The Sway and Slide of Love

The fire spread quickly.

The houses in this area were all connected, so when one caught fire, the neighboring ones were soon engulfed as well. The surrounding residents had already been evacuated, but from the house at the heart of the fire, no one had yet emerged.

Noelle knew Hendrix was inside. For some reason, memories of the past few days flashed through her mind. The last time they had seen each other was when they were on their way to the equestrian club.

Hendrix had tried hard to lighten the mood, but she had cut him off. Because at that time, she had still been angry with him, so she hadn't wanted to hear him speak. He wasn't someone who liked to talk much in the first place. But at that moment, she had told him to be quiet.

Later, in the video call, he had invited her to join him in Tilwick. She had understood his hint and clearly seen the hope in his eyes, but she had still refused him. She hadn't even said a single kind word to him.

And now? Even if she wanted to say something, he wouldn't be able to hear her.

Noelle knew this wasn't the time to be thinking about these things. Reason told her she should get out of there immediately. After all, putting out the fire and rescuing people were the jobs of police and firefighters.

But she couldn't stop herself. Her mind raced with memories of their time together, and her feet carried her closer to where he was. It was as if her body was moving on its own free will.

It was the same way she'd tried to walk away a hundred times and let go of her feelings for him, only to find herself drawn back to him and fall in love with him all over again. That kind of love was like a brand, seared into her bones.

Thick smoke quickly filled Noelle's nose and mouth, making it hard for her to breathe. But she kept moving forward, calling Hendrix's name over and over. No one answered.

Noelle's heart sank further with each step, but she continued to press on.

"Hendrix! Hendrix!"

The closer she got to the house, the more smoke billowed upward. Soon, even breathing became a struggle. But she didn't stop.

"Ma'am, you need to leave this area!"

The firefighters arrived quickly, clad in protective gear and masks. They

immediately stepped in front of Noelle, blocking her path.

"I need to find—" Noelle tried to speak. But thick smoke filled her lungs, sending her into a fit of violent coughing.noveldrama

Seeing this, the firefighter immediately tried to pull her away.

But Noelle began to struggle fiercely. "Let go! I have to find him!"

"Ma'am, you're only making our job harder," the firefighter said sternly.

Hearing this, Noelle froze for a moment. Then, she suddenly felt like

. But before she coulde

began to fall from her eyes

"I know what I'm doing is wrong," she said in a strained voice. "I know I shouldn't be making your job harder. But the last time someone told me this, lost my best and only friend. I know I shouldn't do this. I know I might not find him this way. But this time, I really can't just stand by and do nothing."

Tears continued to stream down her cheeks, whether from the thick

smoke or something deeper. Her

voice grew even more strained. "I

really don't want to lose him