"Vivian, Vivian…"
The urgency and worry in Ethan's voice, tinged with a slight tremble, called out to her repeatedly.
Vivian's eyes fluttered open to find Ethan's handsome face etched with anxiety.
She couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Are you alright? What's funny?" Ethan frowned, his brows knitting together in concern as he reached out to touch her head, checking for any injuries.
"I was just thinking about the first time we met…" Back then, she had also opened her eyes to find the epitome of her ideal man lying beside her, instantly realizing she was no longer in her original world. And now, it was his face that reminded Vivian she had returned.
Only now, his face was a bit disheveled, blood seeping from his forehead and a bruise coloring his cheek, but mercifully, his complexion appeared normal. As Vivian reached out to inspect his other wounds, a wave of intense pain swept through her body, particularly acute in her left foot.
"Don't move!" Ethan, noticing her pale face, quickly held her hand, halting any further movement.
It was then Vivian noticed they were still in the car. She must have only been unconscious for a brief moment, given that rescue had not yet arrived. The helicopter must have seen them plunge down the slope, making it inconceivable that help wouldn't come. The delay suggested not much time had passed, and they had likely just come to a halt.
The car was lodged in a depression on the hillside, trees and rocks stopping its descent further, appearing relatively safe for the moment. Thankfully, the sturdy car body and deployed airbags had saved their lives.
But… the worst damage seemed to be at her driver's side, where the door was crushed against her left foot. Attempting to move it resulted in a piercing pain that froze her in place.
Ethan noticed her predicament and immediately comforted her, "Stay still, don't worry, help is coming soon."
"I know," Vivian replied, ceasing her movements. She laid back, covering her eyes with her hand.
Estimating their position and the distance from the crash site, she calculated that rescue would take at least an hour to reach them.
For now, they needed to remain calm and conserve their energy.
How terrible, Vivian thought. Although she had anticipated Lyon's ambush on the mountain road and prepared thoroughly, she never accounted for her own mistake, a fatal error unprecedented in her career as an intelligence officer.
She prided herself on her physical fitness and impeccable body control, making it incomprehensible why she had suddenly gotten sick.
That moment of weakness prevented her from reacting promptly, leaving them in this dire situation.
"I'm sorry…" The sight of their predicament and Ethan's injuries weighed heavily on Vivian.
What a failure! Despite considering herself a professional, she underestimated Lyon and stumbled upon him unexpectedly.
"What?" Ethan, initially assuming she needed rest due to discomfort, was caught off guard when her next words were an apology.
Was there really anything to apologize for?
"We could have escaped unscathed, but my mistake landed us here…" Vivian was consumed by self-reproach, a rare sentiment for someone with such a proud ego.
Ignoring the pain coursing through her body, Vivian clenched her fists, hating the feeling of helplessness and waiting for rescue.
"You're saying what now? If it weren't for you, I would have fallen for that ambush on the road," Ethan recalled the harrowing shootout on mountain road, his heart still pounding.
"But if I hadn't been careless, we wouldn't have crashed, and you wouldn't be hurt…" Vivian's tone was heavy with guilt, a vulnerability Ethan had never witnessed.
"What are you talking about?" Ethan interrupted, frustration clear in his voice.
He had assumed her confidence was unshakable, her self-assuredness always suggesting everything was under control. The idea that she could make a mistake, and that such a mistake could so visibly shake her, was unexpected.
"Why didn't you tell me you were ill?" The shock of Vivian vomiting was more jarring to him than the crash.
He had always thought her invulnerable, confident and powerful from the moment they met, as if nothing could escape her grasp.
Witnessing her weakness, her vulnerability, her self-blame, it unexpectedly bridged the gap between them.
He was glimpsing a side of her he hadn't known existed. She wasn't invincible; she too experienced failure and setbacks. Her confidence and strength originated from meticulous preparation.
They were alike, imperfect individuals who armored themselves to protect what mattered.
Yet, seeing Vivian distraught over her failure tugged at Ethan's heartstrings. Despite her best efforts, despite being the most injured, why was she so hard on herself?
"Huh?" Perhaps weakened by her injuries or self-loathing, Vivian misunderstood Ethan's tone, expecting reproach.
She quickly apologized, "Sorry, it was my poor self-management…"
Hearing her apology, Ethan felt a pang in his chest. Without hesitation, he embraced her gently, sheltering her as if cherishing something fragile.
"I'm not blaming you, but…" Ethan paused, then said, "You don't have to shoulder everything alone."
Her promise to bear the weight of the world for him brought comfort, but he yearned to stand by her side, to share the burden.
Vivian, accustomed to being a protector, had always taken charge, whether in refugee camps or as an intelligence officer. She claimed the responsibility willingly, believing in her abilities.
Her strength and competence intimidated others, keeping them at bay, and she had grown used to this solitary existence. No one had ever hugged her so tenderly, as if she too deserved care and affection, until she met Ethan.
Vivian blushed in Ethan's arms, thankfully unnoticed.
She cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment, then stiffened, hearing a faint noise.
"What's wrong?" Ethan sensed her sudden tension.
"Quiet, someone's coming," Vivian stated simply.
"Is it the rescue team?" Ethan, relieved, moved to exit the car but was stopped by Vivian.
"No," Vivian's expression turned grave, focusing on the sounds outside. Footsteps rustled, accompanied by snippets of French conversation, indicating these were not friendly rescuers.
The cars that had pursued them had also tumbled down the hill. If they had survived, chances were their attackers had too.
Ethan shared the same thought, his expression turning tense.
Vivian pushed Ethan back into the passenger seat, reaching for the gun under her seat, hindered by her trapped foot, causing her face to pale with pain.
"I told you not to move!" Ethan restrained her, searching for the fallen gun. But as he fumbled, the noises outside intensified, heightening his anxiety.
"There's another gun under the back seat, get it for me," Vivian instructed.
Ethan found a bag of guns promptly.
When did she collect so many guns? Ethan was startled but didn't dwell on it. He followed her directions, handing her a suitable gun and selecting one for himself.
"Get to the back seat and hide," Vivian ordered, coolly aiming her weapon forward.
Ethan tightened his grip on his gun, watching Vivian's fearless stance. She was exposed with no cover, vulnerable if their adversaries were armed.
"I'll draw them away," Ethan declared.
"What?"
"They're after me. I'll lure them away," Ethan resolved.
"No!" Vivian vetoed, her heart pounding uncontrollably for the first time.
"Before, you protected me. Now, let me protect you," Ethan spoke calmly, placing a kiss on Vivian's forehead, as if in farewell.
"Wait!" Vivian tried to stop him, but her injuries made her no match for Ethan's strength. She watched helplessly as he rushed out of the car, disappearing into the woods, followed by the echoes of gunshots.
It was the first time Vivian felt the chill of fear.
