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 virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net saw Eloise already stepping into the fire.
“Mom!” virtual-novel.net exclaimed and ran over to embrace Eloise as tears fell freely from virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net 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 virtual-novel.net arms around Eloise. “Eveline stopped hating you a long time ago, Mom. I know you didn’t hurt me on purpose. Eveline doesn’t blame you anymore.”
“Eveline doesn’t blame me anymore?” Madeline’s words seemed to have gotten through to Eloise who raised virtual-novel.net hand to touch Madeline’s teary cheeks. Her delicate brows became furrowed. “Do you truly not blame me anymore, Eveline?”
Madeline nodded and squeezed Eloise’s hand. “Truly. Eveline doesn’t blame virtual-novel.net mother. Eveline loves virtual-novel.net mother. Cough cough.”
Eloise seemed to have understood Madeline and gave a relieved smile. “Will you come home with me then, Eveline?”
“Yeah! I’ll go home with Mom! Our family won’t be separated anymore!”
“Okay.” A loving smile broke on Eloise’s face. She raised virtual-novel.net hand to caress Madeline’s head, but a look of horror suddenly tinted virtual-novel.net kind gaze.
Madeline had no idea what was going on, but virtual-novel.net saw Eloise suddenly rush behind her.
The swaying bookshelf lost its center of gravity and fell with a bang, crushing Eloise, who had run over to protect Madeline, to the ground.
It then dawned on Madeline that Eloise had suddenly run behind virtual-novel.net to protect her.
“Mom!” Madeline screamed and hurried over to Eloise.
“Mom, cough cough…” Feeling unwell, Madeline fell into another coughing fit. The pile of garbage around the room had given the thick smoke an abnormal smell that attacked virtual-novel.net nose.
“Linnie! Can you hear me, Linnie?” Jeremy’s anxious tone crept closer.
“Jeremy…” Madeline tried to shout back in response but something seemed to be stuck in virtual-novel.net throat. It threw all virtual-novel.net efforts to waste.
Her vision began to blur and even breathing became more difficult.
“Linnie! Linnie!” Madeline heard Jeremy shouting heart-wrenchingly before virtual-novel.net senses were overwhelmed by the scorching high temperature that enveloped her.
Amidst the confusion, virtual-novel.net thought virtual-novel.net felt a cool gust of air blow over her. It was accompanied by a scent and a familiar sense of security that slowly calmed virtual-novel.net inner anxiety and fear.
“Jeremy…” Madeline murmured, seeing Jeremy’s face appearing vaguely in virtual-novel.net blurred vision before everything in front of virtual-novel.net eyes turned black.
She began to have nightmares about Eloise still crushed under the bookshelf and covered in blood.
She kept screaming ‘Mom, Mom’ but Eloise never woke up.
“Linnie. Linnie, are you awake?”
The man’s magnetic, gentle baritone voice drifted into virtual-novel.net ears and Madeline’s eyes shot open. When virtual-novel.net sat up, virtual-novel.net eyes were filled with confusion. “Mom! Jeremy!”