Chapter 94 Rushing to Aid the Disaster Area
Sloane's POV
His anxious and worried look made me feel both touched and amused. I took the initiative to lift my head and kissed him on his tense jawline.
That kiss was like a switch - he instantly loosened his tight grip, but still held my face worriedly, his dark eyes full of seriousness as he began his long speech.
"When you get there, don't get too close to other men, especially those who seem to have ulterior motives toward you."
"Take care of yourself, eat on time, don't overwork yourself."
"Most importantly," he paused, his gaze falling on my belly, his tone more serious than ever, "protect this place. Don't let anything happen to it."
Looking at his tense, battle-ready expression, I couldn't help but laugh out loud and nodded solemnly: "Yes, sir, Mr. Montclair."
Only then was he satisfied. He personally escorted me to the security checkpoint and gave detailed instructions to the four bodyguards in black following behind me. His "if she loses a single hair, I'll hold you responsible" attitude drew frequent glances from passersby.
Boarding the plane, I found my seat where Jessie was already waiting.
"Sloane!" She waved excitedly at me. Once I sat down, she immediately leaned over like a chattering sparrow, "I saw everything just now! Oh my god, Mr. Jared is so handsome! The way he looks at you could drown someone!"
She cupped her face in her hands, full of envy and longing.
Her words made me a bit embarrassed, my cheeks warming slightly.
"Sloane," Jessie suddenly dropped her playful expression and looked at me carefully, asking tentatively, "Are you... still planning to divorce him?"
I met her curious gaze, my mind flashing back to Jared's guilty apology last night and this morning's nervous yet domineering embrace. My heart felt warm and soft.
I didn't speak, just shook my head gently under Jessie's expectant gaze, a bit shyly.
"That's wonderful!" Jessie cheered, genuinely happy for me. "I knew you two would work things out! I wish you both happiness!"
I accepted her blessing with a smile, and the sadness from parting in my heart faded quite a bit.
The plane passed through the clouds. After several hours of flight, we finally reached our destination.
We got off the plane and were immediately picked up by military jeeps and taken to the most severely affected village.
The vehicle bumped along the muddy dirt road. When we actually arrived at the village entrance, the scene before us made everyone gasp.
What was once a peaceful and serene village was now nothing but ruins. Houses had been uprooted, leaving only bare foundations. Thick trees were snapped in half, and everywhere were debris torn apart by violent winds and mud.
The air was filled with an oppressive mix of dust, blood, and rain.
Jessie covered her mouth, her usually smiling face now deathly pale, her eyes full of shock and disbelief.
My heart sank heavily too.
The makeshift medical station was set up in a relatively intact ancestral hall at the village entrance. The injured lay on the ground, their moans and cries rising and falling, almost lifting the roof. The heavy smell of blood mixed with disinfectant was dizzying.
Jessie led me through the crowded space to where a man was treating a patient's wounds.
Hearing movement, he looked up, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes when he saw me.
"Professor Reagan," Jessie quickly stepped forward to introduce me, "this is Dr. Sloane I mentioned to you!"
"You're Sloane?" Professor Reagan was clearly surprised by how young I was. He adjusted his glasses, his gaze falling on me, quickly turning to genuine admiration. "You wrote that paper on nerve regeneration induction? Remarkable, truly remarkable! I never expected to meet such an outstanding young person like you."
His praise was sincere and warm, quickly drawing the attention of several young male nurses nearby.
They found excuses to come over, eagerly greeting me with undisguised admiration in their eyes.
"Dr. Sloane, do you need any help? I can assist you!"
"Dr. Sloane, are you thirsty? Let me get you some water!"
But when their eyes inadvertently fell on my slightly rounded belly, their enthusiasm instantly cooled by half, turning into obvious disappointment.
I found it somewhat amusing but had no time to dwell on it. I immediately took off my coat, put on gloves, and quickly threw myself into the intense rescue work.
The casualties in the village were far more severe than what the media had reported.
I witnessed too many separations of life and death here.
A young girl I had just resuscitated lost her breath right in front of me the next second due to severe internal organ rupture. A man held his already cold wife, refusing to let go, his eyes empty, repeatedly mumbling something, as if he'd completely lost his mind.
Each time I had to pronounce someone dead, my heart clenched painfully.
I instinctively touched my belly, where a living little life was growing.
I had never missed Jared as intensely as I did at this moment. I missed his domineering yet warm embrace, his crisp and pleasant scent, and those dark eyes full of deep affection when he looked at me.
I had promised him I would protect this place.
This conviction sustained me, making me forget fatigue and hunger as I performed surgery after surgery with barely any rest.
It wasn't until late at night, after I finished treating the last patient with intracranial bleeding, that my taut nerves suddenly relaxed, and an overwhelming wave of exhaustion instantly engulfed me.
"Sloane, you need to rest. You look terrible!" Jessie supported my swaying body, her face full of concern.
I nodded and let her help me to a temporarily cleared rest room nearby.
The room was small, with only a camp bed. I lost consciousness almost as soon as I touched the bed.
In my sleep, I felt cold all over, as if submerged in ice water.
I instinctively tried to curl up, but felt rough hands pulling at my clothes.
I suddenly opened my eyes. In my blurry vision, a strange man was standing by my bed with his back to the door.
He wore a dark jacket that didn't belong to the medical team and was leaning down, trying to unbutton my shirt.
"Help!" I instantly became alert, all the blood in my body seeming to freeze at that moment. My scream caught in my throat, only producing a broken gasp.
My alarm clearly startled him. He paused, then turned around in embarrassed anger.