Chapter 6

Anna's POV

Three days later, at the law office, I received the legally binding divorce certificate.

Because I'd walked away with nothing and waived all property disputes, the process went unusually smoothly. Ethan's grandfather sighed for a long time on the phone but could do nothing.

Leaving the law office, I returned once to the Sinclair family villa. My private research kitchen was there, containing a recipe book my late grandfather had left me. It was the only thing I wanted to take.

Pushing open the research kitchen door, I froze.

Chloe stood at the stove wearing my backup chef's coat, holding a blowtorch, attempting to recreate a high-difficulty flambé dish.

"What are you doing here?" I said coldly.

Chloe startled, and the blowtorch in her hand jerked sideways. Blue flames instantly ignited the oil-resistant paper stacked nearby. The fire fed on the kitchen oils and spread like a beast.

Chloe screamed and dropped the torch. Flames shot up the curtains.

Thick smoke rolled as alarms shrieked.

Ignoring Chloe's screams, I immediately covered my nose and mouth and rushed toward the innermost safe, quickly entering the code and retrieving the yellowed recipe book.

Just then, the kitchen door was kicked open violently.

Ethan charged in like a madman. Through the firelight, he immediately spotted Chloe collapsed on the floor coughing from smoke, and me standing by the safe, separated by a wall of flames.

He didn't hesitate for even a second.

Ethan stripped off his expensive coat and wrapped it around Chloe. He scooped her into his arms and turned without hesitation, rushing out of the inferno.

I stood in place, watching through the dancing flames and acrid smoke as that man's broad back disappeared through the door.

He didn't even look back at me. Didn't ask once if I could get out.

The temperature rose around me, yet I felt plunged into freezing water.

I didn't call for help or shed tears. I simply calmly placed Grandpa's recipe book into a fireproof bag, then dampened a towel to cover my nose and mouth, avoided the worst of the fire, and walked out through the back emergency exit.

Outside the villa, fire trucks had arrived.

Ethan knelt on the lawn, clutching Chloe tightly, shouting frantically at the paramedics. "Check her quickly! She inhaled smoke!"

I held the fireproof bag, standing quietly in the shadows, watching this tender scene.

Only after Chloe was loaded into the ambulance did Ethan suddenly seem to remember something. His face turned deathly pale as he turned and tried to rush back into the still-burning villa.

"Anna! Anna's still inside!" His voice was hoarse with unprecedented panic.

An icy hand landed on his shoulder.

Ethan whipped around and, seeing me, pulled me into a death grip, his entire body trembling. "You're okay... thank God, you scared me to death..."

I didn't struggle, letting him hold me. I felt his violent heartbeat, smelled Chloe's perfume clinging to him.

"Ethan." I spoke softly, my voice completely flat.

"Let go. You're dirtying my clothes."

I pushed him away coldly and walked into the night without looking back.