CEO's Regret After I Divorced-Chapter 369 Accident
Author’s POV
The stage lights shimmered across Serena’s triumphant smile as she basked in the audience’s rapturous reaction to her jewelry collection. The excited whispers humming through the crowd were everything she’d dreamed of. With a satisfied gleam in her eyes, she took the microphone.
"his series draws its inspiration from London’s recent typhoon," she announced, gesturing elegantly toward the model who wore the showcase piece. "And this final masterpiece is called Eye of the Storm."
As Serena spoke with passion about her designs, the crowd’s attention locked onto her completely. Every gasp and murmur confirmed the obvious: Elegant Realm’s presentation had exceeded all expectations. Cameras flashed, lenses focusing on Serena, on her partner Aifei, and on the stunning necklace resting against the model’s neck.
Meanwhile, across the city, Sophie’s face contorted with rage as she watched the livestream. Seeing Serena command the spotlight was a visceral blow.
"It’s time," she snapped, whirling away from the screen. "Begin the operation."
Her assistant slipped out of the car and made a brief, hushed call to their contact inside the venue. Sophie had bribed multiple staff members to orchestrate a fire—a disaster meant to ruin the show completely. If ART couldn’t participate, then no one would enjoy a successful event.
Minutes later, the first acrid whiffs of smoke reached the air. Sophie’s expression darkened with grim satisfaction. "Let’s go," she ordered, sliding her sunglasses into place. A fire in a venue this size would be nearly impossible to control quickly. Staying nearby would only raise suspicion. She’d watch the fallout on the news later.
Inside the hall, everyone remained too engrossed in Serena’s presentation to notice the danger—until the smoke triggered the alarm system. Harsh, blaring sirens sliced through her speech.
Serena froze mid-sentence, turning to see flames already licking their way toward the stage.
"Fire!" Aifei screamed beside her, panic flooding her features.
"Ms. Aifei, get out now!" Serena shouted, shoving her partner toward safety. The priceless stone necklace Aifei wore had cost a fortune—Serena couldn’t let anything happen to her, or to it.
But in helping Aifei escape, Serena trapped herself. The decorative fabric draping the runway—chosen for aesthetics, not safety—erupted into a wall of flames around her. Within seconds, she was surrounded.
Acrid smoke clawed its way into her lungs. Serena coughed violently, waving a hand helplessly, but each gasp drew more poisonous air into her throat. Her eyes and trachea burned as if scraped raw.
"Serena!" A voice cut through the chaos just as her consciousness began to slip.
Strong arms suddenly swept her up against a firm, unfamiliar chest. Struggling to focus through watering eyes, Serena glimpsed a blurry face that looked eerily like the man from her dreams.
"Who are you?" she croaked, but her whisper vanished into the commotion. Her rescuer only held her tighter, pressing her face against him as he carried her swiftly away. Then, everything went black.
Outside, Cedric Lancaster paced frantically, watching the fire intensify. He’d stepped out for a business call and returned to sheer chaos. With Serena nowhere in sight and flames blocking every entrance, he kept trying to push forward, only to be forced back by the heat and the crowd.
Then, through a billow of thick smoke, Ryan emerged—carrying Serena’s unconscious body. She lay completely limp, pressed tightly against his chest.
"Serena? How is she?" Cedric rushed forward, his voice cracking with fear.
Ryan’s eyes flashed coldly as he tightened his grip. "She’s unconscious. Needs a hospital. Now. Move."
"Ryan, get this straight—she’s my wife!" Cedric reached for her, but Ryan dodged him easily.
"Is this really the time?" Ryan growled, his own voice raspy from smoke. "She needs medical attention now."
Without another word, he carried Serena away from the burning venue as distant sirens wailed closer. Emergency crews gradually brought the blaze under control while Serena was rushed to the hospital.
Later, after handling the immediate workshop crisis, Sally arrived at the hospital. By then, Serena had just regained consciousness.
The first words that trembled from Serena’s parched lips were: "Is the Eye of the Storm safe?"
Her voice came out painfully hoarse, clearly needing further treatment.
Sally sighed softly, gently reassuring her. "Serena, don’t worry. The Eye of the Storm is fine. All the pieces and models are safe. The fire looked worse than it was—thanks to our safety preps, there wasn’t much damage. Very few guests were injured..." She paused, then added quietly, "You’re actually the worst case."
Hearing this, Serena finally relaxed into the pillows. "That’s good."
Sally nodded, then hesitated. "I heard Mr. Blackwood was the one who saved you. He climbed onto that high stage despite the danger." She inhaled sharply. "How did he even manage to get up there?"
Serena froze, her breath catching. So it was Ryan who had rescued her. The man whose face had blurred into her vision like a dream—or a ghost—had been real after all.
The sterile scent of antiseptic hung heavy in the hospital room. Sally waved a dismissive hand. "Let’s drop this for now. Serena, the only thing you need to do right now is rest properly, got it? I don’t want you developing any long-term issues."
She efficiently adjusted the IV drip with practiced hands. "I’ve got the studio covered, and the fashion week aftermath is being handled by Mr. Alvin. So stop worrying about everything." She clicked her tongue, her face etched with professional disappointment. "Such a shame, though. The show was a heartbeat away from being a massive hit. One fire just... burned it all to smoke."
Serena leaned back against the stiff pillows, her brow furrowing deeper with each passing second. The physical burn in her throat was a dull, persistent ache, but it was nothing compared to the questions scalding her mind. "Something’s wrong," she rasped, her voice a raw whisper yet edged with steel. "A well-maintained venue like that doesn’t just spontaneously combust. Mr. Alvin personally led multiple inspections. All fire safety measures, all electrical systems were confirmed operational. This kind of ’accident’, it shouldn’t have been possible."
Sally paused, her eyebrow arching sharply. "You think...deliberate?"
