(Adrian)
GARCIA'S DUDS
The brakes screeched in front of the gate, and I jumped out of the car without glancing back to shut the door.
I was met with a crowd of reporters, and a fleet of firetrucks. I shielded my eyes from the intense flash of the camera lights.
Lots of questions were thrown at me which I totally ignored, and walked passed them, taking long strides to the gate.
"Sir, we're sorry, but you can't go in. Your safety comes first," a fireman in a red coverall said.
It turned out people weren't allowed to go in because of the fire outbreak, and I wasn't an exception.
I had no other choice than to do it the hard way.
"Fuck off, mother fuckers! My parents are stuck in there, and right now, I should be anything, but safety conscious."
"There's no one in the building, sir. We checked it ourselves," another co-worker defended.
"Do y'all think you can deceive me? How much did Kendall pay you to say this? I can pay double the amount to hear the truth, but you know wh–?" I was cut off by Aurora.
"Adrian, why will you utter such? What the fuck is even wrong with you? You're acting insane–"
I had lost it, completely.
"Yes, I am insane, woman! I've lost my mind, and I'm going in there. No one, I repeat, no one should try to stop me. Everyone here should mind his or her affairs, okay?" I warned, pointing fingers at them.
Then I turned on my heels to the emergency door without waiting for their response.
For the first time, I wasn't scared of dying. I only feared for my parents. I didn't mind risking my life for them.
I wasn't ready to lose them, and would never be.
My heart ached that I couldn't save the company—my father's sweat and blood—from being burnt to ashes.
"Richard pa, Bella ma…" I began to call out, every now and then as I flung open every door I came across.
"It's Adrian. Please, be patient with me. I will surely find you both, and take us out…"
My voice trailed off when I began to cough so hard that my chest started to hurt. I think I inhaled too much smoke.
Tears brimmed my eyes as I coughed harder. The chest pain worsened by every second, and I couldn't move further.
Kendall's phone in my pocket rang out, and I wasn't surprised by who was calling. She was using my phone to reach out to me through hers.
I just noticed that my contact on her phone was saved as Mi Vida with love emojis.
"What do you want?" I asked as I answered the call.
There was no response.
"Won't you say something?" I asked, again.
If she wasn't going to answer this time, I wouldn't hesitate to end the call.
"Oh, yeah…" she said. "Guess what, Addy?" she asked in a singsong voice.
"I don't know. You know quite well that I'm not good at guessing."
"Okay. Mom and dad are here with me, they're doing absolutely fine. But you can keep searching if you doubt me, baby."
"What the heck are you saying? This should better not be a joke," I said in a stern voice.
"And if it is?" she asked.
"Just wait and see."
"You should be hoping you make it out of the building alive. So, watch out," she said, and ended the call.
What did she mean by that? Was she planning to kill me?
Kendall had never sounded as serious like this. She always had a reason for everything she did, and this was it; lying to me about my parents.
I turned around to see if there was an escape route, but the fire was at every corner.
"Help! Help me, somebody," I yelled, hoping someone would come to my aid before the fire gets to me.
It wasn't up to five minutes when I began hearing footsteps behind me. A worker was putting off the fire around me.
His/her helmet was taken off, and the person glanced over at my direction, muttering some audible words.
"Shit! Are you okay there?"
Surprise was an understatement. That was Aurora's voice.
"Bloody hell!" I murmured.
Why did she risk her life for me, even after I scolded her in the car?
When did she become a firefighter, and also a life rescuer?
She looked like a clown in the oversized coverall, and I couldn't stop laughing. She never ceased to amaze me.
When the fire was out, she ran up to me, and pulled her arms around my neck.
"Whatever you're laughing about is not funny. Do you know how worried I was? What if something bad happened to you? What if I arrived late, or I wasn't here at all, and no one heard you?" she sniffled.
Hearing her utter those words made me grow a soft spot. I knew she was going to scold me, it was in her blood.
I kissed her hair. "Jeez, stop crying. I'm sorry."
She nodded. "Can we leave now that you have confirmed your parents aren't here?"
I smiled, knowing that she said that to annoy me. "Will it make you stop crying?"
She wiped away her tears. "Don't tease me, silly!"
"Sorry, baby," I apologized, and her cheeks were as red as tomatoes.
Probably because I called her baby? Lmao.
~♥~
We walked out of the building, holding each others hands as we headed for the car.
Everyone's faces had turned pale like they had just seen a ghost, two rather. Even I never thought I'd make it out alive, and we just proved Kendall wrong.
