Third Person’s POV
Vincent approached Agatha with a question, asking if she wanted to escape. However, Agatha had a different idea in mind. She expressed her desire to witness the conclusion and refused to be labeled as a coward. This response from Agatha influenced Vincent's decision. Just like her, he wanted to be brave and face the truth. As a result, he agreed to assist Brett.
Brett requested Vincent's help in returning to Grim Mansion and searching for a hidden door in the Wine cellar.
As soon as Vincent entered the house, the old maid, Gina, was taken aback and exclaimed, "Young master?!"
Vincent greeted her warmly, asking, "Oh, how are you Ms. Gina?"
In response, Gina bowed courteously and replied, "I'm fine. Oh my gosh. It's been a long time since I saw you."
"Yeah, actually, I came here because I forgot something," Vincent answered.
The maid responded, “Really? Then, let me call your father first to say that y…”
"No. Please don’t. Don’t tell him that I came here," Vincent ordered.
Gina nodded her head as she sighed. All servants in the Grim mansion are aware that Vincent ran away from home because he had a fight with his father.
“Noted, young master,” Gina agreed.
“I actually,” he said, then looked at the CCTV around their house.
Technically, if someone put cameras around, it is either he’s protecting someone or he does not trust the people in the place. Whatever the case, Vincent will find it today.
“I miss this specific wine from our wine cellar," he continued.
“What wine? I will go and get it for you, young master.”
“No. I know that Miss Gina is a busy person. So, let me do it myself."
“Okay, young master.”
“You also don’t need to guide me. I can do it alone.”
With that, Vincent successfully entered the wine cellar.
According to Brett, they found a secret door behind a huge painting hanging in the wall.
Vincent swiftly located the painting, which was not difficult to find due to its large size. He gazed at the artwork, recalling that it was the same painting his father had purchased at an auction for a whopping $1,000,000. Vincent couldn't believe that such an expensive piece was hidden away in the wine cellar.
"My father wouldn't have hidden this here without a reason," Vincent muttered to himself.
Approaching the painting, he positioned himself on either side and with a grunt, lifted it up. "Argh!" he exclaimed as he moved it to the side.
Even though he had been informed about the secret door behind the painting, seeing it in person left him speechless.
"Damn," he sarcastically whispered.
Vincent had been living in this house for almost half of his life. But it was only recently that he discovered a secret room hidden beneath their home. This discovery made him even more convinced that his father was keeping something from him.
There was a password lock on the door, and Brett couldn't figure out what password Vincent's dad would have used. As his son, Vincent thought he might be able to guess the code.
The first thing that came to Vincent's mind was his father's birthday.
He tried using the six-digit numbers of Ian's birthday, but it didn't work. Next, he attempted his favorite numbers, but still no luck. On his third try, he used the numbers his father used when he was gambling.
Even on his tenth try, the door remained locked.
Vincent persisted until he reached his tenth attempt.
He let out a sigh before glancing up at the CCTV camera he had disabled before entering the room. It wouldn't be long before a servant noticed that the CCTV was turned off.
“I’ll be caught by that time,” he worried.
Vincent was on the verge of giving up when he suddenly remembered he hadn't tried using that person's birthday. Despite doubting that his dad would use it, he decided to give it a shot. With a deep breath, Vincent entered the six numbers into the password lock once more.
2, 4, 9, 3, 5, 8.
And just like that, the door clicked open.
"Damn," Vincent let out a frustrated sigh as he stared at the door cracked open. It was hard to believe. He actually managed to solve the puzzle!
There was a brief moment of pride that washed over him. However, the feeling of excitement quickly faded. The darkness beyond the door beckoned him to enter.
Vincent did not waste his time staring at the unfamiliar space before him. He stepped in, adjusting his sight at the dim. He can still his surrounding, but he cannot move freely as much as he wants as the darkness. There are just things you can handle during day that became ominous in the dark.
He felt a lump in his throat as he stepped into the frigid place.
It's not the darkness itself that's terrifying, but rather the unknown that it conceals. It made him feel exposed and defenseless, unable to detect any potential dangers lurking nearby.
Vincent quickly dialed Brett's number on his phone. After a few rings, Brett picked up the call.
"Hey Vincent, what's up?"
"0, 8, 1, 7, 6, 0. That's the door's passcode," Vincent said, his hand nervously rubbing his arm.
The air was icy, as if there was a hidden winter beneath the surface. He couldn't tell if it was the actual temperature or if the place just had an eerie vibe.
"You actually opened it!?" Brett exclaimed on the other end of the line.
"Yeah, I'm inside now. And..."
Vincent paused his steps, squinting his eyes towards a faint light at the end of the hallway.
"It's pitch black here," he shared. "But I can see lights at the end."
Silence filled the line.
His cautious footsteps echoed against the walls as he made his way towards the light. But as he reached the end, he realized that the signal had been lost and his call with Brett had ended abruptly.
Vincent completely forgot about the call. Instead, his attention was fixated on the woman sitting in the corner of the concealed room. The room itself had a bed on one side and a small table in the middle. In the corner, there was a washing sink and a toilet bowl. Vincent couldn't tear his eyes away from the lady, who had her slender arms and feet chained to the wall.
She was crawling on the ground, tightly hugging her knees, as if the slightest noise would drive her insane.
"Hello?" Vincent greeted, trying to break the silence.
The woman flinched, startled by his voice.
Vincent's hands trembled uncontrollably. He couldn't believe that his own father would keep a woman captive beneath their house. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and mustered the courage to face the woman once more.
"Who... who