Chapter 796

The crowd just stood there, staring. No one was brave enough to step in. Even so, Cole snarled at the onlookers, “I dare any of you losers to try saving her! Come on, show me who’s got guts!” He was a madman on a rampage.

Then came the voice: sharp, clear, and ice-cold. “Cole!” He froze. From my upside-down view—thanks to being slung over his shoulder like a duffel bag—I spotted a pint-sized savior with space buns. Nina.

Before I could even beg, Cole sneered, “Where’d you come from, brat? Scram!” Most kids would’ve bawled on the spot. Not Nina. She folded her arms and deadpanned, “Why are you carrying someone like that? You look like a kidnapper.”

Oof. Bold of her. Cole’s lip curled. “Scram~ Or did your mom never teach you English?” Nina rolled her eyes. “Why are you so grumpy all the time? Did you, like, swallow a stick of dynamite?”

Cole opened his mouth to yell, but Nina steamrolled right over him. “Cole, I need to talk to you.” Okay, I gotta say it—this kid was iconic. If I weren’t currently living out a very awkward potato-sack cosplay, I’d hug her.

But Cole? Yeah, he wasn’t feeling the sibling vibe. “Didn’t I tell you to scram? Keep it up, and I’ll kick you.” What kind of brother says that? I was this close to smacking him upside the head myself.

Nina, though? Totally unfazed. She latched onto his pant leg and craned her neck to look at me. “Nina, help me!” I begged. Sure, asking a kid for help wasn’t exactly my proudest moment, but desperate times, right?

Cole barked out a laugh. “Really, Keira? Begging a child? Pathetic.” He was like a dog on a bad day—growling and snapping at anything that moved. “Cole, why are you carrying Keira? Did she, like, break her legs or something?” Nina asked, her tone all innocent curiosity.

Cole’s patience was wearing thin. The second his hand touched her, he froze for a fraction of a second, but boy, did that change his demeanor. This man was straight-up evil, but apparently even he had a breaking point. Seeing that, I doubled down. “Nina, help me!”

“Cole, put Keira down. If you need to carry someone, carry me,” Nina said, her voice steady. Okay, this kid? Absolute legend. What a way to save me!

“Stop messing around and get out of here, or I’ll smack you,” Cole retorted. “You haven’t carried me in forever!” Nina whined, doubling down, clinging to his leg like a tiny, determined koala.

Cole actually tried to shake her off, lifting his leg, but then he sighed like a grumpy fat man who’d just given up on bedtime battles. His eyes landed on Sasha, who was standing off to the side. “Get over here and take her, I swear I’ll toss her.”

Sasha? Not the type to flinch at empty threats. If Nina was here, it was obviously because Sasha had sent her. She strolled up, completely unbothered. “Go ahead, Cole. Toss her. Let’s see how your family reacts when their little princess breaks something. That’s on you.”

Then her eyes flicked to me. “Keira, you’re looking lighter these days. Easier to kidnap, huh?” Ouch. The sass was sharp, but hey, if it meant she was here to help, I’d take it. “Sasha, call someone. Please,” I said.