Abandoned in Iceland, The Heiress's Cold Revenge

The graduation trip I had looked forward to turned into a cold, lonely nightmare. My boyfriend, Trevor Sterling, who usually spent every waking hour in the chemistry lab, suddenly surprised me with a trip to Iceland.

He was so attentive, packing my bags and planning every single detail of the itinerary. He had always been the perfect, thoughtful partner.

My heart was bursting with happiness, even though he seemed a bit distracted throughout the journey. The morning after we finally saw the Northern Lights, I woke up to an empty bed.

My heart sank when I realized my wallet, phone, passport, and even my clothes were missing. The only thing left was a handwritten note on the nightstand.

"Mindy's research was constantly interrupted by your clinginess. You almost cost her the chance to secure her PhD spot. Since you love traveling so much, you can stay here and play to your heart's content. I'll come get you once Mindy is safe in the program."

The reality hit me like a bucket of ice water. Trevor had abandoned me in a foreign country with nothing.

I stood by the window, watching the biting wind whip against the glass. I picked up a hidden communication device he didn't know I had.

"Three hours," I said into the line. "Get to Iceland and pick me up."

At exactly noon, a sharp knock echoed against the hotel door.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Do you need to extend your stay? Late checkout is fifty dollars per hour," the receptionist called out.

Panic flared in my chest. I had absolutely nothing. Trevor had even taken my spare outfits.

"Can I pay when I check out later?" I asked, my voice trembling with embarrassment.

"I'm afraid not, ma'am," she replied. I could hear the skepticism in her tone.

I paced the room for a long time, feeling the walls close in. Eventually, I had no choice but to put on the complimentary hotel bathrobe.

I opened the door, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. "I won't be staying."

As I turned to leave, I heard the staff members whispering and snickering behind my back.

"Some women are really nothing without their men," one of them sneered.

My pace quickened as heat crawled up my neck. The moment I stepped outside, the fierce Icelandic wind lashed at my face.

The thin bathrobe offered zero protection against the freezing air. I felt like my skin was being sliced open by tiny blades of ice.

I noticed a man in a black hiking jacket watching me, occasionally glancing in my direction. In a place so far from home, seeing someone from my own country felt like a lifeline.

I didn't hesitate. I walked straight up to him.

"Hi, I'm so sorry to bother you. Could I borrow your phone to make a call? I've lost everything," I pleaded.

The man stared at me for three seconds without saying a word. Just as I thought he was going to refuse, a familiar voice crackled from the phone in his hand.

"Don't waste your energy, Leila. I've already talked to everyone around there. Nobody is going to help you."

It was Trevor. His voice lacked the warmth it once had. It sounded colder than the wind.

It felt like a physical blow to my chest. I realized then that this man wasn't a stranger. He was Dexter Mills, one of Trevor's lab mates.

Dexter looked at the phone, sounding a bit hesitant. "Trevor, man, isn't this a bit much? What if she actually freezes out there?"

"That's exactly why I asked you to watch her, isn't it? If she's actually dying, you can take her to the ER. Otherwise, let her sit," Trevor replied coldly.

"Right, right. You're always one step ahead, Trevor," Dexter said, his guilt quickly vanishing.

"Leila, consider this a lesson. I'm giving you a chance to experience Iceland for real. You should be thanking me."

I turned my back on them. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the one thing Trevor hadn't takenDmy vintage pocket watch.

It wasn't just a timepiece. It was a high-tech communication device my father had custom-made for me.

"Three hours. Iceland. Come get me," I commanded into the watch.

"Quick! Grab that watch!" Trevor screamed through the phone. "I forgot she could use that thing!"

Before the person on the other end could even respond, Dexter lunged at me. He snatched the watch from my hand.

He threw it onto the frozen pavement and stomped on it until it was nothing but crushed metal and glass.

"Leila, didn't I tell you this was a lesson? Who gave you permission to call for help? You stay right there until you realize what you did wrong. Only then will I tell Dexter to give you some cash."

Dexter smirked at me, holding the phone up like a pro. He was live-streaming my misery to Trevor back home.

I was trapped. No phone, no money, and the cold was starting to seep into my bones.

My stomach growled painfully. My legs were turning a terrifying shade of bright red from the exposure.

What exactly was my mistake? I had visited Trevor at the lab a few times for dinner. How could that possibly ruin Mindy Rose's research?

