Chapter 11

While driving, Clifford promptly informed Hugh dutifully, “But sir, you have a dinner appointment with the President… They are already… waiting for you…” “Shut up.” Hugh’s voice was serious. He gripped the phone tightly in his hand, so much so that the tips of his knuckles turned pale and white. Clifford instantly held his tongue. He barely had to guess what had prompted Hugh to head to Royal Palace so suddenly. Something must have happened to Miss Baron over there. Even after working for Hugh for so long, Clifford had never seen Hugh so perturbed no matter what sort of dire business situation arose. Even when Olenna Snow was hospitalized, his reaction was mild. However, things changed when it came to Miss Baron. Soon, the car swung back the other way and began racing down the road. - Hugh brought his men with him and marched to private room 999. Clifford was the one who dutifully opened the door for him. The room was empty save for Iris. She was still lying on the block of ice with countless banknotes scattered around her. Her body seemed far more bruised than it was in the picture, and her breath was faint to the point of being nonexistent. Boom... Hugh felt a storm erupt inside his head! “Find out who Rose is working with! Make sure they receive the same treatment and double it up, just make sure they don’t die,” Hugh ordered severely as a murderous look overtook his expression. Clifford gasped and answered with his head lowered, “Yes, sir!” Hugh got on his knee and placed his fingertips under Iris’ nose. He could sense very faint breath emanating from her nostrils. It was then that he managed to calm down, even if just slightly. He immediately took her into his arms and quickly strode toward the door, “Call Klein and tell him to get ready for emergency medical assistance.” - Hugh took Iris to the general hospital where Klein, the surgeon-in-charge, attended to her with haste. After her condition stabilized, she was wheeled into a ward. At one point, she had slipped into a dream where she found herself inside the dark cell again. Several women were pushing her around and beating her. They pinched the flesh on the inner sides of her thighs while also kicking her lower abdomen. Rei desperately tried to pry them off of her only to receive the same treatment and was beaten severely. Then, someone took a toothbrush, which had its end sharpened into a makeshift dagger, and aimed it at Iris’ chest. Upon seeing this, Rei threw herself in front of Iris. Just like that, the makeshift blade plunged into Rei’s heart… Iris cried hysterically while holding the dying Rei in her arms. She begged desperately for the prison guards to save her friend. Alas, no one answered her cry for help. Just like that, Rei was gone. In her last moments, Rei weakly wiped away the tears from Iris’ eyes and said with her last sigh and tears in her eyes, “Don’t cry, Iris. It was me who chose to give my life to you. After you leave this place, please take care of my parents. They are the only ones I care about…” Her blood… Poured unendingly. Eventually, her eyes shut forever. “No, no…” The pain drilled into the depths of her existence, overwhelming her dream and drawing her back into consciousness. When Iris snapped her eyes open, she was drenched in sweat. It seemed like she had been crying in her sleep as well. Tears flowed down her cheeks turgidly. The same dream about Rei’s death again. She had lost count of how many times she had had this recurring dream. Every time, she would wake up feeling anguished. “You’re awake.” That was when she heard a familiar, unemotive voice. Despite her vision being misted by tears, she could make out the figure next to the French windows. It was Hugh who was drilling an intense look at her with a darkened face. There was an amber-colored beaded bracelet in his right hand, and its surface gleamed dazzlingly. Iris quickly realized that she was in a hospital. What happened after she passed out? “Did you bring me here?” she asked. Hugh was still furious and did not respond. While fiddling with the bracelet, he slowly walked to Iris before seizing her by the chin. “Iris, you’d do anything for money, won’t you? There’s no line you wouldn’t cross as long as you get paid for it.” Ten minutes before Iris woke up, Clifford called to inform Hugh that he had managed to locate Rose and her accomplices. Rose told him that it was Iris who agreed to do it so long as she got paid! There was no end to Iris’ audacity! For Iris’ part, she had no idea why Hugh was so angry. What right did he have to be so upset anyway? When she thought about it, she suddenly understood. Hugh must be angry that she took the risk of doing something so rash, and it would be terrible if word got out that someone died in Royal Palace. He must be furious at the thought of her ruining the club’s reputation. Now that he brought it up, she suddenly remembered the money. She felt pumped up all of a sudden. While enduring the intense soreness and pain in her body, she sat up and asked nervously, “Boss... Did you take me here? Did you see my money?” There was no time for her to collect the money before she passed out. What if somebody else took it? Then she would have suffered for nothing! This further enraged Hugh. He tightened his grip on her chin furiously and said, “Iris... Is money the only thing you care about?” “That is the only thing I know, as long as I have money... I will do anything as long as I get paid for it,” she said without any tinge of shame in her voice. This further drove Hugh up the wall. With stark insolence, she asked again, “Where’s my money? Have you seen it?” “Iris!” Hugh snapped sharply. Judging by his reaction, Iris figured that he did not notice her money. She had to head back there to find it. Maybe it would still be there. With great difficulty, she writhed out of bed before throwing on a pair of slippers and preparing to head out. “What are you going to do!” Hugh grabbed her wrist fiercely, the anger inside him a bulb of bright flame. “I’m going back there to find my money. With money, I can fulfill the promise I made to that person and repay the kindness shown to me… I have to do this,” Iris blurted. That person? She had only just gotten out of prison and she already found herself a man? Was this the reason she worked to the point of exhaustion, and even throwing away her dignity? Not so she could live a lavish life but to fulfill another man’s whims? This woman and her father had ruined his life. What right did she have to fall in love with someone else and start a new life with that person! Furious, Hugh threw her hard onto the bed and pinned both of her arms above her head. With his other hand, he seized her chin tightly and hissed every word, “You can only stay by my side for the rest of your life and repay the debt you and your father owe! Don’t you ever think about being with someone else! “You better cut off all relations with that man.” His voice was murderous and utterly terrifying. Iris struggled but to no avail. Just like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, she watched as he removed the belt around his waist. Immediately afterward, with one terrible pull, the man had yanked off her pants…