Dawn Breaks

Chapter 1

After the third time Jamie left me stranded in Antarctica for two weeks…

I caved and told her I’d let her childhood sweetheart, Alex, move in.

Jamie looked stunned when she picked me up.

“Ethan, why did you suddenly agree?”

Her brow furrowed. “You said you’d break off the engagement before you let Alex live here. Why aren’t you pouting, giving me the cold shoulder, or picking a fight?”

I just smiled and shook my head. “Whatever you want.”

She didn’t know Alex had deliberately shoved me into the freezing water.

I should’ve died, but the spirit trapped in the ancient glacier ice saved me!

The price I paid? My love.

1

It was the third day after a floating corpse dragged me to shore.

Jamie finally remembered to come get me.

Her private jet landed in Antarctica, and her face tightened as soon as she saw me.

“Ethan, are you a zombie? Just sitting here for two weeks without moving.”

My eyes were vacant as I slowly looked up.

Her gaze landed on my face, and she gasped.

“You… you’ve lost so much weight. What happened?”

“Oh, don’t blame Ethan, Jamie. We left him plenty of food. If he wasn’t still angry and giving you the silent treatment, he wouldn’t be so skinny. You should apologize to him…”

Alex stepped out from behind her, reaching out to me with fake concern. “Ethan, can you get up?”

I ignored him.

Alex chuckled and grabbed my arm, pinching it as hard as he could the moment he touched me.

I stared coldly as he gritted his teeth, his face tight with effort, all while wearing a fake smile. It was laughable.

“Leave him alone,” Jamie said.

She sighed, annoyed, and tossed a down jacket at me.

I was only wearing a windbreaker and was already numb from the cold.

“Looks like he’s enjoying himself. He’s been here for two weeks and hasn’t even tried to contact me. Guess he really wants to give me the cold shoulder.”

Enjoying myself? I scoffed inwardly. This was the third time she’d abandoned me in Antarctica.

It started with a day or two, but this time it was two weeks.

Jamie said it was a pre-wedding trip to see the Aurora Borealis.

The reason I was stuck here was because Alex took my arctic-grade parka, and I mentioned I was cold.

Alex feigned a sad face and guiltily told me “he only wore it because he was cold”.

He then took the parka and threw it into the water, I tried to stop him.

Jamie saw Alex’s upset and crying, and it became he shivering and trying to stop me.

“Ethan, I didn’t mean to wear your jacket. If you weren’t happy, just say something. Why throw it into the water?”

He sneezed for added effect.

“Ethan, that’s too much!”

Jamie’s face changed, and she immediately took off her jacket and gave it to him.

“I wanted to smooth things over between you two, but it looks like you’re a viper!”

She didn’t listen to a word I said and helped Alex onto the private jet.

I begged her not to leave me, but Jamie coldly pried my fingers away.

“You want to be difficult? Fine. I’ll let you stay here long enough.”

She tossed me a backpack and left, her voice colder than the glacier.

“You want to marry me so badly? If you want to be my husband, you have to pass the test.”

She took the portable charger, leaving my phone with only 2% battery.

Jamie didn’t know Alex was secretly sending me pictures and videos from the plane.

Along with arrogant taunts.

“Ethan, you really think you can marry Jamie?”

“I’m Jamie’s unforgettable love. Even if you don’t want me to live with you, how do you think this will end?”

“Give up. Since I’ve been back, you and Jamie haven’t stopped fighting.”

“She abandoned you in Antarctica so she could sneak off with me for some alone time…”

I bit my lip and clutched my phone.

The battery died, and the screen went black just as they were heading to their hotel room.

Jamie asked why I hadn’t called.

If I could have, I wouldn’t have been stranded for two weeks.

She noticed me staring at the ground, and a flicker of guilt crossed her face.

“Alright, the silent treatment is over.”

“If you really don’t want Alex to live with us, I won’t force it…”

“I agree.”

Jamie looked up, stunned. “What did you say?”

I lowered my gaze. “I said, I agree. Let him move in.”

These arguments were always about Alex.

Jamie felt bad for his “tough life” and insisted he live in our new house. I refused.

Jamie threw a fit.

She left me in Antarctica three times, and I fell for it every time.

