Ch 71

Ch 71
Ian first saw the shattered pillars of the bridge, then a wavering figure stepped out to meet him, a small dog barking frantically at his heels. 
Ian jumped down from his saddle and Toby leapt into his arms.
 A baby's cries could be clearly heard over the roar of the river.
“Where's my omega, Philips?”
“Still in the car, milord. With the maid and the baby. The footman's a little hurt, but he'll be alright. I sent him for help. It was the floodwater that caused the bridge pillars to collapse as we drove over...If we make any sudden movements, it'll cause the rest of the bridge to collapse.”
 Ian put the dog down and ran along the bank, the coachman on his heels.
 When he reached the carriage, Ian had to fight the urge to jump straight into the water to save his family.
“We need ropes, horses and... Ah, thank God, there's Murrow!”
The carpenter galloped down the hill, pulling his wagon team along. 
When he reached the bank, he braked with the reins. 
The men with him jumped down from the cart and began to unhitch the horses.
“Eden! Eden!” Ian screamed at the top of his lungs. 
At last, he could faintly hear her voice.
“Ian! We're alive, but we're sinking deeper and deeper because of the current!”
“We're coming in!”
Ian threw off his jacket and boots, tied a rope around his waist and grabbed another, then threw himself into the bubbling water. 
Behind him, he heard Murrow doing the same. 
The water was not very deep, but the current was violent, carrying branches torn from the banks. 
Ian struggled to reach the carriage and secure his rope, then reached over to cut the bonds of the horses entangled in the sedan's stretchers. 
Their heavy bodies were carried away by the current, which lifted the carriage a little. 
Ian climbed back onto the passenger compartment, while other men crossed the river to tie down ropes. He was now standing above the door window, which faced the sky.
 A large plank had twisted through the door. 
Jungkook managed to open it a little and called out again:
“Eden!”
“Here! Take the baby!” Eden replied.
At last Ian saw him, very pale in the darkness.
 He was horrified to see that Eden’s lips were already blue.
“Yes, put her on”
Ian managed to spread the door further apart, slip his arms inside and pull the screaming, wriggling bundle up into his hands.
“I'll be right back. Hang on, Eden!”
Ian slid down the cabin, careful not to make it wobble again.
 As he entered the water, a line of men formed a chain to slow the current and allow him to cross safely.
“I'll take the little lady, Milord," said Philips, when he had joined him on the bank. Don't worry, I have got grandchildren
Ian looked at the small, red face clenched between the folds of the blanket. 
He saw the brown eyes turned to his, and something opened in his heart.
“I love you," he whispered to her before placing her in the coachman's hands.
“Keep her warm and dry," he recommended.
“We've tied up the carriage well enough so that it won't move," the coachman said, taking the child from him. 
All we have to do is lift the plank and we can open the door.
Ian returned to the car to get his omega out of danger.
“I'm scared Ian, please get me out of here!”
“I'm here, my angel, we're going home," Ian tried to reassure.
But deep down, he was afraid, afraid of losing Eden, the love of his life, the mother of his daughter, how could he look at himself in the mirror if something happened to Eden?
But it still took a lot of effort to free the door and open it. 
Eden pushed Mary out first, feeling guilty at having dragged her into this incident, and held out her arms to her husband.
Just then, the car began to shake and the current grew stronger, but Ian couldn't let go of Eden’s hand.
“Darling.” Eden’s voice almost inaudible.
 “You must let go of my hand or the current will take us both away.”
“So be it, but there's no way I'm letting go of this hand.”
“No Ian , think of Amara, she can't lose both her parents at the same time. I won't forgive myself”
“Eden, please don't, you can't ask me to do that”
With the rain, their hands were slipping and Eden knew that if Ian kept insisting, she'd take him down with her. 
Ian knew it too, but he couldn't bring himself to let go.
Suddenly, due to the current of water, a tree collapsed beside the sedan, prompting Eden to let go of Ian’s hand.
“No no no no EDEN!!!”
All around became silent. 
Everything had disappeared, the sound of the water current, the sedan, the cries of Ian’s henchmen, but above all Eden had disappeared, swept away by the current.