Chapter 116: Into His Arms

The moment they stepped into the haunted house, everything went pitch black. Roxanne held the children's hands tightly as Madilyn led the way.

Archie and Benny snickered silently. They hadn't expected their mother to be so afraid of ghosts. "But she'll probably forget about whatever's bothering her after getting scared here," Archie thought. With this plan in mind, they decided not to mention their aching hands and let her drag them along.

The longer they walked, the more frightened Roxanne became. She had been afraid of such things since childhood. Even though she knew ghosts weren't real, the music and lighting created a terrifying atmosphere. She was especially terrified by the unpredictable appearance of the NPCs.

The three in front of her claimed they would comfort her, but their silence only intensified her fear. She desperately wanted to leave. However, remembering Archie's earlier words, and wanting to be a role model for her children, she pressed on.

Just as her anxiety peaked, a pair of stiff legs appeared before her. She froze, then subconsciously looked up. In the dim light, a pale face with its tongue hanging out hovered inches from her own.

"Ah…" Roxanne gasped, her heart pounding. Shock rendered her speechless.

By the time Archie and Benny realized something was wrong, it was too late. Roxanne flung their hands away and fled back the way they had come.

"It's too terrifying! I want to leave!"

"Mommy!" The children, stunned, quickly chased after her.

Madilyn turned and saw the hanging ghost. She was exasperated. The NPC had appeared perfectly timed—not present when she and the children passed, but directly in front of Roxanne.

The three hastily pursued Roxanne, but after two turns, she was gone. Worry overwhelmed Madilyn, Archie, and Benny. They had only wanted to distract Roxanne; they never anticipated this. They knew how deeply she feared such things; being separated from her in the horrifying section of the haunted house would be devastating.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have insisted Mommy come in here," Benny mumbled guiltily.

Madilyn didn't know how to console him. Looking around, Archie took his brother's hand. "This isn't the time for blame. Let's find Mommy. If we can't, we'll ask the employees for help."

They began searching. Meanwhile, Roxanne, consumed by fear, only focused on the stiff legs and the pale face. She had forgotten the children, only wanting to escape.

Roxanne ran for a long time, unable to find the exit. Despair overwhelmed her. "Please don't scare me… please…" she whispered, running.

Suddenly, in the darkness, she bumped into a firm chest. She stiffened, then screamed, her mind going blank.

Lucian and his assistant entered the haunted house, but the four were nowhere to be found. They had entered through different entrances. After a fruitless search, just as Lucian felt frustrated, someone fell into his arms. He started to push them away, but then heard a scream. He stopped and held the person close.

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