Chapter 3

3

Suddenly, a manager ran into the room, looking pale.

"Lucius! I just got a call from the authorities!"

"Our usage rights for the new patent have been revoked! They're coming to seize the equipment!"

The lobby went silent.

Lucius whipped his head toward me.

"Waverly, was this you? Did you sabotage the patent?"

I didn't deny it.

"It was me. As long as I'm here, I won't let you hurt people."

One executive looked confused.

"Lucius, isn't your name on the patent? How could she cancel it?"

Lucius turned red, his neck bulging.

"She must have used some shady connection!"

Seraphina shrieked.

"She stole the authorization papers because she wants to see us fail!"

The insults started again.

"Waverly, you're evil!"

"Lucius was so good to you, and you steal from him?"

I let out a cold laugh.

"The patent was always mine. I am a Special Researcher for the Capitol District."

"Revoking the rights is my legal authority."

Seraphina laughed hysterically.

"You? A researcher? You can't even lie well!"

"Everyone knows you didn't even graduate. You're just a pathetic liar!"

"This company belongs to Lucius! He invented the tech! You just want to sell it!"

The others sneered.

"She's just desperate for money!"

"I actually felt bad for you for a second. What a waste of sympathy."

I didn't want to explain anymore.

I turned to walk away, but Seraphina stopped me.

"Since she stole the patent, we should just keep working," she suggested.

"We can explain everything when the recovery team gets here."

She looked at Lucius like a loyal puppy.

"What do you think, babe?"

Lucius stroked her hair.

"Seraphina, you're so smart. That's why I love Stanford girls."

I was shocked by their stupidity.

"Stop! You can't do that! Starting the pumps will cause a massive biohazard!"

Seraphina's eyes turned dark.

"Oh, really? Fine. If you want us to stop, hand over the patent ownership."

Lucius stepped forward.

"Waverly, give us the patent, and we can settle this quietly."

The others surrounded me.

"Just give it up!"

"If the company goes under, we lose our livelihoods!"

"I have a family to feed, Waverly! Don't you have a heart?"

I stood my ground.

"Forget it. The officials will be here any minute."

Seraphina smirked at the crowd.

"She's still lying. Throw her in the basement. Maybe the dark will make her talk."

I felt a surge of fear.

Several hands grabbed me, pulling me toward the stairs.

I remembered the basement.

Lucius kept his aggressive guard dog down there.

"Lucius!" I screamed.

"This is kidnapping! If anything happens to me, you're all going to prison!"

He didn't blink.

"We're just letting you cool off. You made our lives hard, so now it's your turn."

The stairwell was damp and dark.

I could already hear the low, hungry growls from below.

Seraphina followed us down, her voice dripping with poison.

"You need to learn your place."

She gave me a violent shove.

I tumbled into the darkness of the basement.

The iron door slammed shut and locked with a heavy click.

The next second, a massive weight slammed into my chest.

The guard dog's fangs sank into my arm, tearing through muscle.

I kicked and fought, but the beast pinned me down.

I tried to protect my face, and its teeth ripped a deep gash into my hand.

Blood blurred my vision.

I could feel pieces of my own skin being torn away.

"Help! Please! Someone help me!"

I screamed until my throat burned.

The pain was making my body go into shock.

Outside the door, I heard Seraphina laughing.

"Keep screaming. No one is coming for you."