Chapter 1

Covering my nose and mouth with the back of my hand, I felt my way along the scorching wall, inching toward the exit one step at a time.

The moment I made it out of the fire, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the grass in the emergency triage area.

Nearby, a paramedic shouted through the megaphone, "I need the bride's family to come over here! She needs oxygen and immediate medical evaluation!"

I lifted my head, my gaze landing on Tyler Sloan. He had been looking in my direction, but at the sound of the paramedic's voice, he immediately turned and headed over.

"I'm her husband. How is she?"

Dragging my bleeding leg behind me, I made my way toward them.

Hearing the sound, Tyler turned. The moment he saw the state I was in, he hurried toward me.

"How did you manage to get yourself into such a sorry state?" He was frowning, his voice low and reproachful. "Didn't you learn first aid? How could you be so careless about protecting yourself?"

I stared into his seemingly affectionate eyes, yet all I felt was a chill spreading through my body. "Tyler, I was hit by a collapsing screen. I almost died in there."

Tyler's hand paused on my cheek mid-wipe.

Before he could say anything, Jennifer Koch, who was lying on the emergency stretcher, reached out and caught the hem of my blouse.

"Cassie, don't be mad at Tyler! When the fire broke out, I deliberately held onto him and cried so he wouldn't go looking for you."

I froze.

"You two are getting married tomorrow. I just wanted to give him one last test for your sake! See? He took such good care of me, the bridesmaid. That means he'll definitely be even more responsible toward you in the future."

I looked at Jennifer, who'd been my dear friend for many years, and felt sick to my stomach.

"You were testing him for me?" My nails dug deep into my palms. "So when I see my fiance carrying my best friend out of a burning building, I'm supposed to feel grateful?"

"Cassie!" Tyler's voice grew stern. "You're usually so rational. Why are you acting like an insecure teenager, nitpicking everything?"

Oh. So all the concern and the blatant soft spot he had for Jennifer could be neatly wrapped up as something he did for my sake.

Tyler glanced at his watch, his brows drawing together even more tightly.

"I need to follow Jenny to Mercy Hospital for a full-body examination and psychological counseling first. She was terrified. I won't feel at ease unless I stay with her."

He pulled a credit card from his pocket and held it out to me.

"Behave yourself and stop being childish. Take a cab to a nearby private clinic and get your wounds treated. The PIN is Jenny's birthday."

I stared at the card without taking it.

He reached out, pressed it into my hand, and added, "I set that PIN because you were always telling me that if I loved you, I should extend that love to the people you cared about and treat Jenny like my own sister. Don't tell me you're going to kick up a fuss over it when I'm only doing exactly what you asked."

With that, Tyler didn't spare me another glance. He strode toward the ambulance and held onto Jennifer protectively as he helped her inside.

The ambulance sped away with its siren wailing. I was still standing in place when my phone screen suddenly lit up with the sound I had set for priority notifications.

Jennifer had just posted a new update on her social media. It was a photo of Tyler's large hand tightly wrapped around hers under the dim lights inside the ambulance.

"My friend said that a man who's willing to treat me like his own sister is a man worth entrusting her life to. Being the one someone chooses without hesitation is the greatest source of security a woman can have. He has passed the test with flying colors!"

Tyler's profile picture was conspicuously at the very front of the list of people who had liked the post. The man who never bothered to check his social media feed had liked the post instantly.

I took out my phone and called Olivia Hudson, the wedding planner.

"Hey, Ms. Nolan. The wedding venue is all set for tomorrow's ceremony. I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

My lips curled. "Cancel the ceremony, Ms. Hudson."