially when she looked at him, expectant and glowing, as if stars themselves had scattered across her gaze.Moved by the sight, Landon smiled back. “Sure,” he said softly.The happiness in Zinnia’s eyes bloomed like spring....The next day, after bundling up in layers of winter gear, the couple set out with their local guide for the ice cave tour. Outside the hotel, the snow had fallen deep and heavy, blanketing the mountains in white.“Landon, look at this place! It’s incredible,” Zinnia breathed, clinging to his arm, unable to contain her joy. “Who knows when we’ll get a chance to come back?”“If you want to come again, I—” Landon began, but his phone suddenly rang.He answered quickly. “Hello? What?”His expression changed in an instant. Still on the call, he turned and strode back toward the hotel.“Landon, what’s wrong?” Zinnia called after him, anxiety tightening in her chest. She reached for his arm but caught only cold air. He was already moving too fast, and her heavy boots couldn’t keep up.By the time she made it back to their room, Landon had changed out of his snow gear and was pulling on his regular clothes.“What happened?” she asked, worry etched across her face.“It’s Noelle. She’s been kidnapped. I have to go back now.” His tone was tense, urgent.Noelle Jensen, Zinnia knew the name well. Landon’s childhood friend. Fragile health had kept Noelle away for years, her parents sending her abroad for treatment. She’d just returned home a week ago.Seeing Landon’s distress, Zinnia felt a pang deep inside. She stood there, stunned, as Landon headed for the door.Suddenly, he paused, glancing back at her as if remembering something.“You should go out and see the Northern Lights tonight,” he said. “I’ll come find you as soon as I help Noelle.”Before Zinnia could reply, he was already gone.She hurried after him, calling his name. “Landon, wait—”He stopped and turned, irritation flashing in his eyes. The warmth he’d shown her that morning was gone, replaced by something sharp and cold.“Zinnia, I married you because you’re considerate and sensible. Are you really going to get jealous and stop me from helping someone in trouble right now?” Disappointment and annoyance edged his words.The jab landed hard. Zinnia stared at him, dumbfounded, a sting of hurt in her chest.Landon seemed to realize, for a split second, how harsh he’d been. Guilt flickered across his face. “I…”“I just wanted you to put on these goggles.”The words barely left his lips before Zinnia cut him off. She held out the goggles in her hand. “The sun’s out. It’s nothing but ice and snow from here on. If you don’t wear these, you’ll end up snow-blind.”Landon stared at the goggles she offered, her explanation gentle and matter-of-fact. For a moment, he just stood there, thrown off balance.It took him a while to take the goggles from her. Rubbing his brow with a complicated expression, he finally murmured, “Sorry. I got a little carried away just now, I just…”Zinnia shook her head. “It’s all right. When someone’s life is on the line, I understand.”Seeing that faint, forced smile at the corner of her lips made something twist sharply in Landon’s chest. He started to speak, almost without realizing it. “Zinnia—”“Go,” she cut in, pressing him. “There’s no time to lose. You need to help them.”At the thought of Noelle kidnapped, her fate uncertain, Landon didn’t waste another second. He gave Zinnia a single, hurried promise, “I’ll be back”, and rushed out the door.The moment he disappeared down the hallway, the smile vanished from Zinnia’s face.In over two years of marriage, she’d never seen Landon lose his composure. He’d always been calm and collected, a picture of quiet gentility. But just now… that panic, that raw urgency—it was nothing like him.Maybe this is what people mean by “love makes fools of us all.”With a sigh, she went back to her hotel room. The excitement she’d felt that morning was gone—snuffed out, leaving nothing behind.Their marriage had always been a strange mix of melodrama and cold logic.She and Landon met through her mentor, Dr. Zephyr Locke, a professor at Veridian University’s School of Medicine. Zephyr happened to be an old family friend of the Fords. When he heard that Zane Ford was nagging Landon to settle down, Zephyr decided to play matchmaker and introduce his star student—Zinnia herself.Her own family was nowhere near as illustrious as the Fords, a dynasty with a century of influence in Veridian City. But Zinnia’s family was still respected in academic circles—a true family of scholars.Her grandparents had been among the first professors at Veridian University. Many of the city’s current power players had once been their students. Her parents, too, were both professors at the university’s medical school.Zinnia herself was a double PhD in clinical medicine from Veridian University, graduating three years ahead of schedule, no less.Her pedigree and intellect were just good enough to meet the Fords’ standards for a daughter-in-law.And so, she and Landon went on a blind date.Zinnia had been both nervous and excited to meet him. Still, she put on the best performance of her life, making sure their first meeting went off without a hitch.“Ms. Quinn,” Landon told her, “I should be honest. I have no intention of marrying. My grandfather is just putting a lot of pressure on me.”“I… I feel the same,” Zinnia replied, forcing a natural smile and sighing as if resigned. “My grandfather’s very ill. He wants to see me settled before he goes, so…”She gave a small, awkward smile, as if that explained everything. And it was true—her grandfather was sick, and he did want her to get married. But the real reason she’d agreed to this date was because it was Landon.She’d been secretly in love with him for ten years, ever since high school.