Chapter 3: The Rookie Who Knew the Truth
Mark came to visit the next morning.
I recognized him immediately.
The young firefighter with tired eyes.
The one who found me.
The one who didn't walk past.
He stood awkwardly near the door.
"Mrs. Davis?"
"Lucy."
He nodded.
"Lucy."
He held something in his hand.
My wedding ring.
I stared at it.
"Why do you have that?"
"Because Lieutenant Davis gave it back."
My stomach tightened.
"He gave it back?"
Mark nodded.
"He told me he couldn't accept it."
I laughed softly.
"Interesting."
Mark looked uncomfortable.
"Lucy..."
"What?"
He hesitated.
"I need to tell you something."
The room became quiet.
"When we opened the elevator..."
I looked at him.
"Yes?"
"Lieutenant Davis wasn't the first person who saw inside."
My eyebrows lowered.
"What do you mean?"
"There were three firefighters near the opening."
Mark swallowed.
"He saw everyone."
Everyone.
Including me.
"He knew where you were."
The words hit harder than I expected.
"Are you sure?"
Mark nodded.
"I was standing behind him."
A cold feeling moved through my chest.
"What happened?"
Mark looked down.
"He said Valerie's name first."
I closed my eyes.
I already knew.
But hearing it from someone else made it real.
"He told us she had a history of panic attacks."
Mark paused.
"Then he went straight to her."
"And me?"
Mark's eyes became sad.
"He asked another firefighter to check the back."
I looked away.
Not because I was surprised.
Because I was tired.
Tired of being the person everyone remembered last.
Then Mark said something that made me look back.
"But Lucy..."
"Yes?"
"Valerie wasn't unconscious."
I froze.
"What?"
"She was scared. But she was talking."
My heartbeat increased.
"What are you saying?"
Mark looked serious.
"I'm saying she didn't need to be carried out first."
The room went silent.
Because suddenly...
the story Alex told me didn't sound like a rescue anymore.
May you like
It sounded like a choice.
And I was going to find out why.
