Timothy stood at the entrance to the banquet hall, dressed in an all-
white suit.
Handsome and upright, he attracted countless admiring glances from the socialites.
Yet. behind his strained smile was a hint of fatigue.
When he saw Gabrielle’s parents arrive, he immediately stepped forward to greet them.
“Mr. and Mrs. Cobbett.”
His tone was respectful and humble.
Andrew patted him on the shoulder with visible satisfaction in his
eyes.
Darlene gently took his hand and whispered a few words, urging him to treat Gabrielle well.
Time ticked by, and the wedding was about to begin.
According to the schedule, the bride was supposed to depart from the Goldstein estate in a wedding car and arrive at the hotel.
The emcee was ready. The band had finished tuning their instruments.
All spotlights were focused on the banquet hall’s grand do
e doors.
Everyone craned their necks, eager to witness the bride’s dazzling entrance to the grand wedding.
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But when the scheduled moment arrived, the doors remained firmly shut.
A murmur of confusion spread through the crowd.
Mr. Goldstein frowned and glanced at the butler beside him.
The butler immediately stepped aside and spoke into a walkie–talkie in hushed tones.
Timothy felt a sudden unease settle over him.
He pulled out his phone to call Gabrielle, only to find there was no signal.
It was standard practice at large events to block signals as a safety
measure.
Just then, the butler came running back, face ashen.
His lips trembled, and he could barely stay on his feet.
“Sir Goldstein…”
His voice was choked with panic.
“Something’s happened!”
Mr. Goldstein’s face fell. He barked, “What are you panicking about? Say something!”
“T–the bridal convoy… on the way here…”
The butler took a deep breath and forced out the rest of the words.
“The lead car, the one the bride was in caught fire!”
Boom.
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The news exploded through the hall like a thunderclap on a clear day.
Everyone froze. The entire banquet fell into a deathly silence.
Darlene blacked out on the spot.
Andrew stumbled, his face turning ghostly pale.
Timothy looked like he’d been struck by lightning, his mind going completely blank.
“Gabrielle… Gabrielle!”
He bolted from the banquet hall like a madman.
The Goldstein’s bodyguards and staff rushed to follow him.
The guests snapped out of their daze, and the scene quickly descended into chaos.
“How could this happen?”
“How could a perfectly good car just catch fire?”
“Was the bride still in it?”
Exclamations and frantic chatter filled the room.
The once–celebratory luxurious venue was now engulfed in panic and confusion.
Sir Goldstein forced himself to stay calm and began issuing orders.
“Quick! Prepare a car! We’re going to the scene!”
Andrew, now supporting his semi–conscious wife, stumbled outside as well.
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The group rushed to the scene as fast as they could.
It was a stretch of side road about five kilometers from the hotel.
From a distance, they could already see thick black smoke billowing into the sky and bright flames licking at the air.
Smoke filled the atmosphere.
Fire trucks and ambulances were already on–site.
Firefighters were dousing the burning car skeleton with high–pressure hoses.
What had once been a luxurious white Rolls–Royce was now a heap of twisted charred metal.
Flames still flickered within the vehicle, crackling ominously.
Timothy was the first to reach the police line and was immediately stopped by officers.
“Let me through! Gabrielle’s still in there!”
He was frantic, eyes bloodshot, struggling wildly to break past the barricade.
Andrew and Darlene arrived moments later. The sight sent Darlene into another wave of sobbing.
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Chapter 17
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.