Chapter 262

Vincent barreled through the chaos, shouldering past firefighters and security without a flicker of hesitation. "Out of my way!" he barked, his voice cutting through the noise.

Someone attempted to block his way. "Sir, it's too dangerous! You can't go in!"

"| said move!" Vincent's intense gaze and commanding presence cowed those trying to stop him. He shoved past the barricade, uncaring of the consequences.

Smoke billowed thickly, stinging Vincent's eyes."Hannah!" he yelled, desperation raw in his throat.

Through the smoke, he glimpsed a shadow moving near the fitting rooms.

Without asecond thought, he yanked off his suit jacket, spotted a pool of water beside the fire hose,

and plunged the jacket in. Water streamed from the soaked fabric as he flung it around his shoulders and charged headlong into the smoke.

The fallen decorative panel crashed to the floor with a deafening bang, sending splinters skittering across the scorched tiles.

An instant later, flames tore through the opening,roaring straight toward Vincent.

Hannah whipped around, eyes wide with disbelief.Vincent-how had he forced his way in?

"Watch out!" Vincent barreled forward, ignoring the fiery tongues that licked at his back and shoulders.

He forged his way to Hannah and the mother clutching her child, stripping off his burning jacket and tossing it aside.

His voice rasped through the smoke, resolute and unyielding."This way-stay close!"

Hannah moved swiftly, her gaze locking onto the frightened mother. "Can you stand?" she queried,

urgency threading her words.

The woman gave a faint nod, her arms trembling.

"Hand me your child!" Hannah insisted, reaching out without hesitation and gathering the little one close against her chest.

Hannah then urged the mother, "Hold on to me and don't let go. Stay low-follow him, and keep your mouth and nose covered!"

Smoke surged thicker, swallowing the room in a choking haze.

Vincent moved fast, shoving aside burning debris to clear a path toward the window. He called over his shoulder, "Search for the thickest fabric you can find,and dampen it well!"

He needed something heavy enough to smash through the glass.

Eyes stinging, Hannah quickly scanned the smoky room. A metal cabinet loomed in the corner, its door hanging open. Cleaning supplies were stacked

inside.

"Over here!" She pressed the child back into the mother's trembling arms and lunged for the cabinet,groping through the shelves.

Her fingers closed around a handful of heavy,somewhat clean rags."Here-these will work!"

"Okay." Vincent snatched up a half-empty water bottle and drenched the rags without hesitation.

"Cover your nose and mouth!" he instructed,thrusting the soaked cloths into their hands. Without wasting a second, he charged at the blazing fireproof window, his fist wrapped in wet fabric as he hammered at the weakest corner.

Glass exploded outward with a sharp bang, leaving a jagged hole.

"Move!" Vincent shouted, urgency flaring in his voice. He scooped up the child, thrust him into the mother's trembling arms, and then seized Hannah's wrist in a vise-like grip. His palm radiated heat, but

his grasp was rock-solid and unyielding.

"Jump now! The air cushion's right there. Don't hesitate!" he ordered.

Vincent's every move was deliberate, not reckless.Before coming in, he'd mapped out the escape after quizzing Meagan about the building's layout andthe fitting room's location. He'd made Derek coordinate with the firefighters, ensuring the safety cushion was waiting directly below.

Clutching her child tightly, the mother stepped forward. Vincent steadied her, and she jumped,holding her child's head carefully, landing safely beyond the broken window.

As Hannah stepped forward, a splintered steel beam above groaned and threatened to collapse, sending a shower of burning debris crashing down. Vincent spun, pulling her tightly into his arms, shielding her as the wreckage fell.

For a heartbeat, the world held its breath in silence.

Fear crept into Hannah's voice as she called out,"Vincent?"

A tense, guttural sound escaped Vincent as he finally replied, "I'm alright."

Relief washed over Hannah; she exhaled shakily,forcing herself to stay calm.

Steeling himself, Vincent moved swiftly, urging Hannah toward the window.

After she landed safely, he was the only one left.He climbed onto the searing window ledge, took a breath, and hurled himself toward the air cushion waiting below.

But the moment his feet left the frame, a sudden whoosh split the air-a dormant side flame roared to life, unleashed by a hidden surge of fuel. A wall of fire burst from the opening and chased Vincent as he fell.

From below, rescuers and bystanders stared upward in horror. A deafening blast split the sky as a column

of fire shot up, instantly engulfing Vincent's falling silhouette in a blinding inferno.

The explosion's roar and the raging pillar of fire blasted through the crowd, silencing everyone in an instant. Every face blanched in terror, eyes wide with disbelief.

"My god, he must be gone-there won't even be bones left," someone whispered, panic breaking loose into a wave of horrified voices.

Derek's jaw tightened. He shot a glare at the murmuring crowd, his voice a sharp whisper. "Shut up!"

"Vincent!" Hannah's scream fractured mid-word,raw and desperate.

Her world seemed to tilt and freeze; air vanished from her lungs. Her legs buckled, trembling so violently that she nearly crumpled to the pavement.Did Vincent give his life to keep her safe?

A firefighter hurried over, catching her just before

she collapsed. "Ms. Scott!"

But the mutters behind her refused to stop. "No chance of survival..."

"Not even the rescue team dares go in there..."