Chapter 88

The scent of blood and dampness clung to the air, thick and suffocating. Desperate cries echoed off the stone walls as the restrained men struggled against the ropes biting into their skin. "P-please! Talk to your boss..... We're not the ones he's looking for." One of the men pleaded, struggling against the ropes.  A figure emerged from the shadows, and the man's heart momentarily leaped in hope. But as the dim light revealed the sharp, cold features of Mr. Turner, hope was crushed into dread.  "You'll only speak to my boss when you're ready to tell me who your leader is." Mr. Turner adjusted his glasses, his tone calm yet laced with authority. The man before him was a mess: his face swollen from repeated blows, blood crusting at the corner of his lips. Mr. Turner gave a nod of approval to the guards standing on either side, silently acknowledging their efficiency. "You've been here for a day now," he continued, his gaze sweeping over the other restrained men. "Yet none of you have revealed who hired you to infiltrate Robin College and go after the boss's wife." His gaze roamed the trembling man. "While the men have done a good job in teaching you a lesson for even committing the act in the first place."  "I think it's not yet enough, since you are still not talking." He said, and the man's eyes widened in horror. A choked whimper escaped one of the prisoners as Mr. Turner's hand gestured to the far corner of the room. The flickering light barely illuminated a figure slumped against the wall: Camille Duval. His once-pristine suit was in tatters, his face swollen beyond recognition, his breath faint. "When you look like him," Mr. Turner said, tilting his head toward Camille, "you'll beg to meet my boss. But by then, it will be too late."  Panic spread through the captives like wildfire. They squirmed, frantic whispers passing between them. Then, a new voice cut through the tension. "Is that so?" The room shifted. An oppressive weight descended, suffocating in its intensity. Footsteps echoed against the cold stone floor. The guards stiffened as Adrian stepped into the dim light. Even Camille, who had seemed unconscious, tensed at the sound of his voice. The prisoners' eyes widened, some in relief, most in terror. "S-Sir, it's a pleasure to see you," one of them gasped, his voice trembling with forced gratitude. Adrian didn't respond. Instead, he lifted a hand, and one of the guards immediately passed him a voltage meter box. "For each lie you tell," Adrian said, turning the knob between his fingers, "the voltage will increase." A terrified hush fell over the room. The men looked between one another, their faces pale with realization. They had believed, foolishly, that Adrian might be lenient. Now they understood their mistake. Adrian's gaze was stormy as he asked his first question. "Do you know that man?" He pointed at Camille. The prisoners shook their heads frantically,  Adrian's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. The guards flipped the switch and loud scream tore through the stone walls as electricity surged through their bodies, their muscles seizing violently. When the guards cut the power, their limp bodies slumped forward, panting. The acrid scent of burning flesh filled the room. "Hold them up," he ordered, and the guards adjusted their limp bodies. Their faint pleas for mercy went ignored. "You were seen on footage meeting Camille Duval on the night of the College party," Adrian stated as Mr. Turner stepped forward with a tablet. He played the security feed, showing the captives tailing a shadowy figure into the College grounds.  "You followed someone there......,someone whose scent was later found on my wife's clothes." Another video clip played, revealing the same men scaling a fence near the College's refuse area. Their faces were unmistakable, and their faces drained of color as they stared at the evidence. Adrian let out a cold chuckle, idly adjusting the voltage knob. "The problem with rookies like you is that you think you're irreplaceable." He flicked  his wrist, and the electricity surged through them again. They screamed. "And now that your bosses have noticed you're missing, their next move will be to erase any trace of you that leads back to them," Adrian continued, his voice almost casual. "That leaves you alone, at my mercy." The power shut off again. He stepped forward, leaning in so close they could feel the chill of his presence. "So either you talk," he said, voice low and lethal, "or you take their place. And trust me, after I finish with you, I'll still find them. So choose wisely." The silence that followed was thick with fear. The men exchanged looks before one of them swallowed hard and opened his mouth. "I'll tell you everything." ********************** Adrian stepped into his room, rolling his neck to ease the tension from the evening's events. His sharp eyes landed on Ashleigh, curled up on the couch with her laptop open beside her. He thought she'd gone back to her room after their argument, but clearly, she'd changed her mind. The realization stirred something unnameable in his chest. Ashleigh looked up, startled, before quickly setting her things aside. "Adrian! You're back. Where were you?" Loosening his tie, he walked toward her. "Had business to take care of. And you're still here." "Yeah," she admitted, stepping closer. "I wasn't sure when you'd come back, so I decided to wait." He tilted his head slightly. "Wait for me?" Adrian raised a brow as she bit her lip, drawing his gaze there for a second too long. She took a deep breath. "I wanted to thank you again." He feigned arrogance. "For what exactly?" A faint blush crept up Ashleigh's cheeks. "You know... the scholarship." A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Took you long enough to figure that out." Ashleigh huffed. "It wasn't obvious!" "It was obvious," he countered smoothly. "How else would you have gotten in after the scholarship exams had already closed? Or ended up with the best dorm room?"  He gave her a knowing look. "You didn't want to acknowledge it." Crossing her arms, she pouted slightly. "Either way, thank you. I wouldn't even be in Robin College without your help." For a moment, Adrian said nothing. Gratitude wasn't something he was used to, at least not from Ashleigh. It was almost... unsettling. He shook off the thought, smirking to cover the unexpected flicker of warmth in his chest. "If you're so grateful, does that mean I get another hug?" Ashleigh's face turned crimson as she took a step back. "W-what?" "You heard me," he teased, stepping closer. "You hugged me earlier. And if I recall correctly... you held on just a little longer than necessary. I didn't know my wife was such a cuddler." Ashleigh's ears burned. "That was-! I was just-!" Adrian leaned down slightly, amusement glinting in his eyes as his voice dropped an octave lower. "You were just what?" She scowled, looking away. "I was relieved and excited, okay? I didn't think I'd actually get reinstated." He hummed. "Right. And the hug?" Ashleigh turned abruptly, grabbing her laptop from the table. "Forget I said anything." Adrian chuckled as he watched her huff, clearly flustered. He was starting to enjoy this side of her. She cleared her throat, changing the subject. "I also wanted to tell you... Fiona, James, and Arthur want to have a sleepover to celebrate." He raised an eyebrow. "A sleepover?" "Yes. At my aunt's place." Adrian's fingers curled slightly at his sides. He didn't like the idea of her staying elsewhere overnight, moreso with guys. Still, he kept his face impassive. "And you're telling me this because...?" Ashleigh frowned. "Because I wanted you to know?" His smirk returned. "What's with the sudden change? You're even asking for my permission." She groaned. "This is why I'm not nice to you. You make it impossible!" She moved to walk past him, but he caught her hand, tugging her back slightly. "Did I say no?"  His voice was smooth, teasing. "I'm a nice person, after all, aren't I?" Ashleigh narrowed her eyes. "You're insufferable, Mr. Cagliari." "And yet," he murmured, his grip still light on her wrist, "you hugged me anyway." She let out an exasperated sigh, yanking her hand free before stalking off. Adrian watched her go, amusement playing at the corners of his lips. His little wife was getting far too comfortable around him. And he wasn't sure if that was a problem... or exactly what he wanted. One thing was certain, he enjoyed flustering her a little too much.