Three Years Wasted I Married Mr. Right novel Chapter 162

Chapter 162

The earthquake struck with unstoppable force, and in the blink of an eye, the ground split open and houses crumbled into dust.

Annabelle clutched her bag, watching in horror as Sophia dashed back into the building. She screamed at her, “Don’t go, Sophia!”

With the ground still trembling and the old house nearly falling apart, Annabelle was scared out of her mind that Sophia wouldn’t make it back out.

But Sophia didn’t even blink. Without a second thought, she rushed inside and kicked open Sierra’s bedroom door.

“Derek! Sierra! Wake up! Earthquake!” Sophia shouted at the top of her lungs.

Derek and Sierra had been sleeping soundly, but the loud bang of the door slamming against the wall jerked them awake.

When they heard it was an earthquake, they were still groggy and confused.

Sophia didn’t bother explaining. She scooped up their clothes, clutching them to her chest. “Come on. We need to get outside now–it’s safer in the open,” she urged.

The earthquake’s ferocity hit, and suddenly, Sophia was dragged back to the nightmare of seven years ago. She knew just how horrifying this was.

She pulled Sierra off the bed as the floor beneath them started to heave and buckle, like crashing waves in a

storm.

The lights snapped off, leaving them in total darkness. Sophia gripped Sierra’s arm tightly, guiding her through the black gloom toward the door.

Outside, Annabelle was calling Sophia’s name, her voice tight with anxiety. Just then, her phone finally rang.

It was an emergency earthquake notification–the message warned the quake was a magnitude 6.8.

Sophia helped Sierra make it outside to the open area, and Annabelle rushed over, tears streaming down her face as she threw her arms around her.

“I was so scared. Earthquakes are terrifying,” Annabelle sobbed.

Sophia had lived through an earthquake before and managed to stay calm through it all, but now her legs and arms felt so weak she could barely stand.

If Annabelle hadn’t been holding her up, she probably would’ve collapsed right there.

“Don’t be scared. We’re safe out here in the open,” Sophia said, trying to sound reassuring.

The ground rocked violently, deep cracks splitting open everywhere–some wide enough to swallow

your

arm.

Derek had just thrown on his shirt when it hit him–the old lady and her little granddaughter next door must still be sound asleep.

If the house went down, they could easily be trapped and buried inside.

“Sierra, you stay here with them. I’m going next door to wake up Wanda and her grandchild,” Derek said.

Sierra looked worried. “I’m coming with you.”

“Just stay put, alright?” Derek insisted. But before he could finish, half of the house next door came crashing down.

The crashing noise shattered the silence of the night, sending chills down everyone’s spine.

Annabelle clung to Sophia’s arm, shaking all over. “Sophie, did the house really just collapse? This is freaking me out–I just want to go home.”

Dust swarmed over them, forcing everyone to cover their faces as they started coughing uncontrollably.

Derek looked alarmed. “Oh no, that noise–it must’ve been Wanda’s kitchen collapsing!”

Without hesitation, he dashed off toward Wanda’s house.

Clouds blocked out the moon and stars, plunging everything into ominous darkness.

It was the dead of night–the deepest, quietest hour, when everyone dreamed their sweetest dreams.

Sophia had no way of knowing how many lives this sudden earthquake might snatch away before they ever got the chance to open their eyes.

She couldn’t just stand by—she had to do something, anything, to protect these kind and innocent fellows.

“Annabelle, hand me the car keys,” Sophie said urgently.

Annabelle hurriedly fished the keys out of her bag, her hands shaking as she asked, “Sophie, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to honk the horn,” Sophie replied.

There was no time left to run door to door–before they could even reach anyone, the houses might have already collapsed.

Annabelle’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea. Count me in.”

They raced over to where the car was parked, the ground swaying beneath them. As soon as they got there, they were stunned.

“Where’s my car? My SUV–where the hell did it go?” Annabelle yelled, her panic rising with every second.

She’d even brought that big Land Rover for the road trip, but after the quake, it was nowhere to be seen–the ground must’ve swallowed it whole.

Sophia whipped out her phone, trying to stay calm. “Come on, let’s find it. There’s no way a car that big just disappears,” she said, her voice steady even as she squeezed Annabelle’s arm for reassurance.

“Uh–huh,” Annabelle muttered, voice shaky and barely above a whisper.