Chapter 3 – Where did you go last night?

Iris called her friend, Chelsea Green, before leaving the villa.

"My battery is dying, so I'm sending my location and a selfie of how I'm dressed. Just come and get me," she said.

She quickly sent her location and selfie, hoping Chelsea would recognize her disguise.

However, her phone started buzzing with calls and messages, and she wasn't sure if Chelsea saw or received the information.

Fortunately, Iris managed to escape from the villa without being seen by the maids.

However, she couldn't avoid the security men at the gate. Luckily, they simply stared at her without stopping her.

After a short walk, Iris spotted her car approaching from a distance. Chelsea stepped out and embraced her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Iris. We searched for you, I swear," Chelsea said, patting her on the back for comfort.

Chelsea was one of Iris's best friends, along with her sister. They also lived across the street from Iris's house in the Poconos.

"It wasn't your fault, and you didn't leave without me," Iris forced a smile when she noticed Chelsea's questioning gaze after they pulled away.

Leading her to her car, Chelsea opened the back door for her due to the oversized shirt she wore over her dress.

"We had no intention of leaving without you. I simply allowed Gianna to go ahead and inform our parents that we were safe.”

“After that, I patiently waited for you at the bar's car park, hoping that you would respond to our calls. Luckily, it's only a short ten-minute drive from here."

"Thanks, but where is June?" Iris asked worriedly since she had left June at the club. In spite of all that happened to her, the well-being of her friends mattered to her a lot.

Iris removed the linen she used to cover her head as a hijab from before, and Chelsea panicked, asking,

"What happened to you? Did he hurt you or something?" The hickeys were terrifying.

As a pool of tears fell from Iris's eyes, Chelsea felt guilty for not handling the situation wisely. She sat beside Iris on the back seat and consoled her.

"It's alright. There is always a first time for everyone."

Iris shook her head and spoke through tears, "He called me a prostitute, threw money at me, and forced emergency pills down my throat."

She had never met any man as heartless as the one who owned this villa.

Chelsea froze and pulled away, her gaze filled with anger.

"What the hell! Who does he think he is?" She quickly stepped out of the car and headed towards the gate where Iris was standing before.

"He's not here. He already left," Iris shouted after her, but Chelsea continued towards the security guard and inquired,

"Who is the owner of this house?"

The security guard glared at her, as if she was playing with fire.

"Mr. Garvin Berret, but he's not home at the moment."

The only reason he answered her question was because he had seen his boss drive Iris into the villa the previous night, and they had witnessed Chelsea picking her up.

He had no idea about the relationship between their boss and that woman, as their boss had never brought any woman home before. He thought it best to be cautious.

Chelsea froze upon hearing that name. Both she and Iris had connections to their parents' companies in New York City, so they were familiar with most of the CEOs.

However, Garvin Berret was the only CEO that seemed to have no information available in the media.

Apart from his name and company, nothing else was known about him, including his family or friends. The mystery surrounding this man sent a shiver down Chelsea's spine, and she couldn't help but wonder how Iris ended up with him.

Feeling helpless, Chelsea fought back tears. She knew better than to go against Garvin Barret, the one CEO even her father wouldn't dare to cross.

With clenched teeth, she hurried back to her car, afraid of even crossing paths with him. She quickly took a seat and tried to compose herself.

"I just went to get drinks and use the restroom. Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" She hit the steering wheel and asked, surprising Iris.

Chelsea had always been wild, but Iris didn't expect such a reaction from her given the circumstances.

“Honestly, Chelsea, I can't remember how I ended up in this house," Iris admitted, sensing Chelsea's anger intensify. However, this time, her anger was directed towards their friend, June.

"I think that bitch must have drugged you. I had my suspicions. It has to be June. I swear, I'll confront her," Chelsea threatened, her tone serious. Iris felt lost and unsure of what to do.

