The inferno raged around her, trapping her inside the wreckage.

He was her last chance.

Each ring stretched into an eternity, the silence more terrifying than the crackling fire. Flames licked closer, devouring the car. Thick, black smoke choked her, stealing the air from her lungs. She was running out of time.

Her fingers trembled as she redialed, panic seizing her chest. Every unanswered ring was a fresh stab of agony. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Please, answer.

Finally, a connection.

“Are you kidding me? Can’t you give it a rest?” Ethan’s voice was ice, sharp with impatience.

Before she could form a word, he cut her off. “Sophia is critical. I don’t have time for your drama. Whatever it is, it can wait.”

“I’m dying, Ethan…” Isabella’s voice was a strained, broken whisper. “For all we had… please, save me…”

Smoke filled her lungs, a searing pain that blurred her vision. The world faded at the edges. She clutched the phone, her only lifeline.

Ethan’s frown deepened at the raw terror in her tone. “Isabella? What’s going on?”

Her words sounded weak, distant. A sliver of worry pierced his focus. But then, a gasp. A violent cough from the hospital bed beside him.

Sophia fought against her oxygen mask, her movements frantic.

“Sophia!” His voice snapped with urgent concern. He grabbed her hands, holding her gently. “I’m here. Just breathe. It’s okay.”

He turned his attention back to the phone, his tone freezing over once more. “She can’t be alone right now. Isabella, stop these childish games.”

The word “childish” slammed into her, crushing what was left of her heart. The pain was physical, suffocating. She couldn’t speak.

A harsh beep severed the connection.

The relentless busy signal pounded in her ears, each tone extinguishing another fragment of hope.

Her hand fell. Utterly defeated. The phone slipped from her numb fingers. Even in her final moments, she would never matter to him the way Sophia did.

How could he be so cruel? The painful truth settled over her. All these years, her love had been wasted on a man who felt nothing.

As darkness pulled at her consciousness, a figure broke through the wall of fire.

“Isabella!” A voice, filled with raw urgency and deep fear, cut through the chaos.

Her eyes closed.

She awoke to the sterile white of a hospital ceiling. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled her nose.

She tried to move, but a sharp pain from her injuries made her gasp.

“Don’t move. You’re on an IV.” A stiff, uncomfortable voice came from beside her.

She turned her head. Lucas. The tips of his hair were singed. Soot smudged his face. The collar of his shirt was blackened and burnt.

He had walked through fire for her. The realization sent a wave of warmth through her shattered heart.

“You came for me,” she stated, her voice thick with certainty.

Seeing the flicker in her eyes, he gave a soft nod. “Yes. I did.”