It was all a matter of time. Violet had proved useless and there was no reason to keep her here except to bait the one person that had consumed my experiment at the age of twelve. He was the sole reason behind my madness and I knew he would track her down if he knew she was alive.

It didn't take me long to realize that the boy that had been in her room the time I visited her all those months ago looked familiar. He was the boy that had called for his friend Joseph when they'd destroyed my experiment on a day I was so excited to be part of.

I left her awake this time and walked upstairs. My basement could get rather stuffy sometimes and I needed some fresh air if I was going to continue my research. I would perfect the formula once again, present it, and gain all the success and wealth so I could quit my job as a professor of ethics.

I walked toward my kitchen, pouring myself a glass of water. Violet might need water, so I brought her some water and headed downstairs. She was groggy when I approached her, clearly dehydrated, and her hair was a mess.

She's my daughter. Maybe I should offer her a bath.

"Violet, I'm sorry. Sweetheart." I said, holding the water to her mouth so she would drink. She quickly drank the water and I considered getting her another cup. Nah, I'm too lazy to walk back upstairs.

"Look, I'm going to get you another cup of water if you call your friend Aaron and tell him where you are." I smiled, "he can come pick you up and you're all set, okay?" I smiled at her as she shook her head.

I wondered if she knew the reason why I wanted him there. Or if she had been awake enough to realize I was doing nothing to her. The only way to make sure she never tells anybody about this experience is if I bluff.

"N...no dad. He won't come." She said as I felt anger bubbling inside me.

"And why not?" I asked, tossing the cups aside and staring at her. She looked so weak and frail, I could break her in half like a twig.

"He won't." She muttered as I walked over to her. If I hurt her, she won't do as I ask.

"Okay, look Violet. I'm going to untie you and let you upstairs to shower. But before I do, I want to let you know that if you try to escape, the tracking chip I installed inside you will release the toxin into your bloodstream and you will die in minutes." I said, watching the fear fill her eyes as tears began streaming down her face. "And while you're going upstairs, eat as much food and water as you'd like, you look so pale sweetheart."

I was bluffing, but there was no way for her to know that. I needed to keep her here to bait the true mind read. I had been training for weeks to blank my mind at will. I'd have to test the waters first.

I was almost certain that the boy was in fact the same one that had destroyed my experiment. It explained the link between him and my daughter, because nobody could ever really like her that much.

She nodded as I walked behind her and cut the zip ties, accidentally cutting her. Oops.

"I apologize dear, come with me, I'll show you where the shower is." I quickly led her upstairs, helping her up each time she tripped. "There are clothes in the drawer as well as a towel that I took from our house. You can call your friend if you'd like, your phone is in there too."

With that, I quietly left and headed back downstairs, hoping she wouldn't be stupid enough to leave and have my bluff be proven as just a bluff.

In case you're interested in getting the totally edited/revised/changed paperback version of this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Read-Minds-ebook/dp/B08RYV11F2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=veronica+Soliman&qid=1609863783&sr=8-3

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)