The Billionaire's Kept Woman

Chapter 135 - Lab Rat

Keira watched as Harvey snuggled to MJ inside her office while MJ was busy installing a few apps on the computer. She was curious about what made him feel good. She thought that it's because of Johanna but seeing Connor's curses about Harvey in his message, she knew that there's something wrong.

"Harvey," She called as Harvey looked up at her. She got up from her seat and approached him. "What did you do to Johanna?" She crossed her arms.

"Nothing. I only kissed her cheeks to greet her and wish her well."

Keira's eyes turned fierce as she gritted her teeth.

"Stop lying."

Harvey sighed.

"Baby love, it's nothing. Connor is just overreacting. And why is she dating that asshole?"

"Harvey," Keira mentioned his name again.

"It's none of your concern. Johanna is fine. She'll be fine." He patted MJ. "I'll check the boys." He left the room and Keira glared at the door.

"You know that he's lying?" MJ said as she adjusted her eyeglasses.

"Connor won't overreact if he didn't do anything stupid."

MJ sighed and nodded.

"Your brother promised me a normal life after all of these." She told Keira and she stood. "I don't understand why Harvey would do something bad to Jo. Are you sure about Connor's suspicion?"

"It's not a suspicion." Keira crossed her arms as she thought deep. "What is he trying to do?" She mumbled and turned back from MJ.

"I don't know your brother much. I sometimes think that he had other sick plans." MJ said softly. "So, if you knew about Harvey's behavior, care to tell me?" MJ asked.

Keira turned to her, walked closer to her, and reached her hands as she smiled.

"Harvey is a lovable man and he'll do everything to protect everyone he loves. Even though it'll exceed something crazy." She said as her smile faded. "Johanna is our adopted sister. Harvey didn't like her at the very first but Jo promised to protect me and so, Harvey let her. That's when he started treating her well and spoiling her a little bit."

"I~I understand." MJ nodded.

<><><><><>

Charles Empire Secret Laboratory

Victor was blinded by the lights but the more he stared at it the more he started to adjust and somehow, the lights didn't blind him anymore. He felt a needle in his left arm. He slowly closed his eyes as he thought of Violet and his little sister. He wished that Violet would remain safe while searching for his sister. Because right now, they will do everything to use him. The process will be in a few months until he will become entirely a monster.

He tried hard to escape from them but he was outnumbered and was electrified through the tracker that was installed in his left arm.

"Victor," the familiar face of an old man smiled at him. "Remember the girl that I showed to you?"

Victor only stared at him and will forever remember that face who ruined him, his family, and probably would harm his sister.

"Your parents would be happy for you, Victor. Now, complete yourself. You have to find Panther and the rest of his squad. Kill him and kill Keira Del Carlo for me."

He didn't respond as the drug started kicking in. He gritted his teeth and felt his whole body flicker and started convulsing.

"You are just a lab rat, like your sister." He whispered with a smirk as he left.

He closed his eyes hard as he soaked all of the memories of his sister. Right memories… then flashes of Violet's memories came as he promised to protect her and love them. Is he failing them? Victor wants it to end. He rather died than being continuously used as their lab rat.

"Onii-Chan…" Hannah would say softly. "When can we go to the amusement park? I want the biggest teddy bear."

Hannah's memories and Violet's memories started fading as it was put at the back of it deeply until he couldn't dig anymore.

<><><><>

Connor watched as Johanna ate the food that he prepared. He forced her to lay back on the bed after Harvey left and no matter how hard he wanted to hear what Harvey said, he failed. But she doesn't look well at all. She finished one bowl but she asked another and he watched her force herself to eat while her eyes started getting teary. She doesn't seem to be aware that she's crying.

"Don't force yourself," Connor said.

"Lab rat." She mumbled and ate again. Connor reached her hand to stop her. Then, she looked at him with those broken eyes. Connor wiped her tears as he sat closer to her and kissed her forehead.

"What did your brother tell you?"

"Nothing." She said and continued eating her food.