I refused to believe I was the villain here. Mindy was the one who was always clinging to Trevor, acting like a helpless kitten.

"Trevor, this experiment is so hard. I'm just so stupid, aren't I?" she would coo, and Trevor would spend hours comforting her.

As I stood there shivering, a girl suddenly skipped past me. She was laughing, looking perfectly cozy in her designer gear.

A gust of wind carried her scent toward me. It was a limited-edition Dior perfumeDthe exact one I owned.

I tried to follow her, but Dexter blocked my path. He didn't say a word before swinging his hand and slapping me across the face.

"Trevor told me to keep you in line. Mindy is the heart of our lab. If you ruin her career, none of us will ever forgive you!"

The force of the blow sent me stumbling. By the time I looked up, the girl was gone.

"Trevor is too nice to you. If you were my girl, I would have knocked some sense into you a long time ago."

I stared him directly in the eyes, my heart burning with a rage I had never felt before.

"Who was that girl that just walked by?" I demanded.

"What girl? You're hallucinating from the cold," Dexter said, his eyes darting away guiltily.

"That was Mindy, wasn't it?" I snapped.

Since I'd caught them, Dexter stopped pretending. "Yeah, it was her. But you're staying right here. I won't let you touch her."

"Mindy is under my protection. Got it?" he sneered.

I tried to push past him, but he grabbed my arm and shoved me back.

"Why are you so jealous? Mindy is trying to relax after you messed up her work. You just can't stand to see her happy, can you?"

"Trevor deserves way better than a psycho like you. If anything happens to Mindy because of your drama, you're dead meat."

He threw me onto the cold ground. Trevor's voice came through the phone again.

"Mindy is back in the States working hard while you're out there being a brat. Even from thousands of miles away, you can't leave her alone. I'm so disappointed in you, Leila."

For a second, I almost believed him. Trevor had never lied to me before.

But then, a high-pitched voice echoed in the background of his call.

"Trevor! This photo you took of me is so ugly! Why are you like this?"

The audio went silent instantly. Trevor had muted the mic, but it was too late.

The sky began to leak a cold, miserable drizzle. The wind picked up, cutting through my bathrobe.

I realized then that Trevor, my "honest" boyfriend, was a liar. He was right here in Iceland with her.

I found a sudden surge of adrenaline. While Dexter was distracted by his phone, I bolted in the direction Mindy had gone.

I didn't have to run far. Down by the rocky shore, I saw them.

Trevor was holding an umbrella over Mindy as they posed for a selfie. She was making a silly face, and he was laughing, pulling her close.

It was a punch to the gut. Trevor always told me he hated photos. He never took a single picture with me.

Whenever I pulled out my camera, he'd get moody. "I'm just a simple lab guy, Leila. I look terrible in photos," he'd say.

Now I knew the truth. He didn't hate photos; he just didn't want them with me.

When Trevor noticed me, his face hardened. He didn't even look guilty.

"I told you to stay put. What are you doing here?" he snapped.

"I brought Mindy here to cheer her up. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd make a scene. It's actually your fault she's sad, so consider this your way of making amends."

Mindy stood behind him, kicking at a loose pebble on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Leila. I was just so depressed. My professor said I'd get the PhD spot if I finished that experiment, but your interruptions ruined the data..."

"This is my first time out of the country. Iceland is so beautiful. I wish I was rich like you so I didn't have to worry about my future."

Trevor squeezed her shoulder protectively. "Don't blame yourself, Mindy. It's not your fault. Careful, don't hurt your foot on those rocks."

"You're so good to me, Trevor," she whispered.

"Well, you're so fragile. Someone has to look after you," he replied.

Finally, he looked at me like I was a piece of trash on the sidewalk.

"Go back. It hasn't even been two hours. If you haven't realized your mistakes, don't bother coming back to the hotel."

He sounded so arrogant, so sure of his power over me. I walked up and slapped him across the face as hard as I could.

"Who the hell do you think you are? I haven't done anything wrong, you pathetic loser!"

"Leila! How could you hit him?" Mindy cried out. "He's just trying to help you be a better person. We all have flaws we need to work on..."

I didn't let her finish. I swung again, hitting her twice.

My hands were so numb from the cold that they started to burn after the impact. Mindy tumbled back onto the jagged rocks with a dramatic shriek.

I knew I hadn't hit her that hard. I'm not a strong person, especially not when I'm freezing to death.

She was faking it. But Trevor didn't care about the truth. He lunged forward and shoved me.

