Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 303 Earthquake

With the impact, Lacey felt as if she'd been knocked senseless.

Seeing the photograph wedged between the rocks about to be swept away by the current, she disregarded her own safety. Struggling to her feet, she lunged forward and clutched the photo in her hand.

The icy river water crashed against her body as she attempted to make her way to shore. The cold had nearly numbed her entire body, and the injury to her foot made it impossible to stand. She stumbled, swallowing several mouthfuls of water.

Just then, she heard a splash.

Turning toward the sound, she saw Jason wading through the water toward her.

He reached her side and pulled her up, but when her foot touched the ground, pain shot through her, making her wince.

"What happened to your foot?" Jason asked.

"I think I stepped on some glass," Lacey replied, still gripping the photograph tightly.

Without hesitation, Jason scooped her into his arms and carried her to shore, setting her down gently on a rock. He examined her foot and discovered a shard of glass deeply embedded in it. His brow furrowed with concern.

Ignoring her own injury, Lacey carefully handed the now-soaked photograph to David. "I got it back," she said softly.

David took it, wiping the water off with his sleeve. Suddenly remembering, he glanced at Lacey's foot. "Are you alright?"

Despite being completely drenched, her hair plastered to her face, Lacey shook her head and forced a smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Before she could say anything more, Jason warned, "This might hurt," and swiftly removed the glass shard from her foot.

She stared at the bloodstained piece of glass in Jason's hand, her face pale from pain.

Without another word, Jason lifted her into his arms again and carried her all the way home.

David, now understanding the severity of the situation, followed quietly, his eyes fixed AT RYOUSTY VTTLacey' s'ihteenting, fort

"Your foot is bleeding," he said worriedly.

Though in considerable pain, Lacey didn't want him to feel guilty. She managed a

strained smile. "Please don't worry. It's just a small cut. I'll be fine."

Back in the house, Jason eyed her soaked clothing with concern. "You need to change before you catch a cold."

Despite his words, he made no move to put her down.

Inexplicably, Lacey felt her face flush.

She quickly jumped from his arms, balancing on one foot while steadying herself against a chair. "I'll go take a shower and change. Your clothes are wet too-you should change as well," she said awkwardly.

Jason watched as she hastily grabbed some clothes and hobbled into the bathroom, keeping her injured foot barely touching the ground.

At that moment, Lacey was grateful she had injured only one foot.

her shower, dressed in fresh clothes, she emerged to find Jason sitting by her bed with a

open, he turned to her. "Come

make a fuss. The pain had subsided somewhat, so she

her with professional seriousness. "Don't brush off small injuries. A lot of

Lacey reluctantly sat on

suddenly self-conscious about her

bandaging the wound with the other. Throughout the process, his

away the first aid

could tell he had something to

anticipating his thoughts. "You think I did something foolish today,

Jason nodded solemnly. "Yes."

Lacey was momentarily speechless.

photograph isn't worth risking your life

studied his handsome profile and asked softly, "Am I

for a long moment before finally raising his eyes to

Jason's response made

why not make it official? She's one in a million,"

David standing in the doorway, though neither knew how

her injured foot, Lacey jumped up and limped over to him, gripping his arm excitedly. "Are you

looked at her, then at Jason. Under their

you might be missing

will be home soon. I need to make

muttering, David hurried

onto the doorframe, watching his

Jason, who stood dejectedly in the

hasn't fully recovered, he remembers Wendy's favorite dish and that you love pumpkin pancakes.

"Perhaps forgetting isn't such a bad thing. Not all his memories were happy

the temperature dropped

winds picked up suddenly, powerful enough to blow a neighbor's bedsheet clean off

that threatened rain, Lacey hurried to close all

night. Shortly after falling asleep, Lacey

a boat caught in a violent storm, rocking dangerously. When she woke, she realized the rocking wasn't a dream-her bed was shaking, the ceiling

covers and rushed out,

his room at the same moment. Their eyes met briefly before they both dashed to David's room, roused the sleeping man, and quickly helped him downstairs, out of the yard, and onto the

by one, neighbors came running to the street-hair disheveled, hastily pulling on clothes,

injured, and Jason immediately went to examine them,

had been shattered

remembered something and tried to run back toward the house,

"We can't go back inside. It's too dangerous." Everyone had felt how strong the earthquake was. Reports were already circulating that several old houses in the village had collapsed, with people trapped inside. Jason's grandfather's

tears streaming

understood he wanted to retrieve

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hesitation, she turned to David and made her decision." Please stay here and don't move. I'll get the photograph

and just as she entered, she heard Jason calling her name from