Abandoned in the Middle of Nowhere

On our wedding anniversary, Sienna blindfolded me as a surprise. When the scarf came off, I stood in a remote, wild stretch of the American West, surrounded by animals.

A plane roared overhead, and her cold voice echoed from a loudspeaker: Mason Najimy, you said adults should know how to call a cab. Try calling one now.

I couldnt help but laugh. To get back at me over her assistant, shed actually left me here. Maybe this marriage ended long ago.

I quietly took out my GPS satellite phone. Come pick me up, I said calmly.

It started after a meeting. Outside, I saw an elderly homeless man collapse from the heat. I helped him into my car to take him to the hospital.

But Siennas assistant, Kyle Finch, covered his nose in disgust. Hes filthy. I wont ride with him.

I told him to take a cab back. After getting the man emergency care, I went home relieved.

Sienna was instantly furious. You left Kyle in 113-degree heat! He walked back, collapsed, and spent a day in intensive care!

Kyle had pulled this beforealways twisting things, driving Sienna and me apart.

I explained patiently, I was helping an elderly man. Kyle refused the car. Shouldnt an adult know how to call a cab?

Sienna didnt argue then. She just said flatly, So it was his fault. I understandI misunderstood you.

I thought it was over. I never imagined shed held onto it until now.

Hearing my words, Sienna scoffed mockingly.

"Mason Najimy, I think you've lost your mind from fear. This is the wilderness. Who else but me could possibly come and pick you up?"

"I advise you, get on your knees now and politely apologize to Kyle. If he forgives you, maybe you can leave early. Otherwise, you can just wait here to be torn apart by wild animals."

Kyle, beside her, looked smug. "Mr. Najimy, I didn't want this either, but you left me to nearly die of heatstroke last time. This is what you owe me."

"But if you humbly admit your mistake and beg for my forgiveness, I'll ask the CEO to make your suffering less."

Watching him, a grown man, constantly acting with such a saccharine, pretentious demeanor, made me sick to my stomach.

Seven years. Sienna and I had been married for seven years. I never imagined she could be so heartless as to put me in such danger for this young assistant. Our past promises were smoke and mirrors; she had long forgotten them.

Suppressing the pain in my heart, I looked up at Sienna.

"Sienna, do you really think what happened that day was my fault?"

"All I did was try to help an elderly homeless man suffering from heatstroke. And he, a perfectly able-bodied man, would have known how to take public transport unless he was an idiot. This was clearly one of his pathetic tricks; I refuse to believe you couldn't see through it?"

Sienna's expression was slightly awkward.

Kyle, seeing this, shot me a resentful glare, then, with red eyes, spoke in his usual saccharine, wronged tone.

"I know Mr. Najimy doesn't like me, but how can you call me an idiot?"

"I'm just a recent college graduate. How can I compare to Mr. Najimy, who's so wealthy he either drives or takes a cab? Where would I get money for a cab?"

A tear fell from his eye, as if he had suffered immense injustice. "Never mind, I'll just consider it my own fault. CEO, please don't punish Mr. Najimy. I'm just an insignificant assistant. At most, I'll leave. I don't want Mr. Najimy to resent you because of me."

Seeing her beloved assistant so wronged, Sienna's face instantly hardened. "Mason Najimy, you still refuse to admit your mistake. You're hopeless. Kyle is clearly the one being wronged, and I won't let you bully him anymore."

Watching Kyle's clumsy performance, I laughed out loud.

"Sienna, you believe such a clumsy excuse from him? Have you forgotten how much salary you pay him each month? A hundred thousand dollars a month, while I only get five thousand. He has no money for a cab? Do you want to check what he's wearing?"

Kyle was clad in expensive designer clothes, while I wore a few cheap outfits season after season.

That's because after paying the household utility bills with my five thousand dollars, there was barely anything left, certainly no spare money for clothes.

Hearing this, Sienna's face twisted for a moment, then she angrily retorted, "Are you complaining that I pay Kyle too much? He just graduated; he needs money for rent, food, and commuting. What's wrong with me giving him a little extra so he doesn't have to struggle so much? You're a director, and my husband. You have food and shelter. What do you need more salary for?"

"I think you're just jealous of Kyle, that's why you deliberately left him behind. This time, I'm definitely going to punish you severely and teach you a lesson."

No matter what Kyle did, she could always defend him. I felt there was nothing left to say to her.

But as darkness fell, I had to rely on my compass to keep myself as far from danger as possible.

To my surprise, a wolf howl echoed from the distance, and as I focused my eyes, I gasped, almost losing my breath.

