Crossroads

Chapter 32

The sky was turbulent with dark clouds, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

On this stormy and rainy night, a few people walked on the rugged mountain road and finally arrived at a wooden cabin with great difficulty.

“Our village received a notice to evacuate due to heavy rain some time ago. There’s no one living downstream anymore. The river has surged up, and it’s dangerous to go back on the mountain road. You should stay here for the night.”

Thanks to Ryan Bennett’s assistance, they followed him to a simple yet spacious wooden cabin.

“Is it safe here?” Vincent asked, feeling somewhat uneasy as he looked at the howling wind and rain outside.

“This mountain is filled with walnut trees which are very sturdy. Our wooden cabin is very solid,” Ryan reassured them.

Hearing this, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. In such terrible weather today, one small misstep could lead to being engulfed by mudflows.

“Let’s start more fires and dry our clothes.” Ryan went to the kitchen and brought back a bundle of firewood.

Vincent and the others didn’t hesitate, immediately starting to arrange the firewood piles and taking off their soggy clothes. Seeing. these men collectively undressing, Stephanie immediately felt embarrassed and turned away awkwardly.

“Don’t take off your pants!” Dominick, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

His words made Vincent remember that Stephanie was here and felt somewhat embarrassed.

They took off their jackets and shirts, revealing their chests, but kept their trousers on. They sat close to the fire, letting the heat dry their pants. They felt extremely uncomfortable with mud all over their bodies.

“No cellphone signal here. We can’t contact anyone else.”

As they busied themselves to start a fire, they discussed, “Kevin and the others should find shelter from the rain…”

Stephanie looked shocked upon hearing Kevin’s name.

Dominick’s gaze had been fixed on her all along and the surprise on her face seemed to carry another meaning in it. He tightly pressed his lips, the look in his eyes complicated.

“Call me Kelly. I have some clean clothes. Come with me and get changed,” a simply–dressed woman, Kelly Turner, came out of a small room. She was Ryan’s wife, and she smiled kindly at Stephanie.

Stephanie nodded at her. “Thank you.”

Stephanie, who was five feet six inches tall and slightly taller, wore Kelly’s dark blue cotton clothes. The sleeves and pant legs were much shorter, but she didn’t mind at the moment. She thanked Kelly and walked out.

However, as Kelly followed her out, she noticed the scars on Stephanie’s wrists and ankles and shock registered on her face. “How

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Chapter 32

did you get so injured? Oh my, they’re infected with pus from being soaked in water.”

As Kelly spoke, Dominick almost instinctively took a step forward.

Stephanie happened to look up at him, instinctively stepping back as if afraid of him.

常66%自

When Dominick noticed her reaction, the look in his eyes turned complex for a moment. He turned his head away to stare in another direction as if he hadn’t been looking at her before.

ran back to the room to fetch the iodine tincture and applied it on Stephanie’s wounds

and the iodine tincture stung a bit. She frowned

small round clock. It was around 7 o’clock in the evening, yet thunder rumbled and rain poured down

was

sparsely furnished, with only a few wooden chairs and a round dining table in the main hall. Shortly after, Kelly brought out a pot

hungry. Please go

this family hadn’t prepared dinner for them. He felt uneasy eating their food

he looked at

e pregnant.”

her. Kelly was already spooning a bowl for her, and Stephanie, feeling somewhat embarrassed under everyone’s

like

“Pregnant?”

at Stephanie with concern. “Oh dear, with your weak condition, how will you manage childbirth?

herself, “I have two eggs left. I’ll cook them for

by Kelly’s enthusiasm, Stephanie was at a loss. She also didn’t like eggs and wouldn’t

habits, which she had developed during her time at

ran into the kitchen. “Kelly, I’ll have the oatmeal or maybe some bread. You don’t have to bother

those…”

the kitchen, Dominick instructed a few people to get a flashlight and some tools

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Chapter 32

door and walked out.

the rain is heavy, it might ease up by

on?” Kelly and Stephanie came out and found that a few

“They said they’re going to

such heavy rain? Why didn’t you try to stop them? It’s dangerous outside. What if…” Kelly exclaimed, putting the

persuade them.” He felt a bit intimidated

the expression on her

he sets his mind on something. Don’t worry about them,” she said while persuading Kelly not

felt worried and asked curiously, “Miss, you’re probably all from the city. I heard they came to find you. How did you end up in our small

“Did they really come

“No way.” How could Dominick come looking

electricity, and a simple oil lamp hung high in the center of the dimly lit main hall. In the flickering light, their shadows swayed as they silently ate their

so suddenly in such heavy rain?‘ Ryan

“These

go check on them.” Ryan couldn’t stand it any longer, so he put on his coat

“There’s such heavy rain and thunder outside, and you don’t have a flashlight. If you slip and fall down

H

loving couple and couldn’t

her worry. He thought he was superior

worry. I’m very familiar with this area. Nothing’s going to happen,” Ryan reassured his wife, patting her shoulder before pushing the door to go

the door opened, Dominick and the

from head to toe, looking disheveled, but they were carrying a

guys went fishing in the river in this stormy weather?” Kelly breathed a sigh of relief at their safe return, quickly

Chapter 32

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it ourselves.” Dominick glanced at Kelly as he spoke in a deep

handsome and refined appearance, suddenly understanding why her

though Kelly was worried, she had no choice

helpless expression, Stephanie

outraged. They were acting as if they owned the place and were completely

I