Chapter 155: Black Box

Chapter 155: Black Box

When Sophia was about to leave, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

Tall, standing very straight, wearing a suit, facing sideways to her, standing by a tree not far from the park entrance, phone to his ear, as if making a call.

She recognized him almost instantly—Alexander.

What was he doing here?

Sophia stood there for two seconds, hesitated, then walked in his direction.

She stopped about three steps behind him, waiting for him to finish his call.

Wind swept through the park, rustling the leaves gently. The hem of Alexander's coat lifted slightly, then fell back down.

After about three minutes, Alexander put away his phone, turned his head, and looked at her, as if he'd known someone was behind him all along.

They looked at each other in silence for a second.

Sophia composed her expression and walked closer, her tone casual. "What are you doing here?"

Alexander didn't beat around the bush. "Came to see Dwayne."

Sophia's eyes widened slightly.

"He's being held nearby," Alexander said flatly. "If you're curious, I can take you to see him."

Sophia's breathing slowed for a few beats. She thought about it, then nodded. "Okay."

They walked deep into the park. At a corner intersection, there was an inconspicuous door. If you weren't looking carefully, you'd easily mistake it for a storage room or maintenance entrance. There were no signs on the door, and the paint was somewhat old.

Alexander pushed the door open. Inside was a small, empty room. A burly man sat in the corner. Seeing Alexander, he nodded without saying anything.

Alexander gave him a look.

The man bent down and pulled open a barely noticeable panel in the floor, revealing stairs extending downward. Cold air drifted up from below, carrying a damp, stone-like smell.

Sophia stood at the entrance, looked down, took a deep breath, and followed Alexander down.

The stairs weren't long. The further down they went, the colder it got and the darker it became. Only a few scattered small lights embedded in the walls cast a dim yellow glow around them.

"Let me out! Let me out! Please spare me!"

Dwayne's voice, filled with terror and pain, came from somewhere below, echoing in this dark space, sounding particularly eerie.

Mixed with that voice was another thin, hissing sound that brought to mind cold-blooded creatures that were chilling and terrifying.

Sophia frowned slightly. She reached the bottom, stood still, and let her eyes adjust to the light.

Before her was a dark room, slightly larger than the one upstairs. The floor was bare concrete, and the four walls had no decoration.

In the center of the room sat a large, pure black container.

The container's surface was smooth, and it was large enough—probably big enough to hold five adults.

"It hurts! It hurts so much! Don't bite me! Ahhh!"

"Let me out! I'm your father, you'll go to hell for this."

Those sounds were coming from inside that container.

Listening, Sophia felt a fine layer of chills rise along her spine. She turned her head to look at Alexander beside her.

He stood next to the black container, his expression calm, hands at his sides.

"You...?" Sophia started, but the words stuck in her throat. She didn't know how to continue.

"Every three hours, he's let out once," Alexander picked up where she left off, his voice cold. "If he can survive these few days and shows remorse, I might consider letting him continue living."

He paused.

"If not, then this is his fate."

Sophia looked at his profile—that face, so calm it felt somewhat unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar at the same time.

Facing his biological father, yet able to be this ruthless, able to say such things with no struggle in his voice, no mercy.

She knew a bit about what went on inside the Kensington family.

When Dwayne was young, he had many women on the side and ignored Elizabeth and Alexander. Later, when the Kensington Group made good money, he disappeared for ten years with his mistress, leaving Alexander and Elizabeth to hold up the entire Kensington Group. There were even rumors that when he got drunk, he would often beat and scold Alexander as a child.

Alexander had reasons not to acknowledge him as a father.

But perhaps, it wasn't necessary to go this far.

Sophia knew that part of the reason was because of her. This was Alexander's compensation to her, but her biological parents would never come back either.

At this thought, Sophia's heart ached slightly.

The sounds of banging and heart-wrenching screams kept coming from inside the container.

Sophia could imagine what was happening inside even with her eyes closed. She looked away and took a deep breath.

Alexander seemed to sense her emotions and spoke up. "Don't mind it. This is what he deserves."

After saying that, he took two steps toward the stairs. "Let's go up."

Sophia looked at him—that face appeared unclear in the dim light. She pressed her lips together and nodded. "Okay."

Before stepping onto the first stair, Sophia casually said, "Tonight I need to go somewhere. I might be back late. Can you look after Emily for me?"

Alexander's steps paused. He turned his head, his expression changing. "Where are you going?"

"A friend's place," Sophia said without looking at him. "Nothing serious, just might be a bit late."

Alexander stared at her, silent for two seconds. "Okay. Be safe."

Sophia lowered her eyes and didn't respond.

At night, the streets of Emerald Harbor lit up with lights. The crowds gradually dispersed. The area around Sunset Ridge Road was much quieter than downtown. The streetlights were spaced far apart, cutting the street into segments of light and dark.

Sophia left early, took a roundabout route, changed directions twice, and stopped in front of a convenience store. She stood there for a few minutes, using her peripheral vision to scan the street behind her. After confirming no one was following, she started walking again.

She carried a paper bag containing a bowl she'd picked up at an antique market. The glaze looked somewhat aged, but it was a modern reproduction, not worth much money. It was good enough to use as an excuse though.

At the intersection of Sunset Ridge Road, Sophia turned into an alley and found the somewhat old-looking antique shop.

The lights inside were on, somewhat dim. Looking through the glass window, she could see rows of shelves displaying various sculptures, bronze items, and old paintings, standing there quietly, but not a single person in sight.

Sophia paused at the entrance. Seeing no suspicious people around, she walked up the steps, raised her hand, and knocked gently on the door.

After a few minutes, there was no movement.

She waited quietly for a while. The door opened a crack, but still no one appeared.

Sophia frowned, staring at the gap glowing with dim light. She took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked in.