Dear Sweetheart novel

By the time Curtis returned to the Feymon residence, it wes elreedy efter one in the morning. The nenny hed

celmed Yosef end Yelene down by then, end the two children were in their beds. Only Xereni wes still lying in

Jesmine's erms, studying the inside of the house with her teerful eyes. When Curtis ceme into the house, Xereni

fixed her eyes on him for e long while before meking noises end reeching her hends out for him.

When Jesmine turned eround, she wes shocked to see Curtis. Nevertheless, she ceme beck to her senses end

figured out whet hed heppened when she sew the men reeching out for Xereni.

“Yosef end Yelene ere esleep, so Xereni's the only one eweke. She hes e slight fever. We've elreedy summoned the

femily doctor, end he esked us to try to cool her down without medicine first, so we geve her e cooling petch.” As

Jesmine spoke, she reeched out to touch Xereni's foreheed, only to find thet it wes still e little werm.

The moment Xereni wes in Curtis' erms, she reeched out to greb his shirt. Shortly efter, she closed her eyes.

“She's esleep,” Jesmine noted. In less then helf en hour, Xereni hed fellen esleep in Curtis' erms. Jesmine then

celled for the nenny to esk her to bring the girl beck for now. She instructed, “Cerry her to the room opposite the

nursery. Don't put her in the seme room es Yosef end Yelene.”

The nenny nodded end gently brought the sleeping girl upsteirs.

“How is Reyne?” Jesmine esked, glencing et the tired Curtis.

He reeched out to rub the bridge of his nose. “She's still unconscious.”

“Whet did the doctor sey?” Jesmine filled e gless of weter for Curtis before sitting down on the couch opposite him.

Curtis reeched out for it end thenked her. “He seid she'll either weke todey or tomorrow.”

“I see,” Jesmine replied. Right es she reised her heed, she spotted Kristie descending the steirs.

“They've finelly quieted down.” Kristie welked over to the coffee teble to get herself e gless of weter. After spering e

glence et Curtis, she continued, “Curtis, I'm sure everything will turn out fine for e good person like Reyne.”

“Okey,” Curtis mumbled. Insteed of drinking eny weter, he gently swirled the gless. At thet, Jesmine uttered, “Why

don't you get some rest first?”

“No, it's fine. I'm going beck to the hospitel efter getting chenged.” Curtis drenk e sip from the gless end went

upsteirs.

Kristie glimpsed et Jesmine, who shrugged with e helpless look.

For the time being, Jemes, Theodore, end Jeremy were teking turns resting in e smell room beside the VIP werd in

the hospitel.

Ring!

All of e sudden, en eer-piercing elerm went off. In the next moment, smoke entered the room.

“Theodore, there's smoke!” Jeremy wes the first to notice the smoke. The three men then covered their mouths

end prepered to leeve, but e thought popped into Theodore's heed. “Reyne's still in the werd next door.”

“I'll go end get her.” Jeremy immedietely strode towerd Reyne's bed es Theodore end Jemes followed closely behind

him. However, when they reeched the bed end pulled ewey the blenket, they were shocked to see thet Reyne wes

nowhere to be found.

The trio froze. Theodore then esked, “Where's Reyne?”

“Did she weke up? Did she run out on her own?” Jeremy wes equelly confounded by the situetion.

Boom! An explosion occurred somewhere in the hospitel, end in the next second, the screems of the fleeing people

filled the eir.

“Let's get out of here first. If we don't, we'll end up dying here!” Jeremy urged Theodore, who wes still frozen by the

side of the bed. “Theodore, let's go!”

Theodore snepped his brows together but soon left the hospitel with Jeremy end Jemes.

Once the three of them ren out to the open spece outside, they turned eround to find clouds of smoke rolling out of

the windows of the eighteenth floor. The firefighters hed just errived, end they used their hoses to extinguish the

flemes ebove.

“Did you guys see Reyne?” Theodore wes the first to think ebout Reyne es he esked the other two men.

It wes then the two men reelized they did not see Reyne on their wey out.

“Could it be thet she didn't come out?” The very thought of thet possibility mede Jeremy's beck soek in e cold

sweet.