“If you’re open to it, Ms. Quinn, we could sign a marriage contract. Three years. Once the term’s up, we’ll divorce—say it’s due to irreconcilable differences. How does that sound?”“A… a contract marriage?” Zinnia repeated, stunned.Landon nodded, utterly serious.She looked again into Landon’s eyes—calm, distant, but utterly sincere.There was no trace of a joke. Landon meant every word.Even so, she agreed without hesitation. To become Landon’s wife… after ten years of quietly loving him from afar, it felt like her patience had finally been rewarded.“Well then… here’s to a good partnership.”Landon smiled as he offered his hand. His fingers were long and elegant, refined and striking, just like the man himself.“To a good partnership,” she echoed, reaching out to shake his hand.His touch was warm, the heat spreading through her, melting away the last of her doubts.And so, just like that, she and Landon became husband and wife, at least on paper, for the next three years.A gust of icy wind swept past, making Zinnia shiver and snapping her back to reality. Without Landon around, her enthusiasm faded. She curled up in her hotel room and slept through the afternoon.That whole day, Landon didn’t call her. Not once....The next morning, she woke up early out of habit.She suited up in her snow gear, grabbed her hiking kit, and arranged for a local guide to take her trekking. She was here, after all—no sense wasting a two-week vacation.There were plenty of other groups from all over the world on the trail. Zinnia didn’t feel nervous or afraid.She snapped dozens of photos along the way.Opening WhatsApp, she instinctively started to send a picture to Landon, but stopped herself.By now, Landon should have made it back home.Noelle had just been “kidnapped”. How could she send him vacation photos? That would be completely inappropriate.She put her phone away, but then, almost against her will, opened Noelle’s Instagram.A week ago, Noelle’s family had returned to the States and paid a visit to the Fords. After a family dinner, Noelle had added her on Instagram.The first post on Noelle’s Instagram was from just an hour ago.[Noelle will always be priceless to Landon, teehee.]Nine photos were attached: a selfie of Noelle in a hospital room, a few shots of a man’s tall figure from behind, and a close-up of hands peeling an apple.Even though Landon’s face wasn’t visible, Zinnia recognized him instantly. Especially the hand peeling the apple—the wedding ring was unmistakable.So, Noelle had already been rescued from her kidnappers?Relief washed over Zinnia. She figured Landon would probably be on his way to find her soon.Her gaze drifted down to the comments:[You’re only this bold because Landon spoils you. Who else would lie about being kidnapped?][Trust Noelle to pull this off. Landon left Zinnia freezing halfway across the world just to take care of you. When Zinnia gets back, Landon’s going to have to grovel for forgiveness.][Don’t ever pull a stunt like this again.]That last one was from Landon. Out of all the comments, Noelle replied only to his:[Landon, I know I was wrong. I’ll apologize to Zinnia when she gets back.]More comments piled on:[Even if the kidnapping was fake, Noelle’s depression can be just as dangerous. Zinnia has no reason to be mad.][Honestly, Landon should have married Noelle in the first place. She’s familiar, and maybe with Landon around, her depression would’ve improved.][Isn’t Landon with Noelle right now? It’s obvious who’s more important to him.]Zinnia read the comments, calm and detached.Maybe these people looked down on her, or thought she was just too easygoing—either way, they didn’t care if she saw their words.And Landon never stopped them, never defended her.Suddenly, it all felt pointless.She closed Instagram, feeling completely deflated.She was about to keep walking when, out of nowhere, the mountain trembled.A split second later, the snow above roared to life, surging downhill like a wild beast.She barely had time to react before the avalanche swallowed her whole.Terror. Helplessness. Despair. It all crashed over her, flooding her chest and lungs.Buried beneath the crushing weight of snow, Zinnia somehow managed to clutch her phone and dialed Landon’s video call.If this was the end, she wanted to see Landon’s face one last time. A final moment, to close ten years of loving him in silence.But as soon as the call connected, it was cut off.In that instant, bitterness and humiliation filled her up, hot and suffocating. It hurt so much she almost didn’t care about dying anymore; the ache of rejection drowned out even her fear.On some stubborn impulse, she dialed again.Predictably, the call was declined a second time.Her heart was as cold as the snow weighing down on her, chilled to the bone.She sent him a message on WhatsApp:[There’s been an avalanche. I’m trapped under the snow.]She didn’t really expect anything. After all, someone who’d just hung up on her twice was hardly likely to answer a text right away.Still, she couldn’t help herself.Maybe she was giving her ten-year crush one last shot.Or maybe she just needed a reason to finally let go.Against all odds, this time a reply came back instantly.Every word cut through her like a blade, tearing her heart to shreds.[Zinnia, don’t try to trick me into coming back with such a transparent lie. I’m staying with Noelle for a few more days. When you’ve had enough fun, come home yourself.]The cold seeped into her bones, as if a thousand poisonous insects were crawling through her veins.She didn’t reply.Buried under the snow, Zinnia’s body slowly lost its warmth.