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Mike bursts inside the music room, running towards me.
“Have you heard?” he asks, sounding worried as he closes in on us.
“What has happened?” I query with a worried frown.
“See this, Sir.” He hands me the iPad and my stomach drops as I see the news flashing on the screen.
Fire breaks out in the famous Annette & Co. store in Bond Street. Staff evacuated, a few injured.
“Oh God!” I exclaim, patting my pockets after returning the iPad to him. “Where’s my phone?”
Without a word I dash to the study and pick up my phone from the desk where I had left it before I’d gone wandering around the house.
There are a dozen missed calls. Shit! Aaliya and Mike hurry behind me and Aaliya quickly turns on the TV here. She changes it to the news channel.
I dial Peter’s number, my eyes on the screen, which shows a blazing fire enveloping the corner of Annette & Co.’s flagship store in Bond Street—where my office is and there is no response. I dial Lydia instead.
“Lydia, is everyone safe at the store?” I ask even before she can say hello.
“Your Grace, everyone has been evacuated. But me and a few others have been injured...”
“Lydia, are you alright?” I interrupt her. “What happened?”
“I have a minor burn on my arm, but it’s way better than some of the others. The fire department is controlling the fire as we speak and we are being taken to the hospital.”
My eyes shift back to the screen and I concentrate on the words of the news-reporter standing in front of the store and sure enough she repeats what Lydia’s said.
“How did this happen?” I ask Lydia. “And where’s Peter?”
“We d...don’t know how the fire came about,” she exhales. “And some of the staff saw Peter on the shop floor some time before the fire. I just hope he isn’t caught in the midst of it. M...my God!” she fumbles. “I can see them evacuating someone on a stretcher. God! I hope that’s not Peter.”
Fear for the older man engulfs me.
“I hope he is fine too.” Hearing a sob escape Lydia, I add, “No, Lydia, he will be fine. Which hospital are they taking you all to?”
She gives me the name of the hospital and I disconnect the line after informing her that I’d be reaching there soon.
“What happened?” Aaliya asks.
“Fuck!” I curse out loud, panic gripping me. “It’s as it says in news. I have to go, Aaliya. Lydia and some of the staff have been injured badly and I need to go see them in the hospital. And we don’t know if Peter is injured or not.”
“Of course,” she accepts.
I turn to Mike. “Get the Ferrari out. I’m driving.”
“But, Sir...”
I cut him. “No arguments. I’m driving. I need to get there as fast as possible and you won’t go over a hundred even on the highway.”
He shakes his head, but heads out of the study.
Aaliya clasps my arm. “What about the jewelry? Will there be a huge loss? Are you worried about that?”
“That’s the least of my concerns. The jewelry is all stored in fireproof and unbreakable glass displays and safes. Everything gets locked tight in case of an eventuality like this. Besides we are insured. I’m more worried about the staff. I hope no one is seriously injured.”
“God! I hope so too!” She chews her lower lip, looking as worried as I am.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can, so don’t wait up for me. Sleep and rest,” I instruct before kissing her lips.
We head out together to the portico where Mike is waiting with the Ferrari, with a scowl on his face.
“Be careful, Damien,” Aaliya warns.
I give her a nod and climb into the driver’s seat. Mike gets in beside me and I zoom off immediately.
