Chapter 11 A Desperate Search
The Empty House543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCuF4WDL88
Nick's heart pounded as he and Kyle pushed through the creaking doorway of the abandoned house. Dust swirled in the dim light filtering through broken windows, and the air was thick with decay.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDwg5R9VT9
"She was here," Kyle muttered, eyes scanning the overturned chair and the faint scuff marks on the wooden floor.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PKqcOJuzF
Nick didn't respond. He was too busy searching for something—anything—that would tell them where she'd been taken. His fists clenched. The idea of Chrissy being trapped here, terrified and alone, made his blood boil.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGOl0nt9I8
Kyle knelt near the doorway, brushing his fingers against the floor. "Footsteps," he muttered. "Leading out." He stood, eyes meeting Nick's. "They took her into the woods."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCp6mV8Ro6
Nick's pulse jumped. Without another word, both of them bolted outside.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMx3wBScei
The Cliffside543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTUJ3cwcGs
The trail was erratic, leading them deeper into the dense trees, weaving between roots and rocks. When they finally broke through the forest, Nick skidded to a stop, heart hammering.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9obOkyk40
Kyle sucked in a breath beside him.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW98zLbLbXY
The path ended at a sheer cliff.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQGlUVKvza
Nick's stomach twisted as he stepped forward, peering down at the jagged rocks below. The waves crashed violently against them, white foam churning in the restless water.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzfzLe0jQv
Kyle exhaled sharply. "She jumped."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgNVT66Lzd
Nick's throat tightened. "Then she's..."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiykrrF2oH
Gone?543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5T54H0I5x
No. No way.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbLe36Vyrm
Kyle turned to him, eyes serious. "She's more like her mother than her father, Nick. She's a survivor."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8usGwjVg2X
Nick swallowed hard, his heart warring between fear and hope.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VVS6STZhy
If she had survived the fall... where was she now?543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TY6sl3UYM
The Ocean's Secret543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0H5a7cZmSG
Chrissy's body was weightless, suspended in the cool embrace of the ocean. She had been sinking, tumbling with the currents, but as her heart calmed, something strange happened.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59dWIWug0z
She wasn't running out of air.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJmjc1D0ox
Her lungs didn't burn.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiqAQT17yr
Instead, she felt... at peace.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAs3guRX17z
She opened her eyes, the sunlight filtering through the water in shimmering beams. And then—something caught her attention.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDXQoSyXSr
A glimmer in the sand below.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrTQQqNmq1
Kicking her feet, she swam downward, her fingers brushing against the object. It was a small, smooth piece of sea glass—its vibrant blue-green color glowing faintly. It reminded her of the compass she'd found in the hidden cave.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTJjKHcO55
Her fingers closed around it, and a strange warmth pulsed through her palm.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtB65a0nhE
She didn't have time to think about what it meant. She needed to get back.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2KpG6rqsR
Turning, she propelled herself toward the one place she knew she'd be safe.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqp2ntNsqj
The cave.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0c9N0RaiAX
Maddie's Jealousy543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVSklhlMUy
Back at the book nook, Maddie sat in a chair near the counter, pretending to read while keeping her ears open. She watched as Nick and Kyle stormed back in, their faces tight with frustration.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVxOgxhm9g
"She's gone," Nick muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "We checked everywhere."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJiaUM1Prx
Kyle exhaled, glancing out the window. "Then where is she?"543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCISFaRWHkx
Maddie's stomach twisted. The way they were acting—so desperate to find Chrissy—it made her insides burn.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKylJrPXUE
Nick didn't care that Maddie was sitting right there. He turned to Kyle with barely controlled panic. "She's out there somewhere. We need to think."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDu6Z9IrOss
Maddie's grip on her book tightened.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnEpI1jOZU
She bit the inside of her cheek, jealousy rising like bile. Why did everything have to revolve around Chrissy? Why did Nick always put her first? And Kyle—he wasn't much better. He acted so indifferent, but he always showed up when she needed saving.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLGpf0DFPl
Maddie clenched her jaw. It wasn't fair.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnp0eBsdmG
Chrissy had two guys willing to go to the ends of the earth for her. Maddie had no one.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsjSQiq9mb
It wasn't just about the boys, though. It was about what Chrissy represented. The power. The mystery. The attention.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkr76CuZOE
And Maddie was getting sick of it.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjrbF7oJgZ
Nick's Realization543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSSWsaJlJK
Nick paced, his mind racing. If she wasn't at the lighthouse, the book nook, or anywhere in town...543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOd3TQiIOTl
His hands curled into fists.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDk4j58T2S
She was somewhere safe.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8N6R3Y19f
And there was only one place where no one else could find her.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkoss1hz9m
His stomach clenched.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMaXjVzEDM
"The cave."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD26q1Qzqfz
Kyle's head snapped up. "What?"543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQboR82xYu
Nick exhaled sharply, trying to mask his urgency. "I think I know where she is."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fl3KIQJHH
Kyle's eyes narrowed. "Then let's go."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpJPGZlWdt
Nick hesitated.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUt4T9c4X6
If Kyle went with him... and he found Chrissy first...543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7GXylJbVB
He didn't let himself finish the thought.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERy2Qakg87
"I'll meet you there," Nick said abruptly, turning toward the door.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv23MmGj2XI
Before Kyle could argue, Maddie stepped in front of him, arms crossed. "Where are you going?"543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhReOpBHODj
Nick narrowed his eyes. Not now.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67hcYNT3Mi
He forced his voice to stay even. "Kyle and I have one more place to check."543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVsAWuimg8
Maddie's gaze flickered with suspicion. "Where?"543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsF0PBYKNl
Nick didn't answer. Instead, he pushed past her and walked straight out of the book nook before she could pry any further.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH4KCnlwrO
He didn't stop.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplgZIRpQPC
Didn't look back.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQa2MglGPo
Because every second he wasted here...543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7RdG0cDmi
Was a second Chrissy was alone in that cave.543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLgFoTHTHA
543Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX87OBOLjvt
And he wasn't going to let her stay alone.
ns216.73.216.176da2
and then Add to home screen.