Rescue Me: I Demanded a Husband Before Leaving the Burning Building

When the fire alarm blared, I was taking a bath. I was sobbing and screaming at the firefighter about to break the door down:

I'm not even married yet! I'd rather die in here than go out like this!

Come out! I'll marry you!

When the fire alarm went off, I was soaking in the tub, happily scrolling through TikTok, practically drooling over a few firefighters who had recently gone viral.

"Sir, my heart is on fire"

Single since birth, twenty-four years running, I thought my heart was as cold as the meat cleaver at the local butcher shop. I never imagined that just by scrolling through TikTok, I'd fall in love with four men simultaneously.

No, wait. I fell in love with one, and really liked the other three.

The Captain, in his early thirties, named Carter Sterling, had striking eyebrows and bright eyes. He was absolutely my type.

I frantically tapped the heart icon.

"Hubby, when are you coming to put out my fire?"

Right after I commented, I realized something was wrong.

There was a commotion downstairs, and it was loud outside my apartment door too.

Crackle, pop, sizzle.

It sounded like things burning, and thick smoke was seeping in under the door. Panic set in. I jumped up and rushed to the bathroom window. Down below, people were frantically waving their arms at me.

"Fire! Huge fire! Get out!"

Oh my god. As soon as my hand touched the bathroom doorknob, I yanked it back. It was scorching hot. I grabbed a wet towel and wrapped it around the handle, only to realize the door was jammed. Thankfully, all those firefighter TikToks hadn't been a complete waste of time. I forced myself to calm down, quickly soaked all the towels in the bathroom, and jammed them into the crack under the door.

Just as I finished, I heard shouting from the hallway.

"Is anyone in there?!"

I nodded frantically, even though they couldn't see me. "I'm here!"

"Stand back! We're coming in!"

We? Wait, how many of them were there?

I looked down at my naked body, covered my chest, and let out a shriek. Oh my god, this is so embarrassing! Multiple firefighters?! They're going to see everything!

I burst into tears.

"I haven't even gotten married yet! No! I'd rather die in here than go out like this!"

"Come out! I'll marry you!"

A deeply resonant, magnetic voice replied. I froze. I was just spewing nonsense out of pure panic and embarrassment. I never expected someone on the other side to actually agree.

Snapping back to reality, I glanced in the mirror. Fair skin, pretty face, long legs, tiny waist. Heh, look on the bright side. At least I have a great body.

I backed against the far wall and covered my chest. No, wait, covered my lower half. No, that wasn't right either. After a second of thought, I just slapped both hands over my face.

"Come in!"

CRASH!

The door shattered. A tall, broad-shouldered figure stood in the doorway, flames roaring behind him. He had a clean buzz cut, his sharp features shadowed, looking like a literal god descending from the heavens.

My eyes went wide.

"Hubby?"

Wait, no. Carter Sterling?! Did God hear my prayers and deliver Carter directly to me?

Carter draped a fire blanket over me and scooped me up into his arms. I clung tightly to his neck, clapping my other hand over my mouth, terrified I might actually laugh out loud.

Carter thought I was crying. He comforted me:

"Don't be scared. I've got you."

Me: "Sob, sob... Hubby, I was so scared."

Carter: ...

When we left the fire station, I was still wearing Carter's oversized t-shirt. After taking my statement, Carter offered to drive me home.

"Remember to unplug your hairdryer after you use it from now on. Understand?"

I nodded obediently.

"Let's go. I'll take you home. Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

After I graduated college, my mom bought me an apartment of my own. It was in the same complex as hers, even in the same building. So of course I had a place to stay.

I shook my head.

"I have nowhere to go, Captain Sterling. My ID burned up in the fire too, so I can't even check into a hotel."

Carter frowned.

"Fine. We'll go to my friend's place. You can replace your ID tomorrow and contact your family."

"Also, um, Chloe... What I said earlier was just an emergency tactic to get you out. Don't take it seriously."

After dropping that bomb, Carter clamped his mouth shut, adopting a strictly professional demeanor. He ignored me for the rest of the car ride.

What does that mean? He's backing out?!

I was caught completely off guard by his sudden change in attitude. Carter drove me to a nearby apartment complex, unlocked a door with his key, and looked at me coldly.

"This is my girlfriend's place. She'll take care of you."

Girlfriend?! Thunderbolt! Lightning strike! I, Chloe Thorne, had been in a relationship for exactly one hour, and now I was dumped!

A young woman popped out from inside the apartment. She looked about my age, with a delicate, heart-shaped face and big eyes. She was just as pretty as me. I was instantly bitter.

