?Chapter 702:


    The scream stopped as abruptly as it began, and soon the only sound that could be heard was our footsteps as we made our way down the empty corridor.


    asionally, eerie noises drifted from the corners—someone groaning in pain or a creature growling. Each sound sent shivers racing down my spine.


    However, I couldn’t afford to look scared in front of Bryan, so I braced myself and put on a facade of calmness. “Humph! This is not scary at all. It’s just dark with strange sounds.”


    “Still trying to act tough? It’s obvious you’re scared but trying not to show it,” Bryan said mockingly.


    “You have nothing to fear. I’ll protect you,” yton said, taking my hand in his.


    Bryan rolled his eyes at yton and scoffed, “ying hero, huh?”


    “At least it’s better than what you’re doing,” yton said, rolling his eyes too.


    Suddenly, a white figure swooshed down from above.


    “Ah!” I screamed in fright, jumping into yton’s arms.


    yton chuckled softly. “It’s nothing to be scared of. It’s just a prop,” he said, gently patting my head.


    Bryan pulled me out of yton’s arms and said, “What are you afraid of? Is this all there is to your courage? You’re a coward!”


    “I wasn’t scared! I was just trying to lighten the mood,” I snapped back at him.


    Then I braced myself and we continued to move.


    Bryan and yton walked on either side of me. Their silence, however, made me even more uneasy.


    The deeper we went, the more terrifying the haunted house became. asionally, a chilling breeze blew against my neck, causing me to shiver. Faint green lights flickered in the corners as though we were being watched. All of it sent shivers down my spine.


    We soon reached a small room.


    G  al  no vel s . holds tales worth reading


    As soon as we entered, the door mmed shut, trapping us inside.


    An evil-sounding voice echoed, “You must find the key for you to be able to leave this room. Failure to do so means you’ll be trapped here forever!” The message ended with a sinisterugh.


    “Ah!” I screamed again and instinctively dove toward yton. However, before I could make contact, I was dragged into Bryan’s embrace.


    “yton isn’t the only one capable of protecting you. I can too,” Bryan said.


    Makenna’s POV:


    Before I had a chance to react, Bryan’s hand brushed across my hip. As I felt his warm breath against my neck, I froze, startled.


    yton quickly took hold of my wrist, his voice edged with disapproval. “Don’t you think that’s a bit outrageous?”


    Bryan didn’t seem bothered and held me tighter around the waist. “To take the initiative is to gain the upper hand,” he joked.


    In the darkness, I couldn’t make out their faces clearly as they stared each other down, but I could sense the intense rivalry between them. It amplified the eerie atmosphere of the haunted house with its groaning floorboards and dim, flickering lights.


    yton’s grip on my wrist grew firmer, as if he was about to pull mepletely into his arms and challenge Bryan directly.


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