The thunder exploded, sounding like it wanted to tear a hole in the sky. Boom! The pale flash of lightning instantly illuminated the dim office, revealing the rice-grain-sized micro camera hidden in my cuff.
Twenty seconds left. No, nineteen. The sound of leather shoes in the corridor stepped on my heart, one step at a time. That was Wang Zhenbang, the demon who had dragged me into hell in my previous life.
He made me wake up screaming from countless nightmares. My body was shaking uncontrollably. Memories of my previous life surged like a tide—those rough hands, the disgusting smell of alcohol, the tearing pain.
My muscles stiffened, and my blood felt like it was freezing. I wanted to run, to scream, to find a crack to hide in and never come out. No! Lin Wan, wake up!
You are a vengeful ghost returned for blood, not a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. I bit down on my lower lip until I tasted rust. It wasn't enough; that pain couldn't suppress the fear seeping from my bone marrow.
I suddenly opened my mouth and bit hard onto my own tongue. Severe pain! The coppery sweetness of blood spread instantly through my mouth. But that sharp pain cleanly cut off the chaotic fear circuits.
My expression changed; the panic of the previous second converged instantly. It was replaced by a helplessness like that of a frightened deer. It was a look I had calculated countless times, the one most capable of stimulating a man's desire to violate.
Ten seconds. The footsteps had reached the door. Using the motion of organizing files on the desk, my left hand remained steady as a rock. My fingertip lightly flicked the rice-sized camera, embedding it precisely behind the glass bead of the teddy bear's left eye on the bookshelf.
It was a dead angle facing the sofa. Perfect. My right hand slid smoothly, guiding the recording pen silently into the hidden pocket behind my cuff button. Click. The sound of the door lock turning. He was here.
I did not retreat. Instead, I deliberately swept my elbow across the desk. Crash! The water cup toppled over, spilling water and creating a sound of panic. The door was pushed open.
A scent mixed with red wine and high-end perfume rolled in with the humid rain. Wang Zhenbang stood at the door, holding a wine glass. His hypocritical face looked exceptionally sinister under the lightning.
He looked at me, a playful smile hooking the corners of his mouth. He looked like he was watching a rabbit that had already fallen into a trap. I pretended to be panicked, retreating continuously.
My back was pressed firmly against the cold wall. There was nowhere left to retreat. I lifted my head, my eyes slightly red, my voice trembling just enough.
"P-Professor? Why are you here?" At that moment, the rain grew heavier.