CHAPTER 83: CHAPTER 83: HE DESCENDS FROM THE SKY

The wipers swung wildly, cutting out a momentary clear arc on the blurry glass.

The car was moving with extreme difficulty on the muddy mountain road, speed slow like a snail.

"Damn, this rain is too heavy!" the driver cursed, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Suddenly, the wheels sank abruptly, accompanied by the sound of the engine idling, and the car completely stopped moving.

"Damn it, we’re stuck!" The driver tried pressing the gas pedal a few times, but the tires just uselessly slipped.

"Miss, you all wait in the car for a moment, I’ll go take a look and try to push," saying this, the driver pushed open the car door, put on a raincoat, and jumped out.

Stella felt a jolt in her heart, a strong sense of unease surged up inside her.

She turned her head to Vivi and Claire, saying, "I’ll go down to check, you stay here!"

"Stella, the rain outside is so heavy!"

"It’s okay." Stella didn’t explain further, pushed open the car door, and got out.

Cold rain instantly soaked her dress, chilling her to the point of shivering.

The driver was exerting all his strength in the pouring rain trying to push the car from behind, but the heavy off-road vehicle didn’t move an inch.

Stella subconsciously raised her head, looking towards the nearby hillside.

Her pupils suddenly contracted.

The originally lush green hillside, now looked as if it had been painted with a thick layer of yellow mud, the muddy color spreading downward at visible speed, carrying broken trees and stones, aiming directly at their location!

"No good! It’s a landslide!"

Stella’s scalp tingled, her heart nearly leaping into her throat.

She violently pulled open the back seat car door, yelling at the confused Vivi and Claire inside:

"Vivi, Claire, get out! Run!"

She almost roughly dragged the two women out of the car.

"What happened?" Vivi was startled.

"Don’t ask! Just run!" Stella pulled them, using all her strength to rush towards slightly higher ground in the front.

"Driver, get out of the car, hurry." she shouted again.

The driver also realized the danger, left the car and followed them running.

Almost the instant they ran away, the torrential mudslide thundered down, engulfing, overturning, and burying the off-road vehicle with massive force.

In just a few seconds, there was only a turbulent patch of yellow mud left, even the outline of the roof was invisible.

Fortunately, there was a small pavilion nearby, otherwise, they would have all been drenched.

The three of them crawled into a simple pavilion by the roadside. The driver feared danger and climbed up the mountain.

The three of them slumped onto the cold stone bench, gasping for breath, still shocked as they looked outside.

The tan mud rushed angrily down the mountain into the riverbed, forcefully breaking open a huge gap on the riverbank, turning the river water terribly muddy.

Everyone was drenched, rain mixed with mud, leaving them in a sorry state.

The mountain temperature suddenly dropped, and the cold wind made them shiver!

Stella took out her phone, the screen was completely black, pressing it a few times had no response, it was totally dead.

Vivi also took out her phone, which also shut off due to water damage. She asked Claire, who indicated she had no phone!

"This is bad," Vivi hugged her arms, her teeth chattering, her voice tinged with a sobbing tone, "Our phones are all down, we’re totally doomed now."

"Ah, ah!" Claire gestured with her hands, Stella went over to gently pat her head.

"Don’t worry, someone will come to rescue us." Stella, like a big sister, hugged them from both sides.

The rain gradually lessened, but the sky darkened visibly, twilight engulfing the surroundings.

"We... We won’t have to stay in this ghost place overnight, will we?" Vivi looked around at the desolate scene, nearly crying, "There’s nowhere to go, is there no justice?"

Stella’s heart also sank, but she still comforted, "Don’t be afraid, there will be a way."

Just then, a loud roaring sound approached, breaking the valley’s silence.

"Buzz buzz buzz——"

The three of them raised their heads simultaneously.

A helicopter appeared over the dark mountain top, its hulking body entering the view.

"Ah! Someone’s here! We’re saved!" Vivi jumped up excitedly, desperately waving and shouting towards the helicopter, "Hey! Here! Look here!"

But the helicopter’s roar was too loud, completely drowning out her shouts.

Stella stared intently at the helicopter.

A rope ladder was slowly let down, followed by three figures swiftly descending along it.

Their movements were swift and professional.

The first person to land wore a black combat suit, standing tall.

As soon as he landed, he didn’t pause for even a moment, rushing towards where the vehicle was buried.

Stella’s heart skipped a beat.

That figure was so familiar.

It’s Aiden Fordham!

Aiden threw himself in front of the muddy area, locating the car, and practically went crazy, starting to dig at the thick mud with his bare hands, all the while tapping what might be the car body.

Hoarsely shouting: "Stella Grant! Answer me! Stella, are you in there?"

His voice was distorted by urgency, conveying despair.

The other two men in the same uniform quickly followed, one taking out tools to dig, the other urgently calling on a walkie-talkie.

The post-rain earth was slippery and sticky, making excavation very difficult.

Aiden payed no heed, mud splattered over his face and clothes, mechanically and crazily digging as if to unearth the whole mountain.

"Stella Grant!"

Looking at the figure fighting recklessly in the mud, observing his back covered in grime yet still standing straight, seeing the panic and desperation etched on his face.

Stella’s eyes instantly reddened, unable to hold back any longer, she rushed towards Aiden’s direction.

Cold rain and mud couldn’t stop her.

"Aiden Fordham!"

Her voice carried a sobbing tone, piercing through rain and helicopter noise.

Aiden, still frantically digging, suddenly froze.

He seemed unable to believe his ears, stiffly raising his head.

Mud flowed down his chiseled cheeks, revealing his bloodshot eyes.

When his gaze caught the staggering figure running towards him, his pupils abruptly expanded.

The next second, he discarded his tools and dashed towards Stella like an arrow.

His heavy combat boots stomped in the mud, splattering patches of grime.

He reached her, carrying chill and earthy scent, without hesitation, tightly pulling her into his embrace.

The force was immense, squeezing Stella so she could barely breathe, her bones aching.

But this embrace carried a searing warmth, dispelling all her cold and fear.

...

When they returned to the hotel, it was already past nine in the evening.

Aiden changed into clean clothes and knocked on Stella’s room door.

He booked a presidential suite for Stella, as for Vivi and Claire, they were already taken back to Meritopia by Damian Hawthorne.

Stella opened the door, standing there was the exceedingly handsome man.

She didn’t have a chance to speak.

The man, without any warning, pulled her into his arms, sealing her lips.

An aggressive kiss, with a possessive and long-missed yearning.

This night belonged to him and her...