Broken Oath: I Left, He Regretted-Chapter 99: Her Death Even Saves the Trouble of Divorce!

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Her Death Even Saves the Trouble of Divorce!

Timothy Xavier’s heart sank when he heard the news, and he said to the person on the phone, "Arrange a private jet for me, I’m heading back now!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Serena Sawyer came in with Doris.

"Timothy, where are you going?"

Serena blocked his way, looking at him anxiously.

"You stay here with Doris and my mother until it’s safe to return. I’m going back first to check on things."

Timothy walked straight out, the worry in his eyes seemingly about to break through his cool demeanor.

Seeing she couldn’t stop him, Serena discreetly signaled to Doris.

Doris quickly hugged Timothy’s leg, crying, "Daddy, don’t go, earthquakes are scary, people die in them!"

Serena also tried hard to persuade him, "Yes, what if something happens to you? What will Doris and I do?"

Timothy said expressionlessly, "But Zoe is still there."

Serena’s face stiffened, a trace of unwillingness and resentment flashing in her eyes.

At that moment, Sophia Kendall came over and said, "Timothy, have you lost your mind? Serena and Doris are here, I’m here too, why are you going back to that dangerous place?"

Timothy frowned, explaining, "Zoe has lost contact."

"Her?"

Sophia scoffed, "If she’s lost contact, that’s for the best! If she’s dead, you won’t even need to divorce her; you can marry Serena directly. That woman has been in the position of Mrs. Xavier for four years, she’s not worthy at all! Serena has been taking care of work and helping you with Doris for years. When do you plan to give her a proper title?"

Serena’s face flushed, tensely waiting for Timothy’s answer.

Timothy’s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction as he said, "Mom! Zoe is my wife, at least for now, she still is!"

Sophia was furious, saying, "If you were the one in an earthquake, do you think she’d risk everything to find you?"

Timothy paused, then said word by word, "She would."

Serena and Sophia were both filled with astonishment; they didn’t expect that Timothy, who usually didn’t seem to care much about Zoe, would want to risk his life now!

However, under Serena’s signal, Doris clung tightly to Timothy’s leg, refusing to let go.

Timothy patiently said, "Be good, Doris, Daddy will be back soon."

"No, I don’t want you to go! If you leave, you’ll never come back!"

Doris stubbornly tried to keep him.

Timothy’s tone suddenly turned severe, "Doris, if you keep this up, Daddy will get angry."

Doris, frightened by the idea of Timothy getting angry, gradually loosened her grip.

...

Silverstream, 8 PM.

From the moment we arrived at the quake zone until now, a full four hours have passed. Victoria Monroe and I haven’t had a drop of water and have been continuously filming and capturing footage, tracking the current situation of the earthquake.

We were originally together, but the quake area was too large, so we had to act separately.

As a result, I have no idea where Victoria went now.

There’s been no signal, I can’t even make a phone call. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

I can only record what I see and hear on my laptop, to upload once the signal is back, so the company can edit it later and post it.

In these four hours, we’ve captured too many images—shocking, gruesome, desolate...

At that moment, I watched as the rescue workers pulled a young mother from the ruins.

She was shielding the baby in her arms tightly beneath her, her spine shattered, entirely covered in blood.

The rescue doctor shook his head regretfully, saying, "No hope, a beam hit the back of her head. Her whole body is stiff now, it’s clear she’s been gone for a while."

The nurse carefully took the baby, who was still nursing, from her embrace, oblivious to it all.

My eyes stung painfully, and hot tears slid down my cheeks—it reminded me of my child.

If Doris weren’t my daughter, then my child truly wouldn’t be in this world anymore.

If I could trade my life for my child’s, I think I would.

Suddenly, a familiar voice made me think I was hallucinating.

"Zoe Ellison!"

I turned around incredulously, and Timothy Xavier stood not far away.

Standing amidst the rubble, his polished calf-leather shoes were coated with a thick layer of dust.

In a daze, I felt like I was back on campus, in those moments when he waved and called my name from the sports field.

But wasn’t he in The Azure Isles?

I supported myself on my numbed knees and stood up.

Timothy had already walked briskly toward me, his handsome features seemingly frosted over.

He seemed to be restraining anger, speaking controlledly, "Who allowed you to come here?"

I replied calmly, "This is my job."

Timothy gritted his teeth, "I think you’re here to get yourself killed!"

I suddenly pulled him along, taking a few steps forward and pointing at the extensive ruins and the volunteers passing by, "Do you see? Without these people risking their lives, those trapped under the rubble wouldn’t have a shred of hope to survive!"

