An hour earlier...
The atmosphere inside Bellevienne Bridal had been peaceful and elegant. Soft music played quietly in the background while workers carefully moved around the luxurious VIP fitting area upstairs.
Loretta stood before the large mirror wearing a beautiful white wedding gown.
The dress fit her almost perfectly.
The long train spread across the floor beautifully, and the delicate diamonds sewn into the fabric sparkled softly under the lights.
Several assistants stood around her carefully.
"Miss Gladstone, the waist area still needs a small adjustment," one of them said politely.
Loretta looked at herself in the mirror quietly before nodding.
"And the sleeves," she added softly. "I want them slightly shorter."
"Of course, Miss Gladstone."
The staff quickly noted down her requests.
Nearby, Collins stood silently outside the fitting room like a statue, waiting patiently.
Everything was calm.No one knew disaster was only moments away.
Soon, Loretta finished changing out of the wedding dress.
One of the workers carefully carried the gown away while another handed Loretta a cup of warm tea.
"Miss Gladstone, the final fitting can be done in three days," the manager said with a smile.
Loretta nodded lightly, that was a day before her engagement party she would take the opportunity to leave the Gladstone mansion.
Loretta finished her cup of tea and got ready to leave when suddenly—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A sharp alarm suddenly rang through the building.
Everyone froze, the peaceful atmosphere instantly disappeared. Eorkers looked at each other in confusion.
"What happened?" Someone asked.
"That's the fire alarm," some said with doubt after all how could the building suddenly catch fire?
Just then someone screamed downstairs.
"Fire!"
The expression on the manager's face changed instantly.
Smoke soon began spreading into the upper hallway.
The workers immediately panicked.
"Oh my God! There is really fire,"
"The fire started downstairs!"
"Quickly! We need to leave!"
The entire upstairs area instantly fell into chaos.
Workers grabbed documents and shouted at people to move.
Loretta quickly stood up.
Collins immediately moved toward her.
"This way," he said firmly, his hand already sending a signal to his team.
Everyone hurried toward the staircase.
But before they could reach it, several people suddenly ran back in terror.
"The stairs are on fire!"
"We cannot go down!"
A loud crashing sound echoed from below.
Heat began rising rapidly through the building.
The smoke became thicker and thicker.
People started coughing violently.
The manager's face turned pale.
"Go back inside. Seal the doors!" she shouted quickly. "Do not let the smoke enter too fast!"
The workers hurriedly pulled Loretta and the others back into the VIP area upstairs.
Someone soaked towels with water and handed them around desperately.
"Cover your mouth!"
"Cough... cough..."
Loretta pressed the wet towel against her nose, but breathing still became harder and harder.
The air felt burning hot, dmoke slowly filled the hallway outside.
The lights flickered repeatedly.
One of the assistants had already started crying.
"When will rescue come?" she sobbed fearfully.
Collins stayed beside Loretta the entire time.
His expression remained calm, but even he could tell the situation was becoming dangerous.
The smoke was too heavy.
Loretta's breathing gradually weakened.
Her chest hurt badly.
Sweat covered her forehead as the heat inside the building rose higher.
"Cough..."
Her legs slowly lost strength.
The voices around her started becoming distant.
Someone was shouting.
Someone was crying.
The sound of sirens could finally be heard faintly outside but Loretta's vision was already becoming blurry.
She leaned weakly against the wall.
"Miss Loretta!" one of the workers cried out in panic.
Loretta tried to stay awake, but the smoke made her head dizzy.
Outside the building, the situation had already become chaotic. Two fire trucks stopped in front of Bellevienne Bridal as thick smoke continued pouring out from the lower floors.
The sound of sirens echoed through the street. People gathered outside in fear.
Some workers who had escaped earlier were crying while pointing toward the upper floor.
"There are still people trapped upstairs!"
"The VIP fitting rooms!"
"The stairs already collapsed!"
The firefighters quickly moved into action.
Water sprayed toward the flames, but the fire was far more serious than expected.
The lower floor was burning fiercely.
Heat waves rolled out from the entrance.
One firefighter tried moving toward the staircase, but after only a few steps, flames suddenly burst upward violently.
"Back!"
The firefighter immediately retreated.
"The stairs are gone!"
The expressions of the rescue team instantly became serious.
Smoke continued rising rapidly toward the upper floor.
One of the firefighters looked up toward the VIP windows upstairs.
"The people trapped up there will not last long if the smoke keeps spreading."
Another firefighter clenched his fists tightly. The fire is spreading too fast. We cannot reach them from inside."
"What about the ladder truck?" someone shouted.
"We are trying, but the fire is blocking that side of the building!"
The atmosphere became tense.
The fire was far more difficult to control than they expected. Part of the ceiling downstairs suddenly collapsed with a loud crash.
Bang!
Several people outside screamed in fear.
The firefighters' expressions became even uglier.
"If this continues, the upper floor may collapse too." He looked at the fire already spreading up.
Inside the VIP area upstairs, the smoke had already become much thicker.
The workers were coughing painfully.
One assistant had already fainted from fear and smoke.
Loretta leaned weakly against the wall while struggling to breathe.
Even Collins' face had become pale from the heavy smoke, but he still stayed protectively beside her.
Outside, the rescue team quickly changed plans.
"We break through from the side windows!"
"But the heat is too strong!"
"We have no time!" the captain shouted angrily. "If we delay any longer, everyone upstairs will suffocate!"
The firefighters immediately moved.
The ladder truck was finally forced closer toward the upper floor despite the dangerous flames. The heat was terrifying.
Even standing outside felt difficult.
Several firefighters climbed upward while carrying heavy equipment.
Smoke continued pouring from the broken windows.
Visibility was almost zero.
One firefighter smashed the glass open completely.
Bang!
Dark smoke instantly rushed outward.
"Found the VIP rooms!"
"Hurry!"
The rescue team forced their way inside through the smoke.
The hallway upstairs was already barely visible. The air was burning hot.
"Cough... cough..."
Even the firefighters struggled to breathe properly through their masks.
One by one, they quickly carried the trapped workers out first.
"Another one here!"
"Move carefully!"
The rescue became more difficult as the fire continued spreading nearby.
"Over here," Colins bearly conscious called the attention of the firefighters. Someone hurried over. He wanted to help him but he shook his head and pointed at Loretta, "save her,"
The firefighters checked on Loretta
"Still alive!"
Another loud crashing sound suddenly echoed somewhere downstairs.
The entire building shook slightly.
"We need to leave now!" someone shouted urgently.
The firefighter immediately lifted Loretta into his arms.
Collins tried standing but nearly collapsed from dizziness.
Another firefighter quickly supported him.
The rescue team hurried toward the broken window while flames continued spreading below them.
Outside, the crowd finally saw movement at the upper floor windows.
"They are bringing people out!"
"Hurry!"
One by one, the trapped people were brought down safely.
Loretta was the last person carried out.
The moment she reached outside, medical staff immediately rushed forward.
"Severe smoke inhalation!"
"Prepare oxygen!"
Loretta remained completely unconscious as she was placed onto the stretcher.
Ash and smoke stained her clothes and hair, but fortunately, there were no burns on her body.
The ambulance doors quickly closed.
Then the sirens rang loudly once more as the vehicle sped toward the hospital.