?Chapter 3054:


    Steven knelt closer. With deliberate care, he untied her shoe and slid it off. “Let’s get your pants up a bit.”


    “Ouch!”


    Elissa drew in a sharp breath as soon as his fingers brushed the tender spot.


    A few feet away, Ernest’s jaw tightened again. The sight made his patience fray.


    Couldn’t Steven be more careful?


    Ernest’s restraint wavered. He was ready to step in and take over himself.


    “Mr. Flynn.” Emma’s voice came from behind him. She was seated now, her injured foot stretched out in front of her. She held out her backpack with both hands. “There’s a bottle of spray in my bag. Could you get it for me?”


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    Ernest turned to her and epted the bag. For a brief moment, he just stared at it, feeling the weight in his chest. A momentter, he nodded. “Yeah, sure.”


    He unzipped the bag and searched inside. It didn’t take long before he found the spray.


    Emma had already removed her shoe and rolled her pant leg up to the knee. “Mr. Flynn, I can’t bend down… Could you spray my ankle for me? Inside and out, please.”


    For a moment, he didn’t move. Then, he lowered himself to one knee before her and sprayed the bottle at her ankle.


    “Thank you.” Emma smiled faintly. Then, she turned her head toward Elissa and asked with concern, “Elissa, is your injury serious?”


    Before Elissa could answer, Steven spoke up. “It looks pretty bad.”


    He had just finished spraying Elissa’s ankle, and the swelling was already noticeable beneath the shlight.


    Emma’s brow furrowed. “Should we still watch the sunrise?”


    “No,” Ernest interjected.


    The darkness cloaked his face, softening the hard lines of his expression. They shouldn’t be here waiting for some stupid sunrise. Not with both of them injured.


    “Let’s head back now.”


    There was no room for argument. A twisted ankle might seem minor, but if there was any damage to the bone or ligaments, waiting could make it worse.


    He straightened and extended his arm toward Elissa. “Come on.”


    “He’s right! Let’s head back now. Since you can’t walk, Elissa, I’ll carry you.” Steven turned his back to Elissa, crouched down, and patted his shoulder with a grin. “Hop on!”


    Ernest’s outstretched hand lingered in the air, unnoticed.


    Where did this Steven evene from, barging in and making thingsplicated?


    Elissa hesitated. Knowing her tendency to overthink, Steven reached for her hand and gave a gentle tug before she could refuse.


    She stumbled forward,nding squarely against his back. Her arms instinctively looped around his shoulders.


    “Up we go.” Steven rose to his feet with her on his back. He then turned slightly and nced at Emma, who still sat on the stone with her ankle stretched out. “Can you walk? If not, Mr. Flynn can carry you.”


    With that, Steven adjusted his hold on Elissa and began walking.


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