Mother always said, "Love conquers all things." And she was right about it.
The guilt of not being able to save the company washed away from my face. I bet my parents wouldn't be mad after all.
And even if they were, certainly not at me, but the psychopathic Kendall.
Damnit! She almost killed me.
The reporters were frozen as well, and sooner, I was going to come out openly about my relationship with Aurora, and clear the air. I'd assure them I had cut all ties with Kendall, and there wouldn't be any sort of wedding… because I had found the woman who deserves the world, and I was ready to bring the world to her feet.
She was the lady walking with me by my side.
Aurora Garcia.
I turned to her, grinning.
She tilted her head in confusion. "What?" she asked.
I shook my head, and silence ensued.
"Fuck, I should say it, anyways. I love you, blondie," I said out of nowhere. I think I'd not really had a reason to say it, and this happened. "Sorry, that came out wrong…" I quickly apologized.
She gasped, and yanked her hand away from mine.
'What was that for?' I asked myself. Did I say something to hurt her, or piss her off?
Gush, I just realized I hadn't completed my statement, and I could bet a million dollars that she was already thinking otherwise.
Typical women!
I laughed at her actions which I found childish and adorable. She kept shooting me daggers through her eyes, and I had to stop laughing.
This woman really amused me… now, she was tearing up, silently.
Christ, she took it quite too far. Well, a few more taunts would do.
"What did you expect…?" I teased her further, chuckling as I wiped the tears in her eyes with my palm.
When she didn't respond, I reached out for her hands, careful enough not to get slapped.
Then I lifted her chin to meet my gaze, brushing my fingers against her heated cheeks. "I fell harder for you, tonight, my cute angry bird."
I wasn't telling her for saving my life. I just wanted to reassure her that my feelings were still intact, despite all we encountered in our relationship. But I owed her beyond a reassurance…
I smirked at the thought, and she mistook it for her.
She rolled her eye, turning away to hide her blush. "I hate you."
I pouted. "Really?"
"Mhm," she replied nonchalantly, stripping herself off the ridiculous coverall. She left it laying carelessly on the floor.
I wondered who lended her that in the first place.
"Then why did you save me?" I asked, jokingly.
She slowed down her steps as we were fact approaching the car, then she looked up at me. "Because I love Stacey, and you're her father. It's my duty to protect what our daughter loves."
My words, I laughed.
"I see, pretty liar."
I smiled when she acknowledged the fact that Anastatia was ours. I remembered being furious about this same issue, months ago.
Then, I wanted everything to be a joke. I was mad at her for hiding the truth from me for so many years. Yeah, I had every right to be mad.
I was scared she'd ruin me, and I hated her for that reason. I never imagined I'd be head over heels for this crazy woman, like I always called her.
Our marriage happened because I wanted to take my revenge, and make the rest of their lives miserable, but I can't still figure out what sort of spell she used on me.
Love portion, was it?
The tables turned against me, and she won while trying to prove her point. Just… perfect.
And I'm glad that she did.
I whispered in my heart, "Thank you for coming into my life, Aurora."
Reaching the car, I hurried off to get the door for her, then I jogged down to the driver's seat.
"Where, now?" Aurora asked.
"I don't know. First, we have to reach out to Mason and know their whereabouts. On the other hand, Kendall…" my blood boiled at the mention of her name.
I felt blondie's soft hand on mine which made my rising anger disappear.
My clenched jaw loosened, and I hissed. "That asshole, she got away with my phone."
"I know, but it's not a problem, darling. We can make use of mine," she offered.
It's a big problem, I wanted to say. I just chose not to go into the little details.
"Better, I guess. You should make the call, then I'll choose a meeting point. Right now, we need to head back to the mansion," I said, roaring the engine to life.
The colors in her face drenched as she turned to face me. "What? Why?"
I knew she was cursed with asking questions, but not now, Aurora!
I groaned. "Just make the call, right away."
"Not until you tell me why."
"Ugh, you don't give up, woman! I want to get some stuffs, is that an enough reason?"
She shook her head like I expected. "No. Stuffs like?"
My shoulders slumped in defeat. A little lie won't hurt, will it?
"No big deal. It's just a few clothes, and some vital items," I lied, shamelessly.
She seemed convinced, and relaxed too. "Okay then. Let's go, mister."
So easy to believe, huh?
The truth was that I was heading back to get the videotapes, hoping they would still be intact.