Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)
Chapter 914

Their tent was no cramped cubbyhole for loners. It was a spacious canvas abode, room enough for a trio or quartet, akin to a miniature cabin.

Inside, a casual layer of blankets was strewn about the floor. In such close quarters, Agnes felt a pang of awkwardness at the thought of sharing the space with Ryder.

With a determined air, she stood, grasped a steaming mug, and stepped out of the tent. Ryder was right there, just outside. Gone was his white lab coat, his business suit shed. Instead, he donned casual wear, a stark contrast to his usual austere appearance.

Yet, even out of his professional attire, there was a calm, restrained aura about him. Offering the mug to Ryder, Agnes asked, "Do you want some water?"

He accepted the mug, holding it in his hands without taking a sip.

Agnes sighed, "You shouldn't have come here for me."

She knew what was going on, it was clear as day that Ryder had come for her. Her heart was a tangled mess, touched yet conflicted.

This was a dangerous place, and as a journalist, her job bestowed upon her a duty to remain detached. But Ryder was under no such obligation. He wasn't even a doctor anymore, but a businessman. "I'm worried about you," Ryder said, looking straight into Agnes' eyes, his emotions undisguised.

"Ryder, no matter how kind you are to me, I can't reciprocate," she began, "You know what happened last time at the hospital. I promised your mother I wouldn't see you again. To me, you were just a doctor at Nocturne, and now that you've left Novy Medical Team, Nocturne doesn't need you anymore. You're of no use to me."

Inside, Agnes wrestled with her conscience.

Ryder had come all this way to see her, and here she was, uttering such heart-wrenching words.

But it was precisely because he had come, disregarding danger, that Agnes realized how obsessed he was.

She didn't want him staying in such a perilous place for her sake. Her harsh words were meant to sting, to drive him away, to make him realize... she wasn't worth the trouble. Ryder's expression remained neutral, "So, you've been using me all along?"

Agnes steeled herself, "Yes, I've always been using you."

"Then keep using me. I still have a lot to offer. For instance, my investment in developing new drugs in Starling City could one day lead to a cure for Nocturne," he countered.

Agnes was taken aback by such humility from the typically aloof Ryder. She was at a loss for words.

"Just go back already. What's the point of staying here? Everyone knows you're my nephew. Since when do nephews chase after their aunts?"

Ryder's voice was faint, "Eventually, everyone will figure out that's not what we are."

"Ryder, how could you..."

Seeing Agnes' inexplicably irritated expression, Ryder chuckled, "Didn't you hear what your assistant said? There's been a landslide outside. The road is blocked, no one can come in, and no one can get out. Even if I wanted to leave, there's no way now."

Indeed, in the current situation, even if they wanted to leave, there was no way out.