Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Little Mateo was surprisingly composed, guiding his younger siblings through the throng. But whether it was Cindy's fear making her unsteady or someone jostling her, she took a tumble. Her ankle twisted, and she was left with scrapes and bruises, unable to move. The crowd surged onward, and Cindy was quickly lost among the sea of people. She sat on the ground, crying out in fear. The teacher was overwhelmed and couldn't tend to them, and there was no way Mateo and Dylan would leave their sister behind, so they turned back to find her.

Dylan mentioned that Mateo had been right beside him, but after they found Cindy and he turned around, Mateo was nowhere to be seen, probably swept away by the crowd.

The fire was growing, and they couldn't stay put. They hoped clever Mateo would follow the crowd down the mountain. But once they got down, there was no sign of Mateo. "Auntie, we're so sorry, really sorry..."

The kids kept apologizing, feeling they had slowed Mateo down, thinking he would have made it down faster without them.

Selena was shaking, barely able to stand.

Ricky quickly steadied her, "Sis, Mateo's a smart kid. With the fire that big, he'd definitely head down. Let's keep searching!"

"Alright, we'll split up."

Ricky weaved through the crowd as Selena, after settling the other two kids, moved through groups of children, asking if anyone had seen her little Mateo. But everyone shook their heads-noveldrama

Time was slipping away, and the fire kept flaring up again, making the rescue even harder.

Most people from the mountain had managed to escape, and when the teacher did a headcount, only one child was missing-Mateo.

Selena's heart shattered.

Was her child still up there, surrounded by flames?

She paused for a moment, then bolted towards the mountain without a second thought.

She had to save her child!

Mateo had to be waiting for her somewhere up there!

Ricky, quick as a flash, grabbed her, pulling her back, "Sis, are you crazy? The fire's massive! You'll get hurt too!"

"I don't care about that now. I can't leave Mateo behind; he's probably terrified, calling for me let me go—"

Her voice cracked with sobs. No mother could stay calm and think of herself at a time like this.

Even though Ricky wasn't a parent, Mateo was his nephew, his own

flesh and blood. He was just as

anxious and heartbroken but

couldn't let Selena rush to her doom.

"Sis, please, calm down. The firefighters are already searching the mountain. They know what they're doing. If Mateo's there... they'll get him out. Trust them!" "Let me go, let me go!"

Selena couldn't hear him; her mind

was fixed on her child. It had been such a struggle to save him three years ago, and she had cared for him sodearly ever since. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him now.

Fueled by a mother's fierce determination, she broke free from Ricky's grip, dashed past the barricades, grabbed a nearby protective mask, drenched herself with water, and without a backward glance, charged up the mountain.

"Sis!"

Her movements were so swift and unexpected that Ricky couldn't react in time, left only to watch as her figure resolutely plunged into the blaze.