?Chapter 717:

    Christina was just about to say something when Chloe’s voice rang out, loud and excited. “Come on, Christina! Dn! Let’s get moving!”

    Christina turned back toward Chloe and called out, “Alright, we’reing!”

    “Let’s go,” Dn murmured, barely moving his lips, though the soft curve of his smile lingered.

    Dn’s mood had dramatically improved, dispelling the earlier gloom. Maybe, just maybe, deep down in Christina’s heart, there had always been a special ce reserved for him, whether she realized it or not. That thought hit him like a jolt of warmth, making his chest swell with unexpected happiness.

    The moment the group stepped into the haunted house, Chloe started jumping at every noise and instantly regretted picking the scariest option.

    A creepy face jumped out of the shadows, and Chloe let out a sharp scream. “Ahhh!” Panicking, she spun around and bolted right into Christina, who hadn’t seen iting.

    The hit threw Christina off bnce, and before she could catch herself, she stumbled straight into Dn’s arms.

    Chloe had crashed into Christina with enough force to knock her off bnce, sending Christina stumbling right into Dn’s chest before she could catch herself.

    Dn didn’t even think. His arms shot out, wrapping tightly around Christina’s waist.

    Their lips barely grazed, just a split second of contact, but it was enough to freeze them both in ce, wide-eyed and breathless.

    Dn stiffened a little, caught off guard by the unexpected softness of her lips. It was like a spark traveled straight from his mouth to his chest. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He couldn’t help it. For a few surreal seconds, the world around them seemed to mute—no footsteps, no voices, just the sound of their breathing and the pounding of their hearts, loud and clear.

    Christina felt heat rise to her face, her cheeks glowing, though thankfully the low light spared her some embarrassment. Her heart raced like it was trying to beat its way out of her ribcage. God, was this what catching feelings felt like?

    But the second the thought crept in, she pushed it aside. It had to be adrenaline, nothing more. Once she convinced herself of that, her heartbeat started to slow, though not by much.

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    Meanwhile, Chloe took off in a full-on sprint, eyes darting in every direction, panic written all over her face. She didn’t even know where she was going.

    The shlight she held swung wildly, casting shaky beams across the dark, until one of themnded on a figure she knew instantly. There was no mistaking him. Her throat tightened, tears threatening to spill, and she cried out, voice cracking, “Morse!”

    The moment she saw him, something inside her snapped loose. She didn’t think; she just ran straight for him and jumped into his arms.

    Morse saw hering and reacted on pure instinct, catching her without hesitation. His sses slipped slightly, but he didn’t care.

    He caught her midair, one arm supporting her beneath her thighs to hold her up, the other wrapped tight around her waist to steady her.

    Chloe’s legs locked around his waist, her arms clinging to his neck like she wasn’t nning on letting go anytime soon.

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