“Okay.” As Ariana prepared to wheel Theodore, she suddenly noticed the ceiling chandelier shaking, poised to fall on them!

Instinctively, she altered course, diverting Theodore from harm's way. With a resounding crash, the chandelier plummeted vertically.

Ariana had no opportunity to escape it. Her feet bore the brunt of its fall, rendering her prone on the floor, unable to rise. Within moments, thick smoke engulfed her, filling her mouth and nostrils.

The corridor's flames intensified, consuming the fallen chandelier.

Ariana sensed the searing heat on her immobilized feet. Struggling to move proved futile. A fiery fire barrier separated her from Theodore.

“Leave now!" Ariana managed to talk, her voice raspy and feeble, coughing violently as her eyes reddened.

Lacking strength, her limbs grew weak, gradually surrendering consciousness.

Perhaps her demise neared. Ariana closed her eyes momentarily, only to reopen them. Through the smoke, she saw Theodore, faintly visible in his wheelchair. Her eyes stung from the dense smoke, yet she resisted closing them, yearning for a final glimpse of him, and wanting him to leave swiftly.

"Go!" she said hoarsely, her words barely audible.

The smoke thickened, her surroundings blending into hallucinations. Her heartbeat quickened as if it were about to burst.

Before complete unconsciousness overtook her, Ariana thought she glimpsed Theodore rising from his wheelchair!

Had her dying wish manifested in her illusory vision? Ariana then succumbed to oblivion!

The entire Blue Night Manor blazed with flames.

In the midst of chaos, as the chandelier crashed down and the fire threatened to consume Ariana, Theodore rose from his wheelchair. He traversed the fire, forcefully shoving aside the chandelier that had come crashing down near Ariana's feet.

The scorching metal seared his palms, yet he remained oblivious to the pain.

He stooped down, cradling Ariana tenderly in his arms, and slowly made his way toward the distant balcony at the end of the corridor.

The intensity of the fire demanded an immediate escape.

Meanwhile, rescue workers scaled the heights, their valiant efforts focused on taming the relentless blaze with torrents of water from the fire engine.

"They're coming out!" exclaimed the rescue team, armed and ready, their joy evident upon witnessing Theodore emerge from the fire. Swiftly advancing to the balcony, they received the unconscious Ariana from Theodore's embrace.

"Sir, are you okay?" inquired a concerned firefighter, who secured a rescue rope around Theodore.