Cruel Captive Experiment on My Anniversary Chapter 03

Cruel Captive Experiment on My Anniversary Chapter 03 Anniversary of Mom’s death
My superior’s voice crackled through the line—calm, detached, “Welcome back.” A wave of complex emotion washed over me. Ten years ago, I joined a top-secret research program as a special asset. My cover—a marriage to Adrian Cross. From the shadows, I fueled his career with my breakthroughs. The very drug that could save me was my creation. The irony was savage. He was handing my life’s work to Lydia. Tomorrow, our anniversary, the day my identity would finally be revealed. I’d planned to tell him everything then. Now, none of it mattered anymore. The date on the calendar stood out: the anniversary of my mother’s death. Before I left, I needed to see her. I dragged my broken body to the cemetery. But when I reached her plot, I froze. Her headstone was gone. In its place stood one with the photo of a German Shepherd. “Mom? Mom… where are you?” I clung to it, my voice shaking, panic rising inside me. A groundskeeper in stained work clothes watched me, his eyes filled with pity. “Ma’am, your husband was here last month with a young woman. She said she wanted a nice resting place for her pet. And, well—your husband offered to move your mother’s grave. Said the drainage ditch out back would be perfect. He told her that her smile was worth more than anything.” My legs gave way. I fell to my knees, tears soaking the earth beneath me. His words made it clear. Adrian and Lydia had done this. But why? Wasn’t she her mother too? How could she be so heartless? That ditch—filthy, reeked. How could my mother rest in such a place? Heat pulsed through my body, fever and pain clawing under my skin, but none of it hurt like this. I knelt in the mud, staring at the wretched patch of ground where my mother now rested—overgrown, reeking of decay. My phone rang, sharp and sudden. Adrian. “Where are you?” His voice was sharp, urgent. “The doctor said you’re still recovering. Why did you leave the hospital?” “I’m at the cemetery, visiting my mother.” My voice came out thick with tears. He paused, clearly noticing my mood, then his tone changed. “Wait for me. I’ll be right there.” Adrian rushed over soon after. He reached to hug me, but hesitated at the sight of the mud staining my clothes. “Don’t run off like that. It’s dangerous.” He pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing at my tear-streaked face. ” This cemetery has good alignment. Wherever your mother rests, she’ll be at peace. Don’t cry.” I watched him in silence, a hollow sorrow filling me. I remembered this man years ago, kneeling at this grave, swearing to my mother he would give me a good life. Now, it was all lies. The past was a ghost, and the man before me a stranger. A little while later, Ethan showed up. “Mom, you scared us, running off like that.” Looking at his innocent face, I fought to bury the memory of his words outside the ICU. I clung to the son I remembered—the one who stayed up all night when I had a fever, who ran to me after every exam, waving his grades with pride. Now, those memories were shards of glass in my heart. Every warm moment turned into a blade, driving deeper. “Here, Mom, drink this. It’s a special remedy. It’ll help you.” Ethan held out a cup of murky brown liquid, lifting it to my lips. As I moved to drink, I saw his other hand pass a small, leathery sheet of paper to Adrian. I could just make out a faint birthmark on its surface. But Adrian showed no reaction. He simply lit the leathery paper and tossed it into the flames. A chill of suspicion crept up my spine—then a clear voice cut through the air behind me. “Serena.” I turned. There stood Lydia, not far away.