Gabby lay shivering on the hard, cold basement floor. Fear clutched at her heart as she thought about what might happen to her. She couldn't believe this was happening to her - locked up like an animal. Her mind wandered back to a conversation with one of the maids that had served her breakfast earlier that day. The maid had been kind but also scared and unsure of what would happen to Gabby. When asked if the man who had brought her here was a monster, the maid had hesitated before answering.
"He's stern, hard, and always isolated," the maid had said. "He punishes when we are wrong, so it all depends on what you have done."
Gabby knew she hadn't done anything wrong, but she couldn't say the same for her father. Apparently, he owed this man money, and now they were using her as leverage to get paid. Tears filled her eyes as she wondered how long she would be trapped in this nightmare.
Gabby's body was on fire, but she felt a chill run down her spine. The darkness in the basement had been unyielding and time seemed endless. Her light dress did nothing to keep her warm and as each minute passed, she grew weaker.
Suddenly, the door creaked open and Mary, the maid, entered with dinner. She saw Gabby huddled up and realized that something wasn't right. As the dim light from the door illuminated her skin, Mary noticed that it had paled compared to earlier when she had come in.
Mary immediately put the tray of food down and placed her hand on Gabby's forehead. It was burning up! Mary hurried out of the room to grab medication and a blanket for poor Gabby who was shivering uncontrollably. As she waited for Mary's return, Gabby drifted in and out of consciousness.
Gabby was lying unconscious and motionless when Mary returned with the bodyguards. With great care, they lifted her out of the dark and gloomy basement and carried her up the stairs to a guest bedroom. Moments later, Doctor Rick arrived to check on Gabby's condition. His curiosity was piqued as he asked Mary, "What happened to her?"
Mary hesitated before answering, "She spent the night in the basement."
"The basement?" the doctor asked incredulously. "Who is she, and why would she sleep there?"
Mary firmly replied, "I'd rather not say."
The doctor chuckled, "Let me guess, Christopher's latest hobby has taken to locking girls up in basements? Is she some kind of maid?"
Mary simply said, "No, sir."
The doctor was perplexed, "So Christopher brought in a stranger and locked her up for no reason? Why?"
Mary coolly replied, "Those are questions you should ask him yourself."
Worried for Gabby's well-being, Mary asked, "Will she be okay?" hoping for some reassurance.
"Well," the doctor responded, "as long as she takes her medication and eats and definitely doesn't get locked up in that basement, sure she will be fine." He tried to ease Mary's fears.
After Mary expressed her gratitude, Rick made his way to Christopher's study. Upon knocking softly, he was invited inside. Christopher immediately asked about Gabby's condition, to which Rick gave him the assurance that she would be fine as long as she didn't return to the basement. However, Rick's gut told him that there was more to this story than Christopher was letting on.
Rick asked Christopher, "Who is she? I know you wouldn't welcome a girlfriend by locking her in a basement."
Christopher glared at Rick, clearly unhappy with the line of questioning, and snapped, "She's nobody." Rick felt his blood boil at the callousness of Christopher's words. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check.
As Rick walked out of the room, Christopher's mind began to drift to a different topic - finding a wife. A sly smile crept onto his face as he pondered what he wanted in a woman. He wanted someone who was naive and malleable, someone who would be obedient to him. He wondered if Gabby could be the solution to his search for a wife.
Then, he remembered Gabby's sister, who had come earlier offering to do anything to pay off her debts. Christopher wondered if he could ask her to marry him in exchange for paying off her debts. The idea seemed perfect; once they were married, he wouldn't need to see her or interact with her in any way other than carrying his name. It was the ultimate solution that would satisfy both parties involved.