Chapter2 Who Saved Me?

Scarlett’s POV

The arena fell silent after my announcement. Then chaos erupted.

"What the hell, Scarlett?" Pierce's voice cut through the noise. "Have you lost your mind? What kind of crazy talk is that?"

Madison stepped forward, her eyes wide with perfectly performed innocence. "Look, if you don't want to compete against me, just forfeit. You don't need to make up lies to save face."

But I noticed her hand. It was clenched tight at her side, knuckles white. Her jaw was tense. She was nervous.

I'd bet right.

"Why are you so desperate for this match, Madison?" I kept my voice loud enough for the crowd to hear. "It's just an exhibition game. What are you trying to prove?"

She blinked, thrown off balance.

"And why do you keep looking at that guy in the stands?" I pointed toward the hooded figure I'd noticed earlier. "The one skulking around up there. Did you plant him here? Is he working for you?"

Madison's mouth opened and closed. No words came out.

"Scarlett, stop!" Pierce grabbed my arm. "You're being ridiculous. Just stop talking."

Madison recovered quickly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know you don't like me, but you can't accuse me of something like this. That's not fair."

The crowd erupted. Voices rose in Madison's defense, calling me jealous, bitter, a sore loser. The noise was deafening.

Then a different voice rang out, clear and commanding despite its measured tone.

"I think we should listen to what Scarlett has to say. If there's any chance of a fire, we're talking about nearly ten thousand lives at risk. Better to investigate and be wrong than ignore a warning and be right."

I knew that voice. My breath caught. It was the same voice I'd heard in my previous life, calling my name through the smoke as I died.

I turned toward the speaker.

He sat in a wheelchair near the VIP section.

Even seated, his presence commanded attention. Sharp jawline.

His hair swept back from a face that could have been carved from marble. Eyes like steel, intelligent and assessing.

He wore a tailored black suit that emphasized his broad shoulders.

Preston Hayes.

At eighteen, he'd been unstoppable on the ice. The media had called him the Crown Prince of Hockey. He'd never lost a single game in his junior career.

Then five years ago, during a championship match, a brutal collision had shattered his leg in multiple places.

The injuries ended his playing career before it truly began. He'd been confined to a wheelchair ever since.

His fans had mourned the loss of what could have been.

But Preston hadn't given up. He'd used his family's wealth and his own sharp business mind to build a sports management company from the ground up. Now he was the primary investor in nearly every major hockey event in the country.

I hadn't expected him to defend me. I smiled at him, grateful.

He looked back at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. Something flickered in his eyes.

Recognition? Concern? It vanished before I could identify it.

His endorsement shifted the crowd's mood.

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the stands.

People started nodding, reconsidering.

I pressed my advantage, turning back to Madison. "For everyone's safety, let's have the police search the arena. Just to be sure."

Madison stayed silent, her facade cracking at the edges.

"Unless you're the one who planned this," I continued. "Unless you're afraid of what they'll find."

"I didn't do anything!" Madison's voice broke. She turned to Pierce, tears streaming down her face. "Pierce, you believe me, right? I would never hurt anyone. I don't know why she's saying these horrible things."

Pierce wrapped an arm around her shoulders, glaring at me. "This has gone far enough. Madison's right. You're just—"

He didn't finish.

Smoke began pouring from the walls. Real smoke this time, thick and black. Flames erupted from multiple points around the arena, exactly like before.

Someone screamed. Then everyone was screaming.

The crowd surged toward the exits. People shoved and trampled each other in their desperation to escape. The sprinklers activated but barely made a dent in the rapidly spreading fire.

Through the chaos, I saw Madison move. She was right beside me one second. The next, her hands slammed into my back.

I stumbled forward, directly into the path of a massive advertising board. The metal structure groaned and tilted. Time seemed to slow as I watched it fall toward me.

I tried to move. Too slow.

The board crashed down, pinning me beneath its weight. Pain exploded through my body. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. The metal pressed down on my chest and legs, trapping me completely.

Through the smoke, I saw Madison collapse dramatically into Pierce's arms.

"We have to go!" she sobbed, clinging to him. "Please, get me out of here!"

Pierce lifted her easily, carrying her toward the nearest exit. They disappeared into the smoke without a backward glance.

He'd left me again.

The smoke grew thicker. Heat from the flames made the air shimmer. I tried to push the board off, but it wouldn't budge. My arms were too weak. The smoke burned my lungs with each shallow breath.

This is it, I thought. Even with a second chance, I'm going to die here anyway.

Then a shadow emerged from the smoke. Tall. Broad shouldered. Moving with purpose despite the chaos around us.

Hands gripped the fallen board. Muscles strained as the figure lifted the crushing weight off me. The board rose slowly, impossibly, giving me room to breathe.

Strong arms slid under my knees and back, lifting me as easily as if I weighed nothing. I was pulled against a solid chest, cradled in a princess carry as my rescuer moved swiftly through the burning arena.

I pressed my face against his shirt, trying to filter the smoke through the fabric. His heart beat steadily beneath my ear, strong and sure, somehow calming despite the danger surrounding us.

"Who are you?" I managed to whisper, my voice hoarse from smoke inhalation. "Who saved me?"

No answer came. My rescuer just held me tighter and moved faster.

The smoke made everything hazy. I couldn't see his face clearly. Couldn't identify him. My eyes were streaming, my lungs burning. Exhaustion pulled at me like a physical weight.

My eyes fell heavily shut, and I sank into darkness.