Return of the Crowned Heiress novel Chapter 523

Whenever Felicia was hurt, wronged, misunderstood, or maligned, she never spoke of it. At most, she would brush it off with a smile, acting as if nothing could ever hurt her.

Because of this, those who hurt her—even if it was the Fuller couple—would never see her pain or vulnerability. They couldn't see the scars etched into her heart and kept stabbing at it time and time again.

How could he not feel bad for her?

This time was no exception. Upon hearing the false news of his grave injury and disappearance, Felicia set out without hesitation. Her bag was packed with first aid supplies, medication, surgical tools, and suturing equipment.

And yet, she hadn't mentioned a word about all her worry and anxiety.

Even though Felicia hadn't voiced them out, Stephan could tell. The moment she saw him, even Felicia herself was unaware of the light that had flashed in her eyes.

Stephan's gaze softened. To let Felicia sleep more comfortably, he carefully shifted her from his back into his arms. Then, with one hand free, he adjusted her jacket's hood to shield her face from the glare of the surrounding flashlights.

Once everything was settled, he finally turned to the dazed Johanna and frowned. "You're here. Where's Imogen?"

Johanna bit her lip and exaggeratedly recounted the story. She said that both she and Imogen had been devastated by the news of his injury and disappearance. They then hurried to find him.

"Stephan, I was so worried about you. I begged Imogen to let me come here and look for you. Luckily, I found you. If I hadn't… I wouldn't have known what to do…"

Her words were pitiful, with an unmistakable hint of seeking credit. Combined with her disheveled appearance, she painted a convincing picture.

With anyone else, her story might have stirred sympathy—even if unspoken.

Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Stephan.

He gave her a once-over and asked bluntly, "Where are the others?"

Andy's tone was flat and devoid of emotion. Unlike Stanley, he wasn't one for dramatics. He simply stated the facts.

Yet even this calm and composed man had his expression twist briefly as he finished his report.

What Andy didn't say was the journey had been a nightmare. Johanna, who wouldn't carry anything and couldn't even walk for long without complaining, had nearly driven the entire team to their breaking point.

Nearly everyone on the team had taken turns carrying her at some point. Despite their efforts, she complained incessantly.

During one rest stop, she refused to sit on the dirty ground and insisted on finding a cleaner spot. She ended up near a waterhole, where she accidentally attracted crocodiles.

The team almost got killed because of that!