Rejected Little Secret by Lisj

Chapter 89 

Without warning, our captor pulls a lever on the wall, and the chamber is instantly filled with the jolt of a sharp metallic clang and a deep rumble that permeates the atmosphere. Thick plumes of smoke erupted from all directions, swiftly filling the chamber and making it difficult 

to breathe. 

Our hearts race in our chests, and we struggle to catch our breath as we stand frozen in terror amidst the thick clouds of swirling smoke. Panic spreads through my veins like wildfire, causing my mind to race with fear and uncertainty. With a quick reflex, we both raise our hands to our faces, taking precautions to prevent the smoke from entering our lungs. 

“What’s happening?” Her voice filled with fury, Nadia let out a piercing cry, her eyes locked onto the smoke as if she could will it to disappear with her gaze. “What the hell is that smoke?!” 

With each passing moment, the smoke pouring into the chamber becomes denser, gradually reducing visibility to just a few feet. The fumes fill the air, making me cough and choke, while my eyes water uncontrollably as I struggle to navigate through the thick haze. 

The smoke abruptly starts to fade away, leaving a profound stillness that fills the air like a heavy blanket. Struggling to calm down, I blink in confusion, feeling the rapid thumping of my heart and the heaviness in my chest. 

Through the dissipating smoke, our captor comes into view, their eyes filled with amusement as they take pleasure in our alarmed 

expressions. 

“What was that?” I demand, my voice trembling with anger and fear. “Why did you do that?” 

The chamber is filled with the captor’s dark chuckle, its sound bouncing off the walls like an eerie echo. 

“That, my dear, was just a little sanitation measure,” With every word they speak, their voice drips with malice, their hands making sweeping motions through the air, eventually coming to rest above Nadia and me. “We can’t have unclean outsiders bringing their germs into the vault, 

now can we?” Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

The captor’s callous words ignited a wave of anger within me, my fists involuntarily tightening at my sides as 1 grappled with my seething 

fury. 

“You think this is funny?” With a sudden burst of rage, Nadia’s voice becomes poisonous as she presses our captor against the wall, causing their grip on the gun to loosen. With a heavy thud, it hits the floor, the echo lingering in the air. “You think it’s funny to terrorize us like this?” 

With a sinister smirk, the captor callously pushes Nadia’s arm away, their eyes gleaming with malevolent satisfaction. Just as they were about to make a move, I instinctively snatched the gun and targeted it at him. The idea of shooting something is completely unfamiliar to me, I don’t even know the first thing about operating a firearm. 

But whatever – no matter what, I’m determined to escape from here and leave it all behind. 

“Come on, is that how you treat someone who brought you home?” 

Looking at me, they spoke with a voice that was as smooth as silk. The man who held us captive appeared to be around our age, with a hint of ruggedness on his face from his shadowy stubble. His short black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. When he smiled, a chilling gleam emanated from his scarred eye, which had a subtle golden tint. 

“I have no idea what you’re saying.” As I imitate his movements, I cock the gun and point it straight at his head. Killing someone is something I have never done, without a doubt. But the stakes were high- hesitating now could cost not only my life, but also Nadia’s “How do we open that door you just locked?” 

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As I hear the captor’s ominous words, a cold sensation runs down my spine, and my stomach twists with a sense of foreboding. I wait patiently, but he remains silent, evading my question. Instead, he smirks, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he playfully zips his lips shut with his finger. 

We’re at the mercy of our captor’s twisted whims, feeling the cold, damp walls closing in on us, our only companions the echoing sounds of our own despair. Shit. 

With trembling hands, I raise the gun, fueled by a surge of adrenaline and a desperate sense of anger. My heart thumps in my chest, echoing like a drumbeat, overpowering the sound of my own gasping breaths as I steady my aim at our captor’s head. 

With a shaky breath, I pull the trigger, my finger tightening around the cold metal of the gun. Nadia screams, turning away from the 

gore of it 

all. 

But as the trigger clicks, there is only a hollow silence that lingers in the air, devoid of the expected deafening bang of gunfire. Instead, there is only a hollow click, the sharp sound bouncing off the walls of the chamber, filling the air with a sense of foreboding. 

Shocked, I stand frozen for a moment, my mind grappling to understand the events that just unfolded. The laughter of our captor fills the chamber, its echoes adding a sinister touch to their amusement. 

“Nice try,” they taunt, their voice dripping with amusement. “But the chamber is now empty, the last bullet long gone.” 

My blood boils with anger as our captor’s callous words echo in my ears, my trembling hands a testament to my seething rage. 

“Why won’t you just let us leave?!” I demand, my voice trembling with frustration. “Why won’t you just leave us alone?” 

With a creak, the vault door swings open, releasing a gust of stagnant air that fills the small chamber, tinged with the distinct aroma of metal and oil. The unfamiliar scent tickles my nostrils, causing them to flare, and I exchange a bewildered glance with Nadia as we both lean in to peer into the brightly lit interior of the vault. 