But this time, I really agreed.

Jamie was uneasy, and a sense of unease washed over her. She peppered me with questions on the jet.

“Ethan, why did you suddenly agree?”

Her brow furrowed. “You said you’d break off the engagement before you let Alex live here. Why aren’t you pouting, giving me the cold shoulder, or picking a fight?”

She really was asking for it.

I agreed, and she couldn’t handle it.

I just shook my head and smiled. “Whatever you want.”

The truth was, I’d already died once.

Over two weeks ago, Jamie cruelly abandoned me in Antarctica. Alex claimed he had forgotten his wallet and had returned, pushing me in the blind spot and into the freezing glacial water.

“Ethan, you still want to steal Jamie from me?”

“I want to see how you can compete with me if you die here today.”

Alex grinned viciously and hurried off.

I was in pain as I begged her for help.

If she had just turned back or even glanced at me.

She would have seen that I was about to drown.

Her eyes were glued to Alex, though. Even as the private jet lifted off and disappeared into the sky, she never looked back.

“Ethan, now that you’ve agreed to let Alex live here, you know what to say to my parents, right?” Jamie prodded.

When I didn’t respond, she peeled a banana for me and held it out.

Alex whined, his voice dripping with sweetness. “Jamie, I’m hungry, too.”

His gaze lingered on the banana, and Jamie hesitated before handing it to him with a smile.

“Alex has low blood sugar. He can’t go hungry. This is the last banana on the plane. I’ll get you something to eat when we get home.”

I just watched them, emotionless.

They had no idea that the only reason I didn’t die after so many days was because I had a source of power keeping me alive.

While Jamie slept, Alex glared at me, speaking in a low voice.

“Ethan, I can’t believe you’re still alive. I underestimated you.”

“But who wins in the end is still up in the air. I’m moving into your house. Who knows who’ll be laughing in the end?”

Alex’s smile was laced with malice and contempt.

He’d returned six months ago.

Before that, Jamie was all about me.

If I had a cold or fever, she would drive me to the hospital at 3:00 AM.

If I wanted a pastry, Jamie would worry about the cleanliness of bakeries and would rush home from work to bake them for me.

If I accidentally cut my hand, Jamie would tear up.

The time I fainted from an allergic reaction, Jamie turned pale and desperately screamed my name, scared to lose me.

But when Alex came back, everything changed.

She didn’t call me Ethan anymore. Most of the time, she used my full name.

The passenger seat of her Rolls Royce was no longer mine. Alex claimed it with every reason.

She no longer had time to bake for me. She barely saw me.

When I went to find her, she was either at Disneyland with Alex, or they were eating hot pot, skiing, and ice skating.

When I questioned her, Jamie would snap at me.

“Ethan, are you serious?”

“Alex doesn’t know anyone here. So what if I spend a few days with him?”

“I promised I’d marry you. Can’t you act like an adult? Stop embarrassing yourself…”

My thoughts returned to the present. I just looked at Jamie.

There was no sadness, no resentment.

She was a stranger.

I’d almost forgotten that after being reborn, I was incapable of love.

“Jamie, can I have this room? The light is good, and I like it,” Alex said.

He knew my things were in the room. He acted innocent as he asked, “Please? Can I have it?”

Jamie hesitated. “That’s Ethan’s room. He decorated it. He has to agree.”

She looked at me. I nodded and said, “Of course.”

Jamie looked surprised. “I don’t understand…”

She didn’t know why I agreed when I used to glare at Alex.

“If Alex likes it, he can have it. If he’s happy, you’re happy. Right?”

Alex was stunned.

I packed my things, grabbed a pillow, and moved to the guest room next door.

I was exhausted from Antarctica. I needed sleep. I would worry about my plans when I woke up.

I woke up when it was dark.

I opened my eyes to see Jamie next to my bed, I sat up to be alert, Jamie spoke.

“Ethan, why did you throw our wedding ring in the trash?”

Her eyes were red as she struggled to control her voice.

She stared at me.

“Didn’t you always treasure this ring? You wouldn’t let anyone touch it.”

I looked down. The men’s ring was lying in the trash. Jamie gave it to me two years ago.

I thought it was a good thing back then, but now it was useless.

“I must have dropped it.”

