Unloved Unwanted Unstoppable (Seraphina and Dominic) novel Chapter 211

Cynthia watched the direction Seraphina left, her gaze turning venomous.

Seraphina left the pool and headed for the locker room.

After taking a hot shower and changing into dry clothes, she stuffed her wet swimsuit and towel into a bag, preparing to head to the main banquet hall.

However, just as she stepped out of the locker room, she paused.

Outside the fence, a small figure with hair tied in double buns was walking away.

She recognized that light pink tutu.

Lily?

Seraphina frowned. What was Lily doing here?

She looked around but didn't see Dominic or Cynthia, nor was there any sign of a nanny.

She instinctively chased after the girl. "Lily!"

But the little figure acted as if she hadn't heard, walking forward at a steady pace.

Seraphina quickened her steps. "Lily Lockwood!"

The child still didn't look back.

Seraphina's heart pounded. Around the corner at the end of this path was Harvey's snake vivarium.

When Vivian had shown her around earlier, she had glanced at the park's map and knew they kept a lot of reptiles over there.

A knot tightened in her chest.

"Lily! Don't go that way!" She broke into a run.

The small figure disappeared around the corner.

When Seraphina reached the bend, she saw the metal door of the vivarium half-open, and the child's silhouette flashed through the entrance.

"Don't go in there!" Seraphina shouted, rushing inside after her.

She wanted to pull the girl out, but there was no one in sight.

The interior was cold, damp, and reeked of blood and raw meat.

Dozens of glass tanks and wire cages lined the walls. Under the dim yellow lights, she could see coiled shadows slowly slithering inside them.

She scanned the room but couldn't spot the little pink dress.

Clutching her phone, she pressed her back against the freezing metal door. The rustling sounds from the cages around her were growing louder, multiplying.

Something slipped out of a cage and began a slow descent down the wall.

Seraphina turned her head and gasped. A mottled snake, as thick as her arm, was winding its way down the corner right next to her. Its tongue flicked rapidly before it suddenly lunged at her, its scales gleaming with a cold, predatory light in the gloom.

She dodged backward, trying to keep her footsteps silent, held her breath, and slowly inched toward a window.

Then she screamed outside, "Help! Is anyone there? Help!"

But no matter how long she waited, not a single voice replied.

More movement echoed from every direction, and the metallic stench in the air grew stifling.

Flicking tongues were everywhere, glinting menacingly.

Seraphina's pulse raced wildly, but she forced herself to stay calm.

No one was coming. She had to save herself.

She quickly scanned her surroundings and spotted several drums of oily liquid stacked in a corner, with a fire starter resting nearby.

The tide of snakes was closing in.