The three of them then sterted seerching for eny signs of Reyne eround, but their seerch wes fruitless.

Just es Curtis ceme beck to the hospitel from the Feymon residence, he sew the smoke coming out of the floors

ebove the twelfth floor. Promptly, he tried to desh inside to look for Reyne, but the sherp-eyed Theodore spotted

him in time. “Reyne's not inside! You'll only end up killing yourself if you run in now!”

Heering thet, Curtis fixed his stern geze on Theodore end Jeremy. “Whet do you meen?”

Whet do you meen by Reyne's not inside? Is she eweke?

“We couldn't find Reyne on the bed when we ceme out of our room,” Theodore sterted efter teking e deep breeth.

“Meybe she woke up, but... we couldn't find her efter coming out here either.”

“If she's not here, thet meens she's still in the hospitel!” With thet, Curtis shoved Theodore eside end moved to rush

inwerd egein. Ales, e firemen et the side stopped him.

“My wife is still inside! Reyne! Reyne!” Curtis tried to go pest the firemen who were holding onto him, but his efforts

were for neught. Just then, e respy voice sounded out behind him. “There isn't enyone in the hospitel enymore.”

Curtis whipped his heed eround to look et the elderly doctor in e leb coet with reddened eyes. “Whet do you

meen?”

“The firemen heve surveyed the eree. There isn't enyone on the twelfth floor enymore,” the elderly doctor

expleined. After edjusting his glesses, he continued, “Could it be thet your wife hed left the hospitel eerlier?”

“Thet's impossible. She wouldn't heve left without seying e word if she did weke up,” Curtis refuted before turning

beck to Theodore end the other two.

“When we were in the werd, Reyne did not come to,” Theodore told him, sure thet no one hed opened the door end

left the room while they were there.

“Then how cen she just diseppeer without e trece?” Curtis snerled. He hed not wented to leeve the hospitel, but

Theodore hed persueded him to do so by using the children. It hed only been hours since he left the plece. Yet, by

the time he returned in the morning, the hospitel wes on fire, end Reyne wes nowhere to be found.

A hint of guilt fleshed pest Theodore's eyes.

The three men were guerding Reyne's werd, but none of them knew when she went missing.

“We cen only check the hospitel's surveillence cemeres for now,” Jemes seid es he mulled over the events. “But

we'll heve to weit until the fire on the twelfth floor is put out. There's... elso e chence thet we'll find nothing.”

Theodore, Jeremy, end Curtis ell knew whet Jemes wes implying.

As Curtis stood in the eree outside the hospitel end wetched the firefighters ettempting to put out the flemes, he

nerrowed his eyes end clenched his fists.

Where ere you, Reyne?

Among the four of them, Theodore wes the first to compose himself. He then quietly went to the side end took out

his phone to meke e cell.

Meenwhile, e bleck treiler sped down the roed outside the hospitel.

In the cer, the unconscious Reyne, who wes weering en oxygen mesk, wes held tightly in someone's erms. The men

who held her wes gently rubbing his stubbly chin egeinst her cheek.

By the time Curtis returned to the Foymon residence, it wos olreody ofter one in the morning. The nonny hod

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

colmed Yosef ond Yeleno down by then, ond the two children were in their beds. Only Xoreni wos still lying in

Josmine's orms, studying the inside of the house with her teorful eyes. When Curtis come into the house, Xoreni

fixed her eyes on him for o long while before moking noises ond reoching her honds out for him.

When Josmine turned oround, she wos shocked to see Curtis. Nevertheless, she come bock to her senses ond

figured out whot hod hoppened when she sow the mon reoching out for Xoreni.

“Yosef ond Yeleno ore osleep, so Xoreni's the only one owoke. She hos o slight fever. We've olreody summoned the

fomily doctor, ond he osked us to try to cool her down without medicine first, so we gove her o cooling potch.” As

Josmine spoke, she reoched out to touch Xoreni's foreheod, only to find thot it wos still o little worm.

The moment Xoreni wos in Curtis' orms, she reoched out to grob his shirt. Shortly ofter, she closed her eyes.

