I was thrown out by the force of the explosion like a ragdoll. When I hit the ground, it felt like the impact had cracked the pavement beneath me. The pain surged through my body as if every bone had shattered.


    The agony pulled me back to consciousness. People were screaming and running away from the explosion, desperate to avoid being caught in the mes.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In moments like these, survival instincts kicked in. No one remembered to call for help or put out the fire.


    I tried to move and reached for the phone in my bag. But before I could, a shadow burst into my line of sight.


    Nichs ran straight into the ze without hesitation. As he dove into the passenger seat, the fire engulfed him, and my heart froze.


    Everything happened too fast, too fast for me to even cry out. Yet, it felt so slow, like a scene ying out In slow motion.


    His movements kept reying in my mind as if on a loop. Tears streamed down my face uncontrobly.


    "That guy''s insane!


    "Isn''t that the man from TV?"


    "Why would someone as rich as him risk his life like that? Who''s worth it?"


    "I have no idea..."


    Gasps from the crowd filled the air.


    "Ariana! Ariana!" Nichs quickly scrambled out of the car when he didn''t find me in the passenger seat.


    Ignoring the raging mes, he used his bare hands to yank open the back door. "Ariana! Ariana!"


    "So it''s his wife! No wonder he''s risking everything to save her! Call for help!"


    I struggled to get up, but the shock in front of me left me barely able to utter a word. Nichs seemed oblivious to the pain. Although his hands bled, hepletely O disregarded the fire.


    "Nichs!" The roar in my heart was deafening, but the sound that escaped my lips was barely a whisper, only audible to myself.


    "Nichs..."


    At this moment, Nichs wasn''t able to remain calm. He tossed the unconscious driver aside like a sack of potatoes before moving to the backseat. He dragged Jasmine out, bloodied


    and already passed out. Grabbing her by the throat, his voice was as cold as a demon''s. "Where is Ariana? Where did you hide her?" Jasmine regained consciousness under his grip. Her face twisted with sorrow, but sheughed between sobs. "Nick, is this really you? I never thought I would see you lose control like this. But Ariana... she''ll never see it. She''ll never see your pain, your despair."


    Nichs''s grip tightened, "Cut the crap! Where is Ariana?"


    Thinking I was already dead, Jasmineughed even harder. "I wanted to make sure she was really gone, so I doused my car in gasoline... You''ll have to look for her in hell! Her words came out in broken gasps.


    Nichs''s eyes grew bloodshot. "Jasmine! You''re insane!"


    "Nick, call me Ste, Ste Cooper. This life has been hell for me. I thought the second half of it would be sweet. You gave me hope before shattering it with your own hands.


    "But it doesn''t matter. I''m used to the pain. I had already epted my fate. But then you told me... you never meant any of it.


    "It was always about her... It was always about Ariana from the start. There are no good. people in this world, Nick. None."


    The resolve in her eyes was unwavering. "I won''t please anyone anymore-not even you."


    "We had a contract!" Nichs growled, the words seething through his clenched teeth. Blood trickled from the corner of Jasmine''s mouth.


    "Don''t hate me, Nick. Taking Ariana


    was just my way of making you taste the bitterness of loss. Your life has always been too easy as everything is handed to you. It''s time you learned what it feels like to want something and never have it."