Shiloh grumbled, “But Andrew just keeps dragging his feet, and I don’t know when he’ll actually help me.”

Joe’s eyes lit up. “Exactly! If he breaks his promises, it means he doesn’t care about you. Andrew already has people around him now, and he’s too busy to even think about you. So why don’t you stay with me? Let me take you away from Blumedale to Goldridge and get you the help you need, alright?”

Shiloh hesitated for a moment, obviously a little moved.

Joe’s gaze burned hotter as he pressed on. “Don’t you trust me? I promise, I’ll be the only one in this world who treats you better than I treat myself. So come with me, leave Blumedale, and let me take you to Goldridge. It’s so much more fun than here.”

Shiloh’s childlike curiosity sparked, her eyes shining. “Really? Is Goldridge really that amazing?”

Joe nodded firmly, “Yes, everything there is better. And most importantly, it’ll just be the two of us, living together. I’ll take care of you every single day and make sure you’re always happy.”

Shiloh nodded quickly. “Alright, but only for two days, okay? I can’t just leave. I still need to come back and wait for Andrew to cure me.”

Joe smiled. “Then we’ll do it your way. We’ll go for two days and come back.”

However, as he looked at her delicate, ethereal beauty, his heart whispered a darker thought. Once they went to Goldridge, it would not be just two days. He would never let her return to Blumedale, and he would never let her see Andrew again.

To him, this girl was a hidden treasure that belonged only to him. His eyes blazed with obsession, burning hot.

The snowstorm grew heavier. After this storm, spring would come again in the new year, but for now, it was the coldest stretch of the year.

Across the white landscape, dark figures began approaching. Joe’s gentle face hardened into something unreadable, his expression flat.

The people walking toward him wore the same look, and the one in front broke the silence.

“Hope we’re not interrupting you two enjoying the snow and having your romantic moment?” Eric laughed heartily with obvious sarcasm.

Joe did not respond but instead looked at the person in front.

It was Andrew!

Andrew looked back at him, too.

“Andrew, Lauren, Fran, Aspen… What are you all doing here?” Shiloh smiled and waved her gloved hands a couple of times.

Aspen smiled. “Oh wow, Shiloh, that winter coat looks so good on you with all those colors! Those cute bear mittens must be really warm, right? I want a pair too! Who bought them for you?”

Shiloh showed off her mittens proudly. “Joe bought them for me. Isn’t he thoughtful?”

Aspen glanced at Joe, her smile never fading. “Thoughtful, indeed. Joe is the most thoughtful man in the world.”

Shiloh raised her chin proudly. “That’s right.”