Chapter 1625

Keegan was also swept about six feet away by the current.

With determined effort, Stella swam over and grabbed ahold of his collar.

It was impossible forthem to communicate in the water. Moreover, it was extremely difficult for Stella to support the weight of an adult male like Keegan alone. She strived to keep both their faces above water as they followed the current, trying to find a way to save themselves.

Fortunately, luck seemed to be on her side. It was not long before she came across a branch floating in the river. With Keegan in her arms, Stella struggled toward the floating piece of wood. In the end, they managed to grab ahold of it and catch their breath.

“Keegan…” Stella’s voice quivered. She held back her tears and called out urgently, “Keegan, don’t close your eyes! Stay awake! I can’t do this alone. Hold onto the branch, and I’ll support you. We’ll climb up together.”

Keegan coughed out some water. His body was weakened by his injuries and the cold. Nevertheless, Stella’s tears prompted him to summon the last of his strength, and he nodded.

The couple clung tightly to the branch, slowly making their way upward.

Suddenly, they heard a snap and felt the wood sinking. They froze, as they were afraid to make another move.

The branch was thin, as though it was toppled by the wind, with one end submerged in the water and the other still connected to the bottom of a tree stump. It was unstable and simply could not bear the weight of two adults.

Stella’s face went pale. There was nothing more despairing than finding hope only to have it snatched away again. She suppressed her emotions and turned to Keegan.

“The police will be here soon. Let’s hold on a little longer. They’re going to save us,” she said.

“Okay,” Keegan managed to reply.

Stella averted her gaze, and tears were streaming down her face. She swallowed her emotions and called out, “Help! Somebody, please help!”

The rushing water drowned out her cries long before they reached the riverbank.

Keegan felt his body growing colder, and he was gradually losing his grip on the wood.

“Stella, stop shouting for help. Conserve your strength,” he murmured.

Stella was in slightly better shape than Keegan, even though it was not by much. While she was not injured, the frigid water and her skinny frame meant that she would not last much longer. Her limbs were starting to grow numb, and the branch occasionally emitted a creaking sound. It could break at any moment. At this rate, they were in their final stretch.

After a while, Keegan spoke again. “Stella, the branch might be able to support your weight if it’s just you.”

Stella froze. “What are you saying?”

Keegan exhaled a breath of cold air. He could feel a freezing sensation in his lungs with every breath he took. “I can’t hold on much longer. There’s a chance that you can make it alone. I’m just a burden to you right now. I’ll let go and swim downstream. There might be land down there. Meanwhile, you can climb up the branch and be rescued…”

“Are you lying to me again?” Stella’s eyes reddened, as she cut him off. “You said you would hide in the woods earlier. But that didn’t happen! You’re just trying to get me to leave you. I bet you even don’t have a plan! Plus, you don’t know how to swim. You’ll die if you let go. Do you understand that?!”

“Didn’t you teach me how to swim last time? I know howto do it. I just choked on the water earlier and didn’t react in time. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to surprise you the next time we went swimming,” Keegan tried to reach out and wipe her tears away, but his arm felt numb. “I swear I’ve learned how to swim.”

Stella did not trust him. She gritted her teeth and said, “I don’t believe a word you’re saying! If you let go, I’ll go with you. We can die together!”