THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 119

Chapter 119

“I can’t,” she gasped. “I can’t walk.”

“Yes, you can,” Ethan said, hauling her to her feet. “You’re Mia Meyer Sterling. My elder sister. My mentor. And you can achieve anything you set your mind to.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her weight as they began to move through the burning forest. Each step sent waves of pain through her body, but she forced herself to keep going.

They had to get out of here. They had to survive.

Behind them, she could hear the trees falling, the crash of burning timber hitting the ground. The fire was spreading faster than they could move, and with her injured ankle, they weren’t moving fast enough.

“Ethan,” she panted, “you need to leave me. Save yourself.

“Never,” he said fiercely. “I’m not leaving you here. I won’t lose you, not after finding out a have an elder sister I’ve been hoping for, for year.” His words touched a part of her that she’d buried with hatred for him.

They stumbled forward, the smoke making it impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction. Mia’s lungs burned with each breath, and her eyes streamed tears from he acrid air.

She was about to collapse when she heard it, a sharp crack above them.

Ethan looked up and saw the burning branch falling toward them. Without hesitation, he shoved Mia out of the way, taking the full impact himself.

The branch crashed down on his leg with a sickening thud. He screamed, a sound that cut through the roar of the flames and straight into Mia’s heart.

“Ethan!” She crawled to where he lay pinned under the burning wood, his face contorted in agony. “Oh god, Ethan!

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“Go,” he gasped, his voice barely audible. “Leave me. Get out of here.”

“No,” Mia said, grabbing the branch with both hands despite the flames licking at her palms. “I’m not leaving you. I won’t abandon you. Never.” He was here because of her, she’d never abandon him. Even though all her senses were screaming for her to give up, but she wouldn’t give in.

The wood was impossibly heavy, and the fire was spreading up her arms. But she refused to let go. She’d failed him before, by pushing him away when he just needed an elder sister. She wouldn’t do it again.

In the distance, she heard the wail of sirens. Help was coming, but would it be in time?

“Ethan,” she said, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. “On the count of three, we’re going to lift this together. Use whatever strength you have left.”

He nodded, his face pale with pain and smoke inhalation.

“One… two… three!” They pushed together, and the branch ifted slightly. Not enough to free his leg, but enough to give them hope.

“Again,” Mia said. “One… two… three!”

This time, the branch rolled away, and Ethan’s leg was free. He cried out as she helped him to his feet, but he didn’t complain. He couldn’t walk on his own, so Mia became his crutch, supporting his weight as they continued their desperate escape

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Every step was agony. Every breath was a struggle. But they kept moving, kept fighting, kept refusing to give up. Through the smoke and flames, Mia saw a shadow moving toward them.

“Mia!” The voice was familiar, beloved, desperate.

Stefan.

“Here!” she called back, using the last of her strength. “Were here!”

“Call out again!” Stefan’s voice was closer now. “I can hear you, but I can’t see you!”

“Stefan!” she screamed. “We’re here!”

And then he was there, emerging from the smoke like a ghost, his face a mask of relief and terror. He looked at Mia, then at Ethan, then back at Mia.

“Take him,” she said, pushing Ethan toward Stefan. “He’s badly hurt.”

Stefan hesitated for only a moment before taking Ethan’s weight, supporting him as other figures emerged from the smoke, firefighters, paramedics, people who could help

“Get him out of here!” Stefan shouted to the paramedics. “Now!”

They took Ethan, lifting him onto a stretcher and carrying him away from the flames. Only then did Stefan turn back to Mia.

“Is he safe?” she asked, swaying on her feet.

“Yes,” Stefan said, reaching for her. “He’s safe.”

“Good. I’m glad he is.” Mia whispered.

And then she collapsed into his arms, her body finally giving up the fight it had been waging against pain and exhaustion and terror.

As Stefan caught her, as he held her against his chest and carried her away from the burning forest, she felt something she hadn’t felt in hours.

Safe.

Whatever else happened, whatever came next, she was safe!

And so was Ethan.

That was enough.

…….

Stefan carried her to the ambulance with careful, measured steps, as if she were made of glass. He climbed in beside her as the paramedics worked, checking her vitals, cleaning her wounds, assessing the damage.

He sat in the corner, his hands clenched tightly in his lap, watching every movement the medical team made. His eyes never left her face, her beautiful face that was now streaked with soot and ash, her lips that were too pale, her closed eyelids that fluttered occasionally as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

The paramedics kept glancing at him strangely, exchanging looks when they thought he wasn’t watching. One of them, a young woman with kind eyes, kept opening her mouth as if to say something, then closing it again.

Finally, she reached into her supplies and pulled out a small package of tissues. She tapped Stefan gently on the

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“Sir,” she said softly, holding out the tissues. “You might want these.”

Stefan looked at her in confusion. “What? Why?”

He reached up to touch his face, and his fingers came away wet.

He was crying.

Not just crying, sobbing. Silent tears that had been streaming down his face without him even realizing it. His cheeks were soaked, his shirt collar damp.

He stared at his wet fingers for a moment, surprised by his own reaction. He hadn’t even felt the tears falling. He’d been so focused on Mia, so terrified of losing her, that he hadn’t noticed his own body’s response to the fear.

“Thank you,” he whispered, taking the tissues and wiping his face.

But even as he dried his cheeks, more tears fell. He couldn’t stop them. The image of Mia tied to that chair, surrounded by flames, kept replaying in his mind. The way she’d looked so small and fragile when she collapsed in his arms. The fact that he’d almost lost her.

The fact that she’d been in danger because of him

Because of his mistakes.

Because he’d let Sammy get too close and driven Mia away at the exact moment when she needed his protection

most.

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