Chapter 417
Theodore said, “If Beau went looking for Merida, he’s probably on the second floor.”
The second floor served as the students‘ backstage changing area.
Elara kept the call connected as she slipped her phone into her pants pocket. She removed her backpack and took out the insulated water bottle inside.
After soaking a handkerchief with water from the bottle, she asked Theodore, “How long do you think I can stay on the second floor with just this wet cloth over my nose and mouth?”
“If the fire remains uncontrolled–56 seconds maximum, Theodore replied.
He had already calculated that after 56 seconds, the carbon monoxide concentration on the second floor would reach lethal levels. Any longer, and Elara risked losing consciousness from poisoning.
“Alright, then I’m counting on you to time me!”
She entrusted her life completely to Theodore, who remained safely outside the auditorium. Though physically separated, they functioned as one–back–to–back against unseen dangers.
With the damp handkerchief pressed firmly over her face, Elara charged up to the second floor.
Theodore stared intensely at his laptop screen inside his sports car. Merida, seated quietly in the back, watched Elara’s progress on the monitor without making a sound–she knew better than to distract her mother during this critical moment.
Inside the auditorium, Elara rushed to the second floor, scanning every room for any sign of Beau. Suddenly, while standing in the hallway, she caught the faint sound of whimpering.
Following the cries, she pushed open a door to find Beau lying bound on the floor, soft sobs escaping his throat. When he lifted his head and saw Elara standing before him, he immediately shrieked, “What took you so long?”
The moment she spotted her son, Elara dashed forward. She noticed that one end of the ropes binding Beau was tied to a table leg.
Fortunately, they were secured with slipknots–Elara instantly recognized how to undo them. As soon as she freed him, Beau threw himself into her arms.
“Mommy!”
The desperate longing in that single word sent tremors through Elara’s heart. In this critical moment, she forced herself to stay calm, suppressing questions about why Beau had been tied up.
She handed Beau the soaked handkerchief. “Cover your nose and mouth with this.”
Just as Elara lifted Beau to leave, she suddenly froze mid–step and turned toward the darkness behind them.
“Did you hear that?”
With everyone evacuated, the burning auditorium stood eerily empty–making every faint noise echo unnaturally loud.
“Probably just things burning,” Beau mumbled through the cloth covering his mouth before tugging at Elara urgently. “Mommy, let’s go! I feel sick.”
Elara heard it clearly now–the rhythmic thumping coming from a storage closet. She set Beau down and moved
Chapter 417
toward the sound.
“Mommy!!”
Beau tried to stop her, but she was already out of reach. Crouching low, Elara yanked open the closet door to discover Xavier bound inside, ropes cutting into his small frame.
When their eyes met, tears cascaded down Xavier’s face like summer rain.
“Xavier!”
Elara never expected to find Xavier here–let alone tied up and trapped in a closet.
+25 BONUS
As she reached to pull him out, she noticed the ropes were secured with a metal chain, its other end padlocked to a welded iron ring inside the closet.
The knots were impossible to untie. When Elara couldn’t break the chain, she pulled out a pocket knife to saw through the ropes.
“Mmmph! Mmmph!” Xavier shook his head frantically as smoke poured into the room, his face flushed crimson.
Beau tugged at Elara from behind. “Mommy, we have to go now!”
A fit of coughing wracked his small body. “We’ll die if we stay!
Elara thrust her phone into Beau’s hands. “Take this–Mr. Theodore will guide you out! Go!”
Beau stood frozen, his dark eyes swirling like ink mixed with poison.
