Milo was frozen in shock when he heard the worker’s frantic announcement about the fire in the bridal chamber and a child trapped inside. His heart skipped a beat, and he mumbled, “Thanaya...” in disbelief.
The urgency of the situation snapped him into action, and he was about to run when he felt a firm grip on his arm, pulling him back. He turned to see his family, their faces etched with worry and determination.
“Dad, leave me! Thanaya—she’s in danger!” Milo pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation.
His father held him tightly, his grip unyielding. “Let’s get out of here, Milo. This is the only chance we have,” he said, his voice laced with determination.
Milo struggled against his father’s hold, his eyes filled with panic. “No, Dad. Thanaya, she is in danger. please let me go! I need to protect her. Thanaya needs me!” he shouted, trying to break free.
His father’s grip tightened, his voice rising in frustration. “You cannot, Milo! For God's sake, please don’t ruin my plan. This is the only chance for you to escape from that demon.”
Milo’s confusion deepened, and he demanded, “What do you mean, ‘your plan’?”
His mother stepped forward, her face stricken with worry. “Son, this is not the time. Let’s get out of here first. We’ll explain everything later.”
Milo gulped, his mind racing. “Dad, did you set the fire in the bridal chamber?” His voice trembled as he asked, not wanting to hear the answer.
His father’s silence was deafening, and Milo’s heart sank. The realization hit him hard, and he could barely hold himself together. “Did you, Dad?” he repeated, his voice breaking.
The truth hung heavy in the air, and the reality of the situation became painfully clear. Milo couldn't believe the person in front of him. The father he knew was gentle and caring. This man, who would put a child’s life in danger for a twisted plan, was a stranger. He wanted to ask many questions, but right now the only thing that mattered was saving Thanaya, no matter the cost.
"I don't care what you did; the only thing important to me is protecting Thanaya, and no one can stop me," he said, and he was about to walk away when his father held him more tightly.
“No, Milo. We need to leave, please. This is the only chance. If we don’t escape now, then—”
"I don't care!" Milo was frustrated and yelled, “I don't care, Dad! I have already accepted my situation.” Milo pulled his father’s hand away, saying, “I am leaving.”
He turned to leave, but someone hit him with a flower vase, causing him to fall unconscious to the ground.
Nuea, in shock, asked, “Dad, what did you do?”
Milo’s father, holding the flower vase, said, “I didn’t have any other solution," and he threw the vase on the ground.
Nuea hesitated, glancing down at Milo's unconscious form. "But Dad, this isn’t right."
"We don’t have time for this, Nuea," his father snapped. "Help me get Milo out of here before it’s too late."
With a heavy heart, Nuea nodded and bent down to help his father carry Milo away, the echoes of the wedding hall chaos and Thanaya’s cries for help ringing in their ears.
Bridal Chamber,
Thanaya was still trapped in the bridal chamber, her voice growing hoarse from screaming. "Papa! Daddy! Help me, please!" Her cries echoed off the walls, blending with the crackling of the flames that were now consuming the room.
The heat was intense, making it hard to breathe. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to call out, her small body trembling with fear.
Kiet bolted towards the bridal chamber, shoving aside anyone in his path. When he reached the chamber door, he could hear Thanaya's faint cries. "Papa! Please, help me!"
Kiet's heart pounded as he looked around for his daughter. “Thanaya!” he shouted, his voice hoarse and desperate. His eyes scanned the room, searching through the smoke for any sign of his daughter.
“Papa! Please help me, Papa. I am scared!” Thanaya's voice trembled, her cries piercing through the fire.
Kiet’s resolve hardened. He could see her now—trapped in her wheelchair, tears streaming down her face, her small frame shaking with fear. The fire was closing in, but he didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, fighting through the inferno with every ounce of strength he had.
“Papa is here, Thanaya. I’m coming,” he yelled, his voice filled with raw emotion.
His hands were burned, and his breath came in ragged gasps, but he pushed forward, driven by an unyielding need to protect his child. Finally, he reached her, lifting her out of the wheelchair with strength fueled by fear and love. Thanaya clung to him, her tiny arms wrapping around his neck as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Papa..." she cried, hugging her father more tightly. "Papa! I'm scared, Papa! I'm so scared!" Thanaya's voice trembled with terror.
“Hold on tight, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” Kiet whispered, his voice breaking as he cradled her close. “We’re getting out of here. Just stay with me.”
Just then, Arhit burst through the doorway, his face pale and his eyes wide with horror. "What the hell?"
He took in the sight of the flames engulfing the room and Kiet holding his daughter close. His heart raced, and he shouted. "Fire extinguisher! Where the hell is the fire extinguisher?" Arhit’s voice was a mix of panic and authority, cutting through the chaos.
A worker, his face ashen, scrambled to respond. "I’ll get it! I’ll be right back!" he shouted before darting off to fetch the extinguisher.
Arhit's gaze flicked back to Kiet and Thanaya, his expression a blend of fear and determination. The flames were growing fiercer, and he knew they had to act quickly.
"Sir, please get out of there! the fire is spreading too fast!" he shouted.
The heat was unbearable, and the flames seemed to roar louder, as if it were challenging for them to escape. But Kiet’s focus was solely on getting Thanaya to safety. He stumbled and staggered, but he kept moving, determined to reach the door.
And finally, Kiet, with Thanaya still clutched tightly in his arms, stumbled out of the room. His heart pounded in his chest, a relentless drumbeat that matched the frantic pace of his breaths. The once-pristine bridal chamber was now a nightmare of flames and smoke, with the fire still roaring in the background.