The figure standing before us is a mirror image of our captor, down to the last detail. Same piercing eyes, same chiseled jawline, same cold, calculating gaze. Their hair, falling in sleek, ebony waves, was the only visible difference, along with the absence of the captor’s trademark 

smirk. 

Instead, this woman’s expression is as still as a statue, revealing nothing of her inner thoughts. With a piercing stare, she fixed her eyes on us, her intense gaze making me feel a shiver of unease. There’s an unsettling quality to her gaze, as if she views us as nothing more than objects for dissection and analysis. 

In the stillness of the moment, a heavy silence descended, suffocating the air like a thick fog, interrupted only by the distant, mechanical hum echoing from the vault. Under the woman’s penetrating gaze, I feel her scrutiny weighing heavily on us. Discomfort settles in, forming knot in the pit of my stomach. 

As she finally speaks, her voice cuts through the tension, its icy tone echoing off the cold metal walls that enclose us. 

“Welcome to Sanctuaria,” she says, her tone devoid of any warmth or sincerity. “I hope the transportation service provided by my brother met your expectations.” 

Without waiting for my response, our captor signals for us to accompany her into the vault, her actions precise and controlled. Nadia and I exchange a wary glance, our eyes filled with apprehension, but there’s no other choice but to obey. Stepping over the threshold and into the vault, an uneasy feeling settles in, as if we’ve entered the heart of a dangerous beast. 

The sight that greets me is so astonishing that my eyes widen in disbelief. 

Instead of the cramped confines of a small chamber, we’re confronted with a vast, sprawling building, its interior stretching out before us like a labyrinth of endless possibilities. 

My eyes widen in disbelief as I survey the sprawling network of doors and hallways, each one seemingly holding a secret waiting to be discovered. The air is thick with the hum of machinery and the murmur of voices, creating an atmosphere of bustling activity that is both exhilarating and intimidating. 

Everywhere I look, there are people clad in hoodies of gray, black, and white, their faces obscured by shadows as they move about with purposeful strides. On the back of each one, a bold number is prominently displayed. 

With each step forward, the weight of our captor’s gaze is palpable, their intense eyes piercing our souls and sending a chill down my spine. I steal a nervous glance at Nadia, but her bewildered expression matches my own as we’re guided further into the depths of the vault. 

The woman who guided us into the vault moves with a graceful and self–assured demeanor, leading the way with unwavering confidence. A feeling of unease lingers within me as I walk in her footsteps, the immense expanse of our surroundings bearing down on me, suffocating and 

oppressive. 

In every direction, I see people hurrying by with weary expressions, their movements lacking energy and spontaneity. It’s as if they’re all caught in some kind of endless cycle, trapped in a never–ending loop of monotony and drudgery. 

I can’t shake the feeling of anticipation as I ponder what kind of place this is, and what destiny has in store for us behind its walls. Pushing through the throng of hooded figures, I can’t help but overhear snippets of conversation and whispered rumors, each one more unsettling 

than the last. 

The conversation is dominated by talk of experiments and tests. 

Eventually, we arrive at a room that is illuminated by a gentle, green glow, 

As we step inside, my eyes are immediately drawn to the sight of an abundance of greenery and colorful flowers, spilling off the metal shelves in endless rows. The air inside these walls is heavy with the intoxicating aroma of earth and foliage, evoking a sense of yearning for the outside world. 

In the center of the room, a woman stands with her back to us, casting a striking silhouette against the warm, soft glow of the greenhouse. She wears a pristine white lab gown, and her long hair spills down her back in a cascade of dark curls. The haunting melody she hums triggers a sense of unease within me, as if a foreboding presence lurks just out of reach. 

Without uttering a single word, the twin sister motions for us to come closer, and we cautiously oblige, our hesitant footsteps resounding in the quietness of the room. As we draw closer, I can see the woman meticulously mopping the floor, her deliberate movements creating a rhythmic swishing sound. 

“I have already instructed you, Jazz, to avoid disrupting me while I am focused on my work.” 

“Luna,” With her hand on her chest, Jazz, the twin sister, walked towards the woman who was still humming that tune. “My brother’s mission has been successful and he was able to bring her here.” 

“Her?” 

Nadia and I lock eyes, a silent understanding passing between us as I whisper the word under my breath. At the sentence, the woman’s body stiffens in a clear reaction, and she raises her head, as if trying to discern a faint scent in the air. She clicked her tongue, leaving me uncertain if she got what she wanted. 

Then, time seemed to slow down as she turned around. 

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As the woman in the lab gown finally glances in my direction, an overwhelming sense of unease washes over me, causing me to involuntarily retreat, stumbling until I collapse onto the ground. 

The familiarity in her eyes was undeniable, her mouth mirrored my own, and everything seemed like a reflection of myself, for my eyes, mouth, and nose were identical every time I glanced in the mirror. 

The woman’s wide eyes spoke volumes, and when she finally uttered a word, it felt like a surreal dream. 

“At long last, my daughter… you came home!”