Chapter 83: Snowstorm.

As Dua arrived home, she was taken aback by the heavy snowfall blanketing the compound. The sight was surreal; the snow seemed to fall only within the premises, an unnatural phenomenon that piqued her curiosity. “What’s going on?” she asked the bodyguards, who were bundled up in thick, cold-resistant clothing.

One of them shrugged, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe boss is trying out one of his new inventions,” he replied, trying to mask his own confusion.

Dua rolled her eyes, frustration bubbling within her. “That’s still no excuse for him to freeze everyone out and ignore my calls and texts,” she nagged, brushing past them and stepping into the house.

The moment she crossed the threshold, the snow intensified, swirling around her and causing a shiver to run down her spine. “Hey, knucklehead!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the cold-drenched halls.

Striding toward his study, she anticipated finding him deep in thought, immersed in his technological wonders. To her dismay, the study was empty. A sense of unease settled in her stomach as she stormed toward the bedroom. As she approached, the snowstorm grew increasingly fierce, the gusts nearly knocking her off her feet.

“Hey! Knucklehead!” she yelled again, frustration mingled with worry, but her voice was swallowed by the howling wind. “What the fuck are you doing?!” She received no response, only the relentless roar of the storm sending a chill down her spine.

“FUCKING STOP THIS SHIT!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. Silence greeted her, and dread coiled within her chest, creeping inward like the cold.

Desperately, she tried to brave the storm, struggling against the wind that pushed her back. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and summoned a spell buried deep within her memory from the past. When she opened her eyes, the storm had dissipated, revealing a horrifying scene before her.

Steven lay unconscious in bed, a layer of frost covering his body like a ghastly shroud. Dua’s heart raced as she dashed to his side, her hand brushing against his icy skin, causing her to wince. “You’re ice cold,” she murmured, panic rising in her voice.

Weakly fluttering his eyes open halfway, Steven whispered, "Go."

"No," Dua shook her head defiantly, her voice firm yet trembling. "Why would you ask me to leave you?"

"It's too cold for you and our baby," he replied, his voice strained and heavy with fatigue. Dua fought back her tears, desperate to stay close to him.

"We're both fine," she whispered.

Looking around the room, she took in the closed curtains, the tightly shut windows, and the heavy beddings that cocooned them. It was stifling, but also protective. With a sudden determination, she darted out of the bedroom and returned with a thick blanket, placing it on his bedside drawer, determined to keep him warm.

"I'm sorry; I've been stressing you out lately. I always seem to make you cry," he lamented, pain etched across his face.

"This… this is why I always smoke, to rid myself of the coldness in my heart," he continued, his voice faltering.

"I remember... I remember that part of the curse," Dua said softly.

"The coldness of my heart towards you would haunt me forever... and it really has been haunting me, intensifying every day," Steven completed her statement, a weariness sinking into his words.

"But you were never cold towards me in the past. Why has the curse still affected you?" Dua cried, her tears spilling over.

"Because I'm guilty... my decision to give the cure to the princess instead of you was a cold decision," Steven explained, his eyes reflecting regret.

"But I pushed you to make that decision," she countered, a deep sorrow weaving through her voice.

"I shouldn't have listened to you," he replied, pain shadowing his face.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her eyes dropping downwards, guilt wrapping around her like a shroud. "You're going through all this because of me... I'm so, so sorry," her tears flowed uncontrollably.

Steven raised his hand, gently wiping her tears away. "Stop crying; it's making my bedroom ugly. You know how much I like perfection," he said, attempting humor despite the gravity of the moment. Dua's heart lifted slightly, a glimmer of warmth breaking through.

"How can you still joke at a time like this?" Dua tried blinking away her tears, her voice barely audible.

"What do I do? You look so beautiful right now that, on a contrary note, I almost wish you wouldn’t stop crying," he replied, his gaze lingering on her face.

"Stop flirting with me, this isn’t the time," she interjected, but there was a hint of a tremor in her voice.

"I’m not flirting… it’s just the truth," he said, inching closer, longing to bridge the distance between them. As he leaned in to kiss her, a sharp pain pierced through his heart, halting his movement. "Ah!" he winced, clutching his chest tightly as panic engulfed him.

"Wh... what’s happening?" Dua's voice trembled, filled with worry as she watched him struggle. He tried to speak but was met only with ragged gasps. "I...I..." he stammered, his eyes wide with fear.

"Don’t say anything," she urged, her heart racing.

