The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181 A Lesson

The moment Nina saw Nora, she rushed forward, calling out as she ran.

“Mr. Crow, give me cover from above-keep me informed about the fire and anything falling!”

Mr. Crow instantly responded, “On it! There’s a branch about to go down on your left-turn right!”

Nina snatched up a fire blanket and darted into the flames like a bolt of lightning.

Her speed took Quentin by surprise. “I’ve never seen you push yourself this much during training.”

He quickly snatched a portable fire extinguisher and rushed after her, Shadow following close on his heels.

When Quentin arrived, he found Nina down on one knee, using the fire blanket to shield a terrified Nora from the showers of sparks raining down.

Nora clung desperately to the edge of Nina’s shirt, face buried in her arms, her thin body still shaking all over.

“Don’t be afraid, Nora,” Nina whispered, holding her tighter. “I’ve got you-I’ll get you out of here.”

She tried to pick Nora up, but after sprinting and all the tension, her arms felt like jelly, and she nearly lost her balance.

Quentin didn’t hesitate. He crouched, scooped Nora into his arms, and then handed the fire extinguisher to Nina. “Here, this one’s lighter. You handle this.”

The flames were fading, but now the air was thick with smoke.

Quentin used his tall frame to prop up the fire blanket, forming a protective triangle around them.

Nina stayed right by his side, one hand clutching Shadow’s leash so the dog could lead the way, the other holding the fire extinguisher to clear obstacles.

Overhead, Mr. Crow’s directions echoed in her ears. “Watch your right-a tree’s down! Duck! All clear up front-move it!

With their flawless teamwork and their animal partners leading the way, Nina and Quentin finally guided Nora out of the smoke-filled woods.

As Nina and Quentin emerged from the haze with Nora in their arms, the firefighters were already waiting at the edge of the scene, ready to take over.

Everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief-the whole crowd burst into thunderous applause.

Quentin steadily handed Nora to her mother, who nearly collapsed from the sheer relief. She hugged her daughter tight, sobbing as if she’d never let go again.

The firefighters wasted no time-they charged in to handle the aftermath.

Nina finally let herself relax, hunching over with her hands on her knees and sucking in deep breaths. Sweat had soaked her bangs, sticking them to her forehead.

Quentin rushed over and slid an arm around her to steady her. His words were full of mock-scolding, but he was gentle as ever: “You’re such a lightweight, and you still try to haul a kid out of a burning forest?”

At the same time, he grabbed an energy drink from James, twisted off the cap, and carefully lifted it to her lips.

Nina drank greedily, taking several big gulps with his help, until she finally caught her breath.

When Nina looked up, she couldn’t help but snort with laughter-Quentin’s face was streaked black and white from all the smoke, and his snow leopard headband had gone completely wonky./

“Seriously, you look like a snow leopard who’s just finished a shift down in the coal mines!” Nina cracked.

Quentin arched an eyebrow. “And you really think you’re any less of a mess?”

He brushed the ash off her nose with his fingertip. “Face it, you and Tabby King could be twins right now.”

Just then, Nora’s dad stumbled out of the woods from the other side, his face streaked with soot just like everyone else.

He grabbed Nora and hugged her tight, his voice hoarse. “Nora! Thank God you’re okay! I’ve been searching for you on the other side of the woods for ages.”

Before he could finish, he suddenly started coughing violently, his whole body swaying as if he might collapse.

The fire chief rushed over to steady him. “Sir, are you alright?”

Nora’s dad grabbed the chief’s arm, his whole body going limp as if all the strength had left him. His voice was barely a whisper. “I-I can’t breathe. My head’s spinning.”

As he spoke, he put on a show of shaky hands and quivering lips.

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Chapter 181 A Lesson

But the way he shook was just a little too calculated-it didn’t look like a real, involuntary spasm at all.

Nora’s mom immediately rushed over, her voice full of exaggerated sobs. “Oh my God! Honey, what’s wrong with you? You’ ve always been so healthy.”

She whipped her head around and shot Nina a sharp glare, her tone rising to a shrill pitch. “You need to take responsibility! It’s your fault my husband got choked by the smoke and traumatized by this fire!

“He’s the backbone of our family-if anything happens to him because of this, I’m not letting this go!”

Liam sidled up to Quentin and whispered, “Uncle Quentin, something’s off. Our staff just checked that part of the woods. before the fire got out of control-they made sure no one was in there.”

“So when did this father and daughter even sneak in?”

Just then, Nora’s mom charged up to Nina, her voice ringing out shrilly. “Compensation! I want compensation-you have to pay us!”

Beside her, Nora started to speak, but her mother swiftly clamped a hand over her mouth, leaving Nora to let out nothing but desperate, muffled whimpers.

Nina kept her cool. “Rest assured, if this is the zoo’s fault, we won’t dodge responsibility. What matters most right now is waiting for the paramedics to assess your husband’s condition.”

“Assess? What good is that going to do?” Nora’s mom demanded, her tone sharp. “If anything happens to my husband”

Quentin instinctively moved forward, his tall frame effortlessly shielding Nina behind him.

“Ma’am,” James spoke up, his tone courteous yet unmistakably skeptical. “Can you really say for sure that your husband’s condition is only caused by smoke inhalation and shock?”

Quentin didn’t say a word, but the chill in his eyes could cut right through her.

Nora’s mom shrank under Quentin’s icy stare; all her earlier bravado seemed to vanish, and she couldn’t help but stumble over her words.

‘W-what else could it be?’ she thought desperately, trying to hold her ground but faltering.

Just as the standoff hit its peak, a fleet of ambulances bearing the Hayes Medical Group logo pulled up at the back entrance in neat order.

The doors flew open, and their staff poured out in matching white coats, moving like clockwork.

Without missing a beat, they snapped open stretchers, unfolded portable tables, and threw up temporary treatment tents— their motions so sharp you’d think they’d rehearsed it a thousand times.

The whole scene looked like a rescue squad straight out of an action movie-smooth, fast, and dead serious.

The lead doctor quickly made his way to Quentin, bowing as he made his report. “Mr. Hayes, the on-site medical station is fully set up.”

Quentin gave Nora’s father-still playing up his near-death act on the ground-a cold, dismissive look, then snapped a brief order: “Take him away.”

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