When the Ice Refused to Melt Chapter 04By Novel7s / May 24, 2026 When the Ice Refused to Melt Chapter 04Kael stayed quiet for a long time before finally changing the subject. He pulled out a velvet jewelry box lined in deep navy. Inside sat a set of antique emerald pieces, glowing with that rich, timeless green. “I remember you once told me you’d been searching for your mother’s heirlooms ever since your stepmother sold them. I did some digging and finally tracked them down at an overseas auction house. I bought them back for you.” My eyes dropped to the box, drawn to the familiar shimmer of green I never thought I’d see again. Something in my chest tightened. A dull ache spread through me. I reached out and took the box. “I’ll keep it. But I’m not saying thank you.” “Because very soon, I’ll be giving you a gift too.” Kael frowned slightly, clearly puzzled. Before he could ask what I meant, an officer knocked and whispered something in his ear. His face turned serious. He stood up. “Arden, there’s an urgent military matter I need to handle. Get some rest.” I watched his retreating figure, my heart crystal clear. “Urgent matter? More like going to the next room to take care of the delicate girl he’s been doting on.” In the days that followed, I focused on recovering quietly. I passed by Serene’s hospital room many times. Through the half–open door, I often saw Kael inside, tending to her personally. I’d glance in and immediately look away. Soon, he would no longer be my husband. Who he cared for would have nothing to do with me. One afternoon, after a medical check–up, I returned to my hospital room and found it in complete disarray. My heart dropped. I rushed to the bedside cabinet and yanked open the drawer. My mother’s box was gone. I grabbed a passing nurse. “Who came into my room? Where is my stuff?!” “It… it was Lieutenant Vale. She said she came to pick up something for you…” My eyes turned ice–cold. I stormed straight to Serene’s room. She was leaning against the headboard and didn’t look surprised to see me bursting in. “Where is it? Where did you hide it?” Serene stared at me with calm malice. “I left it in the morgue. If you want it, go get it.” The hospital morgue was in the basement. It’s dark, cold, and damp. I’d been afraid of the dark since I was a child, and this place made my skin crawl. I clenched my jaw and opened metal drawer after drawer, my hands freezing. Finally, in the far corner, I found the familiar box. Relieved, I picked it up and turned to leave, only to hear a loud metallic clank behind me. The morgue door had been slammed shut from the outside. “Serene! Open the door!” I ran to the door, pounding with all my strength. Outside, her voice came through, laced with amusement. “Miss Wynter, why don’t you keep your new friends company for a while…” Her footsteps faded away. “Let me out! Open the damn door!” I banged and screamed until my voice cracked, but there was only silence and the bone–deep cold echoing back at me. My body was already weak. Fear and the cold sapped the last of my strength. Eventually, I collapsed against the icy door. My vision blurred. Then everything went dark again.