On the distant hillside stood over a dozen wolves, their eyes gleaming as they stared intently at my location, as if ready to charge at any moment.

My legs went weak with fear, my face pale. If this pack of wolves attacked, I would surely be torn to shreds.

I looked up at Sienna in the plane; if she lowered the rescue ladder, she could take me out of danger.

Sienna looked at me too, but her eyes held no concern, only amusement and cruelty. "Mason Najimy, now you know fear, you want to beg me? Too bad, it's too late. You threw Kyle on the roadside in 113-degree heat. He walked back to the company and collapsed from heatstroke, nearly losing his life."

"This is what you owe him. I have to teach you a lesson."

I looked at Sienna in disbelief, deciding to give her one last chance. If she would let me board the plane, I would once again abandon my principles for her.

"Sienna, those are wolves. Do you know what I'll become if they attack? What did I do wrong that you wish me dead so badly?"

Sienna paused, then looked at me as if nothing was amiss.

"You won't die. I just want to teach you a lesson. Once you've learned it, I'll take you back."

I laughed, tears streaming down my face. I had overestimated my place in her heart. I looked at Sienna with disappointment. "Sienna, you don't need to take me back."

From now on, whatever happens, remember this is the fruit of what you've sown today.

Hearing my words, Sienna's face flushed with anger. "What do you mean by that? Is it because I didn't let you board the plane immediately, so you're throwing a tantrum at me?"

"I must have treated you too well normally, for you to dare to give me attitude even now."

Just then, the pack of wolves began to charge towards me.

I couldn't be bothered to argue with Sienna anymore and started running towards the other side.

Not daring to relax for a second, I sprinted forward, wanting only to put as much distance between myself and the wolves as possible.

But how could a human outrun a wolf? I heard the increasingly close howls of the wolves; I could almost hear my own heart pounding.

Watching the scene from the plane, a flicker of worry crossed Siennas face. Kyle, catching this, had a look of resentment in his eyes. He then clung to Siennas arm, whining, "CEO, are you worried about Mr. Najimy? This is just the outskirts of the wilderness. These wolves are trained; they won't harm anyone. Yet you're still so concerned. If that's the case, then you don't need to pretend you're getting justice for me."

"That day, I was nearly killed by the 113-degree sun. I guess my life is cheap. But I always remember you holding my hand in the hospital, saying you'd get justice for me. If it wasn't for you, I would have never made it through and would have died then."

Sienna listened, no longer interested in looking at me. She pulled Kyle into her embrace, comforting him with a pained expression. "You poor thing. I said I'd get you justice, and I always keep my word."

"It's just that these wolves look so fierce. I was momentarily stunned. Do these wolves really not hurt people?"

Kyle's eyes, cast downwards, flashed with a hint of panic, then quickly returned to normal. "Of course, CEO. I just wanted to vent a little. Do you really think I wanted Mr. Najimy's life? Don't you trust me?"

Sienna quickly shook her head, placing a kiss on Kyle's forehead. "You're so kind, of course I trust you. After Mason Najimy apologizes to you this time, you two must get along, alright?"

As Sienna finished speaking, she looked down at the ground, and her eyes widened in shock at the sight.

The howling wolves had already surrounded Mason Najimy. They circled him, just like they would size up and play with their prey.

Seeing this, Kyle said with a smile, "CEO, look, these wolves are just playing around with Mr. Najimy. As long as Mr. Najimy doesn't make any aggressive moves, the pack won't attack."

Sienna, who had been worried, immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "I hope this teaches him a lesson."

Sienna looked down at me and said, "Mason Najimy, do you understand your mistake now?"

I looked up at her coldly. "I was wrong."

She froze. I continued, enunciating each word. "I was wrong seven years ago."

Sienna's face filled with rage. "Unrepentant. Don't blame me for not giving you a chance."

I watched the red dot on my satellite GPS watch flicker closer and closer, and my heart eased a little.

Looking at the pack of wolves, I made a quick decision. I pulled out the hidden dagger from my bracelet and, with lightning speed, charged at one of the wolves.

I had figured it out: this was the alpha. If I subdued it, I could deter the other wolves, making them hesitant to act, and buy myself some time.

At the same instant, a gasp of alarm sounded from overhead. "Mason Najimy, what are you doing?"

I ignored the anxious shout, leaped onto the alpha wolf, choked its neck, and plunged the dagger into its throat. Hot blood spurted out, splattering my face.

The pack, seeing this, quickly dispersed, watching me warily.

