Too late for a second chance (Lila and Dorian)

"Uncle Kieran." Amelia stopped him before he could take another step.

"It's too dangerous right now. We need to move to a safe zone first. I know you're worried about Lila, but your safety is just as important. We don't even know for sure if she made it here, you can't put yourself at risk like this."

Her words were logical, but Kieran couldn't take that gamble.

His gaze fell. "Go to the safe zone. When the rescue team starts evacuating, head back."

"No, you need to leave too. There's no signal here, if something happens, we..."

Amelia trailed off mid-sentence. She had instinctively checked her phone, and suddenly noticed a new message from Lila.

Her eyes flickered for a brief second before she quickly masked her reaction.

"We should go somewhere safe first. You're injured, and you need treatment." Her gaze fell to his light-colored dress shirt, the sleeve soaked in bloodstains. She frowned.

Kieran caught that tiny hesitation. "Lila messaged you? Where is she?"

The message had come an hour ago. Lila had said she was approaching the landslide zone but had to continue on foot due to the collapsed roads.

Amelia hesitated. If Kieran knew Lila was this close, he wouldn't stop until he found her.

Meanwhile, the rescue teams were still urging everyone to evacuate. Aftershocks.

Amelia took a deep breath. "Lila was walking here. She might not have arrived yet, but if she did, she'd be over there—"

Before she could finish, the ground beneath them trembled violently. She instinctively grabbed onto Kieran to keep from falling.

A half-collapsed building in the distance finally gave way, crashing down with a thunderous roar. Dust billowed into the air, choking their lungs.

looked at her, his expression cold

he turned and walked off. Amelia didn't hesitate

forward until he heard a group of rescue workers

The child was just pulled out, but her mother is still down there, along with a young woman who

We

unstable,

We need to get

froze mid-step. Then, in an instant, he took off

does she look

no time to answer. "Sir, it's dangerous here. Please move to a

asked again, his voice

look like? How tall is she? Is

woman trapped

of the rescuers hesitated, glancing at

already torn

a loved one-it

a brief pause, the

ured with his hand, indicating her height. "About the

slim, pale skin... beautiful.

tall,

he grabbed a shovel

and started

shifted to another side and began clearing debris

until they finally uncovered the two

Lila lay unconscious,