Dear Ex-wife Marry Me (Maja and Ian) novel Chapter 1866

Fitch had always been the kind of guy who could keep his cool, even Tyler had said so. It must be serious over there.

Ian's brow furrowed as he glanced at Maja, still in bed, recovering.

He couldn't let her know what was happening; she'd just end up in tears again. Her body was still on the mend.

He hastily set down the book he was reading, a dog-eared copy of a Rosemary Sanders novel, and bent to plant a kiss on Maja's cheek. "There's a bit of a situation at the office. I need to step out, but if you feel unwell, don't hesitate to call me."

"Is something wrong?"

"Just a meeting, nothing major. I'll be back before you know it."

Maja nodded. The little boy snoozing beside her was named Craig, and the girl, Rosemary Sanders. In the end, one bore Ian's surname, while the other took on the Sanders family name.

A weak smile curved her lips. Childbirth had taken a toll on her, but after a week of rest, she didn't feel discomfort anywhere.

For the past week, Ian had been on diaper duty and mixing formula. When the babies fussed at night, as Maja stirred, Ian would gently press her back into bed. "Rest up. I'll take the little ones next door to settle them down."

Maja was indeed weary, drifting back to sleep before she knew it.

A week of this routine had drawn dark circles under Ian's eyes, yet he seemed to glow with a spirited light.

She turned to gaze at the two sleeping children beside her and, filled with contentment, fell asleep too.

Downstairs, Ian revved the engine of his car to the max, heading for the address Tyler had sent. Fitch's kid was in critical condition, with no guarantees of survival.

The site of the blaze was a disaster—a wildfire had consumed half the hillside. Firefighters were still battling the flames, preventing any access by people or vehicles.

Zoey's safe house, where she was supposed to be resting, was a quaint bungalow nestled against the hills, staffed by Rachel's people. Though Rachel had been demoted to go undercover, she had unexpectedly arranged everything perfectly for Zoey, secretly securing a safe spot away from prying eyes.

Ian's car had barely reached the foot of the hill when he saw the distant glow of the fire, a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. Wildfires are notoriously difficult to contain, and the firefighters would likely be engaged all night.

He was at a loss for words. He used to relish watching these people's drama, smart folks chasing each other over love, but now he was genuinely scared and regretful. They'd known each other for years. Phelps had vanished, and if something happened to Fitch, what would become of his own life?

Ian joined the firefighting effort, but these guys were the pros. Besides adding manpower, he wasn't much help. It wasn't until late into the night that the flames finally began to subside.

Maja had called, wondering why he hadn't returned. "Maja, looks like I'm stuck with overtime tonight. You go ahead and sleep. The kids just fed, so they should be good."

"Alright, don't overdo it."

After hanging up, Ian followed the firefighters deeper into the fray. With the fire now under control, it wasn't as dangerous.

About eight hundred meters in, he heard a hoarse voice. "Zoey!"

"Talk to me!"

"Zoey, where are you..."