Chapter 520

A surge of inexplicable anger flared in Felicia’s chest. Her teeth were clenched so tightly her gums ached. A sharp pain, an emotion she couldn’t name, swelled rapidly within her—part frustration, part anxiety.

She looked up at Stephan, her glare fiercer than before. “You’re something else, aren’t you? Do you have a death wish? Falling from that height could have killed you!”

Her eyes reddened as the emotion peaked. Tears welled, blurring her vision. A tear rolled down her cheek. Felicia was stunned by her own reaction. In all the years of abandonment, wrongful accusations, and silently borne injustices—even after digging a bullet out of herself—she had never cried. But now? Damn it! She was dumbfounded.

Stephan’s gaze sharpened. That single tear seemed to burn him. His body tensed, his expression shifting instantly. His deep, dark eyes flickered with complex emotions before dimming completely. Before Felicia could react, he leaned in and kissed her.

It was a fierce, overwhelming kiss, brimming with dominance and fiery intensity, yet sometimes softening into tender reverence, as if he poured every unsaid word into the act. Felicia, still fretting over his injuries, found herself enveloped in his embrace. Stephan bit her lip, a reminder to focus. Emotions swirled within her—bittersweet and overwhelming. She closed her eyes and responded with equal fervor. In that moment, their passion seemed to fill the heavens and earth.

They pulled apart, gasping for breath, their foreheads still pressed together, noses touching, breaths intermingled. Felicia swayed, her cheeks flushed, as she met Stephan’s fiery gaze. She whispered, “Your injuries… Let me bandage them first.”

Stephan chuckled softly and released her. Felicia rummaged through her gear for her medical kit and treated Stephan’s hands by flashlight. The gravel was deeply embedded; cleaning the wounds was painstaking. Felicia frowned, her concentration unwavering, while Stephan watched with amused, lighthearted detachment.

Thankfully, she had brought her homemade Panax pseudo-ginseng. After disinfecting the wounds, she applied the medicine and wrapped his palms with gauze. “All done,” she sighed.

“There’s one more,” he said, giving her a meaningful look and glancing downward. “Something here hasn’t settled down. Care to help me out?”

Felicia was speechless, glancing down instinctively before snapping her head up, her face burning. It was a fire that had just begun. She looked skyward, obviously trying to feign ignorance, but Stephan caught her hand. His smile deepened, mischievous as he said, “I’m injured. Shouldn’t my wife lend me a hand?”

Words failed her. Her face burned unbearably. How could he make such a shameless request with such conviction? And she couldn't say no.

When it was over, Felicia shot him an indignant glare. Stephan let out a low laugh. In a half-serious, half-teasing tone, he said, “If not for our current location, I wouldn’t have let you off so easily.”

Felicia believed him. Despite the heat of their kiss, he hadn’t taken things further; he couldn’t bear to treat her callously in such a place.

Raising a brow, she refocused. “By the way, how did you find me? Your men said they split into multiple teams. Did you run into any of them?”