Chapter 103

"Wait, over there! Isn't that MMiss Warren and Mr.Curtis?"

Everyone immediately turned around, eyes searching in the direction of the cry.

From the tunnel the rescue team had excavated earlier, they spotted a spray of dirt; something was moving from within.

Moments later, a slender silhouette emerged,supporting an older man with steady determination.

It was Eleanor, alive and unbroken.

As soon as Nolan recognized her, he sprinted forward without a second thought.

He barely registered anything else, crushing her in a desperate hug, holding on as if he would never let her slip away again. The sudden embrace caught Eleanor off guard nearly knocking her off balance.

She gently steadied herself and eased Nolan's arms away, quickly guiding Dyer onto a waiting stretcher."Don't worry about me. I'm alright. But Dyer needs help.He's hurt."

The medical team immediately carried Dyer away to the emergencytent for treatment.

Only. after the doctors assured her that Dyer would recover did Eleanor finally allow herself to breathe.

When she glanced up, her gaze met Nolan's tear-reddened eyes, all his worry still etched across his face.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before a word could escape, Nolan swept her up into his arms.

A startled breath escaped her lips, and she instinctively clung to his neck.

Nolan said nothing as he carried her away to a nearby tent.

A doctor rushed in right behind them.

Under Nolan's fierce, unblinking stare, the doctor quickly checked Eleanor over and announced that she had only a few minor scrapes, nothing to worry about.

That was the moment Nolan's tightly wound nerves finally began to unwind.

"Thank goodness," he murmured, wrapping her in another fierce hug, the words tumbling out in relief.

Eleanor glanced down at Nolan, feeling a gentle warmth unfurl in her chest. "I've spent a lot of time in the field with Dyer. I know what to do when things go wrong. As soon as the collapse started, I got Dyer to a chamber with fresh air."

The doctor quietly slipped out, leaving them alone.

Nolan still didn't speak.

Instead, he clung to her even tighter, his whole body trembling with pent-up emotion.

Eleanor noticed a damp patch spreading across her shoulder.

Could those really be tears? Was Nolan actually crying?

A soft ache welled up in Eleanor's chest, a bittersweet blend of affection and sorrow.

She parted her lips, ready to speak.

"YOU-"was all she got out before Nolan pressed his mouth to hers, cutting her off with a kiss.

His kiss was a tidal wave of everything he felt.

It burned with longing, overflowed with relief.

Every second made her feel treasured,wanted,held close.

For a fleeting instant, Eleanor froze.

But the last of her hesitation slipped away.

Her eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to the moment, letting his love envelop her completely.

It was fierce, consuming, maybe even too much,but somehow, she didn't want him to stop.

When the kiss finally broke, Nolan pressed his forehead to hers, his voice ragged and low. "I've already told Erick to start digging into this. The archaeological site was supposed to be airtight for safety; there's no way it would collapse like that unless someone interfered."

A steely determination flashed in Eleanor's eyes.

She had reached the same conclusion herself.

Right then, Erick burst into the tent, visibly rattled."Boss! I just found-"

He abruptly cut himself off, caught in the crossfire of Nolan's lethal glare.

That was when he noticed the obvious evidence of their heated moment. Both of their lips were noticeably still swollen. The awkward truth hit him instantly. He had just barged in on something private. Erick stood rooted to the spot, stammering, "Um, sorry! I didn't see anything! Please, just pretend I was never here."

A vivid flush spread across Eleanor's cheeks.

She shot a sharp look at Nolan, silently urging him to let her go.

Only then did Nolan finally loosen his hold, giving Erick a cool, expectant glance.

His gaze all but said, "This had better be worth the interruption."

Erick hesitated, torn between fleeing and doing his job.

Finally, Eleanor cleared her throat, snapping the tension.

That gave Erick the green light to continue, though he still looked like he might bolt. "Boss, Miss Warren,we actually uncovered some clues."