?Chapter 569:


    As we spoke, the rain, which had been falling steadily, began to let up.


    I nced up at the sky, watching the clouds part. Turning back to Dominic, I spoke quickly. “We should get out of here. We don’t know how long until the rescue team arrives.”


    Dominic nodded, his jaw set. “Agreed. Let’s go.”


    He stood, straightening his clothes with a practiced motion, and then reached out, taking my hand in his. He led the way, guiding me out of the cave.


    Outside, the dense underbrush was like a maze, and without hesitation, Dominic cleared the path, his movements quick and decisive, ensuring I was shielded from harm at every step.


    As I followed behind him, watching his tall frame cut through the wilderness, a flicker of gratitude stirred inside me.


    Maybe Dominic wasn’t as terrible as I had once believed… Yet, despite his efforts, the bottom of the cliff seemed endless, stretching on without offering a clear way out. The weight of our situation settled heavily on my shoulders. Were we truly going to be trapped here?


    Just then, I heard the faintest rustling in the bushes ahead.


    Dominic and I exchanged a silent nce, instinctively freezing in ce.


    Dominic stepped closer, shielding me with his body, his eyes sharp and calcting as he focused on the movement in the foliage. He whispered, his voice low, “Be careful.”


    I nodded, my fists clenching in a mix of tension and fear. My heart pounded, each beat louder than thest.


    The bushes shifted as Dominic slowly parted them, the moment stretching with each passing second. And then, through the gap, a figure emerged—one I never thought I’d see.


    I stared in shock, disbelief flickering in my eyes. “Bryan!” I called, my voice shaking with relief and disbelief, as I waved at him.


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    In an instant, all the fear, all the tension I’d been carrying, melted away.


    Makenna’s POV:


    Bryan emerged from the bushes, striding toward me with urgency.


    Sunlight broke through the clouds, spilling down in golden rays that kissed his sharp features, highlighting his strong jawline and intense gaze. His eyes, wide with surprise, excitement, and urgency, made me feel as though the very air had been knocked from my lungs.


    Yet, despite his presence, a nervous knot twisted in my stomach, the memories of my feigned death, the lie I told to escape the pce,ing back to haunt me. The guilt of that escape lingered like an ufortable shadow.


    “Prince Bryan…” I began, unsure of where to even start, lost for words, my thoughts in turmoil. How could I exin everything?


    Before I could gather my wits, Bryan was already upon me, pulling me into his embrace with such force that it felt as if the world itself had folded around us.


    “Bryan…” I gasped, wide-eyed with shock, frozen in ce, unable to react.


    His embrace was warm, engulfing me like a storm, and all I could do was stand there, confused, at a loss for what to do next.


    I tried to speak again, my voice trembling, soft, almost uncertain. “Bryan?”


    But Bryan didn’t answer. He only held me tighter, as though trying to pull me inside him, burying his head into the crook of my neck. My skin tingled with the sensation of his breath, and I felt the warmth of something damp against my skin.


    Was it tears?


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