"Big brotherwho is this?"

Hearing that title, I felt even more bitter. My crush was out here flaunting his relationship right in my face. I had no chance.

Carter pulled her aside and whispered something to her. A minute later, his "girlfriend" walked up to me and warmly pulled me inside.

"You're a year older than me, right? Just call me Mia."

I followed Mia inside. The apartment had a cozy, rustic, minimalist vibe, with an entire wall in the living room dedicated to bookshelves. It felt very clean. Mia poured me some tea and then rummaged through her drawers to find me some pajamas.

She was so nice; I felt incredibly guilty. Such a sweet girl, and I was plotting to steal her boyfriend. I was a monster.

A moment later, Mia's stomach gave a loud, rumbling growl.

She looked at me awkwardly.

"Are you hungry? Should we order some UberEats?"

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 8:30 PM. Wasn't it a bit early for a midnight snack?

Mia scratched her head. "I was busy studying, so I didn't eat dinner."

I immediately rolled up my sleeves.

"Takeout isn't nutritious enough. Let me cook for you!"

To repay him for saving my life, I'll repay his girlfriend!

By the end of the meal, the way Mia looked at me had completely changed.

"Chloe, seriously, the pasta you made is so, so, so good! Oh my god. Whoever marries you is going to be the luckiest person on earth."

I chuckled awkwardly.

"It's just pasta. Tomorrow I'll go buy some groceries and make you a real feast."

After eating, Mia voluntarily washed the dishes, then hauled a massive stack of practice exams to the desk, sighing heavily as she started working.

I leaned over curiously.

"Are you studying for grad school entrance exams?"

Mia nodded.

"Yeah. It's so competitive right now. I've failed two years in a row. Sigh... if I just had half my sister's IQ, I'd be fine."

I flipped through the stack of textbooks on the desk and was surprised to realize she was studying my exact major.

"Which school are you aiming for?"

"Columbia."

"Why not NYU? Professor Roberts there is an absolute authority in this field."

Mia shot me a helpless look.

"That's Professor Roberts! Everyone says he's insanely strict and demands perfection. He's terrifying. I wouldn't even dare to dream about his program."

Coincidentally, Professor Roberts was my advisor, and we had a great relationship. I offered to introduce her to him. She jumped up in pure excitement.

"Chloe, are you getting your Master's with Professor Roberts too?!"

I shook my head.

"No, I'm his PhD student."

"What?! PhD?!"

Mia let out a groundhog-level shriek.

"You're only a year older than me, and you're a PhD candidate?! And I can't even pass the entrance exam for a Master's program?! What kind of garbage am I?!"

We sat by the desk chatting, and I helped tutor her through some of her practice tests. By the end of it, the look in Mia's eyes was pure hero-worship.

The next day at lunch, after devouring the feast I cooked, Mia looked at me and shook her head in awe.

"A PhD who can cook like a Michelin-star chef. What kind of fairy descended from heaven are you?"

Then, she took a deep breath and grabbed my hands eagerly.

"Chloe, do you like my brother? Do you like Carter?"

My face instantly flushed beet red. Under her aggressive, interrogating stare, I lowered my head in shame.

"I'm so sorry, Mia. I was just attracted to his looks. But now we're friends, and I swear I won't have any inappropriate thoughts about him anymore."

"No way! You can't give up that easily!"

Mia lunged forward and hugged my arm.

"My name is Mia Sterling. Carter is my actual, biological older brother! Sister-in-law!"

I felt like, empowered by love, I was already being pretty bold. But I never imagined Mia was even bolder. She dragged me straight to the fire station.

"I need to speak to the Chief. I want to file a formal complaint against Carter Sterling for misconduct."

Carter's face was rigid.

"Mia, what kind of tantrum is this?"

Mia didn't even look at him. The two of us marched into the Chief's office. Mia viciously pinched my thigh. I winced in pain, and my eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Chief, this is my sister-in-law. My brother promised to marry her, and now he's backing out. You have to give us justice."

The Chief, a stern, middle-aged man, looked at us in surprise.

"Is that so? Where is Carter? Tell him to get in here."

When Carter arrived, Mia launched a preemptive strike.

"Carter, I'm asking you: did you promise to marry her?"

Carter looked at me coldly and gave a stiff, expressionless nod.

"Let me ask you again: have the two of you... seen each other without anything to hide? Did you see her completely naked?"

Carter's eyebrow twitched. My face burned as red as a tomato. Mia pinched me again, so I looked up at Carter pitifully.

