Chapter 1517

The man was courteous, and Lily found no fault with his words. She would have been deemed unreasonable to barge in with her men.

Lily turned. "You guys stay here. I'll be right back."

"Ma'am!" Her bodyguards voiced their concern.

"I'll be fine," she said casually, raising her hand and glancing inward. Even if it's the lion's den, I'm still going in! She entered, the gate closing behind her.

The research institute seemed deserted and eerie. When Professor Thompson and I were here, the gate wouldn't be closed during the day, and people came and went freely. It wasn't lively, but there was activity. Now it's like an abandoned building.

She craned her neck, glanced around, and approached the building. Upon entering, she saw Rhea in her white coat, one hand in her pocket, the other pointing at a document, whispering to someone beside her. Only when the person nodded and left did Rhea look up and smile.

"You're here again? Did you leave something important in the lab? Or can't you bear to leave this place and want to rejoin us?"

Lily glanced sideways and said blandly, "If I return, would you let me take your place?"

Rhea laughed. "What are you talking about? This isn't a palace—we're not vying for the throne. Can't we work together? We were colleagues, weren't we? Also, I'm a big fan of yours, Mrs. Russell."

"Since we were colleagues, you don't mind if I take something I left behind, do you?" Lily asked.

"Hey, I don't own the research institute. If you'd like to take something, go ahead. Why would I mind?" Rhea stepped aside.

Lily gave her a deep look and walked inside.

"Anyway, what important thing did you leave behind? Can I help?" Rhea asked, remaining where she stood.

"I'm afraid I don't need help. I only left some personal items. If you're worried, you can come with me," Lily replied.

Rhea laughed nonchalantly. "Of course not! There's nothing to worry about. Even if secrets exist in the laboratory, you'd know about them better than I do. Why would I be worried? It was wrong of me to stop you last time. I hope you don't take it to heart," she chuckled.

Lily raised an eyebrow, indicating she didn't mind, and continued inward. Rhea remained where she was. Despite her smile, her eyes lacked joy.

Lily couldn't understand why Rhea allowed her to roam freely, though she knew surveillance cameras were everywhere. She also knew where they weren't, like the restrooms. She didn't believe Rhea was being gracious; Rhea was convinced Lily was up to no good. But that didn't matter now. Rhea had given her a chance; she would conduct a thorough search. She needed to find Austin and uncover the laboratory's other secrets.

Also...who's hiding on that mysterious top floor? After using the restroom, she walked the corridor, stopping before a room. The corridor was almost empty; she felt alone in the vast, empty building.