"I miss you..." Raegan said.
The three words hit home, causing Mitchel's body to tremble uncontrollably.
As Raegan spoke again, her tears flowed freely. "I miss you so much..." All the turmoil seemed trivial now. She was dying. Why couldn't she confess that she had developed feelings for Mitchel? Since her return, Mitchel had been good to her. Even when she clung to the past, behaved irrationally, provoked Mitchel, made him angry, struck him, he never left her side, always silently protecting her. How much better it would have been if she had seen it sooner! But now...
Tears welled up in Raegan's eyes as
she said softly, "Mitchel, let me go..." Her pleading gaze sent a wave of panic through Mitchel. "I won't let you come y to harm!" he said with resolve.
Raegan bit down on her lip so hard it | turned white. "Mitchel, we can't afford to fall together!" After saying this, she made the tough choice to release the grip she had so firmly held.
"Don't let go!" Mitchel roared.
His body inched forward even more.
"Raegan..." Mitchel's voice cracked, echoing his despair. "Hold on! They will soon find us." Sadness filled Raegan's eyes. She couldn't lie to herself any longer.
Without action, she would surely pull him down with her. Her expression hardened, and she said coldly,
"Mitchel, I truly despise you. Let me go!" Though Mitchel realized her intent, her \ words still stung. A painful smile crossed his lips as he said, "It doesn't matter even though you despise me.
| I'm too attached to you!" Mitchel gripped her wrist even more firmly, his eyes fierce and resolute.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Don't think you can push me away.
You're stuck with me for life!" With those words, the earth gave way beneath them once more, offering no foothold. They had barely a minute left... Perhaps even less...
Raegan wanted to say something harsh to make him release her, but the thought of their imminent parting brought uncontrollable tears to her eyes. She brushed away the tears, wanting to etch his face in her memory one last time. The deep
sorrow and longing urged her to take one more glimpse... "Mitchel." With a blink of her pretty eyes, she said, "I'm 4 sorry..." "I will save you!" Mitchel insisted, a single tear escaping his determined | gaze. "I won't release you." "Look after Janey for me," Raegan said.
Then, in a final act of defiance, before the ground fell away once more, Raegan mustered all her strength to wriggle free from Mitchel's grip.
"No! Raegan!" Mitchel's anguished cry echoed.
Raegan descended gently, like a butterfly with damaged wings.
As anticipated, the soil above crumbled once more, steadily falling.
Raegan felt relieved, knowing she'd made the correct choice to prevent
both of them from tumbling into tragedy.
Suddenly, a figure plummeted down | beside Raegan.
Mitchel, his eyes red from strain, didn't | hesitate to leap after Raegan fell.
The guards above shouted, "MT.
Dixon!" Disregarding their calls, Mitchel's dark p eyes fixed on Raegan, stretching his arm to its limit to catch her.
Raegan's eyes went wide in disbelief.
What she was witnessing seemed unbelievable to her. Mitchel actually leaped after her! Tears streamed down her face anew. Didn't he realize that jumping could lead to his death? Raegan pushed against the air, reaching upward.
Their fingers barely brushed against
each other.
Then, Mitchel pulled with all his might, drawing Raegan into.a tight | embrace. They seemed to fuse together. They were tightly wrapped around each other.
"Bang!" A loud noise echoed through the air.
They hit the water hard, causing massive ripples.
As the current swept them along, Raegan's stiff body suddenly eased.
It was water! They were in water! They wouldn't die.
Raegan had always doubted her swimming skills, but once submerged, she instinctively rose to the surface, driven by a familiar sensation. In a panic, she yelled out, "Mitchel!" The water was eerily quiet.
| Raegan took a deep breath, diving back into the depths to find him desperately. , Then, suddenly, she was lifted above the water.
Mitchel, his hair drenched, swept it | back, looking strikingly handsome with droplets cascading off him. He brought her to the shore and said softly, "I'm here." ' Raegan was momentarily stunned and wrapped her arms around him tightly, breaking down in tears. "You... You had scared me!" She sobbed and choked, filled with fear. Mitchel was unbelievable! He actually jumped down with her! She gently pounded on his shoulders, her anger mixed with relief. "You're crazy, truly crazy..." After expressing her frustration, she
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmmanaged a grateful smile. "Thank goodness you're okay..." Seeing her cry and then laugh, Mitchel ) couldn't help but smile. Next, he wrapped his arms around her in a firm embrace. "I'm not losing my mind. I'd | lose my mind without you." Raegan felt a turmoil stir within her. It felt like a crack had opened.
Mitchel held Raegan tightly, his eyes filled with intensity.
Raegan sensed he was shaking. She blinked, unsure of what to make of it at first. It took her a moment to understand. He was scared! Mitchel's voice was rough. "Raegan, promise me you'll never leave me." "[..." Raegan was still stunned.
Mitchel abruptly released her, his gaze dark and chilling. "promise me!" His
tone was commanding with a hint of anger. His frustration was evident! Now that danger was past, it was time , to address the issue. = Raegan grasped what had frightened | him and softened her tone as she said, | "I promise." Yet, his stern look remained unchanged, his irritation not soothed.
He pinched her cheek, his gaze icy and . piercing. "When you risked your life to save the little boy, did you even consider..." Mitchel meant to ask Raegan whether she had considered him. Hesitating, he reframed his question. "Did you think of Janey?" Mitchel's pinch stung. Yet, Raegan didn't flinch, letting him vent his frustration. "I did think it through. My actions weren't meant to be reckless. It was a misjudgment.”
If only she had acted quicker, she might have climbed up the tree with Misael. 4 At the thought of Misael, she asked, "What about the young boy?" | Mitchel's patience snapped when he | realized she was still worried about others. He icily replied, "He's gone!" After saying this, he relaxed his hold on her and turned to walk further into the dense forest. It seemed like he didn't want to see her.
"Mitchel..." Raegan grasped the cause of his irritation and hurried after him, her voice soft and soothing.
But Mitchel seemed to not hear her, his expression stern as he strode forward.
Raegan's calves ached. They had been battered by the rocks, likely bruised.
The quick pace only intensified her discomfort.
"Ah..." Unable to keep up, she let out a sharp cry of pain, louder than needed.
| Mitchel stopped in his tracks and turned back, concern evident as he grasped her shoulders. "What happened?" / Standing there, Mitchel looked dignified and imposing, with a natural sharpness to his features. Disheveled or not, he was undeniably handsome.
) Raegan rose on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Mitchel, don't be mad at me, okay?"