When Love Turns to Ashes Chapter 8

Soon a doctor came to tend his wounds.

Between pain and fever, Ethan drifted back into unconsciousness.

Evening came and darkness fell.

Ethan was sleeping fitfully when choking smoke jolted him awake. Screams and running footsteps echoed through the halls!

"The hospital's on fire! Run!"

His heart lurched. He forced his weak, aching body upright, opened the door, and saw the hallway filled with billowing smoke and leaping flames! People stampeded toward the stairwell in panic.

Ethan stumbled after the crowd, legs shaking. At the stairwell, he collided with Luke, also fleeing.

In the chaos, Luke tripped on something. Instinctively grabbing Ethan's arm, they both lost their balance and tumbled down the stairs together, screaming!

Searing pain exploded through Ethan. His vision went dark, nearly fainting again.

When he painfully lifted his head, he realized they'd fallen to a relatively enclosed landing. The only exit was blocked by burning debris.

The smoke grew thicker, flames spreading closer.

Luke seemed to have injured his foot, whimpering in pain nearby.

Ethan tried pushing the debris aside, but in his weakened state, he couldn't budge it. The smoke choked him into violent coughing fits, his consciousness starting to fade.

Just as he thought he'd die here, voices came from outside—rescue workers, and one voice he knew down to his bones, frantic with worry:

"The fire's too intense! It's too dangerous! You can't go in there!"

"Let me go! My love is still inside!"

Victoria!

The next moment, he saw Victoria charging through the smoke and flames, reckless and desperate.

Her gaze searched frantically, then locked onto—Luke.

Without hesitation, she rushed to Luke, pulling him up, her voice thick with relief and lingering fear: "Luke! Don't be afraid, I'm here!"

From start to finish, her eyes never once landed on Ethan, lying not far away, equally close to death.

She dragged Luke toward the exit, turning to leave.

Ethan watched her decisive retreat, drowning in endless cold and despair.

But then, Victoria stopped. Luke whispered something in her ear.