His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 257

Crash!

The sky, a gloomy shade of white, rumbled ominously with a sudden thunderclap.

It seemed as if the bolt was aimed right at Thaddeus, paralyzing him completely.

Only his heart was pounding fiercely, waves of complex emotions crashing within him.

"Professor Leo," Thaddeus' voice was taut, almost a whisper, "how long has Ms. Ilana been helping you with the patrols?"

"About three years now," Professor Leo replied. "She's been a great help."

Those were the three years since he and Evadne got married.

Thaddeus' heart gave a painful lurch.

A bitter wave of anguish surged up his throat, almost suffocating him.

All these years, she were hiding the truth, doing the same thing he was doing.

But he had his reasons. What were hers?"

Thaddeus' head throbbed painfully as wave after wave of confusion threatened to overcome him.

"Looks like a storm's coming," Professor Leo muttered, glancing at the darkening sky and pulling out his walkie-talkie to contact Captain Sean. "Be careful out there, Sean! Especially with Ilana."

"Don't worry, professor," came the prompt reply.

Thaddeus turned abruptly and headed towards the entrance of the Misty Mountain trail.

"Mr. Thaddeus! Where are you going?" Professor Leo called after him.

Thaddeus didn't stop but answered silently in his mind - to find her.

The sky was a dark gray, rumbling with the threat of a storm.

It was still daytime, but the sky was as dark as night.

"Seriously, who goes hiking in this weather?" one of the team members grumbled as they trudged along.

"No use complaining now," Captain Sean said, his voice barely audible over the wind and rain. "Our job is to ensure the safety of the hikers."

"Captain Sean! Look!" Evadne called out, pointing at something wedged between two rocks.

"It's the missing hiker's cell phone. We're on the right track!" Captain Sean announced, his voice grim.

"Let's split up! Ilana and group A, come with me. Group B, head west," he ordered.

"Yes, captain!" came the reply.

Despite the rain gear, Evadne was soaked to the skin and shivering. The wind was howling, making it hard to move forward.

The Misty Mountain was vast, a labyrinth of slopes and cliffs.

"Help, someone help me."

"I hear her!" Evadne cried, stopping in her tracks. "She's close by."

Everyone looked at her in surprise. The pretty woman wasn't just for show. She had sharp ears too!

"Ilana, be careful!" Captain Sean warned as she started to head in the direction of the voice.

Evadne fumbled with her flashlight, the desperate calls for help echoing in her ears. Her heart pounded erratically.

She had once been lost in the mountains, praying for someone to find her. Now, she was the one doing the rescuing.

Finally, after several heart-stopping moments, they found the lost hiker.

"Don't worry! We're here to help!" Evadne yelled over the wind.

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

"Stay calm! I'm coming down to get you!" Evadne reassured her.

"No, Ilana! It's too dangerous!" Captain Sean protested, but it was too late.

Evadne was already on her way down, her movements swift and sure despite the treacherous conditions. She reached the woman, pulling her into an embrace.

"My foot. I can't move it." the woman whimpered, her voice barely a whisper.

The team members bowed their heads in sorrow, hope fading.

"Don't you dare talk like that! Ms. Ilana is lucky. She'll be fine!"

Even though he said this, tears were threatening to spill from Captain Sean's eyes.

Three years ago, a park ranger had died in a landslide. He knew all too well how terrifying such a natural disaster could be, but he refused to admit that the brave and determined girl might not be so lucky this time.

"Captain! Look, someone's there!"

Captain Sean quickly turned, and in the midst of the thunderstorm, a man draped in a dark green climbing suit stood tall and undeterred, walking towards them with an unyielding resolve.

"Thaddeus, is that you?"

"It really is Mr. Thaddeus!"

With his austere face drenched from the rain, Thaddeus stood before them, his stern brows akin to a hawk in the night.

His arrival seemed to make the world shift.

"Where is Ilana?" Thaddeus demanded, his eyes bloodshot.

"In an attempt to save someone, she got caught in the landslide. We don't know if she's alive or dead," Captain Sean stated the harsh reality. There was no need to hide anything now.

Thaddeus turned pale, his broad shoulders trembling. The pain in his heart was like a gaping wound.

"It can't be. Ilana can't be dead! She can't be!"

Thaddeus thought, "She still owes me so many answers.

She hadn't gotten her revenge on him yet. He haven't made up for all the hurt and injustice she's been through.

How could she just die?

He won't let her die.

He needed her to stay, alive and by his side!

Thaddeus's eyes were filled with a crimson rage. Without a backward glance, he charged into the storm.