Chapter 6

After the performance, Serena wanted to go home. To her dismay, Elliot pulled her along to the backstage area. Without delay, he handed Vanessa the bouquet he had prepared in advance. He raised an eyebrow at her and smirked, "Ms. Sinclair, would you spare the time to take a photo with your fan?" Vanessa blushed but didn't hesitate to agree. The dressing room was too crowded, so they left with the camera and went into the hallway. Left on her own inside, Serena watched them through the open door. Seeing them smile at the camera reminded her of the pictures in his study. That must be why the background always looked chaotic. It was because those pictures were taken backstage. He liked Vanessa so much that he followed her performances everywhere. He attended her domestic and international shows just like a devoted fan. Meanwhile, even if Serena performed 30 consecutive shows in Ardenburg, he might not attend a single one. He had made up all sorts of excuses for his absence. He'd be too busy with meetings, work, or social gatherings. As she thought about this, Serena felt her heart ache and her breathing grow labored. She lowered her head. Out of the blue, the fire alarm started blaring with sharp, piercing beeps. Thick smoke spread from a pile of props. Flames burst into the air, rapidly engulfing the room. Everyone screamed in panic and rushed toward the exit. Serena's face turned pale, and she tried to wheel herself out. But amid the chaos of the fleeing crowd, she could barely move an inch. Within moments, a final shove toppled her over to the ground. She watched powerlessly as people trampled past her and the fire crept closer to her feet. Desperate, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "H-Help..." Countless feet stepped over her, but not a single person stopped to help her up. With great difficulty, she crawled across the floor with her arms toward the hallway. By instinct, she grabbed onto a man's pant leg, forcing out a weak plea for help. "Save... me." The man crouched and was about to lift her when someone beside him stopped him. Although the voice was hushed, Serena heard the words clearly. "Eli, the fire's too strong. You also loathe her. So, why don't you just leave her? If she survives, it's luck. If she burns to death, she has no one to blame anyway." Upon hearing that, the man withdrew his leg without hesitation and left. Along the way, he shielded the other person with his body. The smog blurred Serena's vision, and she couldn't make out the figures. But she recognized the voice unmistakably. It belonged to Vanessa. And the man she had grabbed onto? It was Elliot. The flames licked at her clothes, searing her flesh and leaving dark red burns on her skin. Driven by sheer survival instinct, she used every ounce of strength to roll her body. She attempted to extinguish the flames on her body while tumbling toward the entrance. Just then, the firefighters arrived and carried her to safety. While they brought her out, she locked eyes with Elliot as he turned around. Her disheveled appearance—her singed hair and the large burns on her legs—seemed to take him by surprise. She couldn't tell whether he was shocked by the extent of her injuries or the fact that she hadn't burned to death inside. As always, he continued acting. He walked over and embraced her with a look of lingering fear. "Rena, I was pushed out by the crowd. I was just about to go back in to save you. I'm so glad you made it out safely." Serena no longer had the energy to play along with his charade. Lowering her head, she looked at the fresh bloodstain on his pant leg. It was left there from when she grabbed him earlier. She shut her eyes. "My legs have no feeling anymore, so how could they hurt? If I had died in the fire today, maybe that would've hurt. Just like the day of the car accident, when the pain was unbearable. When I was hit, it hurt so much. When I learned I'd be disabled, it hurt so much..." In her heart, she added, "And when I found out you were only dating me for revenge, it hurt so much." She spoke in the calmest, coldest tone, devoid of any hysteria. Yet, her words left Elliot stunned. His lips parted to speak, probably words of comfort as usual. However, nothing rolled off his tongue. In the end, he said nothing. He simply carried her into the car.