Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)
Chapter 919

Agnes sipped at her soup listlessly.

With hardly an appetite, it seemed to gradually restore her strength.

"Where's Ryder?" Agnes asked, breaking the silence.

Ramona hesitated, "Uh... you sure you don't want some more? I could fix you another bowl?"

Something didn't sit right with Agnes. She pressed Ramona for answers on Ryder's whereabouts, but Ramona found an excuse to slip away quickly.

Agnes didn't have the strength to get out of bed yet.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Soon enough, Ben entered the room, and Agnes asked anxiously, "Ben, where's Ryder?"

Ben was evasive, skirting around the question.

Agnes grew more suspicious. Something had to have happened to Ryder, and worry gnawed at her.

Determined, she tried to get up, but after a few steps, she nearly collapsed.

Ben rushed to support her.

"You can't get up now; you're still injured," Ben insisted.

"Then tell me what's going on. Where is Ryder? What happened to him?" Agnes demanded.

Ben sighed deeply, "Agnes, Mr. Whitfield didn't want us to worry you with his condition."

"What's happened to him?"

"Ryder's hurt. You were trapped under that dilapidated building, and Ryder worked tirelessly, risking aftershocks, to pull you out. With no rescue gear, he moved those boulders by hand to replace you. But as the building came down, he fell, and a huge rock crushed his right arm - it's a compound fracture."

Agnes felt her world spin at those last words.

A compound fracture. How could this happen?

"Where's Ryder now?"

Ben let out a weary breath, "He's in the room next door, getting by with the little medical supplies we have. His condition's getting worse by the minute..." Somehow, Agnes found the strength to stand.

She headed for the medical room next door, but Ben stepped in front of her.

"It's no use going there now. You're injured yourself and shouldn't be walking around."

"Ben, let me go. I need to see Ryder!"

In the midst of their argument, Ramona burst in with news, "The mountain road's clear! The rescue team will be here any minute now!"

A wave of relief washed over Ben.

They had been stranded for five days, isolated by severe weather. Not even helicopters could reach them.

They had no power, enough food, clean water, and medical supplies, but there were countless injuries and constant aftershocks.

They had brushed with death more times than they could count.

Now, at last, there was hope, but Agnes had no time for relief; her mind was on Ryder.

Breaking free from Ben's grasp, she staggered toward the medical room.

Ryder was indeed there, sitting with his right arm crudely splinted with a stick and wrapped in gauze. Another volunteer was with him.

"I heard the rescue team is almost here. Thank goodness, considering your arm. One more day and it might've needed amputation," said the volunteer. Ryder's expression barely changed.

With his back to the door, he hadn't seen Agnes at the entrance.

"Got any more painkillers?" Ryder asked.