Chapter 784

"Willow—!!" A familiar, frantic shout echoed from a distance. Hearing that voice, Willow felt a sudden sting in her nose, tears welling up and nearly spilling over. She had just managed to steady herself in the rushing current. Lifting her head, she looked toward the direction of the sound. Aiden's figure was racing toward her like the wind, swift and desperate. Willow tilted her head back, mustering her strength to call out, "Aiden, I'm here!" But as the words left her lips, she realized how weak and hoarse her voice was—almost inaudible, completely drowned out by the roaring water. Yet Aiden didn't seem to need to hear her at all. His gaze, sharp and instinctive, swept across the turbulent river and locked onto her—the fragile figure teetering perilously in the rapids. His pupils contracted violently; for a heartbeat, it felt as though his heart had stopped. In the biting wind and churning water, Willow was drenched from head to toe, her body so frail it seemed the current could swee