Too Late She Already Married Mr. Right (Sophia) novel Chapter 172

Chapter 172

Sophia wasn’t trying to show off or act tough–she’d lived through it herself, trapped in the rubble for seven whole days and nights.

She knew better than anyone how crushingly hopeless it felt to be trapped under debris.

Every second mattered. The faster they pulled those people out, the sooner relief would come–there was no

time to lose.

She hadn’t gone far when she heard footsteps closing in behind her, and suddenly, someone grabbed her

wrist.

Forced to stop, Sophia spun around–her helmet’s beam landing straight on the face of the person behind

her.

Richard squinted against the harsh glare, instinctively throwing up his hand to shield his eyes.

Realizing she’d blinded him, Sophia quickly switched off the light.

“Mr. Sterling, what are you doing here?” Sophia asked, surprised.

“It’s too dark for you to go alone. I can’t just let you head out by yourself–let’s go, I’ll come with you,” Richard said as he took the lead, striding ahead.

Sophia rushed after him. “Mr. Sterling, it’s way too dangerous up ahead. You’ve got all those people depending on you—you can’t just risk yourself like this.”

Richard paused, then playfully tapped her nose. “If you’re brave enough to go, what’s there for a tough guy like me to be scared of?”

“You know exactly what I’m worried about,” Sophia said, refusing to back down. She couldn’t stand the thought of him throwing himself into danger.

After all, he was no longer the same fresh face who’d just broken out on Wallinton seven years back.

Richard understood, but stubbornly wouldn’t back down.

“We can’t afford to waste a single second, Sophia. When disaster hits, nobody’s life is worth more than anyone else’s. Let’s move,” Richard said.

Sophia watched him march toward the school and knew better than to keep arguing.

She hurried after him, flipping her helmet light back on.

After about ten minutes, they reached the school grounds, where most of the rescue team was already hard at work.

Everyone was decked out in fluorescent vests, helmet lights blazing, and gloves on as they heaved away chunks of debris.

As soon as Sophia and Richard arrived, they jumped right in to help with the urgent rescue effort.

Midnight cloaked the ruins in darkness. The wind screamed across the shattered landscape, whipping dust through the night air.

Twisted steel bars jutted menacingly from the broken concrete. From every direction, the muffled rumble of aftershocks sounded out, never really easing.

The ground trembled faintly, as if the earth itself were weeping in silence.

The rescue team’s helmet lights pierced the gloom, sharp white beams slicing and crossing through the wreckage.

Everyone hunched close, carefully threading their way between warped slabs and shattered bricks, each step crunching against the loose debris beneath their boots.

From beneath the rubble, the desperate cries of trapped children tugged at every rescuer’s heart.

Sophia clawed through the jagged debris with gloved hands, but her gloves were no match–the fabric tore open in no time.

As she pushed away the chunks of rubble, she kept talking softly, comforting the kids trapped underneath.

“Don’t be scared, we’re all working as hard as we can. You’re going to be safe soon,” Sophia called out, her voice gentle and warm.

Richard shot Sophia a quick glance. Her face was full of grit, her eyes never leaving the ruins–she was all in, completely devoted to the rescue effort.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of trauma etched on her face. Richard found himself unsure. He wondered, ‘Is Sophia just unbelievably thick–skinned, or does she really have nerves of steel?

Most people who’ve gone through being trapped under rubble ended up with PTSD, or even claustrophobia.

Yet Sophia seems untouched by either.’

Richard soon looked away and went back to his task.

Soon, someone shouted excitedly, “Five more out. Just minor injuries!”

“Alive–stretcher, quick!”

Those bursts of good news were like a shot of adrenaline. Instantly, everyone kicked into high gear, working together to clear the concrete without pausing for breath.

Sophia pushed aside a massive slab of concrete and caught sight of a pair of eyes caked in dust.

The instant the beam from her helmet light hit those eyes, they snapped shut, instinctively shielding themselves from the brightness.

Heart pounding with excitement, Sophia yelled, “Over here–there’s a survivor!”

Everyone crowded in, digging frantically at the rubble and concrete around the boy. When they finally reached him, they found him trapped–pinned tight between the doorframe and a steel bar.