The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 2049

Halfway to his destination, Seth's body stiffened as a thunderous crash echoed from behind. He pulled over, and turning his head, he saw thick smoke billowing from the Diaz Tower.

Without hesitation, he turned back, only to be confronted with an even more harrowing sight up close. As he scanned the area, there was no sign of his mother or Danielle.

A soft voice from a nearby legal officer reached his ears, "Your mother and Ms. Danielle haven't come down yet."

Seth's eyes narrowed, and he looked up toward the 12th floor, swallowing hard, his face a mask of icy resolve. He began to shrug off his suit jacket when the officer spoke again, "Mr. Diaz, there's no need for you to go up. Rescue operations are underway."

Eventhing happened in such a short time. Seth hadn't seen any fire trucks arrive, but perhaps someone had reported the situation because a firefighting helicopter was now descending onto the roof of Diaz International.

Patty was still up there, and even though others were attempting a rescue, Seth couldn't stand idle.d2

Ground firefighters had already arrived and were rapidly setting up a perimeter. Seeing Seth ready to enter the building, they immediately intercepted him. "Sir, the building could collapse at any moment. We advise against going in to search. We've arranged for an aerial rescue. Please, don't add to the complications."

With the elevators out of commission, Cicely made her way up the stairwell to the 12th floor. She and Issac had hoped to encounter Danielle and Patty in the stairwell, but with each floor they climbed, their hearts sank a little more.

Escaping through the stairwell was common sense. Not finding them meant the likelihood of their having perished was even greater.

The 12th floor was a blast site, the stairwell entrance clogged with rubble but still passable. They managed to push aside a beam and entered. Inside, smoke choked the air. Issac, covering Cicely's mouth and nose with a damp cloth, bent low and made straight for Camden's office.

The office was empty.

"Damn it, where are they? Danielle!" Cicely, frustrated and angry, called out for Danielle but inhaled a lungful of smoke, coughing violently.

Issac quickly covered her face with the wet cloth. "Don't shout. They must have gone up."

"Are they insane? The lower floors could collapse any second, fire spreading, smoke rising. Are they trying to die faster?"

"It means they're still alive."

"Miss, I can handle this alone. Can you get out first?"

Cicely shook her head, heading toward the stairwell. "If the codes don't come through, and Diaz International is destroyed, that's on me. If Diaz International is gone, and something happens to Patty, I can't imagine the blow it would deal Seth. At least I need to safeguard one thing for him."

Issac simply pursed his lips, no more words exchanged.

As they reached the landing to the 13th floor, a loud crash resounded from behind them the stairwell to the 12th floor had collapsed.

Cicely froze.

Issac pulled her along, "Move fast."

"How will we get down?"

Issac, calm in crisis, replied, "A rescue chopper will come for us. Let's find them first."

Cicely felt a wave of relief and finally, on the 15th floor landing, they found the two trapped women. Patty sat with her head in her hands, sobbing hysterically, clearly in shock. And Danielle was futilely pushing against a beam blocking the stairwell door.

The smoke was rising fast, bringing a wave of heat with it. Sounds of collapsing materials echoed from below.

"Danielle!" Cicely, livid, pulled Patty to her feet. "Are you braindead? Did all your fire safety training go to waste? Running upstairs during a fire?!"

Danielle turned, her once immaculate makeup smeared, hair disheveled, tears and sweat creating streaks of dirt on her face. Her eyes met Cicely's and Issac's, startled and helpless.

"Move!" Issac stepped forward, his voice cold, and began to push against the heavy beam and the barricading cabinet.

The group hurried inside a well-lit space that felt strangely safe. But Issac's expression grew darker. "This is a dining hall?"

Cicely hesitated, "There's an open dining area for staff on the 15th floor."

Issac's face turned pale, "We can't stay here. Move!"

Realization dawned on Cicely, and she urged Patty to keep moving up. But Patty shoved her away fiercely. "Don't touch me!"

Patty retreated to Danielle's side, glaring at Cicely. Her emotions resurfaced, along with her resentment.

Issac's face was grim, "Ma'am, Ms. Cicely came up here risking her life to save you."

"I would rather die than be saved by her. After you ruined Diaz International, now you want to win Seth's heart through me? I won't let you succeed. I'd rather die than be saved by you, and I'll make sure he despises you forever."

Cicely couldn't believe that even in a life-or-death situation, Patty's disdain for her was still her priority. "What did I do to make you hate me so much, Patty?"

Patty snapped, "I do hate you. It was your mother, Millie. She ruined my life. The man I loved, loved her, and my husband loved her. Why was she so blessed? How many men went crazy for her, and how many women's happiness did she steal? And now you're the same, born adored and destined for a smooth life. But too bad you fell for my son, and you expect him to love you unconditionally. I'll never allow it. Even in death, I'll make sure he hates you forever. And don't even think about using me to capture his heart."

Shock wasn't reserved for Cicely alone; Danielle stood by, equally stunned. No one would have guessed that the reason Patty hated the Ellis family and Cicely so much was actually for this reason. What kind of twisted love triangle was this?

Cicely found it all ludicrous. Her parents were truly in love, and Patty's solution was to blame others for her own failure and to use her son as a pawn for revenge against another's daughter was utterly irrational.

At that moment, a rescue helicopter circled outside the window. Issac, seeing this, went over and opened the window. "We're here!"

The helicopter hovered in place, with a pilot and a firefighter on board.

Issac turned and called out to them. "Hurry up, we've got a gas leak and this whole place could blow any second."

Danielle, upon hearing this, panicked, only now noticing the pervasive smell of gas. She quickly pulled Patty toward the window. "Patty, we've got to go!"

