Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
Bobby sighed and left.
Soon, Haris was the only one left in the large courtyard.
His eyes glittered as he quickly made his way over to the inner room and unlocked the door.
He wasn’t worried about entering alone as the hidden room had been drugged with muscle relaxants that immobilized everyone inside. He’d taken the antidote in advance so no one could put up a fight with him in their state.
Haris strode around the room and found Elspeth leaning against a block of stone. She looked perfectly harmless.
“Elspeth.” He slowly walked over to her and smiled. “I can’t bear to turn you into a drug tester. If you’re willing to become my disciple, I’ll teach you everything I know.”
Elspeth wasn’t surprised to see him enter. She wasn’t furious either. Instead, she cocked her head to the side in thought before exclaiming in feigned shock, “Does that mean you’ll let me go if I become your disciple?”
“Of course. How can my disciple stay in a place like this?”
Elspeth knew that he was only trying to hide his true intentions.
He simply wanted to numb her mind momentarily before experimenting on her.
Does he think I have no clue what he’s up to?
Although she was sneering on the inside, she pretended to be naive and hopeful. “Can you let me go now? I’ve been tied up here for a whole day now. My hands feel like they’re about to fall off.”
“Are you sure you’re willing to be my disciple?”
Haris didn’t believe her. He knew that Elspeth wasn’t someone easy to deal with.
It didn’t seem plausible that she would readily agree to this simply because he tied her hands up.
“Of course. Who’d choose to suffer in here as a drug tester?”
Elspeth’s acting was pretty bad. Haris saw right through it, so he said, “I don’t think you’re sincere about wanting to be my disciple, but if you are, then take this medicine.”
Haris took out a brown pill from his pocket and held it out in front of Elspeth.
She had a keen sense of smell and could immediately pick up on the unusual scent of the medicine.
If I’m right, that medicine will allow him to control my mind.
Something addictive had been added to the medicine as well. If she ate this medicine, she would have to constantly rely on him to give her the antidote.
What a distrustful man he is. How can he come up with such a heinous trick?!
Elspeth didn’t move at all, so Haris had to change tactics. “I guess you don’t want to be my disciple after all. It was all a lie.”
“The medicine doesn’t look pleasant to eat at all.” Elspeth let out a troubled expression.
“There’s no such thing as a pleasant medicine to eat. As long as you eat this, I promise to untie you right away.” Haris tried his best to sound kinder as he hid his excitement.
Elspeth had no choice but to open up and allow Haris to bring the medicine to her mouth.
She was about to take the medicine when a harsh growl rang out from the door.
“Hold it!”
Both their eyes flew to the door as the pill in Haris’ hand fell to the floor.
Elspeth smirked. She didn’t expect Harper to arrive so soon. Just in time!
Since the situation wasn’t critical anymore, Harper stepped aside.
Callum slowly walked into the room and looked around before fixing his piercing eyes on Elspeth. His brows furrowed as his eyes took on a dangerous glint. “I didn’t think you’d be someone who does such things behind closed doors, Old Mr. McGrath.”
Haris wasn’t worried. He had a few fighters stationed in his courtyard.
“Old Mr. McGrath, you wouldn’t happen to be waiting for the three useless pieces of trash outside, would you?”
Haris’ expression stiffened.
“What? What did you do to them?”
“Wasn’t I clear enough? They were pieces of trash, so I took the trash out, of course.”
Haris’ face turned green, but he remained unperturbed. “What gives you the confidence to barge into my courtyard without permission? Aren’t you afraid that I’ll do something to her?”
Haris had surreptitiously checked his surroundings and found that Elspeth was extremely near him. He figured she would be an excellent hostage.
“What can you possibly do to me?”
Before Haris could react, Elspeth abruptly got to her feet. Her hands and feet showed no signs of being tied.
She’d tossed the rope around her hands to the floor at some point, and right now, she stared at Haris with a slowly deepening smile. “You wouldn’t think that your drugs would be enough to incapacitate me, right?”
“What do you mean?”
Elspeth stretched her wrists which had been stuck behind her for quite some time. “Oh, nothing. Just that I happen to be proficient in the use of medicine and your muscle relaxants are useless against me.”
Useless?!
Haris’ face turned purple with rage.
I spent a decade pouring my heart and soul into creating that drug! How dare this chick who’s only in her twenties say such a thing about my invention?!
Nevertheless, Haris did find it strange that Elspeth didn’t seem at all affected by the drug. “I used the same kind of drug when I first kidnapped you and brought you here. Why did that one affect you when this one didn’t?”
Elspeth thought about what happened back then before grinning at him.
“I was just tricking you to see what you’d be doing next.”
She used his tricks to trick him!
Haris stared at her wrists with a stormy expression. “But, I’m the one who tied you up. You wouldn’t have been able to get out of the ropes so easily, unless…”
“Oops. I convinced one of your people to turn on you.”
Haris’ eyed widened. “Winter? That’s impossible! I drugged her. She wouldn’t listen to you.”
Winter stood up in the corner. Although her frame was small and slender, it wasn’t impossible to overlook her. “It’s time you stop. You’ve been doing these things for so many years now. I kept trying to stop you, but I never found the chance, and you won’t listen to me either. I’m willing to address you as Mentor once more, if only because I genuinely hope that you can repent and stop what you’re doing.”
Haris was enraged. He didn’t think he did anything wrong and refused to stop.
“I’m warning you, Winter! I won’t be giving you the antidote ever again!”
Elspeth eyed him pitifully. “I’ll prepare the antidote for her myself, Old Mr. McGrath. As for you, I’m afraid you won’t have the chance to give her any kind of antidote.”
At last, it hit Haris that the game was up. He stumbled to the ground.
Callum waved his hand and three burly men came in.
“Tie him up and take him back to Winthrop Residence.”
Elspeth was startled. “Aren’t you taking him to the police station?”
Callum’s eyes darkened. “After what he did to you, how could I allow him to be taken to the police station just like that?”
Even if I don’t kill him, I’m going to skin his hide first.
Haris was finally gripped with fear. He looked up at Callum whose murderous expression was enough to prove he meant every word he said.
“Y-You can’t do this to me, Winthrop!”
