Chapter 7
"Braeden, the fire at the estate is raging fiercely. The firefighters can't even get inside. If Anna is in there, it's likely she won't make it."
Braeden's legs almost gave way, and he nearly collapsed to the floor.
Then he dashed out of the venue without even changing his clothes and sped towards the estate in his car.
When he reached the entrance, the fire had subsided significantly, and the estate was a clear ruin.
"Anna! Where are you?" Braeden shouted desperately as he tried to rush into the fire.
"Mr. Hayes, please calm down. We have not found Miss Briggs inside yet." Several servants pulled him away.
Braeden collapsed to the ground on his knees instantly.
"Then where is Anna? Where is she?"
At that moment, one of them handed Braeden a folder. "Mr. Hayes, we found this in the garden outside the estate. Everything else has been reduced to ashes."
With trembling fingers, Braeden took the folder.
Inside were a phone, a card, and the broken diamond bracelet he had given Anna.
The phone's screen lit up, showing a photo of Braeden when he was young.
He wrapped his arm around Anna's shoulders.
A dull ache pierced his heart.
It felt like ages since he had held her like that or smiled so genuinely.
The phone's contents had nearly been wiped clean by Anna, except for a few videos.
Braeden's heart seemed to have stopped beating as he held his breath and opened the video.
It was footage from their fifth anniversary, capturing an intimate moment between him and Carol in an upstairs suite.
It was the photo sent from Carol.
Braeden felt dizzy, and he could hardly stand.
So, she had known everything all along.
There were a few more photos on the phone.
Carol flaunted herself in the wedding dress on her social media account, and there was a bracelet marked "Complimentary Gift."
Braeden lifted his head blankly as he took the bracelet from the bag.
At that moment, a red warning light blinked.
It was only then that he realized he had set up the device backward.
He couldn't imagine how Anna must have felt while listening to his every move with Carol all this time.
His heart sank heavily into despair, and he was almost suffocated.
He had believed that as long as he could constantly watch Anna, as long as he could provide her with a larger estate where she could live, she would remain oblivious to what happened in the outside world.
Yet, the fool had been himself all along.
Sweat trickled down his forehead.
The last item was a card.
It was the wedding invitation that Carol gave Anna back then.
With the groom, Braeden Hayes, and, the Bride, Carol Moore.
Please bear witness to our love.
Reading those words, Braeden felt frozen. His entire body was chilled to the bone.
By then, the fire at the estate was extinguished.
The rescue team rushed inside to search.
Braeden was unconcerned for himself and followed them in.
The rescue continued into the night.
"Mr. Hayes, we've inspected the site. The fire was caused by a gas explosion. At the scene, we only found some charred clothing and jewelry."
Braeden took the items and trembled uncontrollably.
He could still recognize the melted diamond ring among them.
"Where is she? You haven't found any corpse. It means she's still alive, right?"
He clung to a last shred of hope.
Just then, the rescue team brought new information. "We found some human remains in the rubble and extracted the DNA. It matches Miss Briggs's."
A loud ringing suddenly filled Braeden's ears.
He shook his head mechanically. "You're talking nonsense. Test it again. Do it again."
Others didn't act, and Braeden broke down completely.
"I said test it again! Don't you understand?" Braeden shouted in rage, but as he turned, he coughed up blood. Then he collapsed and became unconscious.
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