The car ride home from the airport was unusually quiet, the weight of the recent events still hanging over them. Jade stared out the window, the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow over the familiar streets. She was exhausted from the trip to Bali—mentally and physically—but also relieved to finally be back. The car hummed softly as Milan drove, his jaw set in a way that hinted at his deep concentration. Enzo sat in the front seat, scrolling through his phone, while Thiago lounged in the back beside Jade, fidgeting with his watch.
As they turned onto the winding road leading to their house, Jade began to feel the familiar pull of comfort. The sprawling property they called home always had a way of making her feel safe, no matter how chaotic things got. But as they rounded the final bend, something felt off.
“Do you smell that?” Jade asked, sitting up straighter.
Thiago sniffed the air and frowned. “Smoke. That’s not right.”
Milan’s grip on the wheel tightened, his eyes narrowing as he pressed on the gas. “That’s coming from the house,” he said, his voice sharp and urgent.
Jade’s heart dropped, and her breath quickened as the car sped up the driveway. The sight that greeted them was like something out of a nightmare. Flames danced against the evening sky, consuming the left wing of the house. Smoke billowed upward, thick and black, as the fire roared with an intensity that made her stomach churn.
“Oh my God,” Jade whispered, her voice trembling. “The house…”
Milan slammed the car to a stop, throwing the door open before the vehicle even came to a complete halt. “Stay here!” he barked, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Enzo and Thiago were already out of the car, their faces grim as they assessed the situation. Jade ignored Milan’s order, scrambling out after them despite her racing heart.
“Milan, what do we do?” Jade called, her voice shaking as the heat from the fire hit her like a wave.
“Call the fire department!” Milan shouted over his shoulder as he ran toward the house, his phone already in his hand.
Thiago grabbed Jade’s arm, stopping her from following. “Stay back,” he said firmly. “It’s too dangerous.”
“But the house—” she started, her voice cracking.
“We’ll handle it,” Enzo cut in, his tone calm but edged with steel. “Stay here and let the professionals take care of the rest.”
Jade watched helplessly as the men moved toward the fire, their figures silhouetted against the bright flames. Her chest felt tight, and tears pricked her eyes as she took in the destruction. The place she had begun to think of as home was being consumed before her eyes, and there was nothing she could do.
Within minutes, the wailing sirens of fire trucks filled the air, and a team of firefighters descended on the scene. Milan directed them with the precision of someone used to being in control, pointing out the most affected areas of the house while Enzo and Thiago stayed by his side. Jade hovered near the car, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as the firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
Thiago returned to her side after a while, his face smudged with ash. “It looks like most of the damage is in the left wing,” he said, his voice low. “The main living area might still be intact.”
Jade nodded numbly, though her gaze remained fixed on the fire. “How did this happen?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you think it was… her?”
Thiago’s expression darkened. “It’s too early to say, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Vivienne,” Jade muttered, her anger simmering beneath her fear. “She’s behind this, isn’t she?”
“We’ll find out,” Thiago said firmly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “But right now, we need to focus on making sure everyone’s safe.”
As the flames began to die down under the firefighters’ relentless efforts, Milan returned to the car, his face a mask of tension. “The fire’s under control,” he said, his voice clipped. “But the damage is extensive. We’ll need to relocate for now.”
“Relocate?” Jade echoed, her mind struggling to keep up. “Where?”
“I’ll handle it,” Milan said, his tone leaving no room for discussion. “What matters now is figuring out who’s responsible.”
Jade took a step closer to him, her frustration boiling over. “Milan, you know who’s responsible. It’s Vivienne. How much longer are we going to let her get away with this?”
Milan’s icy-blue eyes locked onto hers, his expression hard. “I don’t need a reminder, Jade. But until I have proof, I can’t make a move.”
Enzo approached them, his phone in hand. “I’ve already started making calls. We’ll have somewhere to stay by the end of the night.”
Jade shook her head, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. “This is insane. She’s escalating, and we’re just reacting. When does it stop?”
“When we stop her,” Milan said firmly. “And we will.”
As the firefighters wrapped up their work, a detective approached the group. He held up a small, charred device in an evidence bag. “We found this near the ignition point,” he said, his expression grim. “It’s a timer. This fire wasn’t an accident.”