LOVE IN PARIS: Married To My Brother-in-law-Chapter 31: Help

The rain came down in sheets, turning the mountainside into a dark, slippery nightmare.

The once vibrant landscape was now a blur of gray and green, as the storm transformed the forest into a treacherous labyrinth.

Yvette clung onto the rough bark of the tree, her body shaking, both from the cold and the fear that gnawed at her insides.

She couldn’t believe what had just happened—one moment, she had been searching for her phone and ignoring Nadia’s incessant nagging and at the next, she was already tumbling down the rocky slope.

She hadn’t even had time to scream before the ground gave way beneath her feet, the sharp push from behind sending her into freefall.

Yvette had expected to feel the hard earth rush up to meet her, to hit the rocks below or even the oceans.

But instead, she had crashed into the thick branches of an ancient tree that jutted out from the cliffside like a miracle, catching her mid-fall. The impact from falling had knocked the wind out of her, but thankfully she was alive.

She pressed herself against the trunk, her fingers numb as they gripped the wet bark. The branches that had saved her were sturdy, but slick with rain.

She glanced down and swallowed hard. Below her, the ground was nothing but jagged rocks, sharp and deadly. If she fell now, she would definitely not survive the fall so she clung tighter onto the tree.

The wind howled through the mountains, making the tree sway ominously. Yvette clenched her teeth, her heart pounding in her chest as she made a quick prayer.

The tree offered some protection from the rain, its thick leaves sheltering her from the worst of the storm, but the cold seeped into her bones. The hours were crawling by, and the biting chill in the air was relentless. Every gust of wind felt like a slap to her already bruised body.

"Please... someone, help me". She whispered, her voice trembling as the rain continued to fall in an unrelenting downpour.

Everyone at the inn must be sick worried about her but they couldn’t do much at the moment in the heavy downpour, so she could only pray to still be alive and had not fallen off the tree before help arrived.

She shivered violently, her clothes soaked through, clinging to her skin. She had no idea how long she had been there. It felt like an eternity since she had been pushed from the trail.

She had thought of screaming, but the storm swallowed every sound she made, her voice drowned out by the furious roar of nature. No one could hear her—not in this storm, not in this desolate place.

Her thoughts spiraled as the cold deepened its grip on her. She could have never imagined Nadia to be so vicious to push her down the mountain , what if she had fallen off below and was not anchored by the tree. The thought of it alone twisted her stomach like a knife.

She tried to shake off the thoughts, focusing instead on survival.

"I need to stay awake" . She muttered to herself, hugging her body for warmth. "I can’t fall asleep. Not here."

The rain continued to drum against the leaves above her, a constant, deafening rhythm that did nothing to soothe her nerves.

Hours passed, though it felt like days. Her muscles ached from holding on, her legs stiff from the cold. Every so often, the tree would sway, and she would clutch it even tighter, her heart leaping into her throat with each shift.

Her mind drifted, imagining what would happen if the branches gave way or if she lost her grip. She imagined herself plummeting into the abyss below, her body broken and bloodied on the rocks.

But no. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t die here. Not like this. Leila was still waiting for her at the inn and Zeke, he was still awaiting her arrival at home , she could just die here and fail them. She couldn’t just die without avenging herself.

Her breaths came in shallow bursts as the night began to descend, the rain showing no sign of easing.

She soon felt her hope wavering as she Wonder how long could she survive out here? The storm was growing worse, the air so thick with mist that she couldn’t see beyond the leaves around her.

She tried to keep her mind occupied, focusing on the sounds around her—the rustling of the leaves, the occasional crack of thunder, the steady drip of water down the tree trunk.

Anything to distract her from the gnawing fear in her chest. She prayed, silently at first, then aloud, hoping that by some miracle, someone would find her.

A sudden gust of wind rattled the tree, sending a shiver down her spine. She hugged herself tighter, her body trembling uncontrollably now.

The numbness had spread through her limbs, making it harder to hold on. Her eyelids felt heavy, her mind growing sluggish from the cold and exhaustion. She couldn’t afford to sleep, but her body was begging for rest.

She pressed her forehead against the bark, the rough surface scratching her skin. Tears welled in her eyes, mixing with the rainwater dripping down her face. She had always prided herself on being strong, on handling anything that came her way. But now, stranded in this merciless storm, she felt utterly powerless.

A sudden crack echoed through the storm, and Yvette’s head jerked up, her heart racing. Was that... a voice? Or had she imagined it? She strained her ears, hoping, praying that it wasn’t just the wind playing tricks on her.

Nothing. Only the howling wind and the relentless rain. She was still alone.

"Someone, please..." She whispered again, her voice weaker this time.

Yvette closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe deeply, to stay awake, to stay alive.

__________________

Meanwhile in a board meeting thousands of miles away, Zeke was about to address an issue when he felt his phone buzzing.

Normally he would have ignored it as it wasn’t allowed but upon seeing the name "Wifey" flashing on the screen, he immediately excused himself and answered the call.

Leila’s frantic voice on the other side told him everything how Yvette had been missing trapped somewhere on the mountainside and no one could search because of the weather.

A cold wave of fury and worry washed over him, his protective instinct instantly kicked in. He immediately dismissed the meeting as soon as he ended the call , stunning the several executive on seat, this was a first.

Zeke stormed out of the office, contacting his pilot to prepare the private helicopter.

Within few minutes, he arrived at the filming site with the helicopter hovering just outside the inn where the production team were sheltering.

His face was set in grim lines as he met Leila who was waiting anxiously outside the rain.

"I’ll find her. Stay here". Zeke said , his voice low and commanding as he passed her an umbrella .

"I’ll follow you, this is because of my negligence". Leila argued.

"Fine. Be careful". He said, he couldn’t agree any more, time couldn’t be wasted when Yvette was still trapped somewhere.

The duo descended down the mountain as the storm fully unleashed it’s fury over the mountainside sending torrents of rain cascading down the jagged cliffs.

Zeke’s heart pounded as he scanned the rugged terrain for any signs of her.

Leila called out her name repeatedly but her voice downed in the unrelenting rain nevertheless she continued.

After minutes of searching, a glimpse of something caught her eyes, a flash of sandy blonde against the muted greens and brown of the forest.