Chapter 161
“Perfect.” Sebastian pointed to the mark, his smile bright and carefree. “Remember to do that more often from now on p>
Heat rushed to Lexi’s cheeks.
She shoved him away in mock anger.
“If you lose, just wait until I get my hands on you p>
With that, she turned and marched toward the mountain road.
The finish line wasn’t far away, so she reached it without much difficulty.
Driving up the winding road, however, would be a different story altogether.
Lexi waited.
And waited.
But neither Sebastian nor Frank appeared.
Her anxiety grew with every passing minute, and boredom soon joined it.
Although patches of greenery offered some shade, the mountain was crawling with mosquitoes and other insects.
Even the most patient person would have grown restless after waiting so long.
Lexi tossed aside the primrose she’d been absentmindedly holding and let out a long sigh.
She decided to head back down the mountain to look for Sebastian.
She hadn’t even taken a few steps when someone approached her from behind and pressed a cloth soaked in a powerful sedative over her nose and mouth.
Before she could fight back, darkness swallowed her.
Everything around her felt soft and unreal, as though she were floating in an empty space.
Lexi’s body felt weightless, like a feather drifting through the air, and she struggled to summon even the slightest strength.
Her breathing grew increasingly labored.
The suffocating sensation became unbearable, and she suddenly threw her head back, struggling desperately for air.
When Lexi opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a small pool.
The pool was square, with smooth white tiles lining its walls. A pipe above her head steadily poured water into it.
She struggled to her feet.
The water had already risen to her chest.
Wiping her face, she frantically surveyed her surroundings.
She was trapped inside a tiny, completely enclosed room.
Even the only window, which might have offered a glimpse of the outside world, had been sealed shut.
Panic seized her.
“Hello? Is anyone there p>
“Help! Somebody, please p>
Her cries echoed through the confined space, but no one answered. Only faint, distorted echoes returned to her.
The sedative was still clouding her mind, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.
She tried to climb out of the pool, but its walls were too deep and slippery to offer any foothold.
Worse still, the water continued to rise.
She had to find a way out quickly. Even if she knew how to swim, she wouldn’t be able to keep herself afloat forever. Eventually, exhaustion would take over, and she’d drown.
Desperately, Lexi shifted her legs, only to discover that someone had tied her ankles together with rope.
Every time she moved, the swirling water pulled her off balance, making it nearly impossible to stand upright again.
She was trapped.
And the water kept rising.
Just as despair began to overwhelm her, the sound of high heels clicking against the floor reached her ears.
A moment later, the door creaked open.
Lauren appeared in the doorway.
She wore a vivid red strapless minidress, her makeup immaculate and her lips painted a bloodred shade. She looked like a demoness who had crawled straight out of a nightmare.
She stopped a few feet from the pool, a sinister smile curling across her lips.
“Lexi, I had this water prison built especially for you. What do you think? Do you like it p>
Her voice was icy, her expression dripping with malice.
Lauren knew Lexi couldn’t swim and was terrified of water.
Trapping her here would give her the perfect opportunity to torment her before finally ending her life.
What better way to die than to be consumed by the very thing you feared most?
In Lauren’s eyes, this was the perfect sacrificial offering.
A fitting end for the woman who had dared to stand between her and Sebastian.
“Lauren, you’re a monster p>
Lexi deliberately exaggerated her fear, shrinking farther back into the pool as though she were on the verge of a complete breakdown.
She needed Lauren to lower her guard.
The moment she became careless, Lexi might have a chance to escape.
Lauren sneered.
“Compared to you, I’m practically an angel. At least I don’t make a habit of seducing men and wrapping them around my little finger p>
Her eyes burned with madness.
“You’ve got Sebastian completely under your spell, but this ends today. You’ll never get another chance to steal him from me. He’s mine, Lexi. Mine alone p>
Looking at Lauren’s increasingly deranged expression, Lexi let out a cold laugh.
Then she lifted her chin and asked, “Your eating disorder was a lie, wasn’t it? So was that helpless, innocent act you put on. And Frank was the one who told you where I was p>
She paused, studying Lauren’s face.
“You’ve had people following me this whole time, haven’t you p>
“Not bad, Lexi. You finally put the pieces together. Unfortunately, you’ll be meeting your maker soon, so knowing the truth won’t do you much good p>
Lauren’s voice was cold and sinister. She shot Lexi a vicious glare, then pressed a button on the remote in her hand.
The water pouring through the pipes surged, its current growing stronger and shattering the brief calm that had settled over the tank.
“Enjoy your little swim, Lexi p>
Lauren curled her lips into a cruel smile and turned to leave.
The door slammed shut behind her, locking away the last of Lexi’s hope.
The moment she heard Lauren’s footsteps fade, Lexi lowered her head and worked at the rope tied around her ankles. Once she had freed herself, she began swimming continuously around the tank.
She had two immediate problems. If she stopped moving, she might drown. And if she stayed in the freezing water much longer, hypothermia could kill her before the rising water did.
Moving would keep her blood circulating and generate some warmth, but she couldn’t keep it up forever. Eventually, exhaustion would take her.