Chapter 5

Scarlett POV

I could barely eat that meal.

After a few bites, I put down my cutlery, made an excuse about going to the restroom, and temporarily left the table.

When I returned after nearly ten minutes in the restroom, Julian was no longer at the table.

Briar spoke up. "Mr. Sterling went out to take a call. He said something urgent came up at the company."

I pursed my lips, offering no response.

She studied me, then suddenly chuckled. "Ms. Scarlett, Mr. Sterling is so good to me, and you don't mind at all?"

In the past, I certainly would have minded.

And I suffered for it for a long time.

But now, I was about to leave Julian.

What was there left to mind?

I sat back down calmly. "Didn't you say he's only being good to you to keep you in shape to donate your kidney to my mother?"

"Do you really believe that?" Briar laughed out loud, her words loaded with obvious insinuation. "Mr. Sterling has already fallen for me. You can't possibly not see that."

I gave a faint, cynical smile. "Is that so?"

"Mr. Sterling told me you're too cold," her voice held undisguised triumph. "Spending time with you is like being with a block of ice, utterly boring."

"Unlike me, I'm young, vibrant, and always bring him new excitement."

Cold.

Like a block of ice.

My heart stung faintly.

Just as I was about to speak, our phones chimed almost simultaneously.

It was a message from Julian: "I'm waiting for you downstairs. Come down."

Briar glanced at it, picked up her bag, and stood.

We left the restaurant together.

In the elevator, it was just the two of us.

She didn't seem ready to stop, continuing, "Ms. Scarlett, do you know what Mr. Sterling told me the day I had the car accident?"

I closed my eyes, not looking at her, simply waiting for the elevator to descend.

She went on. "He said, if I didn't want to donate..."

Before she could finish, the elevator jolted violently.

Then, after a brief pause, it began to plummet rapidly. A powerful sense of freefall instantly overwhelmed me.

Briar shrieked. "What's happening?!"

"Back against the wall, knees bent!"

I was closer to the control panel, instinctively pressing all floor buttons and the emergency call button.

In less than a few seconds, the elevator jolted to a violent halt mid-descent.

A voice crackled over the intercom. "Please remain calm and do not move. Rescue personnel are on their way."

"I'm so scared!" Briar's voice was hysterical. "Help me! I don't want to die!"

No sooner had she spoken than the elevator shook violently again.

Screams filled the confined space.

My palms were drenched in cold sweat.

I dared not think what would happen if the elevator continued to fall.

Soon, urgent, chaotic sounds came from outside.

Julian's voice vaguely reached us from outside. "Scarlett? Are you two in there?"

Briar immediately cried out, "Mr. Sterling, save me! I'm so scared!"

"Don't worry, rescue is here."

The staff's voice sounded again. "The equipment malfunction hasn't been completely resolved. The elevator could fall again at any moment. We can only get one person out first."

The air suddenly went silent.

Just a few seconds, yet it stretched like an eternity.

"Briar is timid. Get her out first."

Julian's voice came through.

In that instant, I felt completely frozen.

So, in a life-or-death situation, the answer was still so clear.

Rescue personnel pried open the elevator doors, creating a gap just wide enough for one person to squeeze through.

Julian rushed forward and pulled Briar out.

She collapsed into his arms, trembling all over, sobbing uncontrollably. "It was so horrible... I was really terrified..."

"It's okay, it's okay now."

He patted her back, just about to instruct the rescuers to continue-

The elevator suddenly vibrated violently again.

The next second, a powerful sense of freefall returned.

The elevator plummeted.

I felt a dizzying disorientation, my heart seemingly stopping at that very moment.

"Scarlett!"

Julian's shout was completely swallowed by the rapid descent.