He used all his strength. I actually flew back a few feet before slamming into the rocks.

I didn't feel the pain immediately because of the cold. But I could see the blood starting to soak through my white bathrobe.

Trevor didn't even glance at me. He scooped Mindy up in his arms, looking at her like she was a dying saint.

"Leila, look at what you've done! You're a monster!"

"Do you have any idea what she went through as a kid? Violence triggers her trauma! If she has a breakdown, it's on your head!"

"You think everyone is as cold and tough as you? Mindy is a sensitive soul. You've truly disgusted me today."

They stood over me, looking down like judges. I hated looking up at them. I struggled to my feet, the blood staining my robe a grisly red.

I was glad I couldn't feel the pain yet. Mindy was sobbing into Trevor's chest, making a huge scene.

Trevor was frantically wiping her tears with a tissue. "Leila, apologize to her right now. Or this lesson is going to get a lot worse!"

I took a step back, my eyes cold. "Never. You're the ones who owe me an apology."

"You're hopeless! You will get on your knees and beg for her forgiveness, or I'm done with you!"

Dexter caught up to us then. "The whole lab will hear about this, Leila. You're finished."

Trevor was busy holding Mindy. He nodded at Dexter. "Make her kneel. She isn't leaving this beach until she shows some respect."

Dexter started walking toward me with a wicked grin.

I tried to scramble backward, but my legs were too weak to hold me up. I slipped and fell onto the rocks again.

A sharp pain finally shot through my ankle. It was swelling up fast.

I looked at them, my voice trembling but sharp. "This is a public place. If you touch me, I'll scream. People will see exactly who the bullies are."

Out of the four of us, I was the only one covered in blood and wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

A few tourists were already starting to stare. Dexter hesitated, his hand hovering in mid-air.

I fought through the dizziness and stood up, looking as ragged as a ghost.

"Give me my stuff back. Now."

Trevor frowned. "You don't get to demand anything, Leila. You're in the wrong here."

"Fine. I'll just scream for the police and tell them you robbed me. Let's see how your PhD prospects look after a theft charge in Iceland."

Trevor's face paled. He reluctantly pulled my phone and wallet from his pocket and tossed them at me.

I checked the wallet. My ID was there, but my passport, credit cards, and ten thousand dollars in cash were gone.

"Where's the rest? The cash? My passport?"

"I used the cash to buy Mindy a gift. She deserved something nice after what you put her through. Mindy, give her the passport."

"But Trevor... you said we were going to teach her a real lesson," Mindy whined.

"Just give it to her. There are too many people watching. I'll deal with her back home."

Mindy reached into her bag, her face twisted in a pout.

I felt like laughing. I had paid for this entire trip. Trevor didn't have a cent to his name.

Every gift he'd ever given me was cheap and half-hearted. I had transferred him a huge budget for this trip, and he'd spent it on his mistress.

"Here's your stupid passport, Leila."

She held it out, but as a drop of rain hit her hand, she let out a piercing squeal.

"Oh! It's so cold!"

She jerked her hand back, and my passport went flying straight into the churning ocean.

I lunged for it, desperate to catch it before it hit the water.

"Oops! I'm so sorry! I'm just so weak, the cold makes my muscles seize up..." Mindy chirped.

Trevor jumped in to defend her. "See? Mindy is delicate. Not everyone is a tank like you. It was an accident. Just go get a replacement."

I was too late. The passport sank into the dark depths of the Atlantic.

The uneven rocks tripped me again, and I went down hard. This time, the pain in my leg was blinding.

I couldn't get back up, no matter how hard I tried.

"Oh dear, isn't Leila usually so athletic? Why does she keep falling? Is she doing it for attention?" Mindy asked innocently.

"I bet she is," Trevor sneered. "She's trying to make me feel guilty. Well, it's not working. It just makes me hate you more."

"Since everyone is watching you anyway, why don't we give them a real show?"

He looked at Dexter. "Take the robe. Let's see how much she likes the attention then."

The rain was blurring my vision. My heart finally went stone-cold. I didn't just want to leave Trevor anymore; I wanted him to suffer.

Dexter stepped forward and yanked the bathrobe off me. I was too weak to fight him.

I was left shivering on the rocks in just my underwear. The humiliation was overwhelming, and tears finally began to fall.

Suddenly, the rain stopped hitting my head. A warm, heavy coat was draped over my frozen shoulders.

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