Chapter 1489

Without windows, he could not tell if it was day or night. Occasional deliveries of simple food and water prevented starvation, but Thompson hadn't returned since his departure. He wasn't sure if Thompson intended to help, or how long he was even permitted to live. He barely clung to life, trying to sleep through his ordeal.

The sound of an opening door—he assumed it was another food delivery—didn't rouse him. Then he heard it: the distinct, chilling click-clack of high heels, a sound that pierced his ears and sent a shudder through him. It was the first time he'd felt such fear of a woman.

"Rhea Moore," he thought, "such a cruel woman! Her cruelty is genuine, not a pretense. She's cold-blooded, unconcerned with human life. What a horrible woman!" He kept his eyes closed until the clicking ceased before him.

Rhea, towering above him, initially thought him asleep or dead, so still he lay. But she saw his eyes moving beneath his lids. Curling her lips, she raised her hand, and a blinding shaft of light illuminated his face. Austin shielded his eyes. "Rhea Moore, you're insane! Crazy bitch!" he shouted.

The sudden intensity of the light, after prolonged darkness, left him dizzy and nauseated. Rhea laughed heartily. "Aren't you asleep? Why aren't you dead yet?"

"Relax. I won't die before you do!" Austin retorted.

Unfazed, Rhea laughed. "You're just in denial!" Slowly dimming the light, she continued casually, "I'll give you credit for hanging on this long. But I wonder how you maintain your will to live. Do you still think someone will save you?"

Alarmed, Austin remained outwardly calm, his eyelids lowered. "Of course! I've been missing long enough for my parents to suspect something's wrong and call the police. They'll be here soon to arrest you all!"

"Oh, yeah?" Rhea laughed. "Your parents? Would they really suspect anything? Everyone knows you practically live at the research institute. And being a hotshot miracle doctor, it's not unusual for you to travel the country visiting patients. What's so unusual about being gone a few days?"

Austin remained silent, knowing the truth of her words. My parents probably wouldn't be surprised if I disappeared for a month without notice, he thought.

Rhea continued, observing his silence. "Poor thing. Days have passed, and no one's inquired about you. What are you hanging on for? Oh, I see. You're waiting for the person you sought help from, aren't you?"

Her words quickened his heart. He involuntarily looked up, seeing her pretty face appear grotesque under the flashlight's beam. What she was about to say would deepen his despair.

Leaning closer, Rhea said, "Let me guess. Are you waiting for Professor Thompson?"