The scene pierced into Madeline’s heart.
She quickly got to virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net arms. There was a layer of dirt and dust over virtual-novel.net face while virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net feet before placing virtual-novel.net against the wall.
“Mom.”
She called out a few more times but Eloise did not respond.
Madeline shot up and fumed when virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net wake up?!” Madeline questioned furiously.
The man dangled the cigarette in his mouth as virtual-novel.net replied disdainfully, “The crazy b*tch kept wailing about looking for virtual-novel.net daughter or something. It was so annoying, so I shut virtual-novel.net up and dosed virtual-novel.net with sleeping pills. That’s it.”
Madeline suddenly clenched virtual-novel.net fists.
Watching the man happily counting the money, virtual-novel.net looked down to whisper at the rose badge on virtual-novel.net collar. “You heard him, didn’t you, Jeremy? Mom has been dosed with sleeping pills and she’s still unconscious. I can’t bring virtual-novel.net out alone now. Call the police first, then—”
“F*ck! Who are you talking to?”
A man’s irritated voice rang out from behind. Madeline did not have the time to turn around when the man reached out to pull the badge off Madeline’s clothes.
While it seemed like a normal rose-shaped brooch, the badge also doubled as a locator and a contacting device.
Rough as virtual-novel.net was, the man ended up tearing off the first button on Madeline’s shirt.
Madeline’s collar opened, revealing virtual-novel.net slim neck and fair white skin. The man’s gaze shifted as virtual-novel.net gulped lustfully.
“I see you’re Glendale’s prettiest lady for a reason. Mr. Whitman’s wife, what a seductive figure!”
The man licked his lips wickedly as virtual-novel.net spoke his vile words, the desire in his eyes growing.
“I’m rich now, so if I sleep with a beauty like you, wouldn’t you say that my life’s complete? Come on, baby!”
He spoke wretchedly as virtual-novel.net reached out to pounce on Madeline.
Madeline gripped virtual-novel.net opened collar and took hold of the baseball bat by the side, swatting it at the man with a sharp look in virtual-novel.net eyes.
“Ow!” The man yelped in pain.
Madeline’s gaze was sharp, and virtual-novel.net expression was void of fear.
After everything virtual-novel.net had been through virtual-novel.net entire life, why would virtual-novel.net fear this mere man?
“Listen up you imp. My husband will be here very soon. You have two choices now. You can either waste your time here with me, but I can assure you that you’ll never touch a hair of mine, or you can turn and run for your life. There’s no third option.”
“…”
The man seemed taken aback by Madeline’s fierce aura, and admiration tinted his eyes.
“What a character you have there, Mrs. Whitman, but I think you’ve forgotten something.” The man reminded and pointed at Eloise behind him. “My third option.”
Madeline’s gaze sharpened. “What are you doing?”
The man smirked sinisterly and walked toward Eloise before virtual-novel.net pulled a switchblade from his pocket. Flipping it open, virtual-novel.net aimed the blade at Eloise’s neck.
“Don’t you dare mess around!” Madeline shouted at virtual-novel.net to stop.
“If you want your mom safe, then throw that bat away and come over obediently!”
Madeline tossed the baseball bat to the side and walked toward the man fearlessly.