Chapter 4 The Second Fire

With that, I pulled out my lighter and set the entire house ablaze.

Even then, Gareth was still smiling. "Orson, did you really think I'd come here without a backup plan? You fell for it again. You really are an idiot."

The moment he finished speaking, someone shoved me hard.

The fire raged around us, but I could still see the expression on Gareth's face. He frowned and gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Willow, I only came here to apologize to Orson. I never expected him to do something this reckless. I think I broke my leg, and I can't get out. Save Orson first. Let this be my way of atoning for everything."

His voice broke, and his eyes reddened.

Willow couldn't take it anymore. She shot me a cold, furious look.

"I'm not saving him. If he was capable of starting the fire, he can get himself out. If he can't, he'll just die here."

With that, Willow dragged Gareth away from the fire. She didn't see that her shove had sent me crashing into the corner of a nearby table.

Blood immediately began streaming from my head, and the room spun around me. I was barely able to push myself up when I heard Willow talking to one of the firefighters.

"Is there anyone else inside?"

Willow hesitated for a moment before answering firmly, "No."

That one word sealed my fate.

After the firefighters put out the blaze, they discovered that someone had been trapped inside. By then, however, they could no longer find me.

One fire had killed my mother. The other had burned away every last feeling I had for Willow.

And now she was kneeling before me, begging for my forgiveness.

"Orson, why won't you forgive Willow? Fine, I'll kneel and apologize. Will that be enough?"

Gareth's voice pulled me back to the present. He put on a wounded expression and started to kneel.

Concern flashed through Willow's eyes. She immediately stood and grabbed him.

"That's enough. Your leg hasn't fully recovered since the fire. If you kneel, it'll probably start hurting again tomorrow."

Her eyes were full of concern. He hadn't even knelt yet, and she was already protecting him. Just like before, she couldn't bear to see him suffer.

The whole thing was almost laughable.

I was about to get up and leave when Willow's expression fell. She waved her hand. In an instant, a group of bodyguards surrounded me.

"Orson, I know you're still angry, but I can't let you keep living on your own. I'll keep the promise I made to you back then. We might not be able to get married, but I'll take care of you."

Gareth smiled smugly. "Don't be angry, Orson. Willow only married me because she lost a bet with me. Give it another five or ten years, then you two can get married."

So she wanted to keep me like a pet? I was furious.

Just as the bodyguards were about to force me to the ground, a voice suddenly came from behind us. "What are you doing to my husband?"