Digging for Revenge

"Fine, you've got the jacket. Now, give me the hot chocolate. Belle will feel better if she drinks some," I said.

I reached out angrily to grab it, but Randall used his elbow to block me and shoved me away.

When he told me he wanted to bring us ice fishing, I made two bottles of hot chocolate. He didn't like the taste of chocolate, so he left his at home.

I never intended to bring Belle, but he insisted it would be a fun family activity and a way to get Belle interested in something new.

Now, though, Belle was being ignored, while he was fully focused on taking care of Tessa, who had suddenly appeared.

He glanced at Belle with a pained look. Just as he was going to check on her, Tessa sneezed loudly twice, and he immediately handed the bottle of hot chocolate to her.

"Elsie, you have Belle practice dancing every day. She's strong and healthy. She'll be fine. Tessa's weak. She needs this more."

I was shivering in my thin sweater, but the chill from his words cut deeper than the cold ever could.

When he saw me standing there, dissatisfied, he apologized with a frown. "I'm sorry, but I have no choice. You're so plump. You've got plenty of fat to keep you warm. Tessa saved my life. If something happened to her, I'd feel guilty for the rest of my life. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

It wasn't fat. I was pregnant. Just a week short of three months. I had planned to surprise him once the pregnancy was stable, but now? Was it even worth it?

Even if I made it out of here alive today, I wouldn't give birth to this child only to give him a broken home.

I glanced at the hail outside the door. The temperature on the mountain was unpredictable, and the hail had grown as large as Belle's fist. It seemed like we wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

I'd tried calling for help three times, but there was no signal up here.

I scooped Belle into my arms and walked around the villa while looking for something useful.

While I was wrapping Belle in a thin blanket and hugging her tight to help her sweat it out, Randall and Tessa finally wrapped up their intimacy.

Randall sat anxiously by the bed. He kept checking Belle's temperature and kissing my forehead. He kept apologizing and reiterating that he didn't know Belle would be so fragile. He'd just wanted to take her out for a break from the dancing. If he'd known, he never would've brought her.

"Belle's a tough kid. She'll be fine," he said.

"By the way, there's an opening at HQ next month. I've been waiting for this opportunity for years. Tessa said she'd help connect me. Please, bear with it a little longer, and don't hold it against her," he explained to me after comforting Belle.

But Tessa was just his former boss who'd already been let go. How could she help him?

His relationship with Tessa seemed off. Calling it a professional connection felt like an understatement. It looked more like an affair.

I suspected something, but given the situation, I didn't want to confront it just yet.

"Bear with it? What exactly is going on between you two? Is she your boss or mistress?" The words were barely out of my mouth when the sound of voices outside interrupted us.

Over the years, I knew better than anyone how capable Randall was at work.

But eventually, he lost sight of what truly mattered and became consumed by social connections. He even brought his work projects home and asked me to help finish them.

"Randall, why hasn't Elsie come down to make dinner?" Tessa asked. She was wearing my down jacket. Its loose fit drew attention to her slim waist.

Randall smiled awkwardly and reached for Belle. "Elsie, I'll take care of Belle. We're all hungry, and you're the only one who knows how to cook here.

"We've already checked. There's no canned food or gas, but there are some potatoes left. Try to start a fire. Maybe find some wild vegetables, and you can make a simple potato stew."

He shot me a look, silently asking me to endure it for his future.

I pressed Belle closer to my chest and turned away. Disappointment and anger were swelling in my chest.

"Skipping one meal won't kill us," I muttered.

Tessa pouted. "Elsie, you're a stay-at-home mom, right? If you don't cook, who will? And you were the one who brought us to this villa. You're responsible!"

Belle let out a soft whimper in my arms. I didn't want to engage with them, so I tried to move to another spot.

Randall's face darkened. He pretended to scold me in anger, yet he held onto my hand to plead with me. Meanwhile, Tessa kept stirring the pot.

"Do you not have hands? If I poison the food later, would you still dare to eat it?" I swatted his hand away.

These two were disgusting.

"What's your problem? I work hard to support this family, and I finally get some time to take you all out, and you're giving me attitude?" Randall snapped.

He was frustrated that I didn't appreciate his efforts. He snatched Belle from my hands while ignoring her cries.

"Go! Making dinner is your job!"

He shoved me toward the door. I couldn't believe this man was the one who had sworn before our marriage to love and cherish me forever.

It wasn't until he pushed me outside the villa and the cold wind hit me that I realized he was serious.