Caught In His Embrace: A Second Chance Romance

Exhausted, Josiah stumbled as he stepped out of the narrow wooden hut, nearly tripping over the threshold.

"Mr. Evans." A bodyguard swiftly reached out to steady Josiah, eyes scanning his pallid, grim face with concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine..." Josiah shook his head, then suddenly turned to the bodyguards

flanking him. "Why are you all standing here? Go find him."

"Mr. Evans, we have to protect you," one bodyguard said.noveldrama

"Do I need it?" Josiah asked angrily, his gaze filled with sarcasm.

"Get out there and find Conner."

"Mr. Evans..." The bodyguards were hesitant.

"Go now," Josiah instructed.

"Yes, sir." The bodyguards exchanged glances but ultimately obeyed Josiah's orders, swiftly scattering in all directions.

After shouting himself hoarse, Josiah felt a sharp pain throbbing in his temples. He raised a hand to rub his temple, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings.

The mountain had no streetlights, and the recent rain had left the paths muddy and treacherous. The longer they delayed, the worse things would get.

One more person searching meant one more ray of hope. Josiah gripped his flashlight tightly and plunged into the search himself.

The sounds of voices faded into the distance, and only the steady beam of his flashlight illuminated the path ahead. Josiah glanced at his phone from time to time, afraid of missing any incoming calls or messages.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Josiah's feet gave way! He thought, 'Damn it!' By the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late. His center of gravity plummeted, and his entire body plunged downward in free fall.

"Ethan, help," Josiah's pupils shrank as he shouted.

However, the descent was too rapid. Josiah's cry was swallowed by the abyss along with him.

"Ugh." As his body tumbled down, scraping against jagged rocks, Josiah gritted his teeth and let out a muffled groan. His flashlight had long been lost. He was now engulfed in an endless void.

A sliver of fear coiled in the depths of Josiah's heart. He wondered, 'Is this it for me?' "Ah," Josiah screamed. Before terror could fully take hold, a searing pain ripped through his thigh.

Josiah's body jerked to a sudden halt. The pain was excruciating, enough to make him momentarily shut his eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He reached down, pressing a hand to his left thigh.

Josiah realized his pants were torn. His palm came away slick with something warm and wet-blood. The sharp, metallic scent of it filled his nostrils.

"Hiss.." Josiah sucked in a breath, rubbing his hand against his clothes to rid himself of the sticky dampness. He then reached into his pocket, looking for his phone. He needed to check his wound and contact Ethan to save him.

However, Josiah's phone was nowhere to be found. "Tsk." With a frown, he clicked his tongue in frustration. He thought, 'It must have been flung away when I fell. Perhaps it's nearby?' All that remained in Josiah's pocket was a lighter. He pulled it out and struck the flint. A flickering flame sprang to life, casting faint illumination over his surroundings.

Initially, Josiah thought he had fallen off a cliff, but no cliff was this shallow. The place looked more like a cave.

Josiah raised the lighter higher, its dim glow barely penetrating the darkness ahead. There was no end in sight. He wondered, What kind of place is this? Wait!' Just as Josiah's hand had withdrawn, he moved back again. That dark shadow earlier resembled a person. Josiah directed its glow toward the murky silhouette after flicking the lighter off, then reigniting it.

Josiah thought, 'It seems to be a person. In this deep mountain, could it be... Conner?' His throat tightened. A wave of emotion surged through him as he struggled to his feet. "Agh! It hurts!"

As pain flared up from the wound on his left leg, a sharp, blinding agony shot through Josiah, making him see stars.

Gritting his teeth, Josiah forced himself to endure it, shoving the pain aside as he rushed toward the shadowy figure on the ground.

Dropping to one knee, he reached out and flipped the person over.

Conner's eyes were tightly shut. He was still wearing a hospital gown under his coat.

"Conner," Josiah called, his voice hoarse with urgency. As the realization hit him, a surge of emotion welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill over. "Thank God!" He had found Conner. That meant Joyce could still be saved.

"Conner." Josiah blinked, forcing back his tears. He reached out to help Conner up and patted his face. "Wake up. Can you hear me, Conner?"

However, Conner's eyes remained shut. There was no response. It wasn't looking good. Conner had been given sedatives, and then he had fallen.

Josiah thought, I'm injured, there's no guarantee that Conner is faring any better. I could stay here and wait for Ethan to bring reinforcements, but what about Conner? Can he afford to wait?

No. I can't sit idly.

"Come on, get up." Josiah made up his mind. He took a deep breath, put Conner's arm around his shoulder, and helped him to his feet. He wondered, 'But what next?' Josiah struck the lighter and continued to survey his surroundings. The tunnel stretched endlessly ahead, an eerie Wind rushing toward them. He had his suspicions-this must be some kind of underground passage. And if there was wind, there had to be an exit.

With Conner in tow, turning back was impossible. Their only option was to move forward.

Before setting off, Josiah shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto the ground where he had fallen earlier. If Ethan and his men arrived and saw it, they would know he had been there.

Josiah then hoisted Conner onto his back. "Ugh." Josiah winced, a muffled groan escaping his lips as his knee nearly buckled beneath him. He barely managed to steady himself.

Conner might have been a grown man, but it normally wouldn't have been a problem for Josiah to carry him. However, that was under normal circumstances.

A deep gash split open the flesh of Josiah's left leg now. Every step sent a sharp pang of pain through his body.

Josiah gritted his teeth, slowly regulating his breathing until he finally steadied himself. Then, he took a step, then another, slowly moving forward.

As Josiah walked, he talked to Conner, hoping to wake him.

"Conner, you've got guts, you know that? Tania tied you up here to stop you from giving Joyce your bone marrow."

"And even in your state, you were still thinking of escaping, of going back to save Joyce, weren't you? Right..." Josiah trailed off before adding abruptly, "I forgot to say thank you."

Even though Conner saving Joyce had nothing to do with Josiah, Joyce was his daughter. Still, he kept chattering away.

However, Conner remained unresponsive.

"Hey!" Panic crept into Josiah's

voice. "Conner, show some

response. Say something. Where are you hurt You finally managed to es

cape you can't collapse now. Joyce is waiting for you to save her life You have to hold on, Conner!"

The wind howled around them, picking up force. And then, in the

distance-faint but unmit

sliver of fight began to pierce through the darkness.

Josiah

speculated it to be the exit. "Conner, have to."

hotd on. Please, you

If Conner didn't make it, not only would Joyce's surgery be doomed, Sienna

probably wouldn't be able to handle it either.

A cold blue light flickered ahead. Josiah's heart leaped-hope flaring in his eyes.

He quickened his pace, his left leg so numb that he could no longer feel the pain.

Suddenly, everything opened up. They were out. The sky was starting to lighten, no longer pitch black. Josiah looked up and could faintly see beams of light shining from the mountains.

Those were his men.

Josiah shifted Conner's weight on his back and gritted his teeth, pushing forward.

"Ugh," Conner groaned "Conner." Josiah's steps faltered. He turned his head sharply.

"Conner? Are you awake? How do you feel? Are you hurt?"

Josiah's gaze froze. A black-and-white-banded snake coiled tightly around

Conner's leg.

It was a viper, a venomous snake. Josiah went rigid, every hair on his body standing on end. In the blink of an eye, his arm shot out, moving with lightning speed toward the viper.

Josiah had only one thought at that moment-Conner must not be harmed. He had

to get back to the hospital safe and sound, back to Sienna. He had to save Joyce,

to undergo the surgery as scheduled.

*****