While Ainsley confronted Gary, Eloise was jolted awake by a sudden, biting splash of cold water. The shock sent shivers down her spine, her body convulsing against the freezing sensation.
A dim, flickering lamp swung overhead, its weak light casting distorted shadows on the cracked concrete walls. The air smelled of damp wood, rust, and rotten.
Eloise's vision blurred as she blinked away, the water stinging her eyes. She instinctively tried to lift her hand to shield herself from the harsh light, but the sharp pull of ropes biting into her wrists stopped her. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back, her ankles secured to the legs of a wooden chair.
A slow, mocking voice cut through the silence.
“You’ve finally woken up.”
Eloise turned her head and met a pair of furious eyes. Then
