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…”

Mr. Wellington ordered that the child to be removed. You’d better cooperate, or don’t blame us for being

jumbled mess, filled with

right hand 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 ruthless, too

outside. The rolling torrents were

the mountains.

toward the house and shouted in alarm, “Come out! Hurry

the middle of the house when she

down outside the door due to the mountain torrent, causing the house

wanted to move her feet, but her body wouldn’t obey. She felt as if her legs were weighed down by a

moment, a thunderous roar suddenly filled the air, the

looked around

22 22 SE

rumbled with lightning, the noise of the rain drowned out many other sounds. Someone speculated. “It might be a landslide knocking down

near the houses at

over him and said respectfully, “Mr. Wellington, we’ve already sent people to look around. This place is dangerous, you should go back first. We will notify

looking. It’s really dangerous to stay

had destroyed Stephanie’s tracks, making it even more difficult to start looking

seemed to be holding something back, his gaze sharply scanning

11:22 Fri, 21 Jun

Chapter 31

and ran toward the left

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behind him immediately grew anxious and caught up. Dominick was already soaked through as he was crouched on

fiercely at the shoe buried in the mud

up and dashed forward in the direction the shoe tip

run far

utterly stunned when he saw the house before him, which was now buried under mud

house must be what we just heard collapsing. I wonder if anyone was

others rushed over, looking at the ruins in shock. “Regardless, we should leave this place as soon

him to abandon all caution. He hurled himself towards the ruins, forcefully lifting the broken door plank, and shouted at the top

thunder made everyone’s hearts

immediately jumped into action and hurriedly joined in to dig through the

the desolate surroundings in surprise and recalled the discovery of her shoe just now. He wondered, “Is Stephanie in this house? If she really came here, with the heavy rain just now,

joined in to help move some large objects, an anxious look on his face. At that moment, everyone was braving the heavy rain while calling out Stephanie’s name, each one

many emotions and pounded his fists

ruins.

under such conditions, rescuers wouldn’t be

and helplessness. He despised himself for being unable to do

was shocked to see him

usually cold and indifferent Dominick to care so much about

the rain continued to pour, and the thunder didn’t cease. But Vincent suddenly heard some faint

followed them were frightened, each digging frantically without hesitation. Only Vincent

Chapter 31

Fri,