Chapter 0125


    Chapter 0125


    Madison never expected, in this day and age, that there would still bet people so daring.


    The van sped towards them from a distance, its door ajar. Seizing the moment when Ethan shielded


    his eyes from the headlights, two arms. reached out from inside the van, grabbed Ethan, and


    whisked him


    away.


    Madison quickly got to her feet and leaped onto the closest car.


    The kidnappers were momentarily stunned when they realized their vehicle was hijacked.


    About half a minuteter, the people Michael had called arrived, screeching to a halt. As soon as


    Silver Helm learned the Chairman had been taken on the street, he floored the gas pedal, chasing


    after them with reckless abandon.


    Somewhere ahead….


    Madison kept her eyes fixed on the van in front, maneuvering her car like a dragon, zipping past the


    entrance of the Flight Academy.


    “Damn it! We can’t shake her off!” cursed the van’s driver.


    In the next instant, a fist swung from behind, catching the driver by surprise.


    The two men in the van struggled to restrain Ethan, who kicked back hard, causing them pain.


    Ethan’s clothes were stained with blood, but he seemed indifferent, his gaze fixed on the pursuing


    car in the rearview mirror.


    “Shhh-”


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    Just as the two men dragged Ethan back into the van seat, their vehicle screeched to a sudden


    stop.


    The van driver, gripping the steering wheel furiously, red at the car that had forced him to halt.


    Madison had wedged her car into a dead-end angle. She quickly got out, brandishing the


    kidnappers’ own club left in the car.


    As night fell…


    The woman approached silently.


    The van driver attempted to escape, but the tires were trapped by


    Madison’s car, immobilized.


    “Bang-”


    The driver screamed in terror, shielding his face and ducking back.


    Madison smashed the club onto the van’s windshield, which instantly sprouted a web of cracks like


    a spider’s nest.


    After several more hits, Madison swiftly yanked open the driver’s door, pulling the man out by his


    hair.


    “You want to die, don’t you?”


    Ethan recovered from the shock of impact, pushing the unconscious kidnappers aside to exit the


    van.


    What he saw next left an indelible mark on him.


    Madison pinned one of the kidnappers to the ground, the club that had shattered the ss now


    shoved into the man’s mouth.


    The kidnapper screamed in anguish, legs iling helplessly, unable to break free.


    No one could see the dark, bloodthirsty look in the woman’s eyes as


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    she seemed to lose all control, consumed with the desire to make


    this man pay.


    As Madison drove the club down onest time, a voice pulled her


    from the brink of chaos.


    “Madison.”


    Startled, she turned sharply.


    The scene was deste, marked only by the van belching ck


    smoke and…


    A man drenched in fresh blood.


    Ethan approached, taking the weapon from her, lifting her in his arms.


    Michael and Silver Helm arrived then.


    They saw Ethan holding Madison by the roadside.


    Her heartbeat skyrocketed, her vision darkening, “Are you… are you okay?”


    Ethan felt her fear and gently patted her back, “I’m fine, look at me…


    He let her go, spreading his arms, “Unharmed.”


    Madison seemed lost in emotion, murmuring, “It’s okay… as long as you’re okay…”


    Ethan picked her up, covered in blood that wasn’t his, and headed for the car Silver Helm had


    stopped.


    “To the hospital,” he gasped.


    In the hospital room….


    Madison sat quietly, unbandaged, unweeping, like a little creature


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    petrified by fear.


    After treating his wounds, Ethan came to her. He pulled up a chair, gently cleaning her fingertips


    with supplies from a first aid kit.


    The cuts were likely from ss shards.


    A couple of them were deep, her fingertips swollen, but she made no


    sound.


    “It’s okay, Madison, look, just a little care, and there’s nothing to worry about,” he soothed in a


    gentle voice.


    Madison stared nkly at him.


    He touched her cold face, “Scared, huh? I’m sorry, it’s my fault for not being careful. It won’t happen


    again.”


    She looked at him, fixated.


    After a long silence, she ventured cautiously, “You’re not going to die, right?”


    Ethan chuckled, “I’m right here, very much alive. How could I die?”


    Madison nodded slowly, “That’s good.”


    “Rest a bit, and then we’ll go home,” Ethanforted her.


    Only when Madison closed her eyes did he step out of the room.


    Michael and Silver Helm waited outside.


    “President Grant,” Silver Helm apologized, “I’m sorry, I was toote.”


    “Who are they?”


    “Foreign nationals, the specific motive is still unclear,” Silver Helm


    replied.


    Ethan sat down, elbows on knees, silently pondering before speaking,


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    “If it’s not clear, keep asking until it is.”


    Silver Helm understood, “Got it.”


    Before he left, Ethan’s calm voice followed, “Regardless of whether they speak up or not, those


    people can’t be allowed to walk free again.


    Silver Helm hesitated, nced at the silent Michael, and acknowledged, “Yes.”


    The corridor quieted down.


    Michael sat down next to him.


    He pondered, “This must be about Madison. But I can’t see how she’d have enemies. Besides, if


    they were after Madison, why take you?”


    The incident was baffling.


    .? ????


    “Did you find anything else about Madison?” Ethan asked.


    Michael paused, “I shared everything with William. What’s wrong?”


    Ethan sensed something off with Madison; her shock seemed to profound.


    The hospital room door opened, and Madison came out.


    Ethan immediately stood up, “Couldn’t sleep?”


    She tugged his hand, her voice low and forlorn, “Take me home.”


    Ethan’s heart melted, “Alright, let’s go home.”


    They returned to Wood Lake Grandeur without a word.


    Upon entering, Madison suddenly asked, “Back then, why did you stop me?”


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    Ethan, having just taken off his shoes, gazed at her profile, his response cool, “If you had struck that


    blow, your career would have


    been over.”


    Grievous injury would be the least of it. More likely, the man would have died on the spot.


    “Your hands were meant to serve your dreams.”


    Ethan embraced her, “Let me take care of the dirty work. I’ll make sure you get a satisfying


    oue, okay?


    Madison closed her eyes, the tension finally beginning to ease.


    “I’m going to take a shower.”


    This time, she headed to Ethan’s bedroom with practiced ease.


    The warm water cascaded over her as she leaned against the cool wall.


    With her eyes closed, the gruesome images of her parents’ death reyed vividly.


    A voice screamed in the depths of her soul, causing her head to throb with pain-


    “Madison, now that you have the power to change the oue, why hold back?!”


    “You watched as your parents were murdered, and you did nothing, you’re nothing but a burden! A


    coward!”


    W6