Chapter 4

Anna had no idea how long she had been sitting there, lost in a daze, when suddenly, she heard people running outside, their frantic shouts filling the air. "Fire!"

She jumped to her feet, turned toward the noise, and froze. The bridal shop was on fire.

Anna ran over. Flames were already bursting through the windows, thick smoke pouring out. She grabbed her phone to call the fire department.

But before she could dial, someone smacked it out of her hand.

"Anna, you again?" Ethan asked. "How heartless can you be? Trying to burn Camilla alive? I told you. If you've got a problem, take it out on me. Don't drag her into this. She's so kind, begging me to keep you around, and this is how you repay her? You want her dead?"

Ethan glared at her, his eyes intense and blazing with rage, as if he wanted to strangle her. His suit jacket was gone, and his shirt was burned and covered in soot. He looked like he'd just crawled out of the flames himself.

Anna almost laughed in disbelief. Seriously? Just because I was standing there, he thought this was my fault?

"I don't know how the fire started," Anna said flatly. "If Camilla's still inside, then why aren't you saving her instead of yelling at me?" Her heart felt hollow, and she didn't have any feelings left for Ethan.

With that, she turned to pick up her phone, but Ethan, thinking she was trying to run away, clamped down hard on her wrist.

"You think I don't want to save her?" he shouted. "The fire started in the dressing room, right where she was. If it wasn't you, then who? Camilla is my savior's only child. God, I wish it were you in there instead of her."

Spitting out those words, Ethan shoved Anna aside and plunged into the flames without a second thought.

But the fire was raging, and the narrow opening wasn't nearly big enough for someone as tall as Ethan. Still, he charged toward it recklessly.

Flames licked at his back as he tried to shove his way inside, while the people around rushed to hold him back, begging him to give up the ones inside.

But Ethan just kept fighting against them, as if he couldn't bring Camilla out alive, he'd rather burn with her than walk away.

Anna's eyes filled with tears again, somehow. She sighed deeply and picked up her phone.

Then she dialed Derrick Larkin.

"Derrick, let's push up the timeline for my staged death. The bridal shop on East Street is burning. Let me 'die' in this fire," she said.

*****

Derrick's setup was fast. Within two minutes, Anna got his text.

Anna wiped her phone clean, slipped it into her pocket, grabbed a bucket of water, and poured it over herself. Then she ran straight toward Ethan, dragging him back before he could throw himself into the flames again. His shoulder was badly burned, but he didn't care.

She slapped Ethan across the face, as if pouring out every bit of strength and all the resentment she'd suffered over the past three years.

"I'll save Camilla," she said coldly. "And after this, we're done. I don't owe the Conroy family a thing anymore."

With that, Anna strode straight into the inferno. She pressed a wet towel tightly over her mouth and nose and made her way to the dressing room.

But when she got there, she realized the fire wasn't even coming from inside the dressing room. There was thick smoke, but the flames were barely there.

Camilla sat there, perfectly calm and unbothered. As soon as she saw Anna come in, her brows knitted in clear annoyance.

"What are you doing here? Where's Ethan?" she snapped.

"Was it you who set the fire?" Anna asked, suspicion edging her voice.

"Of course, it was me. I just wanted to see if Ethan really loved me. If he thinks you set this fire to hurt me, what do you think he'll do to you?" Camilla cackled, her eyes glittering with a wild sort of glee.

"You're insane! This is a packed street. If the flames get out of hand, do you have any idea how many innocent people could get dragged into this?" Anna asked.

"Who cares? As long as Ethan totally hates you and kicks you out for good, then it's all worth it. Why do you get to enjoy everything that should've been mine all these years? Even Ethan loves you. Just now, he thought you ruined the wedding dress, but even then, when you walked away, he couldn't take his eyes off you. I hate you!" Camilla yelled.

Anna stared at Camilla, who looked absolutely deranged. Without thinking twice, Anna charged forward, seized Camilla's arm, and tried to haul her out of the blazing building.

But Camilla thrashed wildly, desperate for Ethan to save her instead. Anna delivered a swift blow, knocking Camilla out. Then she threw Camilla over her shoulder and strode straight out of the flames.

As soon as the crowd saw Anna carrying Camilla out, they erupted into cheers.

"Camilla!" Ethan rushed over, took Camilla from Anna, and checked her over. Once he saw she was safe, a relieved smile broke across his face.

But when he turned to Anna, his gaze went cold. "Anna, don't think your little stunt will just blow over. Once Camilla's safe, you'll pay for what you've done," he spat.

With that, Ethan scooped Camilla up and hurried off.

The crowd drifted away, all cheering for Camilla, the lucky star who got pulled from the fire.

No one even cared about Anna, the girl who saved Camilla. She just stood there, staring at Ethan as he carried Camilla away.

The smoke stung her eyes, and tears just kept rolling down her cheeks. She couldn't even tell if it was because of the smoke or her broken heart.

Anna slowly pushed herself up, and with everyone's attention elsewhere, she headed back into the flames.

It was over between us, Ethan. From now on, we were done, and everything I owed you and the Conroy family was settled.