Chapter 3
I held on tight to Ethan's arm, not letting go for a second.
"Honey, are you really okay? Maybe we should call a doctor," Ethan asked, worry all over his face.
"I'm fine, I just don't want to be alone," I said, leaning into him.
I snuggled up to him and said, "Wherever you go, I'm going, too. I want to go to the banquet hall with you."
"Come on, you can't just walk around in your wedding dress," Ethan said.
"I don't care!" I grabbed his arm and wouldn't let go, my voice shaking. "I'm scared."
He couldn't say no when I acted so helpless.
"Alright, alright. Just change out of your dress, and I'll go with you... Maybe we can head to the lounge together?" he offered.
My phone was vibrating so hard in my pocket, it felt like it was about to fly out.
The voice shrieked at me, loud and shrill, "You've got a death wish!
"Do you really think he can protect you, you worthless bitch?"
Suddenly, the hotel's fire alarm went off, blaring through the halls.
The whole floor erupted into chaos.
"Fire! Fire!" someone shouted.
"Run!" another yelled.
Guests came screaming their heads off, pouring out of their rooms and stampeding toward the emergency exits.
The hallway was pure chaos, people shoving and pushing each other in a blind panic.
In the middle of the madness, someone slammed into me, and I crashed to the ground.
"Honey!" Ethan shouted, panic all over his face.
My "future self" shrieked through the phone, her voice frantic and desperate, "Run! Lose him now!
"Head to the parking garage! There's a car waiting for you—move it!
"The fire's a setup! They're just using it to get Ethan out of the way—someone's coming to your room to snatch you!"
I held on tight to Ethan's hand, refusing to let go no matter what.
"Don't be scared!" Ethan called out to me.
He fought his way against the stampede, scooped me up into his arms, and carried me through the chaos.
His arms were solid and powerful, making me feel safe.
Throwing his suit jacket over my head to shield me, Ethan bolted for the emergency exit, not giving a damn about anything else.
"Move!" he shouted, his voice booming through the chaos.
Right as he lifted me into his arms, my phone in my pocket suddenly went silent.
The voice was gone.
An eerie, chilling silence hung in the air.
Suddenly, I realized that thing was actually scared.
It totally freaked out when Ethan threw himself in front of me like that.
Ethan burst through the emergency exit door.
However, we rushed in and nearly collided with someone.
"Dad?" Ethan froze, stunned.
Ethan's father, Logan Locke, was standing by the stairwell, clutching a medical kit.
He wasn't even dealing with the fire—he was just standing here, waiting for us.
He looked way calmer than Ethan, but there was something somber and brooding about him.
"Ethan, something's wrong with her," Logan said, his expression serious.
He blocked our path, refusing to let us pass.
Then, he opened the medical kit and pulled out a syringe.
"Let me give her a sedative," he said, his voice chillingly calm.
The moment I saw that cold, gleaming needle, my mind flashed back to the fresh puncture on Ethan's neck.
A chill shot through me, freezing me to the bone.
They were in on this together!
That voice was right!
The fire alarm was a total fake—and Logan was here to cut us off!
I started struggling like crazy, desperate to break free.
"Let me go! What are you doing? Why are you doing this to me?
"Ethan! Help! He's coming at me with a needle!" I cried out, panic surging through me.
"Dad, are you crazy?" Ethan yelled, his voice cracking with shock and anger.
He shoved his dad out of the way, throwing himself in front of me and shielding me behind his back.
His chest was heaving, eyes bloodshot and wild. "She's my wife! Nobody lays a finger on her!"
Logan staggered back, the medical kit hitting the floor with a loud thud.
Everything spilled out onto the floor.
I froze, totally stunned.
No sedatives, no medicine bottles—none of that.
Instead, the space was littered with packets of sanctified salt engraved with prayers, and a small silver dagger.
The bizarre sight froze me in place.
Logan stared at Ethan, his whole body trembling with rage. "You damn fool! I was trying to save her!"