"It's alright." He said softly and caressed her hair. "Do you want to take a bath? A hot bath?" He asked. She nodded at him.

Somehow, Connor's heart felt like it was clenched tightly. Seeing her like this is kind of torture. He kissed her forehead and her cheek.

"Don't cry, my dear." He said softly.

"I am not crying." She said and continued with her food. Connor stood and watched her for a little bit. Then, he went to his bathroom to prepare the bathtub. After a few moments, while filling it with warm water and essential oil, he went back to the bedroom and found her standing at the window staring outside. He took the table tray and placed it on the long side table near the door.

"Let's go?" Connor called and Johanna turned to him.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" She suddenly asked. Connor smiled as he approached her and scooped her face.

"You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen in my life."

"Stop lying." She snapped.

"I am not lying." He knelt in front of her and slid her socks. She held on to him to balance herself as he pulled out the socks and he did the same to the other foot. Then, he took her to the bathroom and removed the oversize pajama top. He grinned at her and kissed her forehead. "This might lower your temperature." He said and she dipped her body in the warm water. She sat down, folded her legs, and hugged her knees.

"Can you increase the temperature?"

He nodded as he increased more hot water to it. Then, he turned it off.

"Why did you say those words a while ago?" Connor asked as he took the shampoo.

"What words?" She leaned her chin over her knee.

"Lab rat?" He asked.

"I don't know." She mumbled. "I want to go to Keira."

"You can't." He kissed her shoulder. "You need to sleep with me until your temperature lowers, okay?"

"Sleep with you?" She creased her brows.

"I'll buy you anything you want since you are sick." He grinned and kissed her flushed cheeks.

"Then, I want something good today."

"What?" he kept his grin plastered on his face and kissed her lips.

"Stop kissing me." She pushed his face. "I want a massage and spicy foods."

"Okay." He kissed her shoulder.

"I'm sick, okay? Stop kissing me."

<><><><><>

Violet felt like she'd been stabbed many times as she found out that they took Victor from his apartment. She should have gone there and taken him. Now, is she going to do it? They have him. They can't invade the Charles Empire and they would need full power to invade it. Also, their boss wouldn't agree with a very risky situation just to save Victor. Somehow, Harvey didn't even care about Victor. He's selfish as always.

"Violet," She turned to Bull who seemed to follow her. "Let it go. He's not already with us."

"You don't understand." She shouted at him and she started searching around.

Then under the bed, she found the teddy bear. She took it with her and rushed out. Bull followed her as she drove her motorbike crazily. They were supposed to be in the Golden Age but Violet was in a rage. When they reached the headquarters she started breaking things on her way and Bull tried to stop her.

"What's going on?" Viper asked who just arrived from the Golden Age. Bull watched as Violet locked herself in her room and they heard her crying and screaming like she's in pain.

"Victor was taken back to the laboratory." Bull said and they turned to Harvey who just arrived with MJ.

"Let her be," Harvey said as he took his beloved away.

Inside Violet's room. She placed the purple teddy bear on the sofa as she sat down on the carpet, hugged her knees, and kept tearing. Her memories in the laboratory as they played on them, experimenting on them like lab rats were painful ones. From the other room, she heard many times how Victor would scream in pain as a man in a suit would whisper to him to anger him.

"You are born to be a lab-rat like your sister." The man would laugh and she remembered it clearly. Lindon Charles, the firstborn of Klaus Charles, Wendy's father. They said hurtful things toward Victor and she tried hard to fight them to save him from despair.

Despair. It is what indeed they want. They were treating him like an animal or as a thing.

A soft knock on the door caught her attention. It opened as MJ entered and closed it gently. She approached her and sat beside her. Violet never had anyone to comfort her. MJ gently pulled her.

"It's alright," MJ whispered.

"They are torturing him again." She burst into tears and started sobbing. MJ felt the pain that Violet is feeling right now. She was just like Violet whenever she remembered how Harvey suffered during the detoxification process.