In that moment of unease, Madeline stepped forward and took the phone from Jeremy’s hand. “I’m Jeremy Whitman’s wife as well as the daughter of the woman you kidnapped. I’ll bring the money if that’s what you wish. As long as you promise my mother’s safety, I’ll gladly bring you the money!” The man immediately agreed, not expecting Madeline to be so quick to agree. “What a straightforward personality you have, Mrs. Whitman. It’s only right that I stick to my word as well. All I want is to be repaid for taking care of your mother, nothing more. Pay me and you shall have your mother back. I’ll be waiting!” The man then hung up the call. Just then, Jeremy received a call from the bank telling him that the money had been prepared. Madeline got ready to take a trip to the bank for the money. She would then go to retrieve Eloise. However, Jeremy was reluctant to let her go just like that. “You can’t go by yourself, Linnie.” Worry filled the man’s expression as he refused to let go.
The scene pierced into Madeline’s heart. She quickly got to her feet and ran toward Eloise who was lying unconscious on the floor. “Mom! Mom!” Madeline did not know if Eloise had merely fainted or if it was worse, but there was no response from her no matter how Madeline called out to her. Eloise was currently bound by coarse ropes tied so tightly that lines of bruises had formed on her arms. There was a layer of dirt and dust over her face while her hair was a complete mess. It was a pitiful sight. “Mom! Wake up, Mom. Eveline’s here. You wanted to see me, didn’t you?” Madeline quickly unraveled the rope and carried Eloise to her feet before placing her against the wall. “Mom.” She called out a few more times but Eloise did not respond. Madeline shot up and fumed when she saw the man opening the briefcase and staring at the money with greedy sparkling eyes. “What did you do to my mother? Why won’t she wake up?!” Madeline questioned furiously. The man dangled the cig
“I’m standing right here. What more do you want? If it’s the money, just take it and leave.” The man was stunned. He never expected Madeline to not fear him at all. He admired Madeline’s courage, but her behavior made him feel undermined and it only enraged him. “You must really think that I’m a pushover, don’t you? I’m going to make you regret this!” He tightened the hold on the blade and moved to stab Eloise. Thanks to Madeline’s quick reflexes, she caught the man’s wrist. “Don’t hurt my mom!” Anger crept up her gentle features. The man was stunned for two seconds before he pulled himself out of Madeline’s grip and raised his foot to kick Eloise. Still unconscious, Eloise fell to the ground with her head knocking heavily onto the floorboards. “Mom!” Madeline ran toward her nervously and saw Eloise frowning as if she was deep in pain. Madeline reached out to hold Eloise. She had just reached her mother’s side when Madeline felt a dull pain on the back of her neck.
Madeline ignored the pain and suddenly shot to her feet.“Hey, why are you ignoring me?” upset, Eloise grabbed Madeline’s hand. She had no idea what was happening behind her. “Why would I ignore you, Mom?” Madeline held Eloise’s hand tightly. Her heart ached at the sight of the dirt and dust on Eloise’s innocent child-like appearance. She did not have a clue what happened while she was unconscious, except that Eloise had woken up and the man was now unconscious on the floor by the door. Madeline did not have the time to entertain those thoughts. Seeing the spreading flames that had started some time ago, she took Eloise’s hand and walked toward the exit. The spreading flames blocked their way, and Madeline found herself coughing from the pungent billowing smoke.It was only then that Eloise seemed to have noticed that the house was on fire. Staring dazedly at the raging flames, she seemed lost. “Mom! Cough. We have to leave now!” Madeline squeezed Eloise’s hand. She tried t
She had only one thought and it was to save Madeline.Madeline did not expect Eloise's strength to grow so exponentially either in order to save ‘her’.She ended up staggering two steps backward before she knocked into the bookshelf beside her.The bookshelf swayed twice as if it was about to fall.Knocking into it hurt slightly, but Madeline did not have the time to worry about herself as she saw Eloise already stepping into the fire."Mom!” she exclaimed and ran over to embrace Eloise as tears fell freely from her burning eyes."Look at me, Mom. I really am your Eveline!" Madeline hugged Eloise and stressed the words."My Eveline..." Eloise was stunned for two seconds as she stared blankly at Madeline's face. Her eyes were filled with doubt and question. "No, you're not. Eveline would never talk to me. She hates me. You're not... Cough cough, you're not..." Madeline tightened her arms around Eloise. "Eveline stopped hating you a long time ago, Mom. I know you didn't hurt me
“I’m right here, Linnie.” Jeremy sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around Madeline’s shoulder to comfort her. “Everything’s alright now, Linnie. It’s okay, calm down.”Madeline’s nervous heartbeat gradually settled when she felt the man’s familiar warmth engulf her. Thinking back to what happened before she fell unconscious, she clenched her fingers through the aftershock as her beautiful pupils shone with unease.“The bookshelf fell and Mom got crushed under it to save me.” Madeline threw off the covers and got off the bed.Jeremy rushed forward to hold Madeline. “Where are you going, Linnie? You haven’t fully recovered yet.”“I know Mom is in the hospital as well! Bring me there, Jeremy. I need to know how Mom is doing.” Her expression was frantic as her eyes became swirled with panic and fear.Jeremy’s sharp brows were knitted together. “Mom’s alright, Linnie. Be good and rest, okay?” “I’ll rest, I promise, but I need to know how Mom is doing first.” Madeline was per
Madeline pursed her lips and smiled before suddenly frowning.“What about the man who kidnapped Mom?”“He has been brought in by the police and is now in the detention ward. He confessed to everything.”“What did he say?” Madeline pressed further.Jeremy stroked Madeline’s tired cheeks while parting his lips to reply. "He said he saw Mom by the road near the ruins of Montgomery Manor. He recognized her from her looks, so he conned Mom to follow him to where he lived. Then, he called us and asked for ransom.”When he said that, Jeremy felt slightly regretful.“I made the wrong decision to let you go in alone. I was fully capable of subduing that b*stard by myself, yet I ended up putting you in that kind of danger.”Jeremy cupped Madeline’s face, his narrow and deep eyes overflowing with remorse. “I was so scared that you’d get hurt again, Linnie.”Madeline looked up to stare at the man’s enchanting peach blossom eyes, feeling incomparably adored.She leaned into his embrace wit
Madeline gripped the steering wheel as she watched the familiar face a small distance away pass by… Honk, honk, honk!The sound of cars honking and urging her sounded from behind, causing Madeline to snap back to her senses. When she looked up again, the face she had just seen was nowhere to be found.‘Did I imagine it?’Madeline’s mind fell into a short daze, but she did not think too much into it and stepped on the accelerator.Upon meeting up with Jeremy, Madeline came to know that the man had booked flight tickets for their relaxing holiday trip and they were leaving tomorrow. As she understood Jeremy’s intention, Madeline did not reject the idea.In retrospect, she and Jeremy had never gone on a decent honeymoon with how they kept separating and getting back together all these years.After deciding on the itinerary, both Madeline and Jeremy went to visit Eloise at the hospital.They were leaving tomorrow and Madeline was most worried about her mother.“Go and relax wit