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.

have some iodine tincture at home. Let me get it for you so you can apply it… Kelly ran back

tincture, Stephanie’s hands and feet were stained with a purplish–blue color, and the iodine tincture stung a bit. She frowned slightly, enduring the slight

the wooden cabin hung a small round clock. It was around 7 o’clock in the evening, yet

was

only a few wooden chairs and a round dining table in the main hall. Shortly after, Kelly brought

not hungry. Please go ahead and eat

prepared dinner for them. He felt uneasy

he looked at Stephanie. “Stephanie, why don’t you eat some?

e pregnant.”

was already spooning a bowl for her, and Stephanie, feeling somewhat embarrassed under

didn’t like

“Pregnant?”

your

murmuring to herself, “I have two eggs left. I’ll cook

at a loss. She also

her picky eating habits, which she had developed during her time at Reed Villa as a child. She

ran into the kitchen. “Kelly, I’ll have the oatmeal or maybe some bread. You

those…”

Dominick instructed a few people to get a flashlight and some tools from Ryan, then

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Chapter 32

door and walked out.

rain is heavy, it might ease up by tomorrow morning. There’s no need to go out

and found that a few people had gone

“They said they’re going to

didn’t you try to stop them? It’s dangerous outside.

them.” He

looked grimly towards the door, the expression

Don’t worry about them,” she said

you’re probably all from the city. I heard they came to find you. How did you end up in

really come to

a moment and whispered, “No way.” How could Dominick come looking

the center of the dimly lit main hall.

so suddenly in such heavy rain?‘

“These

them.” Ryan couldn’t stand it any longer, so he put on his coat and hat and got ready to go

you don’t have a flashlight. If you slip and fall down the slope, how am I going to live on

H

loving couple and couldn’t help

her worry. He thought

going to happen,” Ryan reassured his wife,

soon as the door opened, Dominick and the others

all soaked from head to toe, looking disheveled, but they

guys went fishing in the river in this stormy weather?” Kelly breathed a sigh of relief

Chapter 32

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Dominick glanced at Kelly as he spoke in

and refined appearance, suddenly understanding why her husband felt somewhat

bustled about in the kitchen, and though Kelly was worried, she had no choice but to

Stephanie felt her

the kitchen, feeling outraged. They were acting as if they owned the place and

amazing! I can’t believe