Chapter 297


    Animals were sentient beings. The firefighter looked somewhat stunned at the blood-soaked cat.


    The cat''s front ws were entirely stained with blood, and one could even see the white bones


    inside. However, it seemed as though the cat felt no pain, as it sorrowfully dug through the rubble.


    Many people who witnessed this scene already had a lump in their throats.


    At that moment, Niki, the cat who had been frantically scratching the ground, suddenly froze.


    It was a hand. A hand still wearing the bracelet Brett had gifted years ago. The diamond-set lock on


    it had lost its original luster, covered in blood and ash.


    "Meow..." Niki nudged the hand with its head, as if wanting to be petted onest time, but the hand


    could no longer rise.


    Niki licked her finger, which had no nails, and then tremblingly lifted her front paw, which already


    revealed the bones, to reach for the pendant on the wrist. Then she grabbed it with her mouth,


    intending to drag the person out.


    But the strength of a cat was too small, and coupled with its injuries, it didn''t have much energy left.


    It could only cry out helplessly, with its blue eyes filled with tears.


    "There''s someone here." The firefighter rushed over immediately.


    Niki hissed, acting defensive, showing its teeth at the firefighters, not letting them get close. It was


    only a cat, not as tall and strong as a human, and could easily be crushed under a person''s foot. It


    was scared of the towering firefighters, but it was even more afraid of losing its important owner. So


    it had to protect the person behind it.


    The firefighter approached and said, "Little kitty, we need to get the person trapped inside out."


    "Meow." Niki seemed to understand, feeling that these people meant no harm. It looked back at the


    hand behind it, its eyes already wet. It limped to the side, watching attentively.


    The firefighter began to remove the wooden nks and rocks on top. When they saw the woman


    underneath, even the fire chief, who had seen many dead bodies, was taken aback. Everyone


    frowned and carefully lifted the woman out.


    The medical personnel that came with them checked her and after a while, shook their heads.


    "She''s gone. She''s dead."


    "Impossible!" Brett had just arrived when he heard this. His face slowly turned pale. Already pale


    and sickly, his face now lost all color. "She can''t be dead! Get out of my way!"


    The firefighters and medical personnel were startled by this sudden outburst, and after exchanging


    nces, they understood and stepped aside to make room.


    A cold wind blew in his face, making him shudder. He stood outside, surrounded by the sound of


    sirens, but Brett felt a profound silence, so quiet he could hear his own heartbeat.


    He staggered forward, each step causing a pang in his heart. It was as if a hand was squeezing and


    tearing his heart apart, causing him to clutch his chest in pain.


    He could hypnotize himself that Izabe wasn''t dead, that the woman who had stopped breathing in


    the rubble might not be Izabe.


    The woman had extensive burns; her bare feet were charred ck by the fire. Brett''s gaze moved


    slowly from the woman''s feet to her hands, the bracelet on her wrist, and then her face, half of


    which was disfigured.


    Reality was cruel. When he saw the person whose limbs were distorted by fire, he could fool


    himself. If the face was also simrly burnt and became unrecognizable, then the person lying there


    definitely wasn''t Izabe.


    But now her face was wiped clean, half as pale as paper, the other half bloody and mangled.


    He had once seen a punishment where a scalding hot iron was pressed against the face, and


    Izabe''s half-face looked just the same.


    In that moment, something unspeakable suddenly copsed within him.


    He nkly looked at Izabe, with a heart full of grief, physically and mentally exhausted. His brain


    stunned by the stimulus, as the world''s tragedies alwayse without warning.


    Everything had been going so smoothly these past few days, Izabe didn''t cry or make a fuss, she


    even spoke to him. In just three more months, she could have recovered.


    Why didn''t she wait for him? Why didn''t she wait a little longer?


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    In that moment, his self-assuredness evaporated, and he became weak and timid. The person lying


    in the ruins, disfigured by the fire, was his lover, Izabe.


    Niki saw Brett approaching, disregarding its own pain, it blocked Izabe with its small body, baring


    its teeth and growling at him.


    The cat that used to cling to him, now treated him as if he were an enemy, seeming to want to tear


    him apart with its fury. What had he done these past few months that even Niki despised him?


    He was only trying to do what was best for Izabe, so why did the oue not match his


    intentions?


    Two hours ago, Izabe''s call, along with the big surprise Nathaniel brought for Izabe. The video


    suddenly ying on the big screen showing Kaley''s true face, and the nine years he had been


    deceived.


    It was then that Brett realized, from the moment he and Izabe misrecognized each other, their


    ending was destined to be a tragedy. So no matter how he tried to make amends, apologize,


    Izabe could not forgive him.


    Even the times when they fell asleep together, kissed, held hands, these intimate actions were


    hurtful to Izabe.


    Not to mention that he had aborted the child in Izabe''s womb, indirectly caused Izabe''s legs to


    break and confined her to a wheelchair. Just like what Izabe had said: a bird without wings cannot


    live.


    "Thud" - Brett kneeled down, sharp stones piercing his knees. The pain attacked, but he didn''t feel it


    or even furrow his brows. He nkly stared at the unharmed half of Izabe''s face, then reached


    out.


    A piercing pain spread from the back of his hand. Niki had bitten him, its mouth issuing a


    "whimpering" sound, both angry and crying.


    Brett didn''t struggle, he lifted his other hand to grab Izabe''s right hand. The bracelet that Izabe


    had never been able to remove from her wrist, gently tugged by Brett and came off.


    Brett''s gaze followed it down; the bracelet was the one he bought for Izabe on her first birthday.


    The bracelet was custom-made, adorned with a small lock as a decoration, but only the key he held


    could remove the small lock.


    Izabe had tried various methods to remove it, but now, her right hand was burned by the fire,


    exposing the bone. The bracelet fell off her wrist in the most painful way.


    Brett froze, his eyes empty and soulless. Large tears fell from his eyes, as he looked at Izabe


    lying on the ground, suffocated.


    "So, is this the ''surprise'' you gave me, Izabe? I thought I was cruel enough, but I didn''t expect you


    to be even more ruthless. I know you resent me for locking you here, but I really just wanted to


    compensate you, to cure your stomach cancer." Brett muttered.


    "Izabe, can you wake up? Open your eyes and look at me, stop this cruel joke. You want to leave,


    right? Once I cure your legs, you can go wherever you want, I won''t keep you anymore.


    Izabe, I really was wrong."


    No matter what he said, there was still no sound around, his ears seemed deaf. He kneeled alone in


    the cold wind, shivering from the cold.


    This time, danger had truly arrived.