Chapter 452
Madden gestured to two of his men. “Take care of them, too.”
Several bodyguards nodded and moved toward Linda.
One of them snatched her phone without a second thought. He glanced at the screen, then handed it to Madden. “It’s a fake. She’s not livestreaming.”
Linda’s face fell with panic.
As the other bodyguards closed in on her, Evangeline quickly stepped in front of her.
Victor treated human life as if it were worthless, and after so many years by his side, Madden was just as capable of ruthless violence.
“This has nothing to do with them. Don’t hurt them, and I’ll go with you,” Evangeline said, her lips set in a firm line.
She glanced at the young men lying bruised on the ground, then at Linda and Tabitha. They were completely outmatched; struggling was pointless.
Victor’s vendetta was with her. He just wanted her dead to appease his anger. She couldn’t let anyone else get dragged into it.
Madden didn’t move immediately. His eyes flickered as he studied her. He saw none of the fear or panic he expected, only a surprising, almost eerie calm. But on closer inspection, he noticed her lips were trembling slightly.
Madden paused. “Miss Whitmore, you do know we’re here to take your life, don’t you?”
“What?” Linda gasped, grabbing Evangeline’s arm as she started to move forward. “Evangeline, you can’t go!”
Tabitha’s expression darkened. She leaned in and whispered to Evangeline, “I don’t know what’s going on between you all, but your life is more important than anything. There has to be another way.”
Evangeline managed a bitter smile. That might be true for anyone else, but Victor wasn’t just anyone. He was a madman who only believed what he wanted to believe, and only, did what he wanted to do. Victor had decided she was responsible for Tessa’s death, and nothing would ever change his mind.
There was no other way.
Evangeline walked toward Madden.
This time, two bodyguards grabbed her arms, clearly worried she might try to escape again.
As they led her toward the car, Linda grew frantic. She shouted at Madden, “If you dare hurt her today, I’ll tell everyone what you did! I don’t believe the Lockridges can get away with everything in Serenity City!”
Madden ignored her. Once he was in the car, he turned to his men. “Send those women out of the country. Make sure they can never return to Serenity City.”
Evangeline’s brow furrowed. “You promised you wouldn’t touch them.”
Madden smiled. “I promised not to harm them. I didn’t say I wouldn’t touch them.”
Evangeline was furious at his wordplay, but at least their lives weren’t in danger. She said nothing more.
The car started moving, and she looked out the window. Linda and Tabitha were being held back by bodyguards, but Linda was screaming, her hand desperately reaching toward the car. Even
through the thick soundproof
windows, Evangeline could hear her muffled cries, and a pang of sadness went through her.
She knew Finn had asked them to
look out for her, but she could see
that their worry was genuine. All
these years in Serenity City, she had been mocked, ostracized, and spoken of with malice because of Soren. The Whitmores didn’t want her. The Fawkes family didn’t like.
her And the city
thecity & speial arcles were masters of kicking someone when they were down. The most she had ever felt was cold indifference.
But from Linda and Tabitha, she had felt the warmth of being cared for, the comfort of friendship.
Evangeline closed her eyes.
An image of Finn filled her mind. She saw him, without a moment’s hesitation, leaping off the cliff after her. She could almost hear his voice from those days at the bottom of the ravine, weak and feverish, but still trying to comfort her, to put her at
ease.