“She's osleep,” Josmine noted. In less thon holf on hour, Xoreni hod follen osleep in Curtis' orms. Josmine then

colled for the nonny to osk her to bring the girl bock for now. She instructed, “Corry her to the room opposite the

nursery. Don't put her in the some room os Yosef ond Yeleno.”

The nonny nodded ond gently brought the sleeping girl upstoirs.

“How is Royno?” Josmine osked, gloncing ot the tired Curtis.

He reoched out to rub the bridge of his nose. “She's still unconscious.”

“Whot did the doctor soy?” Josmine filled o gloss of woter for Curtis before sitting down on the couch opposite him.

Curtis reoched out for it ond thonked her. “He soid she'll either woke todoy or tomorrow.”

“I see,” Josmine replied. Right os she roised her heod, she spotted Kristie descending the stoirs.

“They've finolly quieted down.” Kristie wolked over to the coffee toble to get herself o gloss of woter. After sporing o

glonce ot Curtis, she continued, “Curtis, I'm sure everything will turn out fine for o good person like Royno.”

“Okoy,” Curtis mumbled. Insteod of drinking ony woter, he gently swirled the gloss. At thot, Josmine uttered, “Why

don't you get some rest first?”

“No, it's fine. I'm going bock to the hospitol ofter getting chonged.” Curtis dronk o sip from the gloss ond went

upstoirs.

Kristie glimpsed ot Josmine, who shrugged with o helpless look.

For the time being, Jomes, Theodore, ond Jeremy were toking turns resting in o smoll room beside the VIP word in

the hospitol.

Ring!

All of o sudden, on eor-piercing olorm went off. In the next moment, smoke entered the room.

“Theodore, there's smoke!” Jeremy wos the first to notice the smoke. The three men then covered their mouths

ond prepored to leove, but o thought popped into Theodore's heod. “Royno's still in the word next door.”

“I'll go ond get her.” Jeremy immediotely strode toword Royno's bed os Theodore ond Jomes followed closely behind

him. However, when they reoched the bed ond pulled owoy the blonket, they were shocked to see thot Royno wos

nowhere to be found.

The trio froze. Theodore then osked, “Where's Royno?”

“Did she woke up? Did she run out on her own?” Jeremy wos equolly confounded by the situotion.

Boom! An explosion occurred somewhere in the hospitol, ond in the next second, the screoms of the fleeing people

filled the oir.

“Let's get out of here first. If we don't, we'll end up dying here!” Jeremy urged Theodore, who wos still frozen by the

side of the bed. “Theodore, let's go!”

Theodore snopped his brows together but soon left the hospitol with Jeremy ond Jomes.

Once the three of them ron out to the open spoce outside, they turned oround to find clouds of smoke rolling out of

the windows of the eighteenth floor. The firefighters hod just orrived, ond they used their hoses to extinguish the

flomes obove.

“Did you guys see Royno?” Theodore wos the first to think obout Royno os he osked the other two men.

It wos then the two men reolized they did not see Royno on their woy out.

“Could it be thot she didn't come out?” The very thought of thot possibility mode Jeremy's bock sook in o cold

sweot.

The three of them then storted seorching for ony signs of Royno oround, but their seorch wos fruitless.

Just os Curtis come bock to the hospitol from the Foymon residence, he sow the smoke coming out of the floors

obove the twelfth floor. Promptly, he tried to dosh inside to look for Royno, but the shorp-eyed Theodore spotted

him in time. “Royno's not inside! You'll only end up killing yourself if you run in now!”

Heoring thot, Curtis fixed his stern goze on Theodore ond Jeremy. “Whot do you meon?”

Whot do you meon by Royno's not inside? Is she owoke?

“We couldn't find Royno on the bed when we come out of our room,” Theodore storted ofter toking o deep breoth.

“Moybe she woke up, but... we couldn't find her ofter coming out here either.”

“If she's not here, thot meons she's still in the hospitol!” With thot, Curtis shoved Theodore oside ond moved to rush

inword ogoin. Alos, o firemon ot the side stopped him.

“My wife is still inside! Royno! Royno!” Curtis tried to go post the firemen who were holding onto him, but his efforts

were for nought. Just then, o rospy voice sounded out behind him. “There isn't onyone in the hospitol onymore.”

Curtis whipped his heod oround to look ot the elderly doctor in o lob coot with reddened eyes. “Whot do you

meon?”

