Chapter 257

Crash!

The sky turned an eerie shade of gray, rumbling with a deafening crack of thunder.

The bolt seemed to strike right at Alexander Kingsley, freezing him in place.

Only his heart pounded violently, a storm of emotions raging within him.

"Professor Henri," Alexander's voice was strained, barely audible over the wind, "how long has Ms. Isabella been assisting you with patrols?"

"Nearly three years now," Professor Henri replied. "She's been invaluable."

Three years.

The exact length of time since he and Isabella had married.

Alexander's chest tightened painfully.

A bitter taste rose in his throat, nearly choking him.

All this time, she had been hiding the truth, doing the same thing he had been doing.

But he had his reasons.

What were hers?

His head throbbed as confusion threatened to consume him.

"Storm's coming," Professor Henri muttered, glancing at the darkening sky before radioing Captain Daniel. "Be careful out there, Daniel! Especially with Isabella."

"Copy that, professor."

Alexander turned sharply and strode toward the entrance of the Misty Ridge trail.

"Mr. Kingsley! Where are you going?" Professor Henri called after him.

Alexander didn't stop.

His answer burned silently in his mind—to find her.

The sky had turned an ominous charcoal, thunder growling like a beast.

Though it was midday, the world had plunged into near darkness.

"Who in their right mind hikes in this weather?" one of the team members grumbled as they trudged forward.

"No use complaining now," Captain Daniel snapped, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. "Our job is to bring everyone back safely."

"Captain Daniel! Over here!" Isabella's voice cut through the storm as she pointed at something wedged between jagged rocks.

"That's the missing hiker's phone. We're close!" Captain Daniel announced grimly.

"Split up! Isabella and Group A, with me. Group B, head west!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Despite her rain gear, Isabella was drenched, shivering violently. The wind lashed at them, making every step a battle.

Misty Ridge was a labyrinth of treacherous slopes and hidden cliffs.

"Help... please, someone..."

"I hear her!" Isabella froze, her sharp ears catching the faint cry. "She's nearby!"

The team exchanged surprised glances.

This elegant woman wasn't just a pretty face—she had the instincts of a seasoned rescuer.

"Isabella, be careful!" Captain Daniel warned as she moved toward the voice.

Her flashlight flickered as desperate pleas echoed in her ears. Her pulse raced.

Once, she had been the one lost in the mountains, praying for salvation.

Now, she was the savior.

After several heart-stopping moments, they found the stranded hiker.

"Stay calm! We're here to help!" Isabella shouted over the storm.

"Can you move?" she asked, but the woman could only shake her head weakly.

"Hold on! I'm coming down!"

"No, Isabella! It's too dangerous!"

But she was already descending, her movements swift and sure despite the perilous terrain. She reached the woman and pulled her close.

"My ankle... I can't..." the hiker whimpered.

"We're getting you out of here," Isabella promised firmly.

She secured a rope around the woman's waist, her fingers numb from the cold.

Then—

The ground trembled beneath them.

"Damn it! Landslide! Pull them up, NOW!"

Captain Daniel, drenched in sweat, yanked the rope with all his strength.

But the mud was shifting uncontrollably beneath his feet.

"We can't hold on, Captain! We'll all be dragged down!"

"Captain! We have to choose—we can only save one!"

"Captain! We need to retreat before it's too late!"

As they shouted, a torrent of mud and debris surged toward them like a monstrous wave.

With a final desperate heave, Captain Daniel roared—

And in the last second before impact, they hauled one figure to safety.

"Captain! We've got the hiker! She's alive!"

"Captain! Ms. Sinclair—she's gone!"

At those words, Captain Daniel's vision darkened.

The landslide had spared the hikers, but now they had to evacuate the injured.

"Half of you, get them to base camp! The rest—with me! We're finding Isabella!"

His eyes burned with determination, fists clenched. "Call in backup! Now!"

"Captain... do you think she was buried?"

"Or... did she fall?"

The team bowed their heads, hope fading.

"Don't you dare say that!" Captain Daniel snarled. "Isabella's a fighter. She'll make it!"

But even as he spoke, his voice cracked.

Three years ago, a ranger had died in a landslide.

He knew the odds.

And yet—

"Captain! Someone's there!"

Through the storm, a figure emerged—tall, unyielding, clad in a dark green climbing suit.

"Alexander...?"

"It's Mr. Kingsley!"

Rain streamed down Alexander's face, his piercing gaze like a hawk's in the night.

His presence alone seemed to shift the very air around them.

"Where is Isabella?" His voice was raw, his eyes bloodshot.

"She saved a hiker... but the landslide took her," Captain Daniel said bluntly. "We don't know if she's alive."

Alexander paled, his broad frame trembling.

The pain was a gaping wound in his chest.

No. Not Isabella. Not like this.

She still owed him answers.

He hadn't atoned for the pain he'd caused her.

She couldn't die.

He wouldn't let her.

He needed her—alive, breathing, his.

With a roar of fury, Alexander charged into the storm.