My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Chaos at the Art Exhibition (Part 2).

Ava and Lola found a quiet corner in the gallery.

“Thank goodness you came at the right time,” Ava said, squeezing Lola’s hands, gratitude swelling her heart. “But didn’t you say you were visiting your parents? Why did you change your plans?”

Lola laughed softly. “I didn’t cancel, you silly thing! I just figured I’d pop by and give you a hand before I head over. Last night, I realized something—if Dylan found you alone with Nicholas, things would definitely get messy. So, here I am to play the protective friend.”

Ava rolled her eyes, her lips quirking with a hint of amusement. “Honestly, I didn’t think he’d even show up, but thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Always got your back. Besides,” Lola added, leaning in with a playful glint in her eye, “I heard Nicholas is the main artist of the event. Who knew he had such a talent? Let’s focus on his art and forget about all that other drama.”

Ava stifled a laugher. “Let’s go.” With light hearts, they began exploring the gallery, marveling at Nicholas’s work and losing themselves in the world of art, momentarily forgetting everything else.

Meanwhile, outside the gallery, Dylan paced furiously, his phone pressed against his ear as he scolded Justin. “Why am I just now finding out about this?” he barked. “If I’d known Nicholas was the main artist, I wouldn’t have let her step foot in there—let alone have come here myself.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Justin’s apologetic voice crackled through the phone. “It will never happen again.”

Dylan clenched his jaw, his voice low and threatening. “One more missed detail, and I’ll replace you with someone who is on top of things. Understood?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be more vigilant,” Justin replied, sounding thoroughly remorseful.

The sudden blare of the fire alarm shattered the relative calm of the street, echoing through the air with an ominous urgency. Dylan spun around, his gaze snapping to the gallery.

His eyes widened as he saw thick, black smoke billowing from the windows on the third floor—the very floor where the exhibition was taking place.

“What the fuck?” His stomach lurched. “Ava!”

Dylan stuffed his phone into his pocket, disregarding whether the call was still active. His mind raced, but his body moved instinctively, carrying him toward the entrance in a full sprint.

Inside the building…

It was total chaos. The blaring of the fire alarm mixed with desperate cries as thick smoke billowed through the hallways, engulfing one floor after another. People pushed and stumbled over each other, frantically racing toward the exits.

Ava found herself trapped inside a restroom, while others fled. She yanked at the doorknob, twisting it frantically, but the door refused to budge. Her heart raced.

“Hello! Please open the door,” she cried out. “I am trapped here.”

No response. The alarm and the panicked screams outside drowned her words. She pounded on the door, her anxiety mounting with each second that passed.

Gianna stood outside the restroom with a dark satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. She had seen Ava enter the restroom moments before the alarm blared, intending to confront her. But now, with the chaos unfolding, she saw an opportunity. She thought this was the chance to take revenge on Ava.

Her lips twisted into a sneer. “Goodbye, Ava. Die here peacefully.”

She slipped away, blending into the throngs of people racing to safety.

Nicholas’s first instinct was to find Ava. He ran out of Sasha’s cabin to look for her. “Ava!” he exclaimed, rushing to the spot he had last seen her, but Sasha stopped him by his arm.

“Where are you going?” Sasha asked desperately. “You can’t go in there.”

“I need to find Ava,” Nicholas blurted out, desperate and terrified.

Sasha coughed, the acrid smoke thickening around them. Her hand tightened on his arm. “She might have already left,” she said, trying to reason with him. “We need to get out—now!”

But Nicholas shook his head, his eyes darting down the smoky corridor. “I have to be sure she is safe. I can’t leave without knowing.”

“Where are you going to look for her? Don’t be mad, Nicholas.” Sasha’s grip didn’t falter. “Look around you! The smoke is suffocating, and it’s only getting worse.” She tugged on his arm, practically dragging him toward the fire exit as he struggled to resist. “Please, Nicholas. This situation is detrimental to your health. Come with me.” Reluctantly, Nicholas allowed himself to be pulled away, casting a final, worried glance over his shoulder.

Inside the restroom…

Ava’s heart sank at the realization that she was trapped there. No one was going to come to help her.

The thick, acrid smoke seeped through the doorframe, filling the small space with a choking haze that burned her lungs and stung her eyes. She coughed violently, her throat raw, but kept banging on the door with whatever strength she had left.

“Open the door. Someone, please…”

Her vision began to blur as the oxygen thinned around her, and she felt her strength waning. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the tile floor, struggling to stay conscious. Each breath grew harder and shallower as smoke filled her lungs.

Yet Ava wasn’t ready to give in. Clinging to her last shred of hope, she forced herself to cry out again, “Help! Please, someone… I’m trapped here!”

She coughed again, violently, her body trembling as darkness edged into her vision. Tears blurred her gaze, and she fixed her eyes on the door, silently willing it to open. Every muscle in her body was screaming.

‘Is this my fate!’ she thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dylan pushed his way through the crowd, undeterred. The acrid smell of smoke filled his nostrils as he barreled forward, his heart pounding louder with each step. Ignoring the heat and chaos around him, he made his way toward the stairwell, his only focus on finding Ava before it was too late.

He scanned each terrified face, but she was nowhere in sight. Anxiety gnawed at him, and he raked his fingers through his hair, muttering under his breath, ‘Where are you?’

Just then, a commotion caught his attention on the far side of the room. Through the haze, he spotted Lola in a heated exchange with the guards, but Ava wasn’t with her.

Alarm spiked through him as he rushed over, grabbing Lola by the shoulders and turning her to face him. “Where is she? Where is Ava?” he shouted desperately.

Lola’s face was pale with fear and worry. “She…she went to the restroom. I thought she would come out, but she didn’t. I think she is still trapped there.” She sobbed. “I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have left her.”

Dylan didn’t waste another second. He turned on his heel, sprinting toward the stairs that led to the third floor.

“Hey, stop!” A guard blocked his path, holding out an arm to bar him. “You can’t go up there! The fire is spreading fast. Going back in is a death sentence. We have to wait for the firefighters.”

“My wife is up there,” Dylan growled with fear and frustration. “You’re telling me to just wait? She doesn’t have time to wait!” Ignoring the guard’s protests, he shoved him aside and charged forward.