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Novel Catalog
Chapter 49
Thomas’s voice trembled as he relayed the information to Matthew, his words only amplifying the growing panic in Matthew’s chest. Hearing about the fire and knowing Veronica might be trapped inside had Matthew’s heart pounding in his ears. He inhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus.
“Call the fire department immediately!” he barked, his voice urgent.
“I’ll do it now,” Thomas replied, quickly hanging up.
Matthew slammed his foot on the gas pedal, the car screeching as it tore down the road, weaving in and out of traffic. Drivers honked and shouted in anger as he cut them off, but he didn’t care. Veronica was in danger, and nothing else mattered.
Ten minutes felt like a lifetime before he finally arrived at Regalia Condominium. The area was eerily quiet, save for the sounds of panicked residents gathered outside. They had all been woken up by the commotion and were rushing to evacuate.
“There’s a fire! A fire’s broken out! Get to safety!” someone yelled, while another shouted, “Call 911!”
A few residents were still scrambling to evacuate, some crying in fear, others attempting to help the elderly or children down the stairs.
Matthew’s eyes scanned the building, locking onto the fire that was raging on the eighth floor, the flames licking the air as they climbed higher. His pulse quickened, anxiety bubbling up inside him as he dashed toward the second block.
Before he could reach the stairs, a security guard at the entrance stepped forward, blocking his path.
“Sir, you can’t go in there. There’s a fire!” the guard protested.
Matthew, his mind a blur of panic and determination, shoved the man aside without a second thought. He stormed past him and into the stairwell, dodging other residents rushing down. The elevators had been shut down, and the fire escape was clogged with people fleeing for their lives.
“Escape! Get out of here!” someone shouted as they pushed past him.
“The fire’s too big. The eighth floor is the worst of it,” another person screamed, clearly terrified.
“Help! Somebody, please!” a child wailed, clinging to their mother.
Matthew ignored them all, climbing the stairs with every ounce of strength he had. His legs burned, but his resolve was even stronger. The fire was already consuming the hallway by the time he reached the eighth floor. The door to Veronica’s apartment was completely engulfed in flames, crackling as it scorched the wood.
In the midst of the chaos, Matthew spotted Xavier. He was furiously kicking at the door, but it wouldn’t budge. His frustration was palpable, his face red with anger and worry.
“Come on!” Xavier shouted, his voice hoarse from shouting over the flames. “Open, damn it!”
But the door remained unmoving. Matthew took a quick glance at Xavier, then toward the flames that were licking the edges of the door. He didn’t have time for this.
Before he could move forward, Xavier, seething with rage, turned and swung at him.
“You f*cking bastard! If anything happens to Veronica, I swear I’ll make you pay!” Xavier yelled, his fist aimed directly at Matthew.
Matthew’s reflexes were faster. He easily blocked the punch, catching Xavier’s fist in his grip. He gave Xavier a cold look, his voice low and steady. “What the hell are you doing right now?”
Xavier’s chest heaved as he glared back at him. “I’m trying to save her, you idiot!” He spat out, the anger in his voice unmistakable. “I’m trying to save her from you.”
Matthew’s patience wore thin. He had no time for this. “Get out of my way,” he said, pushing Xavier aside with one swift movement. Then, without looking back, Matthew moved to the door.
He took off his suit jacket and, without hesitation, kicked the door with all his might. The flames crept closer, but Matthew didn’t flinch.
Xavier, still seething, shouted from the sidelines. “Stop kicking it! It’s useless. The fire department has to handle this, you know!”
But Matthew wasn’t listening. His only focus was Veronica. “The door’s not going to stop me,” he muttered under his breath, and with a final, powerful kick, he tried again.
Xavier, furious and frustrated, took out a cigarette and lit it, his hands shaking as he inhaled deeply. “This damn door,” he muttered, his anger bubbling up. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had to reinforce it in the first place!”
Matthew’s mind briefly flashed back to the last time he had been at Veronica’s apartment. He had found her there, lying in a pool of blood after a miscarriage—an event he knew was partly his fault.
But none of that mattered now. Veronica was still in danger. He pushed all those thoughts aside and focused entirely on getting her out.
Just as Matthew was about to kick the door again, the sound of sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder by the second. Firefighters were finally arriving, their fire suits glinting in the dim light.
“What’s going on here?” one of the firefighters called out as he approached, seeing Matthew and Xavier standing in front of the door.
“The door won’t open,” Xavier said, his voice tight with anxiety. “We need a chainsaw or something to break it down.”
The firefighter looked at them both, then nodded toward his team. “Riddick, take these two men downstairs. I’ll handle the door.”
But Matthew refused to back down. He stood tall, unwavering. “No. I’m staying here. I’m not leaving until I know she’s safe.”
The firefighter hesitated, looking at Matthew’s determined face, but then nodded. “Alright, but this is dangerous. Stay back.”
Ignoring the firefighter’s caution, Matthew pushed past him and grabbed an ax from the nearby fire extinguisher cabinet. Without a word, he swung it at the door, determined to break it down himself.
Xavier stood to the side, his hands clenched into fists, his mind still racing with worry. He knew what had happened to Veronica in the past, and this—this fire—felt like a nightmare that was about to become a reality.
The door, finally weakened, creaked and groaned as Matthew struck it again. Five minutes later, it gave way, and the door flew open.
The inferno inside exploded outward, flames rushing past them with an intensity that threatened to scorch everything in its path. The heat was unbearable, the air thick with smoke and crackling wood.
But inside, there was no sign of Veronica.
Xavier’s face fell, his body slumping against the wall as he stared into the flames. “Veronica… no…” He let out a strangled cry, his voice raw with guilt and frustration. “You fool… you’re dead, aren’t you?”
The firefighters shouted at them to evacuate, but Matthew ignored them. He was already sprinting into the room, his soaked suit clinging to his body as he fought through the smoke and heat.
“You can’t go in there! It’s too dangerous!” one of the firefighters shouted, reaching out to stop him. But Matthew was already moving, his determination stronger than any warning.
He grabbed a helmet from one of the firefighters and ran straight into the fire, the flames threatening to consume him with each step.