I put on my shoes and got out of bed.

Jamie grabbed my arm. “Ethan… I feel like something is different since you came back from Antarctica.”

I smirked.

Was it?

The surprises were coming.

I had just left the house when a vase fell from the second floor, hitting me on the head.

Blood spurted everywhere.

“Oh… Ethan, I’m sorry!”

Alex stood at the balcony, looking anxious. “I don’t know why the vase fell…”

Jamie heard the commotion and rushed out.

“What happened?”

Jamie went pale. She grabbed the first aid kit to stop the bleeding, but it wouldn’t stop.

“Drive me to the hospital!”

Jamie yelled, picked me up, and put me in the passenger seat.

I smiled. It had been a while since I had sat there.

The doctor stopped the bleeding.

Jamie’s voice came from the hallway. “Alex, you went too far! Did you know how dangerous dropping things from high places is?”

“It’s a miracle that Ethan is OK. What if he got hurt? Would you be able to take responsibility?”

Alex started crying.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drop the vase…”

“Jamie, believe me. If Ethan dies, I’ll kill myself. I won’t let you be stuck.”

His voice made women want to protect him.

His fake words made Jamie unable to blame him.

“It’s OK. I’m not mad.”

“Because of you, Ethan got hurt. Say sorry.”

Alex knelt in front of me while Jamie was there.

“Ethan, I’m sorry. I hurt you…”

Jamie went downstairs to buy food.

Alex changed his face, locked the door, and pressed my head into the bed.

He pressed on my wound as hard as he could.

“Ethan, you are tough. You still aren’t dead. I underestimated you.”

I stared at Alex.

“The doctor is paid for.”

“He put a little extra in the medicine he gave you. Even if you aren’t dead, you’re going to hurt!”

I watched him.

He didn’t know.

I couldn’t feel anything.

The glacier had left me with the after affects.

The spirit trapped in the ice told me that there were viruses under the water.

I drank water when I was drowning.

The viruses had taken root inside me and had mutated.

I had no feeling when I got back.

I smirked and grabbed Alex’s wrist. “I’ve had enough. Now, I’ll get my revenge.”

Alex went pale. “Ethan, what are you doing?!”

I turned my head and looked at the vase.

It shattered on Alex’s head.

Jamie and the doctor ran in when they heard the screams and saw Alex bleeding on the floor.

“What happened?”

I said, “Alex said he wanted to apologize to me.”

Alex shook and couldn’t talk. He fainted before the doctor could help him.

Jamie didn’t believe me, watched as the doctor took him to another room, and didn’t follow.

I turned and asked, “Aren’t you going to check on him?”

Jamie took off her coat and draped it over me.

“Ethan, you’re wearing thin clothes. You’re always cold.”

I wanted to laugh.

She knew I was always cold but left me in Antarctica.

She didn’t know I couldn’t feel anything.

I took off the coat and threw it on the bed. “I’m not cold. Give it to Alex.”

I didn’t want to stay in the hospital. I took some medicine and returned home.

Alex stayed in the hospital. The driver said he couldn’t sleep at night.

He woke up scared and looked for Jamie to be with him.

I didn’t care.

Since I had returned, I had not reacted to the images and videos Alex sent me.

The day before Jamie came back from the hospital.

I went to the wedding design company.

“Mr. Shen, are you picking up Ms. Jiang’s wedding dress? It was just finished, and we were just about to send it…”

The people working there knew me. The dress cost $200,000.

“No, I’m returning the dress,” I cut her off.

I returned the dress and canceled the wedding.

“Mr. Shen, are you sure you want to return the dress? You will not get your deposit back…”

“That’s okay. I’ll pay for everything. Just return it.”

I opened my luggage, left the house, and moved to an apartment near my work.

I would focus on getting back what was mine.

Jamie returned with Alex. Her footsteps became lighter when she thought of seeing me.

“Ethan?”

Jamie’s face fell.

She looked around the house but couldn’t find me.

“Jamie, don’t worry. Maybe Ethan felt trapped and went out,” Alex said.

Jamie’s phone rang.

“Ms. Jiang, the rings and wedding dress you wanted me to pick up are gone. They said they were returned.”

“The wedding venue in two weeks was canceled…”