Vicky tightly grasped the icy iron bars. "Do you know the reason Tyler and I broke up?"
"I heard you lost your memory, and I guess it's true," the maid said, standing against the light, her expression obscured by darkness.
"Ms. Shaw, back then, you were truly too naive and were completely deceived by Missus Hart. You thought she'd treat Tyler well and love him...but you couldn't be more wrong."
She took a few steps back, surveying the cage before her and whispering softly, "Back then, Tyler was locked in a cage by Missus Hart, just like you are now..." A peculiar smile appeared on her face. "You painfully sacrificed your love and broke up with him, unaware that you were pushing him into a treacherous abyss and a realm of despair."
Vicky was shaken. "What are you saying?"
The woman crouched down to meet Vicky's gaze, her voice slow and gentle. "Mister Tyler suffered a great deal here... Missus Hart was afraid of leaving any evidence, so she couldn't resort to obvious means. To torture him, she devised various cruel methods... First, she had someone lock him in the cage, depriving him of water, food, and sleep. Every time he was about to fall asleep, she'd turn on the basement lights and shine them on him. But you see, without water and food, a person will die. Upon someone's suggestion, Missus Hart came up with other methods..."
The woman smiled slyly. "Missus Shaw, have you ever heard of the phrase 'ice and fire'?"
Vicky's fingers trembled. "What is that?"
"Missus Hart had many blocks of ice brought in. She made Mister Tyler wear minimal clothing and set the air conditioning to the lowest temperature. When his body reached its limit, she switched to 'fire', where she dressed Mister Tyler in the thickest clothes, lighting up the surrounding fireplaces to blow hot air at him... This repeated cycle is called 'ice and fire'."
Tears welled up in Vicky's eyes, feeling as though a hand had tightened around her heart.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Loving You In Secret (Vicky and Tyler)
Awesome story but too long winded...