Tiffany's words proved accurate, yet her brow furrowed deeper, rather than relaxing in relief. Sidney had arrived before them, and now the mountain was collapsing. "He must be in danger," she thought. In her previous life, Sidney had died trapped in his car because rescue arrived too late. Now, despite the disaster, there was a chance to save him.

"Don't worry," Tiffany said. "If we start searching now, there's still time."

Before Richard could reply, he ruffled Tany's (presumed typo: Tiffany's) hair, a faint smile touching his lips as he asked, "Are you worried about me?"

Tiffany froze. She wanted to prevent Sidney's death and repay Richard for his help, but she wasn't worried about Richard. Hesitating over how to answer without offending him, Richard shifted the conversation. "Come on, let's go check it out."

They left the car and headed toward the blocked-off area. The landslide had been sudden, burying everything before anyone could react. Heavy rain and thunderstorms had caused power outages, making it nearly impossible to get a signal. An elderly local, Jackson, had set up a blockade to prevent others from approaching.

As they approached, Jackson stepped forward. "It's dangerous. You should turn back."

Holding her umbrella, Tiffany asked, "Sir, how large is the affected area? Our friend drove ahead, and we can't reach him. We're worried."

Jackson sighed. "It's hard to say. Rocks are still falling. If anyone's caught, it doesn't look good. I hope the rescue teams arrive soon."

"They're almost here," Tiffany replied. (Remove the promotional text here). Earlier, Richard had already called for rescue teams. Judging by the time, they should arrive any minute.

As Tiffany finished speaking, the sound of helicopters echoed. Six helicopters roared overhead, heading toward the most devastated area, deploying rescuers. Ten minutes later, several fire trucks arrived. Tiffany felt a surge of relief.

The wind and rain were relentless; streetlights lay smashed on the ground. Tiffany sneezed, shivering. Richard draped his suit jacket over her shoulders.

"Thanks," Tiffany murmured, smiling softly.

"Let's wait in the car," Richard said, taking her hand and leading her back to the vehicle.

The wait felt interminable. Tiffany leaned back, listening to the rain until drowsiness overcame her. A clap of thunder jolted her awake. She sat up, her lips brushing against Richard's face as she moved. He was tucking a blanket around her.

Tiffany's mind went blank. "Oh no, I'm in trouble! Is he going to throw me out because of his germaphobia?"

Both froze, their eyes locking. Before any tension built, someone pounded on the car window.

"Mr. Hampton!" A rescuer called urgently, his face drenched with rain.

Tiffany shrank back. Richard rolled down the window. "What's going on?"

"We found something!" Theo, the rescuer, said. "A sports car buried underground. It matches Mr. Pauley's, but he wasn't inside. He must have escaped."

Richard nodded. "Expand the search area. Keep looking."

After the rescuer left, Richard started the car and drove down a narrow side road.

"Where are we going?" Tiffany asked.

"Finding a place to stay. We might not make it back tonight," Richard replied. The storm made highway driving unsafe. They needed to stay nearby for updates.

Noticing her distracted look, Richard sighed. "I didn't expect the weather to turn so suddenly. Otherwise, I would have arranged for someone to take you home."

"It's okay," Tiffany said. "Rescuing people is more important."

They avoided mentioning the accidental kiss and eventually found shelter with a warm-hearted elderly couple. Night fell. After a meal, Olivia prepared a room for them. "Sorry, it's a bit simple," she said.

"Not at all," Tiffany replied.

"The power might be out for a while. I've put extra candles in your room," Olivia added before leaving.

Tiffany froze. There was only one spare room; they would have to share. She opened her mouth to explain, but Olivia was already gone.

Tiffany looked at Richard. She hesitated. "Maybe I should sleep outside?"

Richard glanced at her. "Are you worried about being in the same room with me? Scared I might take advantage of you?"

Tiffany shook her head. "No."

"That's good," Richard said, sitting on the bed. "Then let's sleep."