She saw a face covered in blood and grime. The room’s lighting was dim, so she couldn’t see the person’s features clearly, but she could feel that his gaze was exceptionally sharp and bright. Those pitch-black pupils—it was a color she was familiar with!
Iris’s breath hitched, and she instinctively began to struggle. "Put me down..."
However, William Quinn held her even tighter. He leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against her ear as he asked gently, "Baby, didn’t you recognize who he is?"
Iris tensed all over, subconsciously shrinking away from him. Frowning, she demanded, "Who exactly is he?"
"HAHAHA..."
Originally, William had been quite displeased by her pulling away from his touch, but upon hearing her question, he burst into delighted laughter instead. His blue eyes looked smugly and provocatively into the room at the man sprawling on the floor, clinging to his last breath.
He taunted, "She didn’t even recognize you. You really are a failure. Hahaha..."
"Iris..."
Iris’s heart suddenly clenched. She heard the man inside calling her name. His voice was incredibly hoarse, but she still recognized it. She looked at him in total disbelief. "Nathaniel Monroe?!"
Nathaniel’s head was splitting with pain, and a bitter taste filled his mouth. After William returned, he had ordered his men to force-feed him a pill. He thought it was poison. He thought he was going to die. But to his surprise, he had woken up again not long after.
Upon waking, he heard a familiar voice—the person he yearned for day and night.
He opened his eyes. His vision was swathed in a bloody red hue. He could see her face, but his head hurt agonizingly, as if a hammer were violently smashing against his skull. He struggled to crawl forward. He wanted to save Iris, but at this moment, he was as useless as a cripple.
"Let her go," he managed to roar hoarsely, glaring at William with eyes full of rage.
William didn’t release Iris. Instead, he planted a kiss on her cheek and sneered provocatively, "Who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to dictate our affairs? She is my baby now, and she has nothing to do with you anymore!"
Iris stiffened completely, staring at the man on the floor in sheer disbelief. Her mind went blank, unable to process the situation for a long time.
It was actually Nathaniel!
Suddenly, she began to struggle violently. "Let me go! Let me go!"
Unprepared for her sudden thrashing, William’s grip loosened. He released her hands but still kept an arm wrapped securely around her. "Baby, what are you doing?!"
"Let him go!" Iris grabbed William by the collar with both hands. "Our business has nothing to do with anyone else. Let him go!"
Looking at Nathaniel, who was covered in blood from head to toe, Iris felt her heart break. He used to be such a vibrant, high-spirited young master of a wealthy family! He was always so cheeky, constantly teasing and provoking her. They would always bicker and horse around together.
But now, he was locked up here, tortured by William into a ghost of his former self.
He shouldn’t be here!
Iris was utterly frantic. Her eyes were red, tears welling up in them. She stared at William, repeating over and over, "Let him go..."
Seeing her so agitated, even crying for this man, a dark, sinister cloud settled over William’s handsome, refined face. He cupped her face in his hands, his blue eyes staring at her with deadly seriousness.
"Baby, does your heart ache for him? Are you shedding tears for him?"
Iris’s breath hitched, and her entire body began to tremble in sheer terror.