"I love you, Dua," he managed to whisper, preparing himself for the worst as darkness threatened to close in.

"I told you not to say anything," Dua scolded him gently as her tears resumed.

An idea crept into her head and she went on her knees, putting her hands together, she began mumbling some words. But Steven knowing fully well what the spell she was trying to cast was, separated her hands. But she stubbornly put them together and began again.

"Dua, stop," he pleaded, but the words fell on deaf ears as she knelt before him, hands pressed together in desperate prayer.

"Dua, please stop," he implored, his voice thick with pain.

"Let me save you, please," she cried, opening her eyes to him, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"How is transferring the cold from my body to yours saving me?" he questioned, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"At least you’ll be fine," she insisted, fervently.

"And what about you?" he asked, his heart breaking at the thought.

"If you really want to help me… just hold me close," he trailed off, his breath labored.

Without hesitation, she laid beside him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He buried his face in her shoulder, both of them seeking solace in that moment of shared warmth. They listened to the erratic rhythm of each other’s heartbeats, a fleeting connection in the air.

“Dua,” Steven called weakly, his voice barely rising above a whisper. “I don’t think I can hold out much longer.”

Dua, sensing the heaviness in his tone, hushed him gently, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “Shh, you’re stronger than you realize,” she whispered, the warmth of her body a comforting anchor amidst the storm of their circumstances. “Through life’s heavy toll on me, there’s this certain someone who always shows up, time and time again—both in my past life and this one. He transforms my mundane existence into something vibrant; he sweetens the bitter moments with laughter and light,” she confessed, her eyes reflecting the depth of her feelings.

“He makes me feel alive,” she continued, a wistful smile breaking the tension. “He holds my hand when I stumble, chasing away the shadows of loneliness and breathing hope into my weary heart. Even when he drives me to tears or makes me madder than a bull,” she added with a playful pout, eliciting a soft chuckle from Steven, despite the gravity of their situation.

“That person is you, Steven,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “Please, don’t let me go back to that desolate life again.”

“I don’t think I can bear to return to that life either... so please, let’s do whatever it takes to make you stay longer. No matter the cost,” she implored, her grip tightening as if to seal their unspoken pact.

Silence hung heavily between them, and when Steven didn’t respond immediately, panic flared within her. She quickly checked for his breathing, relief washing over her as she noticed the rise and fall of his chest, albeit faint and unsteady.

Time crawled by, stretching into eternity until Steven finally stirred awake to find himself alone in the empty bed. Disoriented yet grateful to be alive, he inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh scent of home that felt strangely hollow without Dua’s presence. Glancing around the dim room, his heart sank when he realized she was nowhere to be found.

He grabbed his phone, dialing her number, but the sound of her ringtone emerging from the bedroom echoed back at him like a haunting reminder of her absence. Fearing for her safety, he ventured into the kitchen, where he found Shane rummaging through the fridge. "Have you seen Dua?" he asked, a hint of urgency in his voice.

"Is she back from school?" Shane replied, looking up with a puzzled expression.

Steven nodded anxiously. "She was with me before I fell asleep, but now I can't find her," he confessed, the weight of worry settling in his stomach.

"Then just call her," Shane suggested, his tone casual as he grabbed a drink.

"I already did," Steven replied, frustration creeping into his voice. "Her phone is in the bedroom."

"Okay, just give it some time. She'll be back," Shane reassured him, though his own confidence faltered slightly.

Steven shook his head, unease gnawing at him. "I don't have a good feeling about this," he admitted, the knot in his chest tightening.

"How about this: you check the house, and I'll look outside in the garden?" Shane proposed, his expression shifting to one of determination. Steven nodded in agreement, grateful for the plan.

He started his search on the first floor, checking every room, but as anxiety bubbled within him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. As he approached the stairs leading to the second floor, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he paused, gripping the rail tightly. “Are you alright?” Shane’s voice echoed from the living room, laced with concern.

Since Steven was still feeling unwell, he was slow in his search that Shane had caught up with him.

“I’m fine,” Steven replied, though he wasn’t convinced. He began to ascend the stairs slowly, aware of Shane’s footsteps trailing behind him.

Once on the second floor, they methodically opened each door, calling out for Dua. As Steven reached for the handle of the last room on the right, a horrible premonition swept over him. The moment he pushed the door open, the sight that greeted him caused his heart to race, his breath hitching in his throat. The stark reality of the scene made him stagger backward, eyes wide with horror, his entire body trembling as dread filled the air around him.