Chapter 579
579:
Ethan silently thanked his foresight. He had insisted on installing fire exit doors on every floor, a decision that now proved invaluable, keeping the fire from spreading up the stairs and devouring the entire building.
Brenna wrenched herself away from Ethan’s grasp, her lungs burning from the thick, acrid smoke that enveloped them. The carpet still smoldered in patches, and flames hungrily reached for them, casting wild shadows on the walls. Above, the ceiling spat down a rain of fiery debris, each piece a reminder of the peril that surrounded them. The urgency was palpable; staying even a moment longer could be life-threatening.
Ethan pulled the damp towel away from his face to speak, his eyes wide with confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
Brenna’s voice was hoarse, desperation threading through her words.
“Thiago and the others—they’re still in their rooms!”
Ethan tried to reason with her, his voice urgent.
“It’s too dangerous, Brenna! We don’t have time to save them!”
He reached out to pull her away, his grip firm.
“The fire’s growing! If we don’t leave now, even the fire doors will seal shut.”
But Brenna wrestled out of his hold once more, turning back to face the inferno without a second thought. She pounded on the door that separated them from Thiago, while in the nearby rooms, Joe and Tommy were trapped inside.
Panic flashed across Ethan’s face. He knew that, to the company, dead employees meant only a few compensation checks. With the right salary, replacements would line up at the door. Desperate to sway Brenna, he hurriedly blurted out his thoughts.
His face twisted with worry as he tried to pull Brenna away from the looming disaster.
“We need to go, now!”
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“No!” Brenna shouted back, shaking her head fiercely.
If she left now, she’d never forgive herself. Thiago wasn’t just a colleague—he was a loyal friend who had fought beside her through thick and thin. And more than that, he was the man Ellie, her best friend, had given her heart to. If something happened to him here… Ellie would never forgive her.
Brenna hammered furiously on the door, throwing her entire body against it in desperation, but it remained resolutely closed.
Ethan, unable to sway her frantic efforts, grasped her shoulder and pulled her back.
“This isn’t going to work,” he said urgently. “The doors here at the Empire—”
The Empire Hotel is reinforced, designed to keep intruders out. We need a room card to get inside.”
As he spoke, Ethan swiftly retrieved his own card from his pocket and slid it through the scanner.
A soft beep signaled success, and the door swung open.
Brenna stared, momentarily stunned, as the door yielded to Ethan’s card. She was surprised that his card could open someone else’s room, but now wasn’t the time to ask questions. She quickly regained her composure and pointed toward another door down the hall.
.
.
.