Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1101

The banquet hall suddenly filled with people. Many were armed, but unlike the gunmen in black who had stormed in earlier, shooting wildly. Now, the place was swamped by folks from Albert's Arms. The hall was a cacophony of screams and cries for help.

Agnes snapped to her senses and nudged Jared urgently. Jared caught on quickly. He and Elton dashed from the balcony into the house, lucky enough to be shielded from view by the thick curtains at just the right moment. They had narrowly escaped disaster. But inside, the banquet hall was a scene from a nightmare. People lay injured, blood smeared across the floor, alongside the bodies of several fallen attackers. Most of those present were veterans of Albert's Arms, and many were wounded.

Agnes's first thought was to find Reggie. Reggie had been shot but was still clutching his firearm. Agnes and Jared rushed to his side, where Nate and Naylor stood unharmed. Tears streamed down Naylor's face as he exclaimed, "It was all to protect Nate and me. He stepped in front of us. Uncle Reggie!"

Jared's voice trembled, "We need to get him to the hospital, now."

Naylor quickly volunteered, "My car's just outside. I'll drive."

Without a moment's hesitation, Jared lifted Reggie, who was barely hanging on, blood soaking his shirt. Agnes could see where he was hit but knew there was no time to waste. With his fading breath, Reggie murmured, "Save others... hurry..."

Elton instructed, "You two rush Uncle Reggie to the hospital. Nate, Agnes, and I will handle things here."

"I've called for ambulances; they should be arriving any minute."

Jared and Naylor sped off, while Elton, Nate, and Agnes stayed behind to manage the chaos. The attackers had been mostly neutralized by Albert's Arms, leaving the hall a gruesome sight. But their own losses were heavy. Soon, police and ambulances arrived, taking the injured one by one to safety. Time seemed to blur for Agnes, spinning like a top as she helped coordinate the aftermath.

Finally, the hall was cleared, with only law enforcement and forensic teams left to investigate the identities of the deceased attackers. Agnes, Elton, and Nate remained, tirelessly aiding wherever they could. But something felt amiss to Agnes.

Elton suddenly asked, "Have any of you seen Sean and Phenix?"

Agnes shook her head; she hadn't seen her older brother either. Elton tried to reassure, "He mentioned he was feeling drunk and left early. He should be safe." Thankfully, Kearney was spared from the ordeal. But what about Sean and Phenix?

Elton decided, "Let's split up and look for them."

As they searched, Agnes couldn't shake off the feeling of dread. These attackers were clearly assassins, targeting someone specifically. But who? Reggie? Or Sean? Sean, with his mercenary background, had many enemies. And Albert's Arms, despite its strength, had always been a target for rival factions looking for revenge. The situation was baffling to Agnes.

Finally, she found Phenix and Sean on another balcony, a spot that had offered a perfect view of the fireworks. Sean had been shot and lay in Phenix's arms. Phenix cradled him, her expression numb with shock. Blood stained the ground around them. Sean's white shirt, meant for a groom, was soaked in red. Phenix, still clad in her handmade red wedding dress, had her skirt dyed even darker by his blood. Her red skirt, sprawled across the floor, seemed to merge with the pool of blood around them.

Phenix held Sean tight, her cheek pressed against his, whispering repeatedly without tears, "Sean... Sean... we're married now, aren't we?"