Scars Deeper Than Fire

"Axel, when I heard the explosion, I was so scared. Are you okay?"

The lights swung around, and for the first time, I saw her face.

It hit me like ice water straight to the heart.

Every nerve in my body went numb.

It was her.

The girl I once carried out of a burning school.

The girl who lost her family.

The girl I took into my home for half a year.

And now? She was clinging to my husband, rocking clothes bought with my money, carrying his baby.

Gloria Hole.

Couldn't have made it up if I tried.

Gloria saw me staring and ducked behind Axel like a scared kid.

"Why are you looking at my wife like that? Go get an ambulance. She needs a hospital," Axel snapped.

Ambulances were scarce out here. Remote spot, slow response.

"Captain, you're hurt bad. When the next one comes, you should go first. We'll handle things here, " my team said.

I nodded, every bone in me screaming.

But when the ambulances showed up?

Axel and Gloria climbed right in. Both of them.

"My captain's burns are worse! Let her go first!" my teammates begged.

Axel didn't blink.

"She's not dying. Another ambulance is coming. My wife's pregnant. She's not going alone. Your big-shot captain can wait."

The ambulances tore off.

Axel threw a glare over his shoulder.

Yeah. I caught it.

The third ambulance never showed.

I kept bleeding.

Civilians finally dragged me into a random car and gunned it to the hospital, blowing through every red light.

At the ER, the doctor barely looked at me before barking, "Get her into surgery! Massive internal bleeding!"

I grabbed his sleeve.

"Doctor... I'm pregnant... Three months..."

His face tightened.

"I'm being honest—the baby's probably not gonna make it."

Right then, Axel and Gloria strolled past.

No mask now. My face—half-melted from the blast—was right there.

Axel covered Gloria's eyes.

"Don't look. It's disgusting."

Then, straight-up cruel:

"A woman like you deserves to lose her kid. Any guy marrying you is just asking for bad luck."

Gloria smirked. "Almost lost our photos too. Guess it's karma!"

My team looked ready to throw hands.

"Enough! Move her! Forget saving the baby—we're fighting for her life now!"

As they rushed me past Axel, I grabbed his wrist.

"Axel Cheatum! I want a divorce!"