Chapter 76. Fire

“Negav, stop!” Karl whispered urgently, trying to keep his voice steady despite the rising anxiety.

Negav, suddenly pushed away, showed clear displeasure. He frowned, his gaze reflecting irritation as he looked at Karl. “Forget about Ricard,” Negav said, his voice calm but firm. “Just say you went out to the bathroom. What’s there to worry about?”

Karl immediately shook his head in refusal, his eyes fixed on the door as Ricard’s footsteps grew closer. “No! We can’t take that risk,” Karl replied, his voice resolute. He knew this situation was too dangerous, and they couldn’t afford to be caught by Ricard in such a compromising position.

Karl hurriedly tried to straighten his clothes, his hands trembling as he fumbled to dress as quickly as possible. He listened intently to the approaching footsteps, his anxiety mounting with every step.

As Karl struggled to fix his clothes, Ricard’s footsteps suddenly stopped right outside the bar’s door. Karl felt his breath