"Chelsea, we don't have any proof. I think I just had too much to drink. Let's just go home. I despise this neighborhood as much as I despise the owner of that house," Iris said bitterly, the memories still fresh in her mind.

Chelsea started the car and pressed on the accelerator, but her anger still lingered as she spoke while driving.

“The owner of that house is Garvin Barret. How did you come across him, Iris? Maybe we should have stayed at the party," Chelsea said, her voice filled with regret.

Iris's body tensed as memories of the previous night flooded her mind, causing fresh tears to stream down her face. It seemed as though both last night and today were plagued with misfortune.

Although she had heard of Garvin Barret before, she had never known what he looked like. There were no pictures nor information about him online.

However, after their encounter, she understood why even the media hesitated to cross him and why he accused her of spying on him.

Nevertheless, his ruthless actions could never be justified.

"It's already happened, and it's over now. Let's just forget about it. But you still haven't told me where June is," Iris asked once again, worried that their friend might be in a similar predicament.

“She left, and that's why I'm convinced she drugged you. She's scared to face you," Chelsea said angrily, determined to teach her a lesson.

However, Iris didn't believe that June was responsible for her troubles, sadly rebuking, "Chelsea, you don't have any proof."

Chelsea acknowledged that Iris had a valid point, as all she had were suspicions.

"You're right, but I'm sorry. I should have been there for you. I shouldn't have gone to the washroom with Gianna. We should have taken turns.”

“I'm so sorry this happened to you while I was supposed to be watching out for you," she sincerely apologized, feeling saddened by her inability to help.

Iris shook her head, not blaming anyone but herself. She was angry at herself for being attracted to the mysterious man's good looks.

"Please, Chelsea, let's just forget about it. The man is heartless, and I never want to see him again in my life," she said bitterly.

The rest of the journey was silent, and fortunately, they arrived at Iris's home, where security personnel and investigators were present.

Chelsea remembered the numerous times Iris's mother had called, promising to inform her as soon as she found Iris, but she had completely forgotten about it.

She was also certain that her sister Gianna hadn't informed them; otherwise, these people wouldn't be here.

Guilt consumed her as she remembered the distress in Iris's mother's voice on the phone. Everything had happened so quickly the night before, and Iris had disappeared before her mother could reach her.

"Iris, I think your dad is going to confront us today," Chelsea bit her lip, trying to hold back from saying more, as she watched a group of men approaching the car.

Anger surged through Iris as she responded,

"Thanks, Chelsea, but I think you should go home. This is between my dad and me, and I don't want you to get involved in this mess." Iris forced a smile and spoke.

She was still furious with her father for treating her like a commodity to be sold.

However, as Chelsea recalled the events of the previous night, she felt compelled to stand by her best friend.

"No, we stand together," Chelsea insisted, stepping out of the car and walking towards the men, but Iris quickly caught up and grabbed her, urging her to stay put.

"Please, your parents must be worried sick too," Iris said with concern, which resonated with Chelsea.

None of the girls had ever spent a night away from the safety of their homes, even though they were adults, so this situation felt significant.

Yeah, we'll fill you in on what happened after you left later," Chelsea said, embracing her once more.

"Yeah, let's talk later," Iris agreed, her expression filled with sadness.

After graduating from Harvard University with first-class honors two years ago, they dedicated themselves to helping their family's businesses, utilizing the knowledge they had gained.

Getting involved with men was the furthest thing from their minds, but going to Club 112 was June's idea.

"Gotcha," Chelsea said, taking a few steps before stopping. "Car keys," she said, tossing them to Iris, who caught them effortlessly.

Iris dismissed the few investigators and hurried to her room to change before meeting her father.

She succeeded, but as soon as she turned on the light, she discovered a man sleeping on her couch, who was abruptly awakened by the sudden brightness.

Her anger flared as she glared at the middle-aged man with short, curly blonde hair. He snarled,

"Care to explain where you disappeared to last night?"