Chapter 284: Fire
Abigail woke to the insistent sound of knocking on her door. The knock was loud, persistent, and filled with urgency, echoing through the quiet mansion. In the dim light of dawn, she felt the warmth of Remo’s arms around her, his even breaths a soothing rhythm against her back. She savored the moment, the safety and comfort that his presence brought, before the insistent knocking broke through her reverie.
With a reluctant sigh, Abby carefully disentangled herself from Remo’s embrace. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her thoughts still foggy with remnants of dreams. The knocking continued, growing more frantic with each passing second. She slipped out of bed, her feet hitting the cold floor, and hurried to the door.
"Just a moment," she called, trying to mask the sleepiness in her voice. She glanced back at Remo, who was still sound asleep, his brow furrowed slightly even in rest. The sight of him always brought a sense of calm to her otherwise tumultuous life.
She opened the door to find Fredrick standing there, his face pale and drawn with anxiety. His usually composed demeanor was replaced with an edge of panic that immediately set her on high alert.
"Fredrick, what’s wrong?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.
Fredrick took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of urgency and fear. "Abigail, it’s the mental facility where we sent Margaret. It caught fire. The fire department is on the scene, but it’s bad. Very bad."
Abby’s heart skipped a beat. Margaret, her uncle’s wife, was a crucial piece in their intricate game of revenge. They had carefully orchestrated her breakdown, driving her to the brink of insanity as retribution for her role in Abby’s mother’s death. Margaret’s confinement had been a key part of their plan, ensuring she was out of the way and unable to cause further harm.
"Is she safe? Did she get out?" Abby asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside her.
Fredrick shook his head. "I don’t know. The fire started in the early hours, and they’re still trying to get everyone out. The facility was full of patients, and it’s chaos over there."