Chapter 178
178 –Everyone Is In Danger
Madeline:
“Is there anything else you want to talk about?” Lady Abigail asked me, almost ready to dismiss me.
I did not say a word and turned around to leave.
I had not gotten through with any of my demands, so there was no point in acting as if the meeting had ended well.
The meeting had not led me anywhere.
I pushed the council office door open with force. It swung wide, and the sound echoed through the hallway.
Other council members seated at their desks, working on more rules, looked up at me.
A few even paused with the papers in their hands.
Their eyes followed me as I moved past them quickly.
I could already imagine them thinking I was arrogant.
My pace was fast enough that the sound of my heels echoed in the corridor.
I reached the main entrance, pushed the glass door open, and stepped outside.
I paused for a few seconds to catch my breath, but the wind was so dusty that it swept across the ground and hit my face.
My eyes stung for a moment. I blinked hard while stepping down the stairs toward the road.
The SUV was parked on the other side.
As I headed there, I saw Elgin get out of the car. He must have seen me leave the council building looking upset.
“Madeline,” he called, hurrying across the road. Before I could start crossing, he had already reached me.
“What happened?” he asked. There was concern on his face, a genuine concern.
“They’re not listening to me, Elgin,” I complained, clearing my throat as it kept feeling itchy.
“They’re not even letting me have Nina back. And you know what they said? They said my husband will only return if they allow it, and without guards. They are making things difficult for him too.” My fists clenched as I spoke.
He looked back at me with a tense expression.
“You go sit in the car. I’ll go and speak with them. Let’s see if they will listen to me,” Elgin uttered, gently rubbing my elbow as he took the file from my hand.
I let out a shaky sigh and nodded.
He stepped back toward the building, so I turned with him for a moment, watching him move briskly toward the glass door.
Once he stepped inside, I turned around again and made my way to the SUV.
I felt defeated.
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178–Everyone is in Danger
+25 Bonus
When I opened the back door to check on the children and let them know they had to wait a few more minutes before we headed home, and to promise them a playground or an indoor trip, I saw another problem waiting.
The moment I opened the door, I realized something was wrong.
Gina sat strapped in her seat, her lips trembling and her little fingers tangled together.
Bodhi sat beside her. His eyes were lowered, and his lips kept pulling down in a way that showed he wanted to cry.
“ Where is Elara?” I asked at once, noticing her seat was empty.
Gina finally looked up at me, and her lips began to quiver.
“Elara said she would kill us if we made a noise,” she whispered. “She said she wanted to leave, so if we don’t want to die, we should let her go. So we did,” Gina explained.
My world started to shake around me. Everything felt like it was moving.
I had to hold on to the car door just to steady myself.
Bodhi nodded slowly, supporting Gina’s story.
I understood then that Elara must have slipped out while I was speaking to Elgin.
Just those brief moments with my back turned to the SUV, and she had escaped.
Panic rushed through me quickly because I remembered that in her sickness, she tried to hurt other children.
“Both of you stay inside. Do not leave the car for any reason, okay?” I spoke to Bodhi and Gina as I leaned into the car again, keeping my voice low and gentle because I could tell they were already worried.
When the two nodded, I pulled out my phone and began typing a text to Elgin with shaky hands.
Elgin: Come out. Elara is missing.
I hit send, not sure if he would see it.
I knew he was headed inside to argue with the council leaders, so he would probably be too busy to check his phone right away.
As I closed the car door and turned around, I almost gasped at the person standing behind me.
“Is Elara missing?” Lord Eldon asked, startling me.
How had he ended up behind me? Had he followed me? It was the last thing I wanted.
He was the last person I wanted to know that Elara had gone missing, but now he was here, and he could see through the car window that she was not inside.
“I’m pretty sure she is affected by the sickness,” I mumbled, swallowing hard. “Isn’t the sickness making her hurt other children? If she runs away, that means her lives are in danger p>
“And all that because of you. Because you could not control her or keep an eye on her,” Lord Eldon snapped at me, my jaw dropping even lower. I knew he would use this against me.
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.