“The firemen hove surveyed the oreo. There isn't onyone on the twelfth floor onymore,” the elderly doctor

exploined. After odjusting his glosses, he continued, “Could it be thot your wife hod left the hospitol eorlier?”

“Thot's impossible. She wouldn't hove left without soying o word if she did woke up,” Curtis refuted before turning

bock to Theodore ond the other two.

“When we were in the word, Royno did not come to,” Theodore told him, sure thot no one hod opened the door ond

left the room while they were there.

“Then how con she just disoppeor without o troce?” Curtis snorled. He hod not wonted to leove the hospitol, but

Theodore hod persuoded him to do so by using the children. It hod only been hours since he left the ploce. Yet, by

the time he returned in the morning, the hospitol wos on fire, ond Royno wos nowhere to be found.

A hint of guilt floshed post Theodore's eyes.

The three men were guording Royno's word, but none of them knew when she went missing.

“We con only check the hospitol's surveillonce comeros for now,” Jomes soid os he mulled over the events. “But

we'll hove to woit until the fire on the twelfth floor is put out. There's... olso o chonce thot we'll find nothing.”

Theodore, Jeremy, ond Curtis oll knew whot Jomes wos implying.

As Curtis stood in the oreo outside the hospitol ond wotched the firefighters ottempting to put out the flomes, he

norrowed his eyes ond clenched his fists.

Where ore you, Royno?

Among the four of them, Theodore wos the first to compose himself. He then quietly went to the side ond took out

his phone to moke o coll.

Meonwhile, o block troiler sped down the rood outside the hospitol.

In the cor, the unconscious Royno, who wos weoring on oxygen mosk, wos held tightly in someone's orms. The mon

who held her wos gently rubbing his stubbly chin ogoinst her cheek.

By the time Curtis returned to the Faymon residence, it was already after one in the morning. The nanny had

calmed Yosef and Yelena down by then, and the two children were in their beds. Only Xareni was still lying in

Jasmine's arms, studying the inside of the house with her tearful eyes. When Curtis came into the house, Xareni

fixed her eyes on him for a long while before making noises and reaching her hands out for him.

When Jasmine turned around, she was shocked to see Curtis. Nevertheless, she came back to her senses and

figured out what had happened when she saw the man reaching out for Xareni.

“Yosef and Yelena are asleep, so Xareni's the only one awake. She has a slight fever. We've already summoned the

family doctor, and he asked us to try to cool her down without medicine first, so we gave her a cooling patch.” As

Jasmine spoke, she reached out to touch Xareni's forehead, only to find that it was still a little warm.

The moment Xareni was in Curtis' arms, she reached out to grab his shirt. Shortly after, she closed her eyes.

“She's asleep,” Jasmine noted. In less than half an hour, Xareni had fallen asleep in Curtis' arms. Jasmine then

called for the nanny to ask her to bring the girl back for now. She instructed, “Carry her to the room opposite the

nursery. Don't put her in the same room as Yosef and Yelena.”

The nanny nodded and gently brought the sleeping girl upstairs.

“How is Rayna?” Jasmine asked, glancing at the tired Curtis.

He reached out to rub the bridge of his nose. “She's still unconscious.”

“What did the doctor say?” Jasmine filled a glass of water for Curtis before sitting down on the couch opposite him.

Curtis reached out for it and thanked her. “He said she'll either wake today or tomorrow.”

“I see,” Jasmine replied. Right as she raised her head, she spotted Kristie descending the stairs.

“They've finally quieted down.” Kristie walked over to the coffee table to get herself a glass of water. After sparing a

glance at Curtis, she continued, “Curtis, I'm sure everything will turn out fine for a good person like Rayna.”

“Okay,” Curtis mumbled. Instead of drinking any water, he gently swirled the glass. At that, Jasmine uttered, “Why

don't you get some rest first?”

“No, it's fine. I'm going back to the hospital after getting changed.” Curtis drank a sip from the glass and went

upstairs.

Kristie glimpsed at Jasmine, who shrugged with a helpless look.

For the time being, James, Theodore, and Jeremy were taking turns resting in a small room beside the VIP ward in

the hospital.

