Crossroads

Chapter 31

As dusk fell, Stephanie continued running relentlessly. Her face was pale as if she had been frightened.

The mountain road was rugged and uneven. Stephanie tripped and lost a shoe, but she couldn’t care less about that. She gasped for breath as she hurried westward, as if someone was chasing her relentlessly.

Stephanie remembered that there was a village nearby. She needed to find someone and to call for help.

Just then, the atmosphere around her shifted, and the thick clouds rolled violently in the sky. Soon after, it began to drizzle, soaking her thoroughly.

Suddenly, Stephanie’s eyes lit up when she saw a shabby tile house ahead. She then ran toward it excitedly.

“Is anyone there?” she shouted while cautiously looking back over her shoulder.

As Stephanie reached out to knock on the door, she realized it wasn’t closed. She pushed the door open and looked inside. Because it was already dark and the sky was filled with dark clouds, Stephanie couldn’t see clearly inside the house.

“Hello, I’ve been abducted here. Please help me…” She said in a panic as she stepped inside carefully.

Stephanie had been forcefully abducted by several men from the hospital to this secluded rural area.

Just moments ago, she seized the opportunity to grind the rusty hoe against the rough rope binding her hands to the wall. Immediately, she untied the rope from her feet and fled in a panic.

Now, Stephanie’s wrists bore numerous bloody gashes from the hoe, and blood was trickling down her wound. Yet, she ignored her injuries and just kept running, fearing they would capture her again.

The rain fell and stung her wounds, causing her face to scrunch up in agony.

However, the moment Stephanie stepped into the silent tile house, her body froze.

She found that there was no one there, not a trace of life, just utter silence.

Stephanie looked around, her face pale as she stared blankly at the shabby, dirty tile house and the item’s scattered all around.

Just then, a terrifying lightning bolt slashed across the sky, followed immediately by a thunderclap that made her tremble in fear. The rain outside poured down furiously as if the sky were collapsing, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Stephanie kept shrinking back as she looked around fearfully.

She then felt discomfort in her abdomen and instinctively rested her right hand on it as she lowered her head, her complexion instantly turning pale.

At that moment, Stephanie recalled the harsh words Dominick had previously hurled at her, his voice cold and ruthless.

“There are plenty of women who could bear my children. And you, Stephanie, don’t have the right. Remove the child from her

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Chapter 31

womb…”

heard it just now. Mr. Wellington ordered that the child to be removed. You’d better cooperate, or don’t blame

jumbled mess, filled with a constant

still tightly clutching her still–flat abdomen. Meanwhile, her heart was heavy

now have to flee in panic. I’m all alone and helpless in this dark, stormy night. It’s all because of Dominick! That man is too

rain poured down fiercely outside. The rolling torrents were so heavy it washed down

the mountains.

in alarm, “Come out! Hurry up and get out! The

in the middle of the house when she

continuously. She saw many large boulders crashing down outside the door

She desperately wanted to move her feet, but her body wouldn’t obey. She felt as if her legs were

a thunderous roar suddenly filled the air, the deafening sound echoing across

around with a grim

22 22 SE

lightning, the noise of the rain drowned out many other sounds. Someone

turned anxious as he watched the weather worsen. “We mustn’t go near the

portly man, who was standing next to Dominick, held an umbrella over him and said respectfully, “Mr. Wellington, we’ve already sent people to look around. This place is dangerous, you

to start looking. It’s really dangerous

rain had destroyed Stephanie’s tracks, making it even more

to be holding something back, his gaze sharply scanning the surroundings while his heart pounded

11:22 Fri, 21 Jun

Chapter 31

looked startled and ran toward the left despite

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up. Dominick was already soaked through as he was crouched on the ground amidst

at the shoe buried in the mud and realized it was Stephanie’s

He looked up and dashed forward in the direction the shoe tip pointed in, ignoring

hadn’t run far when he suddenly

he saw the house before him, which was now buried under mud and reduced

just heard collapsing. I wonder if anyone

shock. “Regardless, we should leave this place as soon as possible…” Someone

He hurled himself towards the ruins,

frantic voice mingled with the thunder made everyone’s hearts tremble

into action and hurriedly joined in

this house? If she really came here, with the heavy rain just now, she must have run inside to

large objects, an anxious look on his face. At that moment, everyone was braving the heavy rain while calling out Stephanie’s

too many emotions and pounded

ruins.

all knew that under such conditions, rescuers wouldn’t be able

himself for being unable to do something,

to see

didn’t expect the usually cold and indifferent

didn’t cease. But Vincent suddenly heard some faint noises behind

were frightened, each digging frantically without hesitation. Only Vincent turned to

Chapter 31

Fri,