Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 113

Edward sat in his car, his grip on the steering wheel tight as he drove through the city's bustling streets.

The world outside seemed to blur as his mind remained fixed on the incident that had unfolded earlier in the morning at Camilla's house.

The weight of the emotions he had experienced was heavy, and his thoughts kept replaying the scene over and over.

For a man who usually maintained his composure, today had been different. He had lost his cool in front of Camilla, revealing a side of himself that he rarely let anyone see.

But he couldn't help it, the hurt he felt was too raw to be contained.

How could she have done something like that to him? That question echoed in his mind, each repetition digging the knife of betrayal a little deeper.

He had trusted her, believed in her words and actions, and now he was left questioning everything.

The memory of her disheveled state, clothed in a mere robe and Alexander's half-naked form was an image that haunted him throughout the day.

He had thought she had truly moved on from Alexander, especially after that kiss they shared at Maria Clint's birthday party.

But it seemed that his fears, the ones he had pushed down, had turned out to be true all along.

He was just a rebound...a distraction to the person she truly felt a connection to.

How could he have been so stupid and blinded by the love he had carried with him ever since their high school days?!

Unbeknownst to him, tears had started to stream down his cheeks, the heaviness of his heart finding a physical outlet.

The blaring horn of another car jolted him back to the present.

His reflexes kicked in as he switched lanes, narrowly avoiding a collision. Heart racing, he pulled over to the side of the road.

Leaning back against the seat, Edward took a moment to collect himself.

His hand ran through his neatly plaited hair and then down his face, feeling the dampness of his tears.

He stared at his damp hand for a moment, a mixture of surprise and frustration welling up within him.

With a shaky exhale, he shook his head as if trying to dispel the thoughts that clung to him.

His resolve was rekindled, a flicker of determination in his eyes. Gripping the steering wheel, he started the car's engine.

As the car's tires rolled over the pavement, Edward drove forward, his mind firmly set on one thing...to see Camilla.

He was going to confront her, face her with the truth of his feelings, and demand the same honesty in return.

About forty-five minutes later he arrived at Camilla's residence only to meet a crowd of people outside and a section of the residential tower on fire.

The sight was shocking and chaotic. Smoke billowed into the sky, casting an eerie haze over the scene.

Edward's heart raced even faster, panic and concern replacing the emotions he had been feeling just moments ago.

He parked his car as close as he could and rushed towards the commotion.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked a bystander, his voice edged with worry.

The person shrugged, clearly shaken. "I don't know, man. Some people got out, but I heard there might still be residents trapped inside."

Edward's eyes widened at the possibility. He pushed his way through the gathering crowd, his heart pounding in his chest.

His mind raced with thoughts of Camilla. Could she be in danger? Was she safe? He tried calling her name, but the chaos drowned out his voice.

He immediately fished his phone out of his pocket, fingers trembling as he dialed Camilla's number.

The ringing echoed in his ear, but there was no answer. Fear tightened its grip around his heart, and he dialed again, praying that she would pick up.

"Come on, Camilla, pick up," he muttered under his breath. The seconds felt like an eternity, the uncertainty gnawing at him but the call still went unanswered.

Edward's anxiety intensified as he continued to dial Camilla's number with no response.

Each unanswered call added to his growing unease, and he couldn't shake off the worry that had taken hold of him.

Just as his anxiety reached its peak, a male voice from behind called his name. "Edward!" He turned around to see a visibly worried and anxious Alexander making his way through the crowd toward him.

"Where's Camilla?" He asked.

Edward's heart clenched at the sight of Alexander. The mention of Camilla's name coming from him only added to the complexity of emotions swirling within him.

"I don't know," Edward replied, his voice edged with tension. "I've been trying to reach her, but she's not answering her phone."

"...I think she's still stuck inside," he added, glancing past Alexander to where smoke billowed above the residential towers.

His eyes fell back on Alexander, who, to his surprise, had already taken off the suit he was wearing and tied it around his nose, preparing himself to enter the burning building.

Edward looked at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Don't tell me you're planning on going in," he said.

True to his words, Alexander didn't tell him; he simply dashed towards the burning building without hesitation.

Edward stood there for a moment, torn between his own worry for Camilla and his complex emotions regarding Alexander's actions.

There were murmurs among the people in the crowd, with voices saying, "Where is he going?... Someone stop that guy." But no one, not even Edward, cared to stop him as Alexander disappeared into the smoke and flames.

As the chaos continued around him, Edward found himself frozen for a moment, his thoughts racing.

Soon the sound of sirens wailing in the distance brought him back to the reality of the situation.

Firefighters and emergency personnel had just arrived at the scene and were quickly setting up their equipment to combat the fire and rescue any trapped residents.

Edward's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the firefighters spring into action, their bravery and determination evident in their every move.

He felt a desperate need to do something, to find Camilla and ensure her safety, but his legs remained frozen and rooted to the ground, refusing to move.

Time seemed to stretch as he anxiously waited. It had been a while since he saw Alexander enter the burning building, and he hadn't seen him emerge yet. Nor had he caught sight of Camilla.