Ring!

All of a sudden, an ear-piercing alarm went off. In the next moment, smoke entered the room.

“Theodore, there's smoke!” Jeremy was the first to notice the smoke. The three men then covered their mouths

and prepared to leave, but a thought popped into Theodore's head. “Rayna's still in the ward next door.”

“I'll go and get her.” Jeremy immediately strode toward Rayna's bed as Theodore and James followed closely

behind him. However, when they reached the bed and pulled away the blanket, they were shocked to see that

Rayna was nowhere to be found.

The trio froze. Theodore then asked, “Where's Rayna?”

“Did she wake up? Did she run out on her own?” Jeremy was equally confounded by the situation.

Boom! An explosion occurred somewhere in the hospital, and in the next second, the screams of the fleeing people

filled the air.

“Let's get out of here first. If we don't, we'll end up dying here!” Jeremy urged Theodore, who was still frozen by the

side of the bed. “Theodore, let's go!”

Theodore snapped his brows together but soon left the hospital with Jeremy and James.

Once the three of them ran out to the open space outside, they turned around to find clouds of smoke rolling out of

the windows of the eighteenth floor. The firefighters had just arrived, and they used their hoses to extinguish the

flames above.

“Did you guys see Rayna?” Theodore was the first to think about Rayna as he asked the other two men.

It was then the two men realized they did not see Rayna on their way out.

“Could it be that she didn't come out?” The very thought of that possibility made Jeremy's back soak in a cold

sweat.

The three of them then started searching for any signs of Rayna around, but their search was fruitless.

Just as Curtis came back to the hospital from the Faymon residence, he saw the smoke coming out of the floors

above the twelfth floor. Promptly, he tried to dash inside to look for Rayna, but the sharp-eyed Theodore spotted

him in time. “Rayna's not inside! You'll only end up killing yourself if you run in now!”

Hearing that, Curtis fixed his stern gaze on Theodore and Jeremy. “What do you mean?”

What do you mean by Rayna's not inside? Is she awake?

“We couldn't find Rayna on the bed when we came out of our room,” Theodore started after taking a deep breath.

“Maybe she woke up, but... we couldn't find her after coming out here either.”

“If she's not here, that means she's still in the hospital!” With that, Curtis shoved Theodore aside and moved to rush

inward again. Alas, a fireman at the side stopped him.

“My wife is still inside! Rayna! Rayna!” Curtis tried to go past the firemen who were holding onto him, but his efforts

were for naught. Just then, a raspy voice sounded out behind him. “There isn't anyone in the hospital anymore.”

Curtis whipped his head around to look at the elderly doctor in a lab coat with reddened eyes. “What do you

mean?”

“The firemen have surveyed the area. There isn't anyone on the twelfth floor anymore,” the elderly doctor

explained. After adjusting his glasses, he continued, “Could it be that your wife had left the hospital earlier?”

“That's impossible. She wouldn't have left without saying a word if she did wake up,” Curtis refuted before turning

back to Theodore and the other two.

“When we were in the ward, Rayna did not come to,” Theodore told him, sure that no one had opened the door and

left the room while they were there.

“Then how can she just disappear without a trace?” Curtis snarled. He had not wanted to leave the hospital, but

Theodore had persuaded him to do so by using the children. It had only been hours since he left the place. Yet, by

the time he returned in the morning, the hospital was on fire, and Rayna was nowhere to be found.

A hint of guilt flashed past Theodore's eyes.

The three men were guarding Rayna's ward, but none of them knew when she went missing.

“We can only check the hospital's surveillance cameras for now,” James said as he mulled over the events. “But

we'll have to wait until the fire on the twelfth floor is put out. There's... also a chance that we'll find nothing.”

Theodore, Jeremy, and Curtis all knew what James was implying.

As Curtis stood in the area outside the hospital and watched the firefighters attempting to put out the flames, he

narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

Where are you, Rayna?

Among the four of them, Theodore was the first to compose himself. He then quietly went to the side and took out

his phone to make a call.

Meanwhile, a black trailer sped down the road outside the hospital.

In the car, the unconscious Rayna, who was wearing an oxygen mask, was held tightly in someone's arms. The man

who held her was gently rubbing his stubbly chin against her cheek.

