Devilish secretary - Chapter 252

Chapter 252: Chapter 252 Bride Thief
Ethan walked faster and faster, his feet almost tripping over roots and stones as the forest grew darker around him. His throat felt dry, the air suddenly heavy, and he started feeling thirsty, like the trees themselves were swallowing up all the oxygen.

Just as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, he heard it.

A voice.

“Hey…”

A soft, sweet, almost musical voice, drifting through the air like a dangerous perfume.

Every single hair on Ethan’s body stood up straight.

His heart slammed against his ribs.

Was this a witch? A forest ghost? Had all the horror stories he made fun of come back to haunt him?!

He tried to pretend he didn’t hear it.

He walked faster. Much faster.

Then—

“Help me!”

A desperate, broken cry pierced the silence.

Ethan gulped so hard he nearly choked. “Nope. Nope. Nope. Not looking back. I watched enough horror movies for this.”

He tightened his grip on his jacket and kept walking even faster, almost running now, staring stubbornly at the ground.

But then…

“Oyeee! Young man! Help me!!”

This time, the voice was louder, closer and a little too real.

With his heart pounding in his ears, Ethan finally dared to turn around.

And what he saw…He nearly dropped dead from shock.

Running towards him barefoot across the road was a young woman in a red wedding gown.

Her dress fluttered behind her like a cloud of blood-red silk, torn and dirty at the bottom. Her hair was wild and messy, strands sticking to her sweaty face.

Her makeup was smeared, her lipstick a little crooked, but even with all that She looked beautiful.

Her large dark eyes were filled with panic, and her cheeks flushed pink with fear. Tears shimmered on her lashes, and her lips trembled as she ran.

“Who w-who are you?!” Ethan stammered, stepping back in panic.

Before he could escape, she reached him, grabbing his hands tightly with her soft ones.

Her skin was cold. Trembling.

“Please!” she cried, her voice shaking. “Please, young man! Save me! My father is forcing me to marry an old man today—I don’t want to! Please help me escape!”

Ethan blinked rapidly, brain short-circuiting.

Her eyes—big, dark, pleading.

Her lips—full and trembling.

Her face—so youthful, delicate, and beautiful despite the mess.

His heart skipped a beat.

Oh my god.

She’s so pretty.

Like, ridiculously pretty.

He stood there frozen, half-terrified, half-mesmerized, his mind swinging violently between:

“She’s a ghost!” and

“She’s a goddess!”

Both equally dangerous.

And for the first time ever, Ethan Carter didn’t know whether he should run for his life Or fall in love at first sight.

Seeing that Ethan was still standing there, dumbfounded and staring at her like she had fallen straight from the moon, the girl suddenly slapped his arm with surprising strength.

“Hey! Focus! Save me!” she cried out, panic flashing in her dark, tear-filled eyes.

Ethan blinked, snapping back to reality.

But before he could respond, a loud and furious shout echoed from behind them.

“Tara!! You have to marry! If you don’t, Mr. Joel will be angry!”

Ethan turned and saw a terrifying scene.

A group of men from the village..at least fifteen of them were storming toward them from the tree line. Some were carrying sticks, rusty knives, sickles, and even farming tools, their faces twisted with anger.

Tara’s hand tightened on Ethan’s wrist as she trembled, stepping closer behind him for protection.

She was from a tribe living at the very edge of the forest, where ancient, cruel traditions still ruled.

Her father had decided to sell her into marriage to an old man named Mr. Joel..an infamous man known to have burned his three previous wives alive when they displeased him.

Tara had no hope, no choice until now.

With the help of her best friend, she had secretly escaped her wedding, running barefoot into the forest, desperate to find anyone who could save her.

And fate had thrown her right into the path of Ethan Carter.

She clutched him tighter. “Please, please! Don’t let them take me back!”

Ethan, still wide-eyed, looked at the approaching angry mob.

The knives.

The yelling.

The crazy father.

For a moment, panic almost won.

Almost.

But then he heard Tara’s trembling voice again.

And when he really looked at her, saw the terror in her beautiful dark eyes, something hard settled inside his chest.

His hands clenched into fists.

His fear turned into anger.

He stepped forward, standing in front of her protectively, facing the mob without hesitation.

“You all are crazy!” Ethan shouted, his voice sharp and furious. “Trying to marry her off to some oldie?! I’ll send every single one of you to jail!”

The men stopped a few feet away, glaring at him.

Her father stepped forward, veins bulging at his neck. “This is our tribe’s rule! You outsiders don’t understand! She must marry or face punishment!”

Ethan stood firm.

“Over my dead body,” he said coldly, his heart pounding, but his body standing like a wall in front of Tara.

The village men, holding their sticks and knives tightly, started stepping closer, their faces twisted with anger.

Ethan clenched his fists, heart hammering inside his chest. He didn’t even know how to fight but he knew one thing: he couldn’t let them lay a finger on her.

As they moved closer, Ethan raised his voice, standing tall.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” he shouted fiercely. “Otherwise—”

One of the older village men sneered, spitting to the side. “Otherwise what, young man? What will you do, huh?”

The others laughed cruelly, some twirling their weapons in their hands.

Ethan’s mind raced. His body tensed. And then he shouted the first crazy thing that came to his mind.

“I’ll run away with the bride!!” he yelled.

Tara blinked in shock. “Huh??”

Before she could even process what he said, Ethan grabbed her wrist tightly.

“Let’s go!” he shouted.

Without waiting for her answer, he yanked Tara along and started running like his life depended on it.

Tara stumbled after him, her red wedding dress flapping wildly behind her, her messy hair bouncing. She glanced at Ethan, completely confused.

“I thought you were going to fight like a hero!” she gasped between breaths.

“Fight?!” Ethan cried out, dodging a low-hanging branch. “Are you crazy?! I don’t know how to fight! I’m an actor, not Jackie Chan!”

“YOU’RE THE WORST HERO EVER!” Tara shouted.

“I SAVED YOU, DIDN’T I?!” Ethan snapped back as he dragged her behind him.

Behind them, angry voices roared louder.

“CATCH THEM!” someone screamed. “STOP THE BRIDE-THIEF!”

Tara almost laughed despite herself.

But just as they were running, Tara tripped over a sharp stone.

[ AN: Sorry for the delay; I had network problems.]