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

11:23 Fri, 21 Jun

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 to the room to fetch the iodine tincture and applied it on Stephanie’s wounds when she

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 pain without much

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

was truly

few wooden chairs and a round dining table in the main

Please go ahead and eat it

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

he looked at Stephanie. “Stephanie,

e pregnant.”

to her. Kelly was already spooning a bowl for her, and Stephanie, feeling somewhat embarrassed under everyone’s gaze, looked at the oatmeal with a

didn’t like eating

“Pregnant?”

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

herself,

a loss. She also didn’t like eggs and wouldn’t eat them at

habits, which she had developed during her time at Reed Villa

have the

those…”

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

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Chapter 32

door and walked out.

up by tomorrow morning. There’s no

Stephanie came out and found that a few people had gone

“They said they’re going

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

persuade them.” He felt a bit

door, the

on something. Don’t worry about them,” she said

the city. I heard they came to find you. How did you end

puzzled. “Did they really come to

and whispered, “No way.” How

in the center of the dimly lit main hall.

out so suddenly in

“These

young people are unfamiliar with the mountain roads. I’ll go check on them.” Ryan couldn’t stand it any

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

H

looked at this loving couple and couldn’t help

felt that Dominick was causing trouble for others in the stormy weather and making her worry. He thought he was superior and expected

going to happen,” Ryan reassured his wife, patting her shoulder before pushing the

as the door opened, Dominick and the others

toe, looking disheveled, but they were

this stormy weather?” Kelly breathed a

Chapter 32

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

and refined appearance, suddenly understanding why her husband felt somewhat

kitchen, and though Kelly was worried, she had no choice but

Kelly’s helpless expression, Stephanie felt her anger

acting as if they owned the

you’re amazing! I can’t believe