What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 75

Finnian caught her, immediately stripping off his jacket and wrapping it tightly around her. "It's okay. Can you walk?"

"Yeah!" Noelle tried to force herself up, but the moment she put weight on her foot, she collapsed right back into Finnian's arms. "My foot hurts so much, and I think I cut the bottom of it."

"It's fine. I'll carry you." Finnian's voice was hoarse, doing his best to comfort her.

Just as Finnian hoisted Noelle onto his back, Julian's voice echoed from above. "Finnian! Did you find her?"

Finnian secured Noelle tightly against his back, grabbing a tree root to haul them up the slope. "Yeah! She lost her flashlight. I think she might have passed out for a bit."

Once Finnian dragged them back up to the main trail, Julian immediately reached out. "Let me carry her for a while."

"I have no idea where my brother went. I still can't get him on the phone."

Quentin chimed in, "I saw him head that way earlier. I'll go find him."

"I'm so sorry... I never thought this would happen..." Noelle said, her voice raspy and dripping with guilt.

"As long as you're okay. You practically gave us a heart attack, Princess," Julian said as he carried her. The group aimed their flashlights ahead, making their way back toward the peak.

"Don't ever go wandering off into dangerous places like this again," Finnian reprimanded her.

"I won't. Never again," Noelle replied, sounding utterly compliant and obedient.

Finnian carried her single remaining shoe in one hand and her backpack in the other.

Back at the campsite, Noelle was set down on a chair. Seeing Kaia nearby, Julian immediately lit up. "Thank God! Dr. Chavez is here. Noelle, with her fixing you up, your foot will be totally fine."

Kaia paused, looking at Noelle.

Noelle, however, looked incredibly hesitant. "Kaia, Miles isn't back yet, and you're the only doctor here. My foot is really hurt. Could you... take a look at it?"

Finnian stood next to them and said, "Kaia, please check on Noelle."

"Mommy, Aunt Noelle's foot is bleeding. You have to fix it! I know you're the best doctor ever!" Brynlee was just a child; she had no understanding of the messy, toxic adult dynamics playing out.

Kaia could ignore anyone else, but she wasn't going to ignore her daughter.

She pulled out the medical kit she had brought. Moving with swift, clinical precision, she used tweezers to pull out the splinters embedded in Noelle's flesh. She sterilized the wounds, applied ointment, and used a splint and bandages to firmly secure the ankle.

Every single movement was flawlessly executed, without a second of hesitation.

"Done." Kaia tied off the bandage, pulled off her medical gloves, and tossed them into the trash bag. "It's stabilized for now. That should reduce the pain and prevent further damage. But you still need to get to a hospital for an X-ray so an orthopedic doctor can look at it."

Finnian made the call instantly. "Julian, take Noelle to the hospital immediately. Take some of the security team with you."

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