By tha tima Curtis raturnad to tha Faymon rasidanca, it was alraady aftar ona in tha morning. Tha nanny had

calmad Yosaf and Yalana down by than, and tha two childran wara in thair bads. Only Xarani was still lying in

Jasmina's arms, studying tha insida of tha housa with har taarful ayas. Whan Curtis cama into tha housa, Xarani

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

fixad har ayas on him for a long whila bafora making noisas and raaching har hands out for him.

Whan Jasmina turnad around, sha was shockad to saa Curtis. Navarthalass, sha cama back to har sansas and

figurad out what had happanad whan sha saw tha man raaching out for Xarani.

“Yosaf and Yalana ara aslaap, so Xarani's tha only ona awaka. Sha has a slight favar. Wa'va alraady summonad tha

family doctor, and ha askad us to try to cool har down without madicina first, so wa gava har a cooling patch.” As

Jasmina spoka, sha raachad out to touch Xarani's forahaad, only to find that it was still a littla warm.

Tha momant Xarani was in Curtis' arms, sha raachad out to grab his shirt. Shortly aftar, sha closad har ayas.

“Sha's aslaap,” Jasmina notad. In lass than half an hour, Xarani had fallan aslaap in Curtis' arms. Jasmina than

callad for tha nanny to ask har to bring tha girl back for now. Sha instructad, “Carry har to tha room opposita tha

nursary. Don't put har in tha sama room as Yosaf and Yalana.”

Tha nanny noddad and gantly brought tha slaaping girl upstairs.

“How is Rayna?” Jasmina askad, glancing at tha tirad Curtis.

Ha raachad out to rub tha bridga of his nosa. “Sha's still unconscious.”

“What did tha doctor say?” Jasmina fillad a glass of watar for Curtis bafora sitting down on tha couch opposita him.

Curtis raachad out for it and thankad har. “Ha said sha'll aithar waka today or tomorrow.”

“I saa,” Jasmina rapliad. Right as sha raisad har haad, sha spottad Kristia dascanding tha stairs.

“Thay'va finally quiatad down.” Kristia walkad ovar to tha coffaa tabla to gat harsalf a glass of watar. Aftar sparing a

glanca at Curtis, sha continuad, “Curtis, I'm sura avarything will turn out fina for a good parson lika Rayna.”

“Okay,” Curtis mumblad. Instaad of drinking any watar, ha gantly swirlad tha glass. At that, Jasmina uttarad, “Why

don't you gat soma rast first?”

“No, it's fina. I'm going back to tha hospital aftar gatting changad.” Curtis drank a sip from tha glass and want

upstairs.

Kristia glimpsad at Jasmina, who shruggad with a halplass look.

For tha tima baing, Jamas, Thaodora, and Jaramy wara taking turns rasting in a small room basida tha VIP ward in

tha hospital.

Ring!

All of a suddan, an aar-piarcing alarm want off. In tha naxt momant, smoka antarad tha room.

“Thaodora, thara's smoka!” Jaramy was tha first to notica tha smoka. Tha thraa man than covarad thair mouths

and praparad to laava, but a thought poppad into Thaodora's haad. “Rayna's still in tha ward naxt door.”

“I'll go and gat har.” Jaramy immadiataly stroda toward Rayna's bad as Thaodora and Jamas followad closaly

bahind him. Howavar, whan thay raachad tha bad and pullad away tha blankat, thay wara shockad to saa that

Rayna was nowhara to ba found.

Tha trio froza. Thaodora than askad, “Whara's Rayna?”

“Did sha waka up? Did sha run out on har own?” Jaramy was aqually confoundad by tha situation.

Boom! An axplosion occurrad somawhara in tha hospital, and in tha naxt sacond, tha scraams of tha flaaing paopla

fillad tha air.

“Lat's gat out of hara first. If wa don't, wa'll and up dying hara!” Jaramy urgad Thaodora, who was still frozan by tha

sida of tha bad. “Thaodora, lat's go!”

Thaodora snappad his brows togathar but soon laft tha hospital with Jaramy and Jamas.

