Chapter 1339

Austin's hands flew to his throat; his mouth opened and closed, but no sound emerged. Anxiety mounted, sweat beading on his forehead. Meanwhile, Lily ignored him, absorbed in her experiment.

Panic seized Austin. He didn't understand what was happening, but he sensed Lily's involvement. He tapped her shoulder; she remained focused, bent over the test tubes. He tapped again, and again. Finally, exasperated, Lily whirled around and impatiently poked him twice.

"Are you done?!"

Austin was stunned. He'd lost his voice; his hands were paralyzed. A terrifying, alien sensation gripped him. He felt trapped in a nightmare, subverted in an instant. Was this some kind of acupressure point? Why was this woman, his most hated enemy, so difficult? He refused to believe it, yet he was rooted to the spot, speechless and immobile.

Sweat streamed down his cheeks. Desperately, he struggled to break free, but his efforts were futile. It was utterly bizarre. Lily, satisfied at having silenced him, returned to her experiment.

She rarely permitted interruptions during her experiments. Only Thompson was allowed entry without permission, and even then, silence was mandatory. Austin, ever eager for recognition, had barged in, chattering incessantly, driving her to distraction. Her irritation had led her to touch his acupressure points—an act she regretted, as the consequences could be troublesome.

After a time, a reaction occurred in one of the test tubes. The computer data fluctuated steadily. Lily watched intently. For two days, she'd poured over books and online research, even conducting preliminary experiments in her own lab. This experiment was a test of her revised plan, and she felt confident of success.

Though immobilized and speechless, Austin could still see and hear. He watched the test tubes, fascinated by the unfolding results.

Then Thompson appeared at the doorway. "Lily, welcome back! Austin, you're here too! Working together, you'll double your speed! Success is just around the corner!" Both ignored him, engrossed in the experiment.

Embarrassed, Thompson coughed, stepped closer, and placed a hand on Austin's shoulder. "How's the experiment going?"

A sharp ding echoed through the lab. The reaction in the test tube subsided; the computer data integrated rapidly. Austin's eyes widened. He wanted to speak, to rage, but he couldn't. He was on the verge of exploding.