"Are you in love with him?"
Elijah's question echoed across the bridge.
For a moment, everything seemed to stop.
Cherry stood frozen inside the military car.
Gilbert was beside her, still holding her hand. He said nothing, but she could feel his eyes on her.
Waiting.
Cherry already knew the answer.
Yes.
She loved Gilbert.
But she could not say it here.
Not while they were still in China. Not while Elijah stood across the bridge with armed men surrounding them.
One careless answer could make him even more dangerous.
"Answer me!"
Elijah's angry voice blasted through the megaphone.
"Do you love that man?"
Cherry swallowed.
She wanted to say yes.
She wanted to turn to Gilbert and tell him everything she had been too afraid to say.
But this was not the place.
Not with rifles pointed at them.
Not with Elijah controlling the road.
Not while the lives of Gilbert, General Yu, and the soldiers were at risk.
Cherry tightened her grip on the radio.
