Chapter 56

• As the ambulance doors swung open inside the hospital, Howard was rushed in on a stretcher, while Charlotte, though injured, followed closely behind on her own feet. Her steps were steady but filled with urgency, her eyes fixed on Howard’s pale face lying still on the stretcher. Doctors and nurses swarmed around them, quickly taking Howard towards the emergency room.
• Charlotte stood in the hallway, her heart racing, replaying the terrifying moments. She could still see the flames engulfing the car, the heat, and the panic. Somehow, she had managed to reach him, pull him out of the burning wreckage, and then sit with him on the sidewalk, tears streaming as she pleaded for him to stay alive.
• Her throat tightened as she whispered, “Please open your eyes, Howard. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Despite his faint consciousness, his eyes remained closed, unmoving.