His mind raced with thoughts of what could have transpired inside that inferno. Was Camilla trapped with Alexander? Had she been injured? Or, heaven forbid, was she...

His thoughts spiraled into a dark abyss of fear and uncertainty.

Amidst the chaos and sirens, Edward noticed a tall blonde woman being carefully placed on a stretcher by paramedics.

She appeared to be in critical condition, covered in soot, and bearing severe burns on her body. His heart clenched at the sight, fearing the worst.

Just then, a familiar voice called out his name from a distance, "Edward!" It was Camilla, waving frantically.

Relief washed over him like a tidal wave as he locked eyes with her, his heart soaring at the sight of her safe and sound amidst the turmoil.

Without hesitation, Edward pushed his way through the crowd, his sole focus on reaching Camilla.

As soon as he reached her, he embraced her tightly. "Oh...thank goodness you're safe."

"I thought I had lost you," Edward whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

Camilla pulled back slightly, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked at him. "What happened? Why did the fire start?" Her voice shook, filled with concern.

Edward met her gaze, hesitating for a moment. His emotions were still in turmoil, but he took a deep breath, searching for the right words to explain the events of the past hour.

"I... I'm not sure. I arrived and saw the fire," he began, his voice still wavering as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I didn't know if you were safe, and I tried calling you, but there was no answer. Alexander... he ran into the building to find you."

Camilla felt her heart sink at Edward's last words. Her eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and worry crossing her face.

"What do you mean he went in? How could you not stop him, Edward?!"

Edward could see the fear and anger in Camilla's eyes. He struggled to find the right words, desperately wanting to explain the situation.

"I... I didn't have a chance to stop him," he replied urgently. "He just ran in before I could do anything."

Camilla's anxiety and frustration surged as she swiftly shrugged off Edward's grasp, making a beeline for the burning building.

But Edward reached her just in the nick of time, preventing her from getting too close to where the firefighters were.

"Camilla, look at me. You can't go in there; it's too dangerous," he urgently implored, gently holding her cheeks and tilting her head to meet his gaze.

Camilla locked eyes with him, her vision blurred by tears, and for a moment, it seemed as though Edward might have convinced her.

Then, out of the blue, he felt a sudden, powerful kick aimed squarely at his groin.

Edward doubled over in agony, clutching his private area, his face contorted with pain and anguish.

He could only watch helplessly as Camilla continued her dash toward the burning structure.

Fortunately, before she could breach the perimeter, a vigilant firefighter intercepted her, his tone apologetic but firm.

"Ma'am, I'm truly sorry, but it's far too perilous for civilians to enter. It could jeopardize our rescue operations," he explained, his voice laced with empathy.

As Camilla gazed back at the inferno, battling her inner turmoil, she managed to articulate her determination, her voice strained, "I know someone who's in there... I must help him."

Desperation echoed in her words as she pleaded, "I need to get inside... Please, let me in."

The firefighter shook his head, maintaining his empathetic yet unwavering stance. "I understand how difficult this is, but we cannot permit civilians inside."

"The risks are simply too high, and it might impede our rescue efforts," he said, striving to convey both understanding and authority.

Amidst their conversation, Camilla's gray eyes briefly flickered, catching a glimpse of emergency personnel wheeling a man who appeared to be Alexander on a stretcher.

Without hesitation, she forcefully freed herself from the firefighter's grasp and sprinted toward the stretcher. Her eyes didn't deceive her - it was indeed Alexander.

His face bore the marks of soot, and he lay unconscious. Camilla's heart ached at the sight, her previous frustration replaced with genuine concern for his well-being.

One of the paramedics noticed her approach and stepped forward. "Ma'am, please, you can't be here right now. We're attending to the injured."

Camilla's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at Alexander's motionless form. "I know him...he's my husband," she said, her voice trembling. "Is he going to be okay?"

The paramedic exchanged a quick glance with his colleague before turning back to Camilla

"We're doing everything we can for him. He's inhaled a large amount of smoke, and his condition is a bit critical, but we're getting him to the hospital as quickly as possible."

"Can I come with him?... please?" The paramedic hesitated for a moment, understanding the gravity of the situation.

He looked at Camilla's tear-filled eyes and nodded sympathetically.

"Alright, ma'am," he said gently, "you can ride with us to the hospital, but you'll have to stay in the waiting area. We'll do our best to update you on his condition as soon as we can."

Camilla nodded, her heart heavy with worry for Alexander.

She followed the paramedics as they carefully loaded him into the ambulance.

The sirens blared to life, and the ambulance rushed through the chaotic streets towards the nearest hospital.

Edward, still recovering from the pain of the kick he received earlier, watched as Camilla and Alexander were whisked away in the ambulance.

He felt a mix of emotions; regret, sadness, anger, and a pang of jealousy.

He couldn't help but wish he could elicit the same level of emotion and concern from Camilla.

He stood there, his gaze still following the ambulance as it drove away, his left hand still clutching his private area.

He felt betrayed by himself for falling so deeply in love and investing so much in a relationship that now seemed to be falling apart.