Chapter 9 - The Detonation
I stood completely frozen in the snow, staring at Arthur's lifeless body on the icy driveway.
Fiona had just saved my life, choosing to abandon her employer rather than let him murder a pregnant woman.
"Serena!" Matthias yelled, running back toward me through the deep snow.
He looked absolutely pathetic, covered in gasoline and shivering violently in the freezing cold.
"We have to get away from the house!" I screamed, grabbing his arm.
We ran as fast as we could toward the massive wrought-iron gates at the end of the property.
Just as we reached the safety of the main road, the timer in the basement hit zero.
The detonation was absolutely catastrophic.
The ground shook violently beneath our feet like a massive earthquake.
A blinding pillar of orange fire erupted directly through the roof of the Dre estate.
The shockwave knocked Matthias and me violently into the deep snowbank.
I covered my head as flaming debris rained down on the beautiful, manicured lawns.
The mansion collapsed inward upon itself, consumed entirely by a raging inferno.
Fiona was still inside, making her ultimate sacrifice complete.
Within minutes, dozens of police cruisers and fire trucks swarmed the perimeter of the estate.
First responders rushed toward us with thermal blankets and medical equipment.
A team of heavily armed tactical officers immediately placed Matthias in handcuffs.
"He is a victim too!" I lied to the police, knowing Matthias's testimony was crucial to exposing his father's conspiracy.
A female paramedic gently guided me toward the back of a warm, brightly lit ambulance.
"You need to be checked for smoke inhalation and fetal distress," the paramedic insisted gently.
I climbed heavily into the back of the ambulance, finally allowing myself to completely relax.
I lay back on the soft gurney, feeling the strong, reassuring kicks of my daughter against my ribs.
The nightmare was finally, truly over.
The Dre family empire was destroyed, my husband was in custody, and my baby was perfectly safe.
The female paramedic closed the heavy ambulance doors, completely sealing us inside the quiet cabin.
"Your vitals look incredibly strong, Serena," a deep, masculine voice said from the driver's seat.
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I immediately sat up in sheer panic.
The man in the driver's seat slowly turned around and removed his medical mask.
