On the other side of the ocean.
Time rewound to the day Iris Yates discovered the basement and heard the faint cries for help.
She had been knocked unconscious by the bodyguards. When she woke up again, she found herself locked inside a room. Rushing to the door, she pounded on it desperately. “Is anyone there? Let me out! I want out!”
She knew she hadn’t misheard. She absolutely hadn’t misheard! There was someone calling out to her in the basement! It had to be her friend coming to find her. While she was unconscious, her dreams had been filled with that incredibly faint voice over and over again.
She was thrilled, yet consumed by an immense rage. Her friend had come for her, only to be locked up by William Quinn. He was an animal, a bastard, a monster! How could he do this? He had kidnapped her, and now he had imprisoned her friend too! She hated him!
Iris pounded on the door with all her might. However, even when her palms grew red and numb, the door remained shut, and no one came to check on her. Exhausted, she slid down the wood and slumped onto the carpet. Her hands gripped her dress tightly, her eyes brimming with anger and hatred.
After resting for a while to regain her strength, she walked out onto the balcony. The room was on the fifth floor of the castle. Looking down, the drop was dizzyingly high. The lawn below was perfectly manicured, and a beautifully exquisite garden sat not far away. She grabbed the curtains and yanked them down with all her might. No one could stop her from going down to find him!
She tied the curtains together end-to-end, tossing the makeshift rope over the edge and securing one end tightly to the balcony railing. Taking a deep breath, she vaulted over the edge and began to climb down, gripping the fabric tightly.
“Oh my god!” A servant downstairs widened their eyes in shock at the sight. “Hurry, get the bodyguards! Nothing can happen to Miss Yates!” the servant cried out in a panic.
Very quickly, a massive inflatable cushion was deployed directly beneath Iris. Bodyguards also set up ladders, climbing up to pull her down safely.
By now, Iris had descended to the third floor. She dangled in mid-air like a pendulum, the strength rapidly draining from her arms. Seeing the bodyguards closing in from all sides, she closed her eyes in despair. Her hands gave out. She plummeted instantly, crashing into the giant inflatable cushion. Her body bounced up before sinking back into the soft material. Staring up at the azure sky, she felt entirely drained of energy.
Servants rushed forward to help her up, escorting her back inside the castle.
But she refused to give up!
“Who is it?” she demanded in English, glaring at the bodyguards.
The bodyguards offered no response, only watching her with extreme vigilance.
“Answer me!” Iris roared at them. Her eyes were bloodshot, and tears welled up in them. “Who did William Quinn lock up? Who is it? Tell me!”
Screaming, she struggled violently, trying to make a mad dash back to the basement. But the servants held onto her tightly, making it impossible for her to break free. She was dragged back to a room—this time, one without a balcony. Not long after, she heard the loud whirring of power drills outside. It sounded like something was being welded.
She soon found out what it was. Her previous room’s balcony had been entirely sealed off. Not only that, but a heavy layer of iron bars had been installed outside her new windows. She was trapped inside an iron cage.
He was a bastard! An absolute bastard!
Iris was furious, yet utterly powerless. Slumping onto the carpet, she stared blankly as the sky slowly darkened outside. Eventually, a servant brought in her dinner.
Her voice was hoarse as she spoke. “I want to see William Quinn.”