Yet Patty stood frozen by the window.

The helicopter's downdraft whipped their clothes and hair, stinging their faces. Patty looked down, a sudden impulse rising within her.

Cicely, tired of the drama, turned to Issac and said, "I'm heading to the rooftop. Take them to the chopper."

As she turned to leave, Issac caught her arm. "What do you need on the rooftop?"

Cicely's eyes flickered.

"If you don't tell me, I'll assume you're trying to trick me into taking them down. I won't let you go."

"My wedding dress, the one he got for me, is in the rooftop lounge." Her voice was stiff, feigning indifference, but her reddening eyes betrayed her urgency and reluctance to leave. Issac watched her intently for a moment, then said flatly, "You stay here. I'll get it for you."

"But..."

"Don't waste time!" His voice brooked no argument.

As he spoke, he tried to lead Cicely to the helicopter first, but she refused. "Let her go first."

Without needing to clarify who she meant, Issac knew it was Patty. Cicely was always stubborn, and such a decision was typical of her.

Issac looked at Patty, who backed away two steps, "Let Danielle go first. Cicely, are you really going to abandon her? If I go, will you leave her here?"

Cicely's patience was wearing thin with Patty. "Why should I save her? No one on this earth annoys me more than she does. If all goes as expected, I'm probably the person who most wants her dead."

"You..."

"Issac, take her to the helicopter."

Cicely cut off Patty without giving her a chance to respond.

Issac moved to forcefully take Patty to the chopper, but she pushed him away with a shove of her hand. "You can use me and save me, but Danielle goes first, or I won't go."

Cicely took a deep breath, "lit's your choice. If you want to die together, so be it."

"Issac, take me to the helicopter." Issac couldn't have agreed more.

Patty was stunned, not expecting Cicely to speak so bluntly.

Danielle was not one to flirt with death. The sounds of collapse and the roar of the spreading fire made her heart shrink with anxiety. She clung tightly to Patty's hand, her tongue too tense to speak clearly. "Patty, now's not the time for grudges. You go first, Cicely won't leave me behind. After all, I'm part of the Ellis family."

Patty glared at Cicely.

Cicely turned to look at her, "One last time, are you coming or not?"

Patty moved her lips but couldn't bring herself to utter the words of compromise.

Cicely lost her patience entirely, "Issac, just get her on the chopper."

This time Patty didn't resist Issac's touch. The window was a bit high, and even with his strength, it was a struggle to lift her through it, considering the drop of dozens of meters below meant any slip would lead to a fatal accident.

After finally settling Patty safely on the helicopter, Issac handed safety harnesses to Danielle and Cicely. He first asked Danielle, "Do you know how to put this on?"

Danielle looked bewildered, and Issac pursed his lips, walked over and secured it for her, then said, "You first."

Fear and nervousness flashed across Danielle's face. "I... I'm scared.."

Issac turned to assist Cicely with her harness, but hearing Danielle, his brow furrowed.

The firefighter's voice came through the helicopter's thundering blades. "The fire's spreading to the lower floors, and there's gas here. It'll explode any moment. Hurry!!"

Danielle panicked, hurrying towards the window. A wave of heat rose from below, and as she glanced down, she saw the raging fire bursting through the fourteenth-floor windows, a massive serpent climbing towards them.

"Hurry!! It's dangerous!!!" The firefighter's voice was laced with shock and urgency.

Issac, too, realized the dire situation. He was about to help Danielle onto the helicopter when he saw the firefighter turn away, covering his face. He hesitated, instinctively looking back at Cicely, and without a second thought, threw himself over her to shield her with his body.

"Boom"

*

A gasp rose from below.

The explosion on the fifteenth floor, where the helicopter hovered, was far more severe than any before it. Even the hovering chopper was jolted to the side.

The officials nearby inhaled sharply.

"It's over. Only one person was rescued. Seems to be Mr. Diaz's mother."

"Three more are still inside. Doesn't look good for them."

"Wouldn't have expected Ms. Cicely to die here, at such a young age."

The speaking official's collar was suddenly grabbed, and he was nearly lifted off the ground. The arm, taut with the weight of nearly a full body, became sinewy and strained, the white shirt sleeve stretched to its limit, clamping tightly against the skin.

Cold, bloodthirsty eyes bore down like sharp fangs, ready to snap at any neck. "Who did you say was going to die?"

The man's throat was being constricted, his face turning crimson, "It's Ms. Cicely, the one who just went up to save your mother and Ms. Danielle was Ms. Cicely."

Seth's frame suddenly swayed, his gaze shooting up to where the helicopter was hovering. He couldn't believe it, because it just didn't make sense.

"Nonsense! She went to the hospital!" Her father was critically ill; it was only logical for her to follow him to the hospital.

"But it's true. She and her guy, they went up together. We all saw it with our own eyes. cough, cough, cough."

Other law enforcement officials nearby hastened to agree, "That's right, Mr. Diaz, he's telling the truth. We all witnessed it. Ms. Cicely got off the ambulance."

"Look up! There's still someone hanging from the helicopter!"

Seth jerked his head up, and there, dangling from the chopper, was Danielle. At that moment, she was clutching her face, shrieking piercingly, her thin clothes drenched in bright red blood. It wasn't long before she was pulled up into the helicopter.

"There are two more people!"

Seth stared fixedly in the direction of the helicopter, hoping against hope that the familiar silhouette would suddenly appear in that window. His dark eyes didn't flicker for an instant, locked onto that one spot, allowing not a single sliver of light to penetrate. His body was tensely rigid, standing in place like a lifeless statue.

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