Deborah's POV
When I finally came to a stop, my chest was still heaving violently.
The air was thick with dust, and Matthew stood beside me, covered in dirt and rubble.
His brows were deeply furrowed, and his eyes held a whirlwind of emotions—anger, confusion, and unmistakable concern.
He glanced down at me, and I realized that I was still clutching his wrist, my fingers trembling slightly.
We didn't say anything. Time seemed to freeze around us.
Matthew's gaze lingered on my face, as if trying to decipher something.
Then, without warning, he dipped his head down and pressed his lips against mine.
The kiss came out of nowhere, wild and raw, filled with the desperation of a close brush with death.
I froze, my eyes wide open. His lips were soft and warm, with a faint trace of dust, but in that moment, they felt shockingly real and comforting.
It was just a brief, emotional kiss—not deep, just a light touch of lips. There was no urgency, no pressure. It was simply an unfiltered release of emotions.
I could feel him trembling slightly, as if some invisible force had driven him to take that step.
My mind raced, replaying the dangerous scenes from the earthquake, but strangely, Chad's face never surfaced in those flashes of memory.
I suddenly realized that I could separate Matthew and Chad completely now, that they weren't the same person at all.
When our lips finally parted, the warmth of the moment still seemed to linger in the air.
But almost immediately, screams and cries erupted from within the Quarry.
Matthew's body tensed, and he pulled me into a quick embrace before letting go, a calming smile tugging at his lips. "Stay here, okay? I need to go help the others."
He repeated, more urgently, "Just stay here."
Before I could react, he turned and sprinted back toward the crumbling mine.
Dust billowed around him, swallowing his figure in the chaos.
I stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at his retreating back, my heart caught in some inexplicable emotion.
That kiss… I never saw it coming, but it left a warmth in my chest that I couldn't ignore.
Even though this body is only twenty-two, I'm still thirty-two inside…
I thought I'd shut my heart off completely after Chad's betrayal, but in that split second, I felt my pulse racing, my cheeks heating up, and a strange, unfamiliar sensation stirring deep within me.
Matthew isn't Chad.
This realization echoed in my mind over and over again. They're two entirely different people.
Matthew's courage, his unwavering actions in the face of danger—everything about him made it impossible to ignore his presence.
And now… do I actually… have feelings for him?
My heart pounded even harder, and I could feel a blush creeping up my face.
Oh God, am I… blushing?
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, and then turned to join the field rescue team.
I had to keep busy—anything to distract myself from thinking about Matthew's kiss.
As the rescue operation continued, I threw myself into helping as many injured as I could.
One by one, we pulled survivors from the wreckage and guided them to safety.
Every time I handed them over to the medics, I couldn't help but glance back toward the heart of the Quarry—where Matthew was still leading the efforts, clearing away chunks of debris, tirelessly searching for more survivors.
He was covered in dust, his arms marred with scratches and cuts, but he never stopped.
I watched as he strained to lift a massive boulder, revealing a miner trapped underneath.
His muscles flexed under the strain, glowing faintly in the harsh sunlight—a stark reminder of the strength and determination driving him.
Warmth spread through my chest, unbidden.
When the rescue ended, Matthew approached me, his face exhausted but his eyes still bright with that golden intensity.
He smiled awkwardly, a lopsided grin, and said, "Thank you… for saving my life today."
I shifted awkwardly, looking away, unsure if I should tell him about the dream. "It was nothing."
"No, really. If you hadn't pulled me out, I would've been crushed." He glanced down at his bruised, battered hands, flexing his fingers, "So… I owe you dinner."
"Huh?" I blinked.
"Let me take you out." He insisted.
I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head, "Alright, if you insist."
So, we ended up sitting across from each other in a small restaurant outside the Quarry, sharing a simple meal of roasted potatoes, mushrooms, and some kind of high-protein insect that I didn't recognize.
Matthew popped one of the bugs into his mouth casually, while I stared down at the insects on my plate, trying not to let my disgust show.
"You're not going to eat that?" He raised an eyebrow, amused.
"I… it's not my favorite," I admitted with a nervous laugh.
He chuckled, and that low, warm sound made my heart flutter a little.
I glanced at his hands again, the same hands that had been pulling boulders and digging through rubble earlier. They were scraped and bruised, his knuckles raw from the rough rocks.
"Your hands…" I murmured softly, almost without thinking.
He looked down at them, shrugged nonchalantly, "It's nothing. I've had worse."
But my chest tightened at the sight. I knew I'd been unfair to him at first, projecting Chad's shadow onto him—but now, that shadow was finally gone. All I could see was this brave, honest man right in front of me.
"I'm sorry," I said suddenly.
Matthew blinked, looking genuinely puzzled, "For what?"
"The bar, with Ryan…" I trailed off, my voice dropping to a whisper. "I wasn't with him because I liked him. I needed information."
"Information?" He frowned, his expression darkening, "What kind of information would be worth getting close to that creep?"
I could hear the jealousy in his voice, and I almost smiled.
"About FDB," I confessed quietly.
He stared at me, utterly bewildered.
I leaned in closer, so close I could feel the warmth of his breath. He leaned in too, until we were nearly nose-to-nose, and I whispered, "About the gate between the surface and Murias."
Matthew jerked back, shock written all over his face. "Why… Why would you care about that?"
I stayed silent, simply watching him.
He was quiet for a long moment, then let out a slow, shaky breath. "You know… it's dangerous to dig into that."
I nodded slowly, acknowledging the risk.
He was silent again, deep in thought. Finally, he looked up, his eyes steady and determined. "But… if this is something you really want to know, I can help."
My heart leapt. "How?"
He didn't answer right away, just gave me a small, reassuring smile.
"Trust me. Leave it to me."