Chapter 1943

"Hm? Are you sure?" Austin asked, despite his doubts. He didn't have a close relationship with Lily, but he was still concerned for her well-being. He had escaped that horrific place with great difficulty and knew firsthand what a hellhole it was. Yet Alexander had casually mentioned Lily was okay, leaving Austin wondering if Alexander underestimated the danger or was simply too complacent. Austin suspected Alexander might not fully grasp the organization's depravity.

"No, Alexander, I don't think you understand. Even knowing about the viruses and the organization, you can't imagine how dangerous it is. They're devils who prey on people; that place is a living hell—worse, perhaps," Austin exclaimed anxiously, fearing Alexander wasn't sufficiently worried about Lily's safety. "You need to find a way to get her out of there as soon as possible."

Alexander interjected before Austin could finish. "When I say she's fine, I mean it. She's safe, at least for now."

"But..." Austin began, startled, but Alexander didn't give him a chance to continue.

"Of course, you know how terrifying it is. Trust me. Lily knows more than you do. She was in the lab when the experiments began, long ago, when they operated secretly underground. She may not have understood the true nature of the experiments then, but she was there for a considerable time. And the lab needed her—not to mention Mike and..." Alexander was certain his wife knew more about the inner workings than Austin did. He worried, of course, but everyone had their roles, and he couldn't abandon everything to dwell on it.

"Thank you for your concern, but I trust her and my ability to protect her," Alexander said with a slight smile. His expression alone silenced Austin. They've been together so long. They must know best. Maybe I'm overreacting, Austin thought.

His anxiety stemmed from a deep-seated fear of that place—a terror that revived the suffering and torment of his own experiences there. When he studied ancient medical texts, horrifying images of his own bodily changes, pain, and his granduncle's terrible scars flooded his mind. These memories made him tremble, fostering a timidity and a subconscious urge to escape or compromise. Yet Lily, six months pregnant, had faced it bravely, while he had almost collapsed—a thought that humiliated him.

"I understand," he said. "I'm returning to work. Thank you for these past few days."

"You're welcome," Alexander replied lightly. Beyond Lily's relationship with Dominic, Alexander felt compelled to act because of Dominic's long-standing care for Galen. He considered it the least he could do. Thinking of Galen, Alexander glanced at Dominic on the bed. Seeing the older man asleep and seemingly stable, he left the room, quietly closing the door.

Everyone in the laboratory was overwhelmed. However, in the innermost room, two figures stood out. Lily sat on a stool, slightly turned, taking notes with one hand while occasionally tapping on her computer. Across from her, Rhea stood holding a tray, her heavy protective suit unmistakable. Her eyes, visible beneath the mask, narrowed as she watched Lily.