Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 846

Geneva was startled by the uncharacteristically serious look on her daughter's face. "M-Madge, what's wrong?"

"Come here, Mom, Dad-let's sit down and talk."

The two of them followed her to the couch, concern etched on their faces.

"Norris, Anne-you two should hear this too," Madge added.

Father and daughter exchanged a glance before obediently taking their seats. Roseanne glanced anxiously at her mother. "Mom, what is it?"

Madge took a slow breath. “I'd remembered most things about the past already. Even if there were gaps, the memories have come back, piece by piece. But there was one thing I could never recall how I disappeared that night, how I ended up in Pinehollow, and how I fell into the river... Until yesterday."

Yesterday?

New Year's Eve?

Neely's eyes sharpened. "What happened yesterday?"

by word, Madge said, "I

was it?"

was steady, unflinching.

self-righteous pretense, no martyr's forgiveness. Her parents had searched for her for over twenty years-they deserved the

for her parents to

let go of those worries. Even without proof, she knew her parents would believe her, no

She was right.

coffee table, making the teacups rattle. "How could she do this? What did the Rodriguez family

rage, his face twitching in

meanwhile, sat in a silence that was

trembling uncontrollably beneath

teeth clenched. "I suspected her back then, but I had no proof. If I'd known... if I'd known, I would've wrung the

grief, regret, and fury—all

don't do this to yourself," Madge pleaded, moving to her side, rubbing her back, trying to calm her down. "I'm here now. I came back. She's

trembling. "You have to breathe, Geneva. Don't

fell ill, or worse, because of this, what

fine. Aberdeen, don't