Chapter 267 Unexpected Situation
James wanted to laugh, but the sound died in his throat. It was as if, in that moment, he'd forgotten how.
"James, marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life! My biggest regret!" Jennifer spat, her eyes blazing with fury, unconcerned with the venom dripping from her words.
Silence descended. James hung his head, and the world seemed to hold its breath.
His silence only fueled Jennifer's anger. "Let's get a divorce," she blurted out, the words a raw nerve ending.
To her astonishment, James remained unmoved. He merely nodded, his voice a mere whisper. "Okay."
This wasn't the first time she'd made the request. They'd been through this argument and pain before, leading to this point. But this time, the chasm between them felt wider, unbridgeable.
Was it heartbreak that choked him? Regret? Disappointment? He couldn't tell anymore.
All he felt was an echoing emptiness, a gaping hole where something vital used to be. He stood there numb, a puppet with severed strings.
Jennifer gave him one last, scathing look before turning to leave. He wasn't worth her tears, her pain. All she wanted was to escape, to crawl into bed and pull the covers over her head, or maybe just drink until the day's memories blurred into oblivion.
How could she have been so wrong about him? So blind? The realization stung, a bitter aftertaste to her anger.
But she'd only taken a few steps when two figures came hurtling out of a nearby storefront, their panicked cries piercing the air. "Fire! Fire!!"
They dashed onto the sidewalk, heedless of those in their way, and Jennifer, taken by surprise, found herself directly in their path.
She froze, the screams jolting her into awareness. Two strangers were barreling towards her, faces contorted in fear. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, her eyes widening in terror. She tried to dodge, but it was too late.
"Look out!"
A gruff voice sounded behind her, and a split second later, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back with a gentle but insistent force. She stumbled, narrowly avoiding a collision.
James. Of course, it was James.
His reflexes were always sharp, even now, even with his heart shattered. In the face of danger, he reacted instinctively, putting himself between her and harm.
Jennifer gasped, her mind struggling to catch up. By the time she'd regained her senses, James had already released her, his voice low and apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to grab you like that. I just... I couldn't let you get hurt."
He glanced at her, then quickly averted his gaze, his shame palpable. He appeared to have committed a serious crime, like a beggar who had dared touch a princess.
Seeing him so small, so defeated, sent a fresh wave of pain through Jennifer.
She opened her mouth to speak, but another voice cut her off.
"Fire! Fire! Everyone out, it's spreading fast!"
It was the couple from before. The man, a bespectacled man who looked like a teacher, was shouting frantically.
"The children!" The woman beside him cried, her voice high-pitched with terror. "They're still inside! We have to go back!"
"Are you mad?" The man, Octavian, was pale with fear. "The fire's too strong! We'll never make it back out!"
Just then, a dozen more people stumbled out of the building, half of them adults, the other half children. Their faces were etched with terror, their clothes rumpled and smelling faintly of smoke.
"Octavian, did you call 911?" An older woman, her face etched with worry, rushed towards them.
Octavian fumbled for his phone. "I'm calling, I'm calling!"
"Eirian, what happened?" someone else asked. "How did the fire start?"
The woman, Eirian, was still shaking. "I... I don't know for sure. I think one of the children knocked over an alcohol burner..."
"Everyone, gather round!" A man's voice boomed. "We need to do a headcount. Who's still inside?"
As the teachers called out names, their faces grew grim.
"Seven," one of them choked out, his voice thick with tears. "Seven children are still trapped."
"We have to go back!" A young man named Gideon took a step towards the building, his eyes filled with desperate courage.
"Gideon, stop! You'll die!"
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Gideon cried, tears streaming down his face. "Just stand here and watch them burn? They're just babies! We can't leave them! We can't!"
His words elicited a chorus of sobs from the teachers, their faces reflecting a mix of grief and guilt.
It was then that Octavian, the older man, stepped forward. "Enough!" he shouted, his voice hoarse but firm. "I'll go. This is my tutoring center, my responsibility. If anyone's going in, it's me."
"Octavian, no!"
But Octavian was already pushing past them, his jaw set with determination.
It was then that James finally understood. This wasn't just a fire. It was a race against time, a desperate fight to save innocent lives.
He took one look at Octavian's slight frame and knew he wouldn't stand a chance. Without a word, he grabbed the man's shoulder, his voice calm and steady. "You stay here. I'm a firefighter. I know what to do. Get everyone to prepare a safety net. I'll get the children out through the windows."
And with that, he turned and disappeared into the inferno.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
