Chapter 523
Whenever Felicia was hurt, wronged, misunderstood, or maligned, she remained silent. At most, she'd brush it off with a smile, acting as if nothing could ever affect her. Because of this, those who hurt her—even the Fuller couple—never saw her pain or vulnerability. They couldn't see the scars etched into her heart, repeatedly wounding her.
How could he not feel for her?
This time was no exception. Upon hearing the false news of his grave injury and disappearance, Felicia set out immediately. Her bag was packed with first aid supplies, medication, surgical tools, and suturing equipment. And yet, she hadn't mentioned a word of her worry and anxiety.
Even though Felicia hadn't voiced them, Stephan perceived her feelings. The moment she saw him, a light flashed in her eyes, even unbeknownst to Felicia herself.
Stephan's gaze softened. To allow Felicia to sleep more comfortably, he carefully shifted her from his back into his arms. Then, with one hand free, he adjusted her jacket hood to shield her face from the glare of the surrounding flashlights.
Once settled, he turned to the dazed Johanna and frowned. "You're here. Where's Imogen?"
Johanna bit her lip and dramatically recounted the story. She claimed both she and Imogen had been devastated by the news of his injury and disappearance, and had hurried to find him.
"Stephan, I was so worried about you. I begged Imogen to let me come and look for you. Luckily, I found you. If I hadn't… I wouldn't have known what to do…"
Her words were pitiful, with an unmistakable hint of self-aggrandizement. Combined with her disheveled appearance, she presented a convincing, if disingenuous, picture. With anyone else, her story might have elicited sympathy. Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Stephan.
He gave her a once-over and asked bluntly, "Where are the others?"
The implication was clear: he didn't believe Johanna had come alone. Even if her actions were genuine, her story was likely embellished. Johanna faltered, unable to respond.
"Mr. Russell!" Andy Wolowitz, the group leader, couldn't hide his relief and excitement. He greeted him with a booming voice.
In response, he received a sharp, warning glare from Stephan. "Quiet!"
A subordinate quickly reminded him, "Lower your voice. Don't wake Mrs. Russell."
It was then that Andy noticed the slender figure resting in Stephan's arms. He immediately fell silent and lowered his voice, reporting, "Sir, Ms. Russell is waiting outside the rainforest. She followed us from Seldvale despite being heavily pregnant. We tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen. When we got here, Ms. Russell wanted to come with us. After much persuasion, she reluctantly agreed to stay outside, but insisted Ms. Rosario join us to look for you. Thankfully, we found you."
Andy's tone was flat and unemotional. Unlike Stanley, he wasn't one for dramatics; he simply stated the facts. Yet, even this calm man's expression twisted briefly as he finished his report.
What Andy didn't say was that the journey had been a nightmare. Johanna, who refused to carry anything and couldn't walk far without complaining, had nearly driven the team to their breaking point. Nearly everyone had taken turns carrying her, yet she complained incessantly. During one rest stop, she refused to sit on the dirty ground, insisting on a cleaner spot. She ended up near a waterhole, accidentally attracting crocodiles. The team almost died because of it.