Timothy pressed his lips together, gazing intently at me for a long time.

Just then, someone around us shouted, "There’s signal now!"

I hurriedly sat down on the spot and uploaded everything I’d just filmed to the company intranet.

Timothy, usually a neat freak, didn’t seem to mind the dirty ground and sat beside me.

He watched as I busied myself with the touchpad on my laptop, saying quietly, "People risking their lives save others; you’re risking your life for a few uninspiring photos and videos. Is it worth it?"

"Because what I capture onsite will be seen by everyone, prompting more volunteers to come and aid; more donations and materials will reach the disaster area."

Saying this, I gave a self-mocking smile, "I feel what I’m doing now is far more meaningful than maintaining our marriage for the past four years."

I didn’t mean to cut him.

But as I looked at the scenes recorded in these frames, I felt the edges that had worn down in my marriage were growing warm and sharp again.

Timothy was too cold; I even tried to warm him with my intensity.

But after a long contemplation, he said, "I can donate funds and supplies, but now, you must come back with me."

I sighed softly; he will never understand me.

"Timothy Xavier, I didn’t force you to come here with me. If you’re afraid of the danger, you can leave."

I picked up the camera again, capturing those touching, shocking moments.

With his temperament, I’d thought he’d just leave.

But he just followed me.

Wherever I went, he was not far behind.

At that moment, a large number of donated supplies arrived.

Timothy went to get two dinners and handed one to me.

Simple bread and water, but for starving me, enough to fill the void.

He sat beside me, eating more elegantly than I did.

Even in this chaotic place, he maintained his usual aloofness, like a monk detached from worldly affairs.

I couldn’t help but remark, "You really shouldn’t have come, wasted a dinner."

Timothy’s face darkened a bit, asking back, "So by your reckoning, I’m worth less than a dinner?"

I gave him a look, continued eating what I had, and quickly finished, diving back into work.

I chased after a team of medical staff running with a stretcher, and Timothy stretched his long strides to keep up with me, neither too far nor too near.

If our marriage hadn’t reached its end, such silent protection would have felt romantic.

But now, no matter what he did, it no longer stirred any emotion in me.

Late at night, utterly exhausted, I returned to the makeshift information center.

After all the imagery was uploaded, I collapsed onto the floor mat, drained.

The wall behind me was painfully pressing into my bones.

I turned my head and saw Timothy Xavier standing in the corner, frowning slightly while surveying the surroundings.

His expensive suit was dusted, and his hair was a bit disheveled, yet he remained exceptionally dignified, out of place amidst the environment.

"You should go back." I spoke with a hoarse voice, exhausted, "This isn’t where you belong, someone as elite as you don’t need to suffer here."

Timothy’s gaze landed on my face, his frown deepening: "If you’re doing this to prove something to me, I’ve seen your capability now. Come back with me, don’t be so stubborn."

I looked at him, finding it suddenly amusing yet bitter.

I shook my head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of my mouth: "Timothy Xavier, you overestimate yourself and underestimate me. To spite you, I wouldn’t risk my life."

He fell silent, his dark eyes heavy as they looked at me.

After a while, he stopped trying to persuade me and just sat down next to the mat.

The dust on the ground clung to his trousers, but his usual fastidiousness didn’t seem to bother him now.

"If you’re tired, lean on me for a while."

He suddenly spoke, his voice light and cool, yet he moved a bit closer to me on his own initiative.

Stunned for a moment, before I could react, he gently pressed my head to rest on his shoulder.

In the end, I couldn’t resist the overwhelming fatigue and drowsiness, falling asleep shortly after leaning on his shoulder.

Yet in this kind of place, no one can truly rest.

As dawn merely touched the sky, I was awake again.

Timothy appeared not to have slept at all, maintaining the same posture, gently rotating the Buddha Beads in his hand in thought.

"Awake?"

He looked at me, his features softening in the dawn’s gentle light.

I made a sound of acknowledgment.

Observing the light shadows under his eyes and the weariness on his face, I persuaded him: "You should go back. There’s no point in you being here anyway."

Not strong enough to lift or carry anything.

He frowned and said: "You slept peacefully on my shoulder for over two hours, isn’t that a reason for me being here?"

Just as he finished speaking, my phone rang, displaying a call from Sophia Kendall.

I put it on speaker, allowing Timothy to listen as well.

