Having just been discharged from the hospital, I quickly succumbed to the fumes, my body growing weak as I collapsed to the ground.
Through the haze, I heard Michael's voice—
“Ashlyn!”
Then came the sounds of servants trying to stop him.
“Sir, it’s too dangerous! Please wait for the fire extinguishers—”
“Move! Ashlyn is still inside!”
In the end, he ignored their warnings and rushed into the flames.
What he didn’t expect… was to find Daniela inside too.
“Michael... help...”
She hadn’t even finished her sentence before he scooped her up in his arms—never once glancing at me.
Without hesitation, he turned and walked away.
—
Thirty minutes later. After calming Daniela down, he searched the entire house, but I was nowhere to be found.
Late that night, at the airport.
After mailing a package, I boarded a flight to the UK, coughing as I made my way down the aisle.
Just before the plane took off, my phone buzzed with a text from Michael.
[I don’t have time to play hide-and-seek with you.]
[Daniela has a prenatal check-up tomorrow at 10 a.m. Come with her, and get your lungs checked too.]
I didn’t reply. Instead, I removed the SIM card and powered off my phone.