The alpha howled twice, then collapsed completely. I breathed a temporary sigh of relief.

The surrounding wolves howled and whimpered at the sky, but not one dared to come forward again.

Kyle flung himself into Sienna's arms, looking utterly terrified. "CEO, that was so scary. Mr. Najimy has angered the pack. Will they come after us?"

Sienna glared at me furiously. "Mason Najimy, were you crazy just now? Why would you kill a wolf? What if this pack goes mad and attacks you? Then what? Am I supposed to rescue you or not? Are you trying to deliberately drag me down with you?"

"I never imagined your intentions could be so malicious. Do you want me to be buried here with you?"

My face covered in blood, I looked up at her coldly, saying sarcastically, "According to CEO Finch, I should have done nothing, just waited for this pack of wolves to pounce and tear me to shreds, is that right?"

Sienna choked. "They were just circling you, trying to scare you. How would they truly hurt you? Instead, aren't you afraid your actions will provoke the entire pack?"

I shook my head. Sienna had been completely brainwashed by Kyle. There was no point in explaining to her anymore.

"Get on your knees and apologize to Kyle immediately, and I'll let you board the plane."

I looked at the red dot on my satellite watch, which was getting closer. I chuckled softly, "No need. I will never apologize to someone like that in this lifetime."

With that, I began to cautiously survey my surroundings. They weren't attacking now; they were simply observing, waiting for a better moment. In a life-or-death situation, I didn't want to waste any more words on Sienna.

Who knew, at that moment Kyle suddenly threw a string of firecrackers from the plane towards the wolf pack.

"Mr. Najimy, don't worry, I'll help you scare off the wolves!"

The firecrackers exploded, and the agitated wolves, their eyes blazing red, charged at me one by one.

Amidst the frantic wolf pack, I cursed furiously, "Kyle, are you crazy? Throwing firecrackers at a wolf pack? Do you have any idea that you're just provoking them?"

Kyle, his eyes red and face full of grievance, pleaded, "CEO, I didn't mean it! I just wanted to help Mr. Najimy scare away the wolves!"

"When I was a kid, setting off firecrackers on New Year's would scare away little dogs. I thought it would scare away wolves too. I was just trying to help."

Sienna, seeing her 'boy-toy' secretary's wronged expression, immediately soothed him gently. "I know you didn't mean it. How could someone as kind as you intentionally try to harm him?"

Then she angrily rebuked me. "Mason Najimy, why are you being so aggressive towards Kyle? He was just trying to help. Besides, didn't you just kill a wolf? These wolves shouldn't be a problem for you, should they? Why are you being so dramatic?"

My chest heaved with fury. This was the wife I had given everything for.

Even if her 'boy-toy' secretary killed me in front of her, she would find a hundred reasons to defend him.

A wolf pounced on me. I rolled, dodged, and plunged the dagger into its neck. It howled and fell. I barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when another wolf leaped onto me.

It bit deeply into my shoulder. As I struggled, a piece of flesh was torn off. Seizing the opportunity, I plunged the dagger into its neck again.

The pain in my shoulder made me tremble all over, my face pale. I shakily looked at the remaining wolves, each glaring fiercely at me, waiting for an opportunity to tear me to shreds.

Killing three wolves had already driven them mad.

They found an opening and charged at me again. As I raised my wrist, a wolf clamped down hard.

"Ah!"

I cried out in pain. I could feel the wolf's teeth biting into my bone. If it didn't let go, my arm would be torn off.

In the nick of time, I switched the dagger to my other hand and fiercely stabbed it into the wolf's neck.

It tore off a piece of my flesh in pain, then wolf after wolf charged at me. They bit my thigh, my back. I fought wildly with the dagger.

Pain surged through my entire body. The frenzied pack ripped at my flesh.

From the plane, all they could see was me being swallowed by the pack of wolves, a bloody scene.

Sienna froze, crying out in alarm, "How can this be? So many wolves, Mason Najimy will die! Hurry, get down there and save him!"

The bodyguards on the plane trembled with fear. "CEO, this is a frenzied wolf pack. We'll be torn to shreds if we go down there."

Sienna froze, instinctively moving to get off the plane, but Kyle blocked her. "CEO, you'll die if you go down now."

"He brought this on himself! Who told him to provoke the wolf pack first?"

"But he's my husband! He's the most important person to me!"

Kyle froze. Just then, a scream came from below the plane.

"Ah!"

"Mason!"

Then, a gunshot echoed across the entire wilderness.

I weakly lifted my gaze, a faint smile on my lips.

The person I was waiting for had finally arrived.