Unwanted Girl Spoiled By Billionaire - Chapter 297: Chapter 297

The journey to the lab was uneventful. Everything was strangely smooth, as if the universe was allowing them to pass without a hitch.
As a "transformer," Noelle was highly sensitive to her surroundings. She could sense that they were being followed, and many eyes were trained on them. Was it Nicolas's people? Could Nicolas have already known they were back?
The thought filled her with a brief flicker of hope. But then, she quickly realized something: if she could sense the presence of others, Brandon, with his sharp senses, surely noticed it too. Why, then, was he so calm?
As she thought this, Brandon suddenly chuckled.
Noelle's heart skipped a beat. She looked at him warily and asked, "What's so funny?"
Brandon glanced at her with a smile, radiating warmth and a hint of indulgence. "Noelle, didn't you know? You wear your thoughts on your face. Are you wondering if I've noticed the many 'rats' tailing us? If so, why am I still so calm?"
The realization hit her hard. It was as if he could read her mind, knowing exactly what she was thinking. A chill ran down her spine.
She nervously asked, "If you know we're being followed, why aren't you reacting?"
Brandon gave her a smile and responded, "Why should I react? Like I said, they're just pests in my eyes. If they don't bother me, I'll pretend they don't exist. But if they dare make a move, I'll deal with them. It's that simple."
Noelle was silent, still processing his words. Brandon's voice broke the quiet again as he leaned in playfully. "Noelle, let me ask you something. Do you think your beloved Nicolas will show up at the lab? If he does, what should I do with him, hmm?"
The mention of Nicolas immediately made Noelle tense up. She quickly retorted, "If you hurt Nicolas, I will—"
"Will you fight me? Or die with him?" Brandon interrupted with a mocking smile. "Silly girl, you can't defeat me, but if you really want to die with Nicolas, it's not impossible. As long as you cooperate with me."
"Cooperate with you for another 'memory reading' experiment, right?" Noelle snapped back.
Brandon affectionately ruffled her hair, "You're so clever, Noelle."
Inside, Noelle was seething. She didn't understand why she and Nicolas had to die when Brandon, the one truly deserving of it, still walked free. But the thought was quickly pushed aside as she glanced at Brandon again.
Brandon understood her thoughts all too well. He knew she wanted him dead, and if she dared provoke him, it could make things worse. But when Noelle looked at him, he remained calm, keeping his eyes on the road, showing no sign that he had noticed her internal conflict.
She sighed in relief, but she didn't realize that at that moment, Brandon had indeed caught her subtle shift in mood. His eyes briefly scanned her, but he said nothing, simply driving forward.
When they arrived at the lab, there was no sign of activity. It seemed the people inside had been evacuated in advance—this was a trap.
But Brandon led Noelle inside anyway.
The lab was pitch-black inside. Brandon flicked on the lights, and they walked through the eerily quiet hallways. The sound of their footsteps was the only thing breaking the silence.
Suddenly, Brandon laughed, startling Noelle.
She looked at him warily, but he continued walking, his voice calm. "Noelle, although I despise that man Nicolas, I have to admit, his mind is impressive. When it comes to scheming, he's unparalleled."
Noelle was taken aback. Why was Brandon praising Nicolas? He had always been so arrogant, thinking no one was his equal.
But as she pondered this, they reached the main hall of the lab.
The equipment that had once filled the room was now gone.
Noelle was surprised. Had the lab anticipated Brandon's return? Was everything already planned out?
Suddenly, footsteps echoed around them. In the blink of an eye, they were surrounded by a team of heavily armed special forces. The soldiers carried high-powered machine guns, capable of demolishing walls with a single shot.
Though Brandon could catch bullets from a regular handgun, these machine guns were on an entirely different level. Even he would hesitate to catch a bullet fired from such a weapon.
At that moment, Nicolas stepped forward from the group of soldiers. He remained calm and composed, strolling over as if nothing was amiss. His gaze fell on Noelle, and he smiled at her, saying, "Noelle, as promised, I'm here to rescue you."
Hearing Nicolas's voice, Noelle's heart leapt. She instinctively took a step toward him, but the moment she did, she felt a cold, piercing gaze on her.
She hesitated. Running would only waste her energy. So, with a deep breath, she stayed by Brandon's side.
Brandon, seeing her compliance, smiled and ruffled her hair, "Noelle, you're so understanding."
Noelle was indeed understanding—understanding that she needed to conserve her strength. Brandon had no idea, but she had already loosened the collar around her neck. If the opportunity came, she could escape from him. For now, she just needed to wait patiently for the right moment.
Nicolas, watching Brandon's affectionate gesture toward Noelle, felt a pang of anger. After a deep breath, he turned to Brandon and spoke directly, "Brandon, let's talk terms."
"Terms?" Brandon's eyes narrowed, shifting his focus to Nicolas.
Nicolas continued, "Since you brought Noelle back to the lab, it proves that Bennett's memory chip for you was incomplete. Noelle can never fully obey you. So, why don't we compromise and take a step back?"