<h4>Chapter 522: A Tense Moment!</h4>


    Elias lit up with excitement. "Yay! Mommy, what yummy things can we find on this ind?"


    E shook her head. "I don’t know, sweetie. I’ve never been here before. Look over there... it looks like there are some wild fruits." She chuckled softly.


    "Those fruits are poisonous. Highly toxic," Logan warned in a low voice.


    E nced at him deliberately but said nothing. She took Elias by the hand and continued searching. However, since she had a child with her, she didn’t dare venture too deep into the wilderness.


    They circled the coastline, but aside from the toxic fruits Logan had mentioned, there was nothing edible to be found.


    What now?


    Were they really going to go hungry?


    E’s mouth was dry as she led Elias back to their original spot, only to find that Logan had drawn arge "HELP" in the sand. Meanwhile, he had gathered a good amount of mussels from the shore.


    Logan started a fire and silently roasted the shellfish.


    E suddenly felt that Logan might actually be useful.


    Sure, the ne was out of fuel, but at least they weren’t trapped on the research ind with that lunatic.


    Even though she had her hidden weapon in her bracelet, it didn’t guarantee smooth sailing. If anything unexpected happened, she and Elias could easily end up in a dire situation.


    "They’re ready. Here," Logan said, handing over a skewer of roasted mussels.


    E took it and passed it to Elias. "Try it, sweetheart."


    The little boy took a bite of the slightly charred mussel and grimaced. "It’s so bad..."


    E was speechless.


    Of course, it wouldn’t taste as good as home-cooked food. Back in Country S, barbecue came with all sorts of seasonings—this was just in survival food.


    "You have to eat, even if it doesn’t taste good. Otherwise, what will you do if you starve?" E patted his head gently, smiling.


    "Mommy, I’m thirsty!"


    Logan stood up. "I have half a bottle of water left."


    While E and Elias were searching the ind earlier, he had gone back to the ne and found the bottle he had been drinking from.


    E frowned. She didn’t want her son drinking from something Logan had already used, but...


    "Drink some first," she said cautiously.


    Logan had no choice but to take a small sip to prove it was safe.


    Elias’ throat was parched. The harsh sea wind only made the thirst worse. Though it was winter, the sun was warm, and their bodies were rapidly losing moisture.


    After drinking some water and eating a few mussels, E took Elias back to the ne.


    Another day passed.


    Food was running out.


    The half bottle of water had dwindled to a third.


    E’s lips were dry and cracked, but she still refused to take even a sip, fearing that if they ran out, Elias would be dehydrated.


    What should she do? Why hadn’t Erice yet?


    While searching the ne, E found a stash of bread—clearly Logan’s. The man was stunned that she had discovered his hidden food supply.


    E instantly became more wary.


    So, this guy had been hoarding food all along? Was he nning to starve her and her son to death?


    Thatrge bag of bread was enough to feed all three of them for several days.


    But without water, E had no choice but to collect tiny amounts of morning dew for her and Elias.


    By the second day—


    Eric still hadn’t arrived.


    Meanwhile, Eric had flown back to a location with a signal, taking seven to eight hours to do so. He had received updates from Lucas but found no news about Logan, E, or Elias. Anxious beyond belief, he refueled and immediately flew back.


    This detour had cost them an entire day.


    But E knew nothing about this.


    To her, Logan was just another member of the Scott family, no different from Mason and his scheming ways.


    After collecting more dew on the second morning, she returned to the beach, scanning the area as if looking for something.


    Elias watched in confusion. "Mommy, what are you looking for?"


    "I’m looking for my gun... I think I lost it," E murmured softly, her voice low, yet it was just loud enough for Logan, standing not too far away, to hear.


    A glint of cold light shed through Logan’s eyes.


    In life-and-death situations, people were always selfish.


    E searched around, but when she couldn’t find it, she had no choice but to give up and return to the ne with her son.


    After eating a little bread, Elias weakly tugged at E’s sleeve. "Mommy... I’m so thirsty. When can we have water again?"


    The little bit of morning dew they had collected was far from enough to quench their thirst. E’s eyes reddened. "Just hold on a little longer, sweetheart. Daddy will be here soon!"


    She looked at her son’s chapped lips—hers were no better.


    Elias nodded drowsily, too exhausted toin anymore. E ced him in his seat. "Sleep well. When you wake up, Daddy will be here."


    "Really? Yay!" Hearing E’s promise, little Elias happily closed his eyes.


    Children were innocent. They never truly understood the dangers they were in.


    E, however, didn’t want to tell him the truth—that she wasn’t entirely sure they’d be rescued. All she could do was wait.


    As Elias drifted off for his afternoon nap, E also shut her eyes, resting her hand inside her pocket.


    Her fingers curled around the cold metal of her gun.


    It was still there.


    She had never really lost it.


    E was merely testing Logan. The man was cunning—he had hidden food from her, clearly hoping she and Elias would starve.


    She couldn’t have a walking time bomb by her side.


    If he was willing to hoard food, who knew what else he was capable of? Maybe one day, when she was too weak to resist, he would turn on her.


    So... she needed this test.


    Would Logan make his move now, believing she was unarmed?


    At that moment.


    Beneath the ne, Logan slowly stood up, a sinister smile curling at his lips.


    Her gun is gone. Perfect.


    The only thing that had stopped him from striking earlier was the threat of E’s gun. He had long wanted to fight back—he hated being threatened by a woman.


    Of course, even if they managed to escape, the Scott family would eventually fall, and he wouldn’t be able to secure a good future.


    After thinking it over, he concluded that killing E was his best option. If she died, no one would know what had happened on the research ind.


    That way, Logan could return to the Scott family and regain Mason’s trust. He wouldn’t have to return to a life of poverty.


    Logan and Isaac were from the same bloodline, distant rtives of Mason. But overall, Mason had treated him well. If he really helped E escape, it would mean the downfall of the Scott family.


    Now that her gun was gone, how could he pass up this opportunity?


    Gripping the thick hunting stick he had picked up earlier, Logan took slow, deliberate steps toward the ne’s cabin.


    E’s eyes snapped open.


    She saw Logan stepping inside, his face cold and cruel, a wicked smirk ying at his lips.


    She curled her own lips slightly.


    This man was exactly as she had expected—kind on the surface, but deep down, just as vicious and treacherous as Mason and Isaac.


    "What do you think you’re doing?" E asked in a low voice, careful not to wake Elias.


    Logan sneered. "What do you think? Obviously... I’m going to kill you."


    E remained calm, watching him. "I knew I was right about you. A smiling tiger in disguise. But... can you at least leave Elias out of this? You could tell my husband that you saved him. He would be grateful to you."


    Logan shook his head. "I’m not that stupid. If I leave the kid alive, he could testify against me."


    E tightened her grip on the gun in her pocket. Her palms were damp with sweat.