Chapter 162 What Happened to My Mom?

Chapter 162 What Happened to My Mom?

Kathie's fate was uncertain, and Monica's mind went blank, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of fear.

Without thinking, her legs seemed to move on their own, and she bolted outside, desperate to reach her mother before it was too late.

Brandon had been watching Henry closely, and seeing his obviously staged expression, he immediately understood.

With his extensive experience, he could see through Henry's act, knowing that Henry was "performing" and not genuinely sad.

But before he could react, Monica had already disappeared from sight.

With no other choice, he quickly got up and followed Monica, taking long strides to catch up.

As they ran, Brandon saw Monica's anxious and helpless demeanor, and a pang of sympathy rose in his heart.

He silently reached out and gently held her hand, trying to offer some comfort and strength.

Once they were in the car, Brandon looked at Monica's distraught face, wanting to say something to console her, but the words stuck in his throat.

He had a nagging suspicion, considering Henry's suspicious phone call and fake expression, that Kathie might have met a tragic end, possibly even dead.

But he couldn't bring himself to voice such a cruel guess, so he just stayed with Monica, heading towards Serenity Nursing Home to find out the truth.

He silently vowed that no matter Kathie's condition, if something had indeed happened, Henry would pay dearly for it. He would not let it slide!

They rushed to Serenity Nursing Home, and before they could get close, a wave of intense heat hit them, like an invisible hand blocking their way.

Thick smoke billowed ahead, flames soared, and chaos reigned.

Monica, frantic with worry, ignored the danger and tried to rush into the fire, her only thought being to find and save her mother.

Fire trucks were already in position, and firefighters were quickly connecting hoses, setting up ladders, and racing against time to extinguish the fire and rescue those inside.

Monica broke through the crowd but was stopped by police and firefighters.

They shouted, "Back up, back up! All family members, stay back! Don't add to our workload. Rest assured, we'll do our best to get everyone out."

The firefighter's voice was firm and authoritative.

"My mom, my mom can't walk," Monica cried out, her voice choked with tears, desperately trying to get the firefighters' attention to save her mother quickly.

A firefighter ran over, concern etched on his face, and asked, "What's your mom's name? Which floor and bed is she in?"

He pulled out a notebook, ready to jot down details to expedite the rescue.

"I don't know, I don't know," Monica sobbed, tears streaming down her face, nearly collapsing.

She regretted deeply that she didn't know her mother's exact location.

She had only learned about her mother being at Serenity Nursing Home fifteen minutes ago and hadn't had time to ask for more details.

The firefighter frowned, unable to hide a hint of doubt, wondering if the person inside was really her mother.

A young firefighter, looking at Monica, couldn't help but mutter, "How can you not know anything? How can you be her daughter?"

Realizing his words were inappropriate, he tried to take them back, but it was too late.

Monica's sense of injustice and pain peaked, tears flooding out like a broken dam. 

She opened her mouth to explain but found her throat blocked, unable to speak.

Seeing this, Brandon's heart tightened. He stepped forward and grabbed the firefighter's collar, his eyes flashing with anger.

Two nearby firefighters shouted, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Brandon snapped back to reality, realizing the firefighters didn't know the truth, and their doubts and complaints were understandable.

He let go, calmed himself, and said, "Don't make assumptions without knowing the facts."

The young firefighter, under his captain's stern glare, felt ashamed and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I was just anxious."

His voice carried a hint of remorse.

"It's okay," Monica said, holding back her grief, wiping her tears, and urgently pleaded, "Please, save my mom. Her name is Kathie Mellon. She's in her forties, has needle marks on her arms from dialysis, but she's very beautiful. You'll recognize her immediately!"

She gestured as she spoke, trying to help the firefighters identify her mother quickly.

When the name "Kathie Mellon" was mentioned, the firefighters froze.

Earlier, when they first entered the burning building, they had found a body in the hallway with an ID tag that read "Kathie Mellon."

Experienced firefighters could tell from the skin's condition that it had burned differently than a living person's would.

So, without further inspection, they had sent Kathie's body to the morgue.

Hearing Monica mention "Kathie Mellon," the firefighters exchanged uneasy glances, unsure whether to reveal the truth.

They knew this news would be devastating for the hopeful woman before them.

Monica, seeing their grave expressions, felt a surge of dread.

She grabbed one firefighter's arm, her voice trembling, "What happened? Did you see my mom? Is she okay?"

Her eyes were filled with hope and fear, awaiting her fate.

The young firefighter, unable to hide his thoughts, wiped the sweat from his face, bit his lip, and after hesitating, decided to tell the truth, "Your mom, she..."

"What happened to my mom? Please, tell me! I haven't seen her in so long," Monica pleaded, her voice breaking, her eyes full of desperation.