Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 387: Chapter 387

As soon as I got Marvin's call, Jamilah handed me a car key. Without hesitation, I jumped into the car and sped toward Skyline Tower.
By then, Instagram was already flooded with videos and photos of the fire. I clicked on one and saw thick smoke billowing from the skyscraper. The fire had broken out on the very floor where Alex was.
I drove while repeatedly trying to call him, but no one picked up. My nerves were on edge the entire way, and I nearly ran two red lights.
Lawrence was with Alex, and there might be bodyguards watching over him in secret. He had always been a cautious man. After that car accident, he must have realized how much danger he was in; there was no way he would let himself fall into another life-threatening situation.
But in a fire, when panic took over, who would still be thinking about protecting Alex? More importantly, he was in a wheelchair. Even if Lawrence helped him, could they make it out in time?
At the same time, I couldn't help but wonder a thing. Was this fire just an accident, or was it deliberate? Would the person targeting Alex really go this far, disregarding the lives of everyone else in the building? To the rich and powerful, ordinary people's lives seemed to be worth nothing.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.
By the time I reached Skyline Tower, fire trucks were already lined up at the entrance. But with the fire raging on such a high floor, putting it out was proving to be a challenge.
Just as I was about to rush inside, a strong hand yanked me back.
Marvin's face was grim, his brows furrowed in anger. "Are you out of your mind? The elevators have been shut down, and everyone inside can only evacuate through the emergency exits. Running in there now is completely useless. Do you have a death wish?"
I knew he was right. Even if I risked everything to charge inside, I might not be able to save Alex in time.
"Isn't there a fire suppression system? How did the fire get this bad?" I asked.
Marvin answered immediately, his tone sharp. "The system is working, but no water is coming out."
A chill ran down my spine as I locked eyes with Marvin. "Is there a problem with the water tank or the pipes?"
"No idea," he said, his voice laced with frustration. "Something's messed up, but we don't know what yet. The firefighters and maintenance crews are working on it. Damn it. There are still hundreds of people trapped inside."
The moment he finished speaking, the fire suddenly flared up even more. Screams and cries for help filled the air as fire trucks and ambulances stood by, ready to assist at any moment.
Police officers were guiding evacuees away from the building. Their faces were pale, their clothes disheveled, fear still etched in their expressions.
I searched through the crowd but didn't see Alex or anyone else I recognized.
Just then, a firefighter reported through a radio that there were no confirmed deaths or burned bodies found inside.
Several men had been rescued from the fire, some suffering from burns, others unconscious. Those with minor injuries were taken to the hospital, while the more severely wounded were placed on stretchers and loaded into ambulances.
"Did any of you see the CEO of Herrera Group? He's in a wheelchair," I asked anxiously.
"Mr. Herrera?" A man with burns on his forehead thought for a moment before replying, "I think Mr. Herrera was taken to the hospital."
I froze on the spot, my mind going completely blank. I muttered a quick thanks before turning away.
Marvin noticed my pale face and, without a word, took my keys and drove me straight to the hospital.
When we reached the emergency entrance, I spotted Alex's assistant, Danny.
"How's Alex?" I asked.
Danny's eyes were red. He hesitated for a second before murmuring, "Mrs. Herrera The one in the emergency room isn't Mr. Herrera. It's Lawrence."
I stared at him, momentarily stunned. Then I quickly asked, "Where's Alex?"
"I'm right here." A voice rang out.
I turned my head and saw a man standing not far away, leaning on a cane. He still carried that calm, composed demeanor, his expression cold and indifferent.
If it were not for the dust covering his white dress shirt, one might have thought he had just walked out of an office.
Alex explained, "Lawrence noticed something was wrong right away. He had everyone evacuated, pressed the alarm, and brought me downstairs. But on the way, he inhaled too much smoke. By the time Danny found him, he had already lost consciousness."
I secretly let out a sigh of relief. After a moment of thought, I asked, "Wasn't Lawrence with you when you got out? Why did he go back inside?"
Alex did not answer my question. I knew he was hiding something. Since he did not want to talk about it, I did not press further.
The fire had broken out far too suddenly.
Lawrence remained unconscious in the ICU for three days before finally waking up.
According to the police investigation, the fire was caused by someone smoking in the office. A cigarette butt had not been properly extinguished, leading to the blaze.
At the same time, a construction crew had been using water in the building, emptying the fire suppression tank. When the fire broke out, the lack of water caused pressure instability, preventing the fire system from activating.
On the surface, everything seemed logical. But the more I thought about it, the more it failed to hold up under scrutiny.
Even if a trash bin caught fire, how could the entire floor go up in flames? There were no flammable materials in the offices. And the fire suppression system just happened to fail at the exact moment a fire broke out? It was all too coincidental.
Alex did not investigate further. Fortunately, the damage was not too severe. No one had died; only a few people had suffered minor burns or injuries from falling during the evacuation.
Lawrence was transferred from the ICU to a regular ward. When he woke up, Sophina was sitting by his bedside, her eyes red. She looked at him and asked, "Do you still remember who I am?"
Lawrence stared at her in silence, his expression somewhat dazed.
Sophina furrowed her brows, her face twisted in distress. "Did the smoke mess with your brain? Are you stupid now?"
Lawrence took a moment to react, gazing blankly at her. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice slow. "I'm not stupid."
"Then why are you so slow to respond?" Sophina reached out to touch his forehead, but he dodged her hand.
Lawrence had always been reserved, but deep down, he was a warmhearted person. Perhaps it was precisely because of his quiet nature that he had stayed by Alex's side for so many years.
Looking around the room, he suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly asked, "What about Mr. Herrera? Is he okay?"
Sophina opened her mouth to answer, but I cut in before she could. "He's injured. He's in the room next door."
Lawrence hesitated for a moment, seemingly confused. 'I have personally escorted Mr. Herrera out of the building; how could he have gotten injured?' he wondered.
"He's fine. He just needs to stay in the hospital for a while," I replied lazily. "Sophina, stay here with Lawrence. I'm going next door to check if Alex is awake."
When I entered the room, I saw Alex sitting in his wheelchair. He slowly lifted his head, his brows furrowing."Do you really think someone is trying to kill me? If they wanted me dead, they could have just shot me. Why go through all this trouble?"