The bodyguards shouted, “Alec! Alec!" They rushed over.

Alec had shielded Jarrod from the tree's fall, and now his right arm was trapped beneath the heavy trunk. His complexion was pale, his typically strong appearance reduced to fragility.

Nicole's heart dropped as she looked at Jarrod, noticing his icy gaze.

It was then she realized Jarrod had been in the tree's dangerous path as well. Without Alec's intervention, Jarrod would have been crushed.

Nicole had considered saving Jarrod and thought with his agility, he could evade the tree easily. Roscoe, however, seemed vulnerable, especially after being left by the bodyguard, compelling her to act instinctively to pull Roscoe to safety.

Jarrod's eyes, filled with disappointment and anger, met Nicole's.

Nicole wanted to explain her actions, but his aloofness signaled he wasn't receptive to her words. Instead, he kneeled to assess Alec's injuries, his focus having shifted to Alec.

Nicole remained silent, realizing that no explanation could amend the situation now.

Alec's condition was critical. Unconscious from the pain, his arm hung by mere skin at the shoulder, the underlying bone and tissue visibly damaged.

Several men attempted to lift the tree, but the task was unmanageable.

Weighing tons, the tree's removal required heavy machinery, unavailable deep in the mountainous terrain.

Even if Jarrod could arrange for cranes, Alec's chances of surviving the delay were slim.

Jarrod, visibly frustrated, asked, "Has the helicopter arrived?"

"We can't get a signal," one of the bodyguards replied.

"Find higher ground and signal it, now!" Jarrod commanded, and a bodyguard quickly departed to carry out the order.

Roscoe, mustering his energy, examined Alec's condition and declared, “His arm needs to be amputated, or he won't survive."

Jarrod's expression darkened dangerously. "Keep quiet!" he snapped.

Nicole, acting on impulse, tugged at Roscoe's sleeve, urging him to remain silent to avoid further inciting Jarrod.

However, driven by a profound sense of medical duty, despite his personal feelings toward Alec, Roscoe couldn't remain silent.

Plus, Roscoe felt indebted to Jarrod, and saving Alec might lessen that debt. Anyway, a living person's life was at stake.