"Say something"

Meeting the Chief's stern gaze, Carter gave a helpless nod and opened his mouth to explain.

"Chiefmy brother is a Captain! He and my sister-in-law have known each other for years. Our families already know about them! And now he's abandoning her! It sets a terrible example!"

"Alright, I understand the situation. You girls step outside for a minute. I'm going to have a serious talk with Carter."

Mia pulled me out of the office and gave me a triumphant, smug grin.

"Sister-in-law, it's a done deal. Just relax!"

Having a future sister-in-law on your side isn't just an assist; it's the main carry!

After waiting outside the office for half an hour, Carter emerged. The three of us walked home together, Carter keeping a stony silence the entire way.

Once we got to the apartment, he pulled me into his bedroom. Behind us, Mia flashed me a "go get 'em" hand gesture.

Carter stood in front of me, a good head and a half taller. His gaze slowly, inch by inch, swept over me. I felt like I was being stripped naked all over again. I was incredibly uncomfortable.

Carter took a step forward, pinning me against the door.

He rested one hand on the doorframe, leaning down right next to my ear. His deep, magnetic, raspy voice sent shivers down my spine.

"When will your new ID arrive?"

His voice was so incredible, I felt like my ears were getting pregnant. My legs turned to jelly, and I leaned heavily against the door, too afraid to look up.

"Next week."

"Mm. Then make an appointment. We'll go to City Hall next Friday to get the marriage license."

"What? Marriage license?"

I snapped my head up in shock.

I felt like the Sterling family had a few screws loose. Mia sold out her own biological brother over a plate of pasta. Carter had seen me exactly twice, and now he was saying we should get a marriage license.

I was just a fangirl, not an idiot! Yes, I wanted a sweet romance with a handsome guy, but I absolutely never thought about getting married this fast.

"Scared? Hmm?"

Carter raised an eyebrow at me. The corner of his mouth ticked up slightly, giving him a slightly wicked, devastatingly handsome look. I felt like I had just lost half my life.

"Chloe Thorne, I said I would take responsibility. If you're the one who doesn't want to marry me now, then"

"I'll marry you!"

I reached out, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and nodded firmly.

"I will."

Carter froze. From outside the door, Mia's cheering erupted.

"Woohoo! Wedding! Wedding! AHHHH I'm getting a sister-in-law!"

Carter's face darkened again. He opened the door and glared at Mia, who was jumping up and down in excitement.

Mia glared right back, put her hands on her hips, and tilted her chin up.

"What are you looking at? You! Go to the grocery store. My sister-in-law and I are going to make lunch later."

After Carter left, Mia rushed over, hugged my arm, and laughed triumphantly.

"Sister-in-law, you really live up to that PhD! Your IQ is off the charts. My brother was just trying to scare you into backing down, and you saw right through it! You called his bluff and trapped him so he can't make any more excuses! Hahaha, you're amazing!"

I'm so sorry, Mia. I was just genuinely blinded by his looks. I laughed guiltily.

When Carter came back with the groceries, Mia shoved the two of us into the kitchen.

"Carter, sister-in-law's cooking is incredible. You be her sous-chef."

My face turned bright red. I clumsily fumbled with my apron. Carter proactively walked over to tie the strings for me.

His breath ghosted over my neck, hot and tingling. My mind went completely blank. I couldn't think.

"Chloe Thorne, are you really sure about this?"

"Mm-hmm! (Honestly, I didn't hear a word he said.)"

Carter stopped talking. He stood quietly beside me, washing and prepping the vegetables.

"Carter, could you grab the peppercorns from the top shelf for me? I can't reach."

Carter was in the middle of marinating chicken wings, one hand covered in sauce. Hearing me, he walked over, didn't even think twice, bent down slightly, wrapped his clean arm around the back of my legs, and effortlessly lifted me up.

After I grabbed the peppercorns, he slowly loosened his grip, letting me slide back down to the floor. His hand slid upward, naturally landing around my waist.

He was standing right behind me, his chest pressed flush against my back. Pinned against the kitchen counter by him, my face was red enough to boil an egg.

"Carter, Serena just called and said she's coming back YOU! Ah! I didn't see anything! Continue, continue!"

Mia shrieked and ran away.

Carter let go of me, gave a low cough, and walked back to the sink to wash his hands.

"Um, actually, I meant for you to just grab them for me"

I blushed furiously. Carter stood with his back to me at the sink, his voice perfectly calm.

"Sorry. Habit from fire academy training. I wasn't trying to take advantage of you."

His back was stiff, and both his ears were bright red. Looking at his broad shoulders, I suddenly thought he was kind of cute.