“Don’t talk like that, Charis. There’s still hope. We can find a way to overcome this.”
“No! Don’t try to talk me out of it. They’ve ruined me, and my life is shattered. I’ll never have the chance to be with you now. My only purpose in life is to make sure you witness Natalie’s death.”
“Charis, please don’t say that. There must be another way. We can find help.”
“I’m sorry for my parents, but I no longer want to live in this cruel world. If there’s an afterlife, I’ll repay you.”
Without further hesitation, Charis nodded decisively.
“No, Charis! Please, let’s find another solution. We can get through this together.”
But before Natalie could finish her plea, Charis jumped out of the window, pulling Natalie along with her.
Natalie screamed in terror as Brandon, who had been nearby, rushed towards the window and managed to grab Natalie’s outstretched hand.
“Hold on, Natalie! I won’t let you go!”
The combined weight of the two women and gravity began to drag Brandon down. His arms strained, veins popping, and sweat forming on his forehead.
“I won’t let you fall! Hold on!”
Natalie felt the immense pressure, torn between two opposing forces. She couldn’t bear to see Brandon go down with her.
“Charis, let go! Let go of me!”
Charis glared at Natalie, anger and curses almost escaping her lips. But in the next moment, she lost her grip on Natalie’s hand and plummeted to the ground.
A desperate shout echoed through the air as Charis landed motionless, blood pooling around her.
Natalie closed her eyes, unable to witness such a gruesome sight. She knew she was still in danger and had no time to dwell on Charis.
The harsh winter wind mixed with snow numbed Brandon’s arms. He could feel the sensation fading away as he struggled to maintain his grip on the window frame.
“Brandon, let me go. You can save yourself, but not both of us.”
Brandon ignored her plea and tightened his grip on her hand.
“You have to let go! It’s better if at least one of us survives.”
Unbeknownst to her, a small voice inside Natalie urged Brandon not to let her go.
“I won’t leave you. If you’re going to die, I’ll die with you.”
Time seemed to stand still as they hung there, the last two people on earth. Brandon couldn’t explain why he was so determined to stay by Natalie’s side, whether in life or death. He didn’t remember his past, but he knew that he couldn’t abandon her.
“Brandon Larson! Can’t you hear me? Let go!”
Natalie cried out in desperation, fearing for both their lives. She was terrified, but she was more afraid of losing Brandon.
Ignoring her pleas, Brandon held on tightly, refusing to let go.
Their hands slipped slowly from the edge of the window, and in an instant, their strength gave out. With screams of fear and shock, the two fell from the French window.
Natalie and Brandon plummeted towards the ground, feeling the rush of wind around them. But just as they thought their fate was sealed, a network of safety suddenly emerged from the window of the apartment below, catching them in its grasp. They landed on the nets, bouncing slightly from the impact, and looked up to see a crowd of rescuers and employees gathered at the window. noveloz.com
“Come on, give me a hand! Quickly!” one of the rescuers shouted.
With combined effort, the Larson team pulled Natalie and Brandon back through the window. Natalie was still in shock, trembling in Brandon’s arms. He too was gasping for air, his heart pounding with adrenaline.
It took Natalie a while to regain her composure. When she finally came to her senses, she raised her head and glared at Brandon, tears streaming down her face.
“Are you crazy? Why didn’t you let me go? If the rescuers hadn’t arrived in time, we would have died! Can’t you stop being so self-righteous for once? I didn’t need your help. You had a chance to live! You shouldn’t have risked it for me!”
Natalie had always believed that true love didn’t require such extreme tests, and sacrificing oneself for another was foolish. Brandon couldn’t comprehend her perspective either. He had always considered himself selfish and cold-hearted, never expecting to do something like this for a woman he barely knew.
Bitterly smiling, he gently brushed Natalie’s hair with his hand. “How could I let you go? I was more scared than you. I knew I would regret any choice I made, so I thought it was better to die with you than to live alone.”
Speechless, tears continued to flow down Natalie’s cheeks. She didn’t agree with what he had done, but fortunately, they both survived. Brandon kissed her forehead and patted her back gently.
“Take it easy. We made it,” he reassured her, then stood up.
As he helped Natalie to her feet, he noticed Garrett, his eyes red from emotion. Brandon walked over to him and playfully punched his shoulder.
“Damn it! I was starting to think you wouldn’t come to help us,” he said, his voice thick with gratitude. “Thank you, Mr. Harding.”
