Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
After that, she returned to Edmund, who sighed in relief upon her safe return.
Her expression was solemn.
“Someone destroyed the fire extinguisher. I think someone knows where we are and wants us dead.”
“Why are you so sure that we’re the target?”
he questioned her certainty.
“I’m not sure, but I have a lot of enemies. I can’t help it,”
she explained expressionlessly as though it was something normal.
He went speechless at her reply.
Why does she sound so proud of that?
Noticing his weird expression, she burst into laughter.
“Alright. Enough with the jokes. Cover your nose and mouth with this. Let’s see if we can get out of here.”
Elspeth tossed a piece of wet garment to him. Edmund reflexively grabbed it only to realize that it was a women’s singlet.
His face flushed red at the drop of a hat.
“Why are you giving me this?”
She distributed the clothes to everyone and took a glance at him.
“Is your dignity more important than your life? Just take it.”
Edmund’s question drew all eyes on him. The six-foot-tall man was blushing while holding a women’s singlet.
I can use this to contact the nearest member of the Evil Wind Sect! Aside from the disadvantage of exposing her location, it was the most perfect escape tool.
If the fire did not break out, the ladies would have been swooning over his adorable reaction. However, they were now in an emergency where their lives were at stake, and so no one cared.
Finally accepting his fate, Edmund covered his nose with the singlet. The damp smell made him feel better.
Yeah, what’s so embarrassing about this? It’s not like someone has worn it before. It’s just a piece of cloth. He convinced himself.
Elspeth made sure everyone had their noses and mouth covered before leading them downstairs to check on the situation. In fact, the fire had become worse as every corner of the floor was burned.
Her brows knitted, and she told them to retreat back to where they came from. She figured that her men would arrive earlier than the firemen on the account that there was no news of the rescue during the past three minutes.
Hiding in a corner, she turned on the signal on the ring. An anxious voice resounded.
“Miss Lynwood, we’re here.”
Only then did she feel calmer.
“How long will it take for you guys to come to the third floor?”
“The fire is too big. We’re still putting out the fire on the first floor.”
Her hands formed a fist. If the fire got any worse, the crowd would have to go to the fifth floor. The shopping mall was not that huge; it comprised only six floors. It might collapse because of the fire.
A jittery Elspeth pondered and ordered,
“Putting out the fire is not of utmost priority right now. Prevent the fire from getting any worse. Make sure the emergency exit is safe so that the people on the fourth floor can evacuate first.”
The person then terminated the call to continue on the rescue mission. Meanwhile, Edmund had long noticed what Elspeth was doing at the corner. After listening to the conversation, he teased,
“I didn’t know this side of you, Elspeth. What a pleasant surprise.”
She was always full of surprises.
His discovery alarmed her. Nothing good would come from that even if he liked her. No one should know of the fact that she was the founder of the Evil Wind Sect.
“You misheard that.”
Elspeth tried to gloss it over.
“If you don’t wanna tell me, fine. I will stop here.”
Edmund was unusually agreeable today, which she found relief.
“Do you think that we’re gonna die here?”
His assumption irritated her.
“Why would that happen when I’m here?”
“So, you mean that you’re gonna protect me?”
A triumphant smile appeared across his lips.
“Cut it out.”
Elspeth could punch him at any time.
While they were in a middle of a small dispute, someone kept watching them in silence. Elspeth, who sensed the scorching gaze, turned her head to see Isabel.
Isabel stared at Elspeth in disbelief.
“Y-You’re alive?”
That put Elspeth in a slightly awkward position. She did not tell anyone about her faked death, so she did not know what to say when someone recognized her.
“Yup. I’m still alive, but-“
Isabel soon wrapped her head around it.
“So, Miss Joneson is with you, right?”
Elspeth nodded under Isabel’s confused gaze.
“Yes, she is.”
Isabel let out a bitter smile.
“I was worried that her condition got worse when Dr. Winthrop said she will be leaving the country for treatment. It’s a relief to know that she’s with you.”
She intended to go together with them, but Arthur had no plans of bringing her along. Despite the disappointment, she had no choice but to accept reality. After all, she had no blood relation with Helena.
Elspeth had a guess from Isabel’s weary expression.
“Are you doing well with the Jonesons?”
The noises from the crowd drowned Elspeth’s voice, so Isabel could not hear her clearly. When Isabel took a few steps closer to her to continue the conversation, a commotion rang above them.
It was a massive burning wood threatening to fall upon Elspeth. It happened so quickly that no one could react in time.
When Elspeth was ready to accept her fate of demise, someone shoved her away. Panicked, she raised her head to see Isabel stuck beneath the wood upon pushing her away.
“Isabel!”
Elspeth wrapped her hands with clothes to move the wood away from Isabel.
However, her puny strength barely shifted it an inch. While the fire was devouring the girl, Edmund and the others rolled up their sleeves to help Elspeth.
