Billionaire's match novel

---- Chapter 691 Khloe could no longer keep her composure. She tried to stay calm, but tears ran freely down her cheeks. Nick, already near the edge of madness, yanked the man toward her. "You said we could switch seats, right? Then sit-now!" The muzzle of his gun pressed hard against the man's temple, the force enough to pierce his skull "Switch seats? You've got some nerve. Any tiny mistake and everyone dies... and since I'm about to die anyway, why should | listen to you?" Even under Nick's brutal pressure, the man's voice remained calm.

Fear was there, but he was, after all, a man used to risking his life. If the final moment came, he figured he might as well die on his own terms. Noah, worried Nick might act rashly, intervened. "He won't cooperate. Killing him won't help, and moving seats is far too risky." Khloe's breathing grew erratic. She clutched her seat and closed her eyes, trying to calm her fear. Noah noticed her pale, strained face and tried to reassure her. " Breathe in, breathe out. Don't panic. We still have time." ---- Nick ground his teeth in rage.

He leveled his gun at the man again, but after a tense moment, he did not pull the trigger. Instead, he slammed his fist into the man's neck, throwing him off and confiscating the weapon. Kneeling beside Khloe, Nick trembled as he took her hand. " Don't be afraid. | won't let anything happen to you. | won't let anything happen to our child." Tears filled Khloe's eyes. She knew his words were meant to comfort her, but she nodded fiercely anyway. Hearing this, Noah hesitated for a moment, glancing between the two. Nick met his eyes and spoke in a low, steady voice.

"I'm counting on you." There wasn't time to wait for professional rescuers. They had to take the risk themselves. And the only one who might have a chance at disarming the device was Noah. Nick knew that Noah, like most, could have walked away. He was just a man doing a job for money. But Nick could see that he wouldn't abandon them. If he had, he wouldn't have risked boarding the bus to save Ryan, and he wouldn't have prioritized getting everyone else off first. When Nick and Khloe had first boarded, Noah had recognized ---- them.

The message Nick had just received on his phone-before it was seized-was from Noah. Though they had only met once, their trust and tacit understanding were already strong, It was clear: whether out of professionalism or personal conviction, Noah would not leave before the final moment. Noah nodded. "I'll do my best, but | can't guarantee... if | can't disarm it, then..." His voice trailed off, leaving the unspoken threat hanging in the air. Nick tured to Khloe and whispered, "I trust you." "Nick, you should go first." Khloe closed her eyes, drawing in a deep, trembling breath.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't want Nick to share her despair and gently brushed his face with her forehead. "You know | won't leave. I've said it before: no one will touch you unless they walk over my dead body. If you or our baby aren't here, living has no meaning for me." Nick's voice was soft, yet every word carried unyielding resolve. He seemed to exhale, finally accepting the moment, and leaned forward to kiss her. Her lips were streaked with tears, bitter and icy against his. "You were both very brave just now," Noah said, breaking the tension.

He couldn't bear the heavy, despairing conversation and ---- wanted to lighten the mood, even just slightly.