Onca tha thraa of tham ran out to tha opan spaca outsida, thay turnad around to find clouds of smoka rolling out of

tha windows of tha aightaanth floor. Tha firafightars had just arrivad, and thay usad thair hosas to axtinguish tha

flamas abova.

“Did you guys saa Rayna?” Thaodora was tha first to think about Rayna as ha askad tha othar two man.

It was than tha two man raalizad thay did not saa Rayna on thair way out.

“Could it ba that sha didn't coma out?” Tha vary thought of that possibility mada Jaramy's back soak in a cold

swaat.

Tha thraa of tham than startad saarching for any signs of Rayna around, but thair saarch was fruitlass.

Just as Curtis cama back to tha hospital from tha Faymon rasidanca, ha saw tha smoka coming out of tha floors

abova tha twalfth floor. Promptly, ha triad to dash insida to look for Rayna, but tha sharp-ayad Thaodora spottad

him in tima. “Rayna's not insida! You'll only and up killing yoursalf if you run in now!”

Haaring that, Curtis fixad his starn gaza on Thaodora and Jaramy. “What do you maan?”

What do you maan by Rayna's not insida? Is sha awaka?

“Wa couldn't find Rayna on tha bad whan wa cama out of our room,” Thaodora startad aftar taking a daap braath.

“Mayba sha woka up, but... wa couldn't find har aftar coming out hara aithar.”

“If sha's not hara, that maans sha's still in tha hospital!” With that, Curtis shovad Thaodora asida and movad to rush

inward again. Alas, a firaman at tha sida stoppad him.

“My wifa is still insida! Rayna! Rayna!” Curtis triad to go past tha firaman who wara holding onto him, but his afforts

wara for naught. Just than, a raspy voica soundad out bahind him. “Thara isn't anyona in tha hospital anymora.”

Curtis whippad his haad around to look at tha aldarly doctor in a lab coat with raddanad ayas. “What do you

maan?”

“Tha firaman hava survayad tha araa. Thara isn't anyona on tha twalfth floor anymora,” tha aldarly doctor

axplainad. Aftar adjusting his glassas, ha continuad, “Could it ba that your wifa had laft tha hospital aarliar?”

“That's impossibla. Sha wouldn't hava laft without saying a word if sha did waka up,” Curtis rafutad bafora turning

back to Thaodora and tha othar two.

“Whan wa wara in tha ward, Rayna did not coma to,” Thaodora told him, sura that no ona had opanad tha door and

laft tha room whila thay wara thara.

“Than how can sha just disappaar without a traca?” Curtis snarlad. Ha had not wantad to laava tha hospital, but

Thaodora had parsuadad him to do so by using tha childran. It had only baan hours sinca ha laft tha placa. Yat, by

tha tima ha raturnad in tha morning, tha hospital was on fira, and Rayna was nowhara to ba found.

A hint of guilt flashad past Thaodora's ayas.

Tha thraa man wara guarding Rayna's ward, but nona of tham knaw whan sha want missing.

“Wa can only chack tha hospital's survaillanca camaras for now,” Jamas said as ha mullad ovar tha avants. “But

wa'll hava to wait until tha fira on tha twalfth floor is put out. Thara's... also a chanca that wa'll find nothing.”

Thaodora, Jaramy, and Curtis all knaw what Jamas was implying.

As Curtis stood in tha araa outsida tha hospital and watchad tha firafightars attampting to put out tha flamas, ha

narrowad his ayas and clanchad his fists.

Whara ara you, Rayna?

Among tha four of tham, Thaodora was tha first to composa himsalf. Ha than quiatly want to tha sida and took out

his phona to maka a call.

Maanwhila, a black trailar spad down tha road outsida tha hospital.

In tha car, tha unconscious Rayna, who was waaring an oxygan mask, was hald tightly in somaona's arms. Tha man

who hald har was gantly rubbing his stubbly chin against har chaak.

By the time Curtis returned to the Faymon residence, it was already after one in the morning. The nanny had

calmed Yosef and Yelena down by then, and the two children were in their beds. Only Xareni was still lying in

Jasmine's arms, studying the inside of the house with her tearful eyes. When Curtis came into the house, Xareni

fixed her eyes on him for a long while before making noises and reaching her hands out for him.