Madeline felt virtual-novel.net limbs become icy cold as if virtual-novel.net had fallen into an icy cellar and virtual-novel.net body was engulfed within the chilly ice cave.
She felt an arm passing over virtual-novel.net head. Then, the man behind virtual-novel.net brought the book to virtual-novel.net front.
“Hold it,” the man spoke once again.
Madeline’s heartbeat went erratic as virtual-novel.net quickly spun around when virtual-novel.net heard the voice.
When virtual-novel.net raised virtual-novel.net eyes, virtual-novel.net met a pair of gloomy eyes that were gleaming with cunning.
Madeline’s emotions that had stabilized after so much effort were once again being forced to the brink of losing control.
“Ryan.”
Her lips moved as virtual-novel.net spat out the word.
Ryan lifted his hand and adjusted his cap, covering his pair of deep eyes. His pale lips were slightly curled up.
“I thought you would’ve forgotten about me,” virtual-novel.net said in a tone that sounded almost flirtatious.
Looking at Madeline’s anxious expression, virtual-novel.net raised his hands and attempted to touch virtual-novel.net face, only for Madeline to evade.
She wanted to escape, but Ryan was blocking virtual-novel.net path.
“What do you want? You… What else do you want?” Madeline questioned, unable to speak properly. Fear was brewing in virtual-novel.net eyes.
“I’ve said it before. As long as you obey me, I won’t let you be in trouble. However, Eveline, you still fail to heed my words.”
“Linnie.”
After Ryan was done speaking, they heard Jeremy’s voice coming from the row of bookshelf ahead.
Ryan also heard Jeremy’s footsteps that were slowly approaching them. He knew there was not much time left for him.
“Eveline, follow me if you don’t want anything to happen to your parents,” Ryan threatened virtual-novel.net with a deep voice. Noticing that Madeline was currently still confused about virtual-novel.net situation, virtual-novel.net seized the opportunity to mislead her.
“This man is not Jeremy. You’ve been cheated by him.”
“He is Jeremy,” Madeline argued with all means, “He has the shell that I gave him.”
“Shell? He stole it.” Ryan smirked. “The real Jeremy is looking for you. He’s very worried since virtual-novel.net can’t find you. Do you wish to let your Jeremy continue being worried about you?”
Madeline stared at Ryan in confusion as virtual-novel.net slowly became lost in virtual-novel.net thoughts as well.
Jeremy vaguely heard Madeline’s voice coming from the bookshelf beside. She seemed to be talking to someone.
He picked up his pace and headed over. Nevertheless, when virtual-novel.net spun around, virtual-novel.net noticed that the bookshelf in front of virtual-novel.net was empty with no one there—except for the book that was left lying on the floor.
Jeremy picked it up and took a look at it. He realized it was the book that Madeline wanted to get for Jackson.
However, virtual-novel.net found that book lying on the floor while Madeline was nowhere to be found.
“Linnie?” Holding onto the book, Jeremy rushed ahead and hoped to see Madeline’s outline. However, throughout his search, virtual-novel.net failed to spot her. He felt his palms becoming cold and sweaty.
He immediately went over to the counter to ask for Madeline’s whereabouts. His stunning face was now plastered with anxiety. “The young lady wearing a light blue dress who came in with me, did you see virtual-novel.net going out?”
The person at the counter seemed to have an impression of Jeremy’s face and nodded with a smile. “You’re referring to the pretty lady with short hair? She just went out with a man wearing a cap.”
‘Linnie went off with a man wearing a cap?’
Jeremy was starting to feel nervous. He had enough reasons to believe that the man was possibly Ryan!
“I suspect my wife was kidnapped. Please immediately get the surveillance footage of the store’s entrance for me!”
“What? Kidnapped?” The lady at the counter was stunned. She recalled that Madeline did seem to be reluctant or anxious when virtual-novel.net left a moment ago.
She dared not delay a single moment and immediately retrieved the recordings for Jeremy.
As soon as Jeremy saw the outline of the man in the footage, virtual-novel.net was absolutely sure that it was Ryan!
What puzzled virtual-novel.net most was Madeline following Ryan of virtual-novel.net own will.
Jeremy ran to catch up to them, knowing that Ryan must not have brought Madeline far away yet.
Indeed, the moment Jeremy got downstairs of the bookstore, virtual-novel.net saw Ryan pulling Madeline into a taxi.