Chapter 515
Stephan's message to Maurice was loud and clear: stay away from Felicia. His approach was domineering, protective, and unapologetically bold, leaving no room for negotiation. It was a stark warning. Maurice scoffed and replied lazily, "Off-limits, eh? And what if I decide to touch her anyway?"
His subordinate wiped sweat from his brow and cautioned, "Mr. Glovers, with all due respect… she's not into you. You know what they say, forcing it just doesn't work."
"Forcing it doesn't work, huh?" Maurice mumbled, then chuckled. "Well, I'm not trying to make it work. I'm doing it just for the sake of doing it."
His subordinate choked, unable to argue. He thought, "Damn it. The logic is twisted, but somehow, it still makes sense." Still, was it really acceptable for his boss to openly defy Stephan like this?
The subordinate racked his brains and made one last attempt. "Mr. Glovers, there are plenty of beautiful women out there. You could have them lining up around the block. Why put all your eggs in one basket? Especially this one?"
Maurice burst out laughing—a deep, resonating laugh that made his chest heave. It was as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world. His men were completely baffled.
After a time, Maurice's laughter subsided. He dropped his gaze and muttered softly, almost inaudibly, "They're not her, and there won't be another like her…"
Meanwhile, Felicia found a safe spot to help the Fuller couple. She provided water, medical supplies, and instructions for self-treatment. They devoured the food and water, then finally had the energy to consider their situation: Felicia's presence and her connection to the dangerous man they knew as "Mr. Glovers." But after their ordeal, they didn't dare ask. Felicia offered no explanations. After rummaging through her bag, she produced more water, ration packs, and a satellite phone, handing them to the couple.
"Sebastian will be here soon. Just follow this path out, and once you're somewhere with a signal, use the phone to call him. After that, you'll be safe." She slung her bag over her shoulder, turned, and headed back.
The Fuller couple exchanged worried glances and hurried after her.
"Liria, aren't you coming with us? It's too dangerous over there! The fog is so thick! Your dad and I ran into a lot of ants!" Myra exclaimed.
"She's right, Liria. Let's leave together," Dexter added, wincing. An ant had bitten him earlier, and the pain now flared intensely.
Myra noticed his distress. "Darling, are you okay?"
Dexter collapsed, sweating profusely, clutching his leg. "Liria, please look! Your father was bitten by an ant! The wound…" Myra screamed as she pulled up Dexter's pant leg. The wound was swollen, oozing pus, and rotting—far worse than anyone imagined from an ant bite.
Felicia examined it. "Those weren't regular ants. They were bullet ants, possibly mutated. A single bite can hurt like a gunshot; in severe cases, it can be lethal."