Chapter 286

Christina frowned, but William was dead set on staying, using work as an excuse, which left her with no way to refuse.

"Fine, come in then."

With no other choice, Christina stepped aside, letting William enter. She turned away, not wanting to look at him, and bent down to open her suitcase, searching for the documents.

Christina's room was on the first floor, and the sunlight streaming through the window lit up her pale face. Her long eyelashes cast shadows, making it hard to read her emotions.

William was entranced, only snapping out of it when Christina shoved the contract into his hand.

"Here's the contract. Can you leave now?"

Her voice was cold and emotionless. William tightened his grip on the contract, wanting to find another excuse to stay, but the ground suddenly shook!

The ceiling beams began to collapse, and Christina nearly fell.

"Watch out!"

William quickly pulled Christina into his arms, moving them to the side just in time to avoid a falling beam.

The shaking intensified, and they quickly realized it was an earthquake. The ground shook violently, and debris rained down.

Christina had no choice but to let William protect her, her heart pounding.

"William..."

She wanted to suggest they escape, but William's steady voice interrupted her.

"Don't be scared. I'm here. I won't let you get hurt."

William scanned the room and quickly chose a spot. He led Christina to a corner, a relatively safer spot despite the danger.

"Cough, cough..."

The dust from the earthquake made Christina cough violently. William, still holding her, grabbed a bottle of water from the corner and tore a piece of his shirt, wetting it.

"Cover your mouth and nose. Save your strength. We'll figure out how to get help once it calms down."

They hadn't expected an earthquake right after arriving. Christina struggled to cover her mouth and nose with the damp cloth. When the shaking subsided, she noticed William's left leg was pinned by a beam, and he was covered in injuries.

Even his face had scratches. In contrast, Christina had only a few scrapes on her arm, thanks to William's protection.

"William, are you okay?"

Seeing his severe injuries, Christina's heart tightened. She didn't realize she was gripping his hand, her body trembling.

"Don't worry. I'm still here with you."

William forced a smile, wincing as it pulled at a cut on his lip.

"You're not okay!"

Christina's eyes filled with tears. "You risked your life to protect me!"

She looked at the beam pinning his legs and around the room. After several aftershocks, the ground was still.

Christina bit her lip and tried to move the beam, but it was too heavy.

"Don't waste your strength. Rest for now. We need to conserve our energy."

Seeing her red eyes, William smiled and handed her the remaining half bottle of water.

"Drink some water. We're in a village. Help will come."

Water was crucial after an earthquake. The half bottle they had could save their lives, but William gave it to her without hesitation.

Christina bit her lip and pushed the bottle back to him.

"No, you drink first."

Reluctantly, William took a sip, then watched until Christina did the same before relaxing.

"Help! Is anyone there?"

After resting, Christina called out, but only silence answered.

Her phone was on the bed, just out of reach, blocked by debris. They were trapped, and William's legs were pinned. If they stayed like this, he might lose his legs.

Christina was desperate, trying to move the beam every few minutes. Fortunately, there was some space between the beam and William's legs, preventing further damage.

Looking at the injured William, she saw how exhausted he was, his eyes drooping.

"William, stay awake! Let's talk. You wanted to spend time with Harper, right? If we get out of this, I'll let you take Harper out."

William struggled to open his eyes, smiling weakly at the blurry Christina.

"Okay..."

"You wanted to see me more often, right? If you survive, I'll let you see me twice a week, no, three times!"

Christina wiped her tears, her heart aching. William had saved her repeatedly, protecting her during the earthquake, but he was severely injured.

If he passed out, he might never wake up.

She resented him for their daughter's sake, but she couldn't accept him. In her past life, her daughter never got to see William before she died.

No matter his reasons, Christina could coexist with him now but would never accept him again.

"Is anyone there? Help!"

Seeing William about to close his eyes, Christina screamed in desperation.