As he stepped into the hallway, the air felt cool and soothing against his burning skin, a stark contrast to the inferno he had just escaped. His eyes met the frantic faces of guests and workers, their expressions a mix of shock and relief.
“Thanaya! Oh my God, Thanaya!” her grandmother exclaimed, rushing to Kiet.
The worker and other staff quickly began to spray foam into the bridal chamber, the white foam smothering the remaining flames and dousing the fire. The crackling and roaring of the flames gradually subsided, leaving only the faint hiss of the extinguisher and the remnants of smoke in the air.
Kiet sat down on the floor in the hallway, still holding Thanaya close. Her little body trembled uncontrollably, her cries muffled against his chest. The tears streaming down her face mixed with the soot and grime, a poignant testament to the terror she had just endured.
“I’m so sorry, Thanaya,” Kiet murmured, his voice cracking with emotion. “I’m so sorry you had to go through this. I am really sorry."
Thanaya clung to him tightly, her tiny fingers gripping his shirt as if it were a lifeline. “Papa, I was so scared! I thought I was going to die!” she sobbed, her voice barely more than a whisper through her tears.
Kiet’s heart ached at her words. He stroked her hair gently, trying to calm her as best as he could. “I know, sweetheart. I know you were scared. But Papa won’t let anything happen to you. You’re safe now.”
The workers, having successfully extinguished the fire, gathered around them with concerned expressions. One of them approached with a blanket, offering it to Kiet to wrap around Thanaya.
Outside the Wedding Hall, Same Time,
Outside the wedding hall, Milo’s father, clutching Milo’s unconscious form, hurried towards a van parked discreetly at the edge of the scene. The vehicle’s engine roared to life as Som and Waan, waiting inside, prepared for a hasty departure.
Waan, his face etched with worry, flung open the van doors as Milo’s father laid Milo down on the backseat. “Why is he unconscious?” Waan asked, his voice laced with urgency.
“There’s no time to explain,” Milo’s father snapped, his eyes darting around nervously. “We need to get out of here before Kiet realizes Milo is missing. Start the engine and let’s move!”
Som, sitting in the driver’s seat, threw the van into gear as everyone hurriedly climbed with Milo. The van surged forward, its tires screeching as it sped away from the scene.
Wedding Hall, Hallway, Same Time,
Kiet remained seated on the floor in the hallway, cradling Thanaya in his arms. Her small body had finally stopped trembling, her breaths coming more steadily as she clung to him. His own burns throbbed with pain, but he barely registered it; his focus was solely on calming his daughter and making sure she felt safe.
Arhit approached Kiet, his face lined with concern. “Sir, let’s get you to the hospital. You need treatment for your burns.”
Thanaya’s grandfather, standing close by, nodded in agreement. “Yes, Kiet. Your hand is badly burned. You need to get treated as soon as possible.”
Kiet glanced at his injured hand and then at Thanaya, who was still clinging to him. “Alright,” he said, his voice firm. “Let’s go.”
Carefully, Kiet stood up, never once letting go of Thanaya. He held her tightly, his protective instincts still in overdrive. As they made their way through the wedding hallway, Thanaya’s eyes slowly opened. She looked around with a puzzled expression, her gaze searching.
“What are you looking for, Thanaya?” Kiet asked gently.
“Where is Daddy, Papa? I can’t see him anywhere,” she said.
Kiet and the others realized that Milo was missing. He looked at Arhit, who nodded and walked away, saying, “I’ll look for him.”
Outside the Wedding Hall, Moments Later,
After a while, Arhit came running back, huffing. “I can’t find him. He and his whole family are missing, sir.”
Kiet’s eyes were filled with anger and realization. There was something fishy about the fire incident and Milo’s disappearance. His voice cold, he said, “Arhit, find out how the fire started in the bridal chamber.”
Arhit nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Kiet, holding Thanaya and accompanied by her grandparents, stepped inside the car. Thanaya, with innocence, asked, “Where is Daddy, Papa?”
Kiet’s eyes were cold and piercing as he said, “We will find him. Wherever he is, I will make sure he returns.”
***
Inside the Van,
Som gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white, as he navigated the narrow, winding roads with a determined focus. The van sped through the night, the headlights cutting through the darkness. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, filled with an urgency that matched the rapid pace of the vehicle.
Milo's father, sitting beside the unconscious Milo, glanced anxiously at the rearview mirror. "How much farther, Som?" he asked, his voice strained.
"Not much, uncle," Som replied, his eyes never leaving the road. "We'll be out of the city in ten minutes if we keep this speed."
Waan, sitting in the back with Milo, looked worriedly at Milo's still form. "Why is he unconscious? What happened?" he asked, his voice tinged with panic.
Milo's father avoided his gaze, his face set in a grim expression. "He wouldn't come willingly. This was the only way to get him out of there."
Waan's eyes widened in disbelief. "You knocked him out? Are you insane? Do you realize what you've done?"
"We had no choice, Waan," Milo's father snapped, his patience wearing thin. "This was the only chance to save him from that monster, Kiet."
Som interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "We can argue later. Right now, we need to focus on getting as far away as possible. Kiet will come after us once he realizes Milo is gone."
Waan sighed, rubbing his temples. "I just hope Milo understands why we did this. He's going to be furious when he wakes up."
Milo's father looked at his son, his expression softening for a moment. "I know. But it’s a risk we had to take. I couldn’t stand by and watch him suffer any longer."
The van sped on, the tension inside palpable. The road ahead was uncertain, but they knew they had to keep moving, hoping that their desperate plan would keep them safe, at least for now.
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