The airport was still a chaotic mess.

As Susanna made her way through the terminal, she could hear the distant shouts echoing through the halls, making her whole body tense up. Her eyes were wide with fear.

Hull glanced back and saw her stumbling, her legs shaking so much she could hardly walk straight.

"Scared?" he asked, his voice low and steady, though there was a hint of something intense in his eyes.

Susanna nodded, her voice trembling. "Terrified."

No kidding, she thought. Sure, she loved a good action movie, but this was nothing like watching from the safety of her couch. This was real- one wrong move could cost her everything.

She trailed Hull closely, keeping a strict three-foot distance, terrified to lose sight of him for even a second. His long strides forced her into a near jog, her breathing growing labored as she struggled to keep up. Hearing her panting, Hull slowed his pace slightly.

Suddenly, as they rounded a corner, two masked figures appeared out of nowhere, weapons raised. The gunfire erupted almost instantly.

Hull reacted with lightning speed, pulling Susanna close as the attackers crumpled to the ground.

It all happened so fast that Susanna barely had time to process. Her pupils dilated in shock, and before she knew it, she was clinging to Hull's neck, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist.

Hull pressed her against the cold wall, feeling the weight around his waist and said in a clipped tone, "Get down."

"No! I won't! I want to go home- I want to go home," she whimpered, shaking her head frantically, eyes squeezed shut, refusing to let go.

Hull's cool, dangerous presence loomed over her, amplifying her panic. Susanna silently prayed to her grandma, hoping for protection to get through this ordeal.

Hull tried to pry her off, but as soon as he did, she collapsed to the ground, her legs too weak from fear to hold her up.

"I want Star," she cried, "I need to get back to the plane, find Star."

So much for not being a burden-right now, Susanna was beyond terrified, and all she could think of was the safety she felt with Stella.

Hull looked down at her trembling form, his expression unreadable but clearly exasperated. With a resigned sigh, he crouched down, lifting her effortlessly off the floor. Her body hung limp in his grip, swaying slightly with each step he took.

Susanna felt like a ragdoll, her head

spinning and her fear rendering her speechless. Even so, the man carrying her felt more dangerous than the chaos surrounding them.

en

...

Meanwhile, Finley was reconsidering his approach. If Idris hadn't warned him, he'd have walked right into a beating.

Stella nestled in Ronald's arms, looking up at him with a puzzled expression. "Why are you upset?"

She couldn't figure out what had triggered his brooding mood. They had been rather... engaged on their trip back from Patrina. Ronald tilted her chin up, capturing her lips in a kiss that was both tender and commanding.

"Next time, don't stare at someone for more than five seconds."

Stella blinked, confused. "Who was I looking at? Susanna?"

"She counts," Ronald replied without missing a beat.

"Oh..." Stella trailed off, unsure how to respond.

As the plane took off, Stella found herself breathless from Ronald's kisses.

"Are we really leaving without Hull?" she asked, worry flickering in her eyes.

She was worried about Susanna, anxious to know she'd made it out of the airport safely. Who had the audacity to cause such a scene here, of all places?

Ronald scooped her up, heading to the private lounge. "You need more sleep. Once we reach Cyris Isle, your schedule will be all over the place." noveldrama

Stella sighed. More sleep?

Ronald was already shedding his suit jacket, followed by his shirt and then his trousers. Stella hesitated, unsure whether to move or not.

He turned back, a mischievous grin playing on his lips that made her heart skip. When he reached for her clothes, Stella caught his wrist.

"I don't feel like sleeping right now."

She remembered the journey back, how he had kept her occupied.