Royal Princess: Doted On By The Mafia King

Chapter 99 - The Fire

When they were outside away from the fire that seemed to have engulfed the whole store, Anna raised her head and stared around as the fire trucks made their way towards the restaurant.

"Where is Rose?" she finally asked with her voice slightly hoarse due to smoke she inhaled earlier.

Debby froze as fear gripped her heart. She pointed at the burning building and began crying as she found it hard to form the words and let it out her mouth.

"Where is my sister?" Anna began crying too.

"Hey relax. Wayne and I will look around. We have to find her around," Eric said after he calmed down from the earlier panic.

"I think I saw her run out," Noah said but shook her head when she remembered it was only the dress she saw not the face of the person. The person did not even spare them a glance and she could not think of Rose running out without looking at where they once sat.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked seriously as everyone looked at Noah waiting for her answer.

"No, I am not. I saw someone with the dress she wore but I don't think it was Rose. I don't see the person anymore," Noah answered truthfully as she looked around.

"Do you know how serious this is?!" Anna screamed at Noah in frustration as she rushed to the burning building with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Noah immediately apologized sincerely.

"Where do you think you are going to?" the teacher asked holding Anna's wrist.

"My sister is inside. I am going to get her," Anna replied without hesitation as she tried to remove his hand from her wrist.

"Are you stupid? If you go in there, you will die," the teacher told her tightening his grip on her wrist.

"I don't care. Rose is inside," Anna replied him without care. All she should think of was the fact that Rose could be inside burning along with the building.

"Your friend said she saw her leave. She could be outside somewhere. Try to find her out here first," the teacher said persuasively.

Anna stopped struggling almost immediately and followed Eric and Wayne who were looking for Rose around. The busy street was now more crowded with reporters taking pictures, the fire fighters trying to stop the fire while some people stood away watching.

Anna felt she had lost her mind as she went around looking for her sister with tears ceaselessly flowing down from her eyes. She could not imagine that her sister was still in the building.

"I will talk to the fire fighters," Eric said and went off. Rose could not be inside for all he knew or all he let himself believe.

He knew that Rose and her family were under the protection of the Hart family. It will be hard for harm to come to her. He had seen a few people around Rose and Anna that looked like hidden guards. He will never believe they will let Rose get hurt in such manner.

Wayne found himself in a very confused state, how did a simple lunch turn into this? He looked back at the burning building. They were sitting inside it earlier with no idea that they will be running out of it scared out of their skin and searching for a friend who might be inside burning along with the building.

Debby left the girls to look around for Rose. There was no way Rose will die under her watch. That shouldn't happen. She wished she went to the restroom with her.

Noah found herself fighting a mental battle as she could not understand what she saw earlier. Everyone was in a state of fear and confusion that she found herself unable to confirm that the girl she saw in the purple and white dress running out of the door was Rose or not Rose.

The friends were still waiting when the fire fighters fought the fire preventing it from spreading and leaving only it's residue and the smoke that looked like they were unwilling to subside.

They began searching the rumbles almost immediately after Anna called her mother. Anna shook weakly. She kept her head bowed. They had promised to search all the restrooms for her sister.

She had almost lost hope because she could still remember how bright the fire of the restaurant burnt before it was finally fought off. She could only hope her sister survived it which would have been very difficult or she will be close to death when she gets found.

When she started crying again, Valerie hugged her tightly as she shook in her mother's embrace. "I don't want her to die," Anna cried her voice already very hoarse from crying all day.

"She will not die. They will find her," Valerie replied rubbing her daughter's back gently. She blamed herself. It seems she always jinx the life of any child that comes under her care.

She lost her first child in a manner she have never forgotten in almost two decades. She almost lost Anna and when Anna returned, she was in a state which was a thin line between life and death.

Rose was nowhere to be found at this point she was most likely dead. She began mentally planning Rose's funeral subconsciously.

"Why don't you go back home to rest? Your dad will come soon. I am sure he will get more people to look for her," Valerie advices Anna who looked like she might collapse anytime soon.

Anna shook her head immediately without hesitation. "I will wait till they find her," she replied firmly.

After a few hours of searching the whole building, they found Rose's wrist watch but that was all that they found in the restroom Rose was said to be in before the fire after everyone present was interviewed.

From what was said afterwards, the restroom Rose's wrist watch was found, was not greatly affected by the fire and they found a large pool of blood but her body was missing.

The police took over the investigation immediately making that restroom and the restaurant a crime scene. The pool of blood, Rose's disappearance and the fire was said to be connected.

They began taking evidences from the crime scene. It was until dawn of the following day before the friends returned home. It took a lot of persuasion and the fact that Rose's body was not found and she could still be alive before Anna agreed to go back home.

The reporters did not waste time and soon the whole story was available on the news.

Debby and Anna sat curled together on the couch in the living room with their eyes fixed on the screen of the large TV waiting for any news about Rose.

Eric who sat on a sofa few feets away from the girls found himself unable to sit still. He knew his parents worked with both the Hart family and the new Mr. Hale and he was yet to chose who he might follow among the two strong leaders.

He stood up immediately and grabbed his jacket before running out of the living room. The Hart family had their headquarter in B city but Mr. Hale based his headquarter in Star city. He was definitely the best person for him to run to for help.

He pushed the button leading him to the penthouse in the special elevator and took a deep breath when the door of the elevator closed.

His friend could be dead or kidnapped for all he cared and he needed help finding her. He bowed and looked at camera. He hoped they recognize him immediately.

He was welcomed at the door by one of Liam's closest subordinates. The young man looked very cold and dangerous with a strong build that showed he could easily end anyone's life with a single strong punch in the guts.

He gulped as the guy stared at him intently before nodding and turning away through a corridor and opened a door. He gestured to Eric to go in without saying a word. With a slight bow of his head, Eric went into the large room.

The room had a very simple design with white and black dominating over the shades of grey around in the room. Another guy with brown curly hair and a calm jovial look who was another close subordinate of Mr. Hale stood up when he walked in.

"You must be the junior Mr. Eric. I have interacted with your parents a lot and I know they are very intelligent and smart people. What brings you here?" the young man asked.

"I want to see the boss," he replied easily with his head bowed respectfully. He knew each and every person who works directly under the boss was very intelligent and they were not people any one could mess with.

"Why do you want to see the boss?" Charlie asked calmly as he stared at his wrist watch before moving his gaze to the pretty boy before him.

Eric fell on his knees with a thud it must have hurt his knees really badly. "Please save my friend," he begged bowing down to his waist with his head only inches away from the black and white patterned marble floor.