Chapter 308 He's Dead.
Samuel had always been indifferent to Joseph's banter. How did he even become friends with such an idiot? "Don't be sad. If a woman doesn't want you, you still have your brothers. I mean, I'm here to chat with you," Joseph said, offering a cigarette with a smirk.
Samuel didn't even look. "She doesn't like me smoking."
"You're not even married, and you're already obeying her. What about when you're married? You'll be completely controlled, right? No, you're already under her control.
"Samuel, I used to admire you. You were like an emotionless machine, even more carefree than me. Marrying a woman you don't love meant nothing to you. Look at you now. What have you become?
"Is she worth it?"
Samuel's gaze fixed on the moonlit night. "She is worth everything."
"I'm impressed, my friend!" Joseph gave a thumbs up. "But you're in for a lot of suffering. I hope you'll have half a life left."
Joseph lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke, and boasted, "I'm better off. I don't do relationships. I follow my desires, so I won't get hurt. I'll live a carefree life."
"But a lifetime without experiencing true love is also a kind of regret."
"I can't believe you're saying that. Impressive!
"I'll never meet a woman who makes me love her to the point of madness. They'll only be tormented by me in some way." Joseph's smile was wicked.
"Heartless," Samuel spat.
"I may be heartless, but I live without a care. By the way, are you really letting her go tomorrow?"
"Can I stop her?"
"Why not? Tie her up, and she won't be able to run away. Let me tell you, women are all the same. The better you treat them, the more they act up, as if they're invincible. If you mistreat them and pay them no attention, they'll come crawling back, loving you to death."
Samuel replied calmly, "She's not that kind of woman. If I don't look for her, she'll never contact me."
"How do you know if you don't try?"
"No need. I'm sure, and I can't afford to try. I would die without her."
Joseph's hand trembled as he smoked, and he looked at Samuel seriously. Although Joseph didn't understand true love, he understood that only a man who loved a woman to the core would say such words.
A scream broke the brief silence. "Fire! Fire!" The screams came from inside the castle. Samuel turned around, and the fire was in Layla's room, where she had been all night.
Samuel didn't have time to think. He rushed into the castle. The entire third floor was filled with thick smoke, and the servants were running around in a panic. Samuel grabbed a maid and asked, "Where's Layla?"
"Miss Adkins is still in her room."
"Samuel, what are you doing? The fire is so big, you'll die." Joseph was blinded by the flames. "You're still injured. I can't let you go in and die."
"Get out of the way!" Samuel pushed Joseph aside and rushed into the fire. "Layla!" The whole room was engulfed in flames, and Layla was forced to retreat to the corner, the fire was about to reach her...
"Help..." She covered her nose, but the thick smoke still filled her nostrils, causing her to cough violently.
"Help..." The intense heat roasted her body. She was burning up, and the flames made her gradually lose consciousness.
"Help..." The fire was so intense that anyone who entered would be doomed, and no one would come to save her. 'Samuel, save me and the baby...' Layla's tears fell, and she weakly collapsed.
Was she going to die? She didn't want to die...
'I’m so sorry Little One. Come find me in the next life, okay? Samuel, goodbye...'
In the moment before her eyes closed, a figure rushed into the fire. "Samuel?" Layla exerted her last bit of strength, trying to hold herself up.
"You... go away, don't come in... you'll die... Samuel..."
"Don't come."
"Wait for me." A wall of fire separated them, the flames burning stronger and stronger. Samuel couldn't cross. "Don’t come!" Layla screamed in despair. She didn't want him to be buried with her. No, she didn't!
"Don’t come..."
"Wait for me. Don't be afraid," Samuel repeated these words. The room was filled with thick smoke, and the fire had already made him unable to open his eyes, his sweat pouring down. He rushed into the fire.
"Layla..."
"Samuel." Layla's tears and snot mixed. "You... you shouldn't have come... I don't want you to die... Samuel."
"We won't die, and we'll live together!" Samuel's voice was weak but exceptionally firm. "Let's go..." He pulled her up.
"My, my legs are weak. I can't walk..." Layla cried in a panic. She was terrified of fire. "I'll carry you." Samuel hoisted her onto his shoulders. She smelled the blood on him, his wound had reopened. The raging fire left them with no way out.
"I'm scared..."
"Close your eyes, we'll be out soon. Be good."
Layla closed her eyes.
"We're almost there.
"Just a little more.
"A few more steps.
"We're almost at the door."
Samuel panted heavily, his sweat falling on Layla's hand like rain.
"We're almost there...
"We'll both make it out alive, Layla!
"We have a lifetime ahead of us...
"Don't give up. "
Layla looked up. Seeing the ceiling light fall, she screamed. A strong force pushed her, and she was pushed to the door.
The light fixture crashed down. "Samuel..." The fire was too strong and Layla couldn't see him. She could only hear some faint voices.
"Go. Don't mind me..."
"No, Samuel...
"Samuel..."
The servants hurriedly brought water to put out the fire.
"Save him, please..."
"Save him..."
The fire was too big, instantly swallowing the water.
"Samuel..."
Layla woke up from the nightmare, panting and her heart racing. She was in a panic, her face pale. "I, I just had a terrible nightmare. I dreamed of a fire, a very big fire. He, came in to save me, and then he got caught in the fire too. I'm so scared... The fire was becoming bigger and bigger.
"Where's Samuel? Where is he?" Layla got out of bed in a hurry. Joseph's face was livid, his face was ashen. "Samuel is dead."