With a crack, the metal lock finally fell from the door.

Ariana yelped in relief when the lock thudded on the floor. She kicked the door open and rushed into the room, wrapping her shaking arms around Theodore.

“Are you okay?" Ariana nervously checked on Theodore, looking at him while clutching onto him.

"I'm fine." Theodore hugged her tightly.

They looked at each other, and there were too many emotions in their eyes at this moment.

Ariana suddenly felt that the answer was not that important as long as he was with her.

Despite the fire department's presence downstairs, the voracious flames raced through the building, leaving no room for Ariana and Theodore to hesitate.

The private room boasted a solitary, sealed French window. Shattering it from the outside would unleash a violent rush of air that would instantly fuel the inferno to greater heights.

“Our prospects for rescue dwindle if we remain here. This room, nestled in the corridor's corner, presents a constricted entrance that obstructs the firemen's access," Theodore calmly analyzed.

“Let us abandon this room and make our way towards the escape passage." Ariana furrowed her brow, swiftly retrieving a damp towel from her pocket to cover Theodore's mouth and nose. She then pushed him out of the room.

The flames in the corridor raged fiercer than ever, devouring each room in their path.

Theodore seized the fire extinguisher, battling the encroaching flames to create a safe space for them.

Within the vast restaurant, the oxygen thinned, accompanied by the cacophony of crackling fire.

‘The fire extinguisher was soon depleted of its power.

‘As they finally reached the escape passage, Ariana discovered it, too, had succumbed to the relentless fire.

Now bereft of an exit, Ariana truly felt the peril that enveloped their lives.

"What recourse do we have? We are trapped!" she lamented.

Outside, police sirens blared. The fire department seemed to be approaching. Yet they were also blocked by the great fire!

“Proceed toward the opposite end of the restaurant corridor, where an open-air balcony is. The rescue team may come from that direction. The fire's origin lies within the private room, leaving the open-air balcony potentially untouched,"

Theodore said decisively.