Chapter 274

When Hory realized Nicolas had not only hung up on him but had also blocked his number, he was so furious that he hurled his phone to the ground.

The butler, startled, quickly picked it up and spoke in a low voice, “Please don’t be angry, sir. Mr. Sawyer is just being headstrong—he’ll come to his senses. Once he calms down, I’m sure he’ll return and apologize.”

“He’ll only cry when he sees the coffin,” Hory said coldly, his eyes gleaming with malice. “Keep a close watch on him. I want to see if he’s still so stubborn when his life is on the line.”

As the days passed, Noelle’s endurance in the brainwave resonance tests increased dramatically—from 40 minutes at the start to a full hour under high-voltage currents by the end of the week.

To the other researchers, this was nothing short of a miracle.

But that miracle came at a visible cost.

Noelle’s frame had grown noticeably thinner. The baby fat that once softened her cheeks had disappeared, leaving her with sharp features and a gaunt, almost fragile beauty.

After one of the tests concluded, Bennett rushed to her side, catching her just before she collapsed.

“Noelle.”

“Bennett?” she murmured, leaning limply against him. She tried to smile and half-joked, “You’ve gotten really good at catching me.”

It was true. At some point, Bennett had started showing up at just the right time—always catching her before she hit the floor.

“You still have the strength to joke?” Bennett muttered, exasperated.

He held her wrist gently—so thin now it felt like there was nothing but skin and bone.

Bennett had always considered himself a bit of a madman when it came to science. He wasn’t one to shy away from sacrifice in the name of progress.

But even he had to admit—watching Brandon’s methods made him uneasy.

Every time Noelle was subjected to the experiments, Bennett found himself holding his breath, afraid that just one moment of weakness might break her completely. And yet… not once had she ever asked them to stop. Not one complaint, not one plea.

It was terrifying, the way she endured it all—so obedient it was almost inhuman.

That’s when it hit him. The only reason Noelle could be this obedient was because she had been raised that way—from the very beginning, conditioned to obey any command given by the lab.

If someone ordered her to die, she’d probably go without asking why.

The thought made Bennett’s chest tighten.

To think that the Andersons’ real daughter—who should have been adopted and cherished—had been treated like a disposable tool for so long.

Back when he first found out Noelle had been switched at birth, Bennett didn’t feel much. One sister or another—what did it matter?

But the more he got to know her, she’d kept surprising him. She was brilliant, fascinating. And at first, he had viewed her as nothing more than…

Now that she was being treated like that, he couldn’t take it.

Not that she was terse—stupid, even—but she was also light and cheerful. Anyone else might’ve turned bitter or broken under what she’d...

Chapter 271

And somehow, they were cruel enough to keep hurting her anyway.

Just as that thought hit him, Brandon strolled into the room with his usual smile.

“Congratulations, Noelle,” he said warmly. “You’ve passed every test. Once we complete the Memory Read Write trial, you’ll never have to do this again.”

Noelle’s eyes lit up. “Really? I’ll be done for good once the final experiment is over?”

Brandon nodded. “That’s right.”

Just the thought of never having to go through this again gave her a fresh burst of energy. Beaming, she said, “Then I’ll give it everything I’ve got, Brandon. I promise I’ll pass on the first try.”

Brandon smiled, those emerald-green eyes glinting faintly. “I look forward to seeing what you can do.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!”

For the first time in days, Noelle’s voice was full of spirit again. She was determined—if this was the end, she’d push through it.

But standing beside her, Bennett wasn’t smiling.

His lips were pressed into a tight line, and his eyes drifted toward Brandon with suspicion, cold and sharp. Because deep down, he knew—once the final test was complete, Brandon wouldn’t need them anymore. And whatever happened then… probably wouldn’t be good.