When I Flash-Married a Billionaire, My Ex Went on a Hunger Strike novel Chapter 57

The moment the cloth was lifted, Ruby’s soul practically left her body.

Her scream cracked so sharply it could’ve torn the roof off.

She bolted out of the room at the fastest speed of her life.

Lilian caught a glimpse of what was inside the transparent box and turned ghost-pale.

Terror gripped her as she tried to run, but her foot caught on the edge of the rug, and she stumbled just as Ruby came crashing into her from behind.

The mother and daughter went down hard in a tangled heap.

Ruby’s chin hit the floor so hard it split open, bleeding instantly.

In the living room, Theodore and Peter jumped to their feet at the sudden commotion, instinctively snapping upright.

"What happened? What’s going on?"

They rushed over at once, helping the two women up from the floor, both of whom were still scrambling in panic.

Ruby’s face was ashen, blood trailing down from her chin, her eyes wide with terror.

She clutched Peter’s shirt with trembling hands, pointing a shaking finger toward the maid’s room. "A snake… a huge snake…"

Peter’s expression changed in an instant. "A snake? In the house? Are you sure you saw it right?"

Lilian had twisted her ankle and banged her knee in the fall.

She couldn’t even speak from the pain, burying her face in her husband’s chest as her body trembled uncontrollably.

Theodore and Peter exchanged a look.

Judging by their reactions, it clearly wasn’t a false alarm.

They cautiously straightened up.

Despite being two grown men, they moved forward with obvious hesitation and dread.

Theodore ordered his son to grab something to use as a weapon.

Peter ran to the backyard, rummaged around, and ended up yanking a wooden board off the top of the doghouse.

"Here, Dad…"

"What are you handing it to me for? You do it!" Theodore barked, shoving Peter ahead of him.

The two inched nervously toward the maid’s room at a snail’s pace.

Peter called emergency services, frantically reporting that there was a massive snake inside the house.

Once the dispatcher had the address, they assured him a team would be dispatched immediately.

None of the four dared stay inside. They all ran out into the courtyard.

The housekeeper and driver, though completely unaware of what had happened, were so spooked by their reaction that they followed them out without question.

The fire department arrived quickly.

The team jumped out, fully geared, ready for action.

But the moment they stepped inside, they paused.

It was a false alarm.

"This is a pet snake. Someone in your house clearly owns it. Why are you even calling us?" one of the firefighters asked, visibly annoyed, clearly thinking they'd been called out for nothing.

Lilian shook her head over and over. "No, it’s not ours… no one here owns that thing. Just take it away, please!"

The firefighter glanced at the setup. "It’s in a sealed container, and those feeder bugs and baby snakes are food. Someone’s been taking care of it."

He pulled out his phone, tapped the screen a few times, and added, "It’s a kingsnake. It’s harmless. Non-venomous. People actually keep these as pets."