"You’re the one stopping Timothy from answering us, right? Zoe Ellison, how can you be so ruthless! A barren hen clinging onto him and now dragging him to his death!"

Timothy interrupted his mother’s incessant scolding with a deep voice, "Mom, let’s talk when I get back."

At this moment, Serena Sawyer’s voice popped up, pitifully begging me: "Miss Ellison, could you please let me speak alone with Timothy for just a moment? I have something very important to say."

Too weary to engage in dramas of mistress rivalries, I was beyond exposing her pathetic tricks. So I simply handed the phone to Timothy and turned off the speaker.

I didn’t know what Serena said, but I could visibly see tension building on Timothy’s face as he said, "Alright, I’ll come over now."

He set the phone down, got up, and headed toward the lot where his helicopter was parked.

Suddenly remembering, he stopped and glanced back at me, standing alone where I was.

Just then, the radio broadcast an alarm, "According to the latest survey from the seismology bureau, there may be aftershocks tonight. Volunteers, please stay safe."

As the announcement came out, everyone was filled with apprehension, some even contemplating leaving.

After all, who knows the power of the aftershocks or the destruction they might cause?

Every moment here increases the risk.

Upon hearing about the aftershocks, Timothy’s pupils contracted violently, asking, "Want to come with me?"

I stood still, my thoughts chasing after my words: "If I stay, would you stay with me?"

Timothy paused briefly in silence, then simply said five words: "Take care of yourself."

Then, he turned to walk toward his helicopter’s parking area.

I smiled in relief, having always known his choice, hadn’t I?

Suddenly, the alarm sounded again.

Everyone was discussing how the broadcast said aftershocks would come at night, so why were they happening now?

I scanned the area but didn’t see Victoria Monroe, wondering how her situation was?

At that moment, I suddenly remembered my computer was still at the base, with all the videos and photos I’d taken over the past few days.

Clinging to a sliver of hope, I ran towards the shelter, intending to retrieve my computer.

Never had I expected the aftershocks to come so swiftly, so fiercely.

Even the remaining buildings began shaking violently.

As the roaring smashed through the shelter’s roof, for the first time, I felt death so near.

I had just grabbed the computer, unable even to run out, and watched as the beam came crashing down.

In an instant, I was trapped in the crevice between the beam and the floor.

Thankfully, there were steps in the floor here, leaving a small gap that was temporarily safe, the beam resting there for now without pressing downward further.

But the aftershocks continued; if more debris continued to fall, the beam surely wouldn’t last long.

All I knew in my heart was one thing: I cannot die!

If I died, would my mother have to rely on The Ellison Family indefinitely?

Why should anyone else bear responsibilities that should have been mine?

In this confined space, it was hard to move my body or hands, and it took quite a while to reach the phone in my pocket.

But my hand couldn’t reach my face, leaving me unable to see the screen at all, I could only unlock it with fingerprint and dial by feel.

I forced myself to calm down, though my mind was in chaos. Even if I managed to dial out, what could happen?

In these circumstances, who would venture into such a perilous disaster zone to save me?

After a few busy tones, the call connected, "Hello."

I truly don’t understand, what kind of fate ties Timothy Xavier and me together?

Barely able to see in the dark, my call still managed to reach him.

From the time he left until now, it had only been a matter of minutes.

If he hadn’t gone far, maybe he might return to help remove the debris pressing on me.

"Timothy, where are you?"

He didn’t answer directly, merely asked calmly, "What’s up?"

I couldn’t help but tremble in my voice: "If you’re still nearby, could you come rescue me? The aftershocks just happened, and I’m trapped under a beam, unable to get out."

I didn’t expect his response, cold with a hint of impatience, "The broadcast clearly stated the aftershocks would come at night, and now you’re telling me they’ve happened? When I urged you to leave with me, you refused. Now you pull these stunts, isn’t this futile?"

"I really am stuck here,"

Tears welled up from urgency, not knowing how to make him believe me, I could only insist repeatedly, "I can’t die, my mother still needs me..."

Yet the man on the other end simply hung up the call, the power-off tone of my phone following shortly after.

Warm liquid incessantly rolled from my eyes, using the last bit of my phone’s battery life to cry for help.

But he severed all hope of continuing to live.

The aftershock eventually subsided, seemingly bringing temporary calm.

I kept yelling for assistance with all my might, but as time crept past, no rescue workers heard me.

From daylight to nightfall, chilled and famished, my strength exhausted, my voice had dwindled to a whisper.

There would be no one noticing me.

Nearly in despair, I closed my eyes.