Chapter 3
My blood ran cold instantly.
Years of training kicked in, and I acted on instinct.
I spun around and drove my elbow toward Leon's throat.
But he moved like he knew it was coming. He tilted his head to dodge the blow and grabbed my wrist at the same time.
His strength was unbelievable. He was nothing like the mild-mannered psychologist he always acted as. "Kelly, girls shouldn't be so aggressive."
He effortlessly pinned me against the desk.
The blue glow from the screen cast an eerie light across his face, and for the first time, I saw a crack in that refined mask.
Beneath it, I glimpsed the terrifying madness and greed.
I glared at him and gritted my teeth. "You bastard! You killed my sister."
He let out a soft chuckle and stroked my cheek with his free hand. "Keep it down. Emily can't stand loud noises."
He reached into his lab coat and pulled out a small plastic bag.
Inside was a bloodstained piece of finger bone. "Look, I kept Emily's ring finger.
"I tried to slip her wedding ring onto it, but unfortunately, it just wouldn't fit."
My stomach churned, and tears streamed down my face. "Leon, I'm going to kill you!"
I fought with everything I had, but he held me down tight.
He watched me break down with abnormal excitement in his eyes. "That's it. That's the look I wanted to see.
"You'd never know how long I've been waiting for this."
He leaned in, whispering in my ear like a lover. "Emily was so dull. She was way too submissive.
"Just a little manipulation, and she really thought she was depressed. She even came to me begging for help.
"But you're different. You're wild.
"Taming you and tearing your mind to pieces is what I call real art."
I stopped struggling, gasping for air.
I finally understood that Emily's "Bob Cooper" code meant I had to learn how to hide my true self.
She had known he was a psycho all along. She knew there was no way out for her.
In her final moments, she sent me one last warning.
If I tried to fight him now, in this perfectly soundproof room, it would be a death sentence.
I had to survive. I had to send him to hell myself.
I took a deep breath, forcing down the hatred burning in my heart.
My voice trembled as I switched to a look of absolute terror. "Leon, I'm scared."
He froze. He clearly didn't expect me to break so suddenly.
I pressed myself into his arms, clutching his shirt with both hands. "Leon, now that Emily's gone, you're all I have.
"Please, don't kill me. I'll do whatever you say."
His body went stiff for a moment, then he let out a low, deep laugh.
He released his hold on me, pulling me into a tight embrace instead. "That's it, Kelly. As long as you're a good girl, how could I ever hurt you?"
He patted my back gently, but I could feel his hand slowly tracing down my spine.
He stopped right at a vulnerable spot on my waist, as if he was testing how I'd react.
I fought back the urge to gag and buried my face in his chest, my body trembling just enough to look convincing. "Leon, can we go home? It's so cold here."
Leon stroked my hair. His voice sounded as gentle as always. "Alright. Let's go home."
As we were leaving the clinic, I spotted a cage tucked away in the corner. Inside was a stray cat, its body covered in deep wounds.
The poor thing wasn't even dead yet. It was letting out these weak, pitiful whimpers.
Leon followed my gaze and smiled at me. "See? It misbehaved, so it was punished.
"Kelly, you won't act up like it, will you?"