A Heart Shattered by an Earthquake

Reuben chose to stay behind to rescue me. He desperately tried to remove the debris from above me, but his strength alone was not enough. It was like trying to put out a blazing fire with one cup of water at a time.

But he still continued to encourage me and told me to not worry.

I was moved by his warm actions.

After who knew how long, Steven ran past us frantically while carrying Wendy. The woman was lying in his arms looking weak but seemingly no worse for wear.

The only person he cared about was Wendy, and he had completely forgotten about his still-trapped wife.

Reuben, who had bloody nails from lifting the debris, furiously grabbed hold of Steven and pointed at me.

"Steven! Your pregnant wife is still trapped under the rubble, but all you care about is rescuing Wendy? Are you even human?"

Truth be told, I didn't know Reuben that well. I'd only run into him a few times when I visited Steven at his dorm. The young lad was always cheery and would always greet me enthusiastically.

However, in the next second, a stone-faced Steven roared, "Wendy's fingers are injured. Do you not know how important hands are to a doctor? This could potentially ruin her career! Also, that is my wife and child. What have they got to do with you, exactly?"

His gaze landed on me before returning to Reuben, a sneer spreading across his face.

"You seem quite concerned about Yelena. Surely, you're not having an affair with that woman behind my back?"

I nearly snorted in anger. How could he possibly say such indignant words while carrying another woman and refusing to save me?

Reuben was also so angry that he was rendered speechless.

However, he still couldn't leave me behind and insisted on having others come assist in my rescue.

Steven warned him icily, "Reuben, you're only a rookie on this team. Your whole career is in my hands. If you dare disobey me again, I'll transfer you to the borders right away. I'm sure you know how difficult life is over there."

Reuben was unfazed, not when it came down to my safety.

Seeing this, Steven lowered his voice even more. "If you don't want to consider your own position, then at least think about your parents who are still working for the Hough family."

Reuben's mother was a housekeeper, and his father was a security guard. Both of them had been working for the Houghs for the past 20 or so years.

Steven's words hit a nerve. Reuben's face immediately paled, and hesitation colored his eyes.

Steven felt smug seeing his subordinate fall in line.

"You're so concerned about her, but you really shouldn't be fooled by the act she puts on. She has always been an arrogant person who behaves like a punk, going around bullying others just because her family is wealthy.

"She once locked Wendy in an abandoned classroom just so she would miss an important competition, despite knowing Wendy had claustrophobia.

"As a result, Wendy fell ill for an extended period of time. She not only missed the competition but also missed the chance to secure a spot in the postgraduate research program.

"Also, when Wendy got mad at me and left, Yelena took advantage of the opportunity to become pregnant with my child, then forced me to marry her. Now, she's pulling the same stunt again to have me save her, all because she's not satisfied and wants Wendy dead!

"She's truly a calculative person. Since she enjoys putting on a pitiful act, then let her stay in the rubble for now!"

Then, with Wendy firmly nestled in his arms, he turned around without so much as another glance back.

Reuben was so frantic that there were tears in his eyes.

"Yelena, don't be scared. I'll think of a way to get you out!" he said with a trembling voice.

Not long after, I felt the earth shake again. Debris started to cave in around me, and dust fell into my eyes and mouth.

A slab of concrete fell on me hard, and I think I heard the sound of bones breaking. My organs felt like they were being crushed to nothing.

I felt a warmth spreading from my head and my lower body, and my breathing became labored.

I could hear Reuben yelling frantically from somewhere close by, but I didn't have the strength to respond anymore.

The world around me turned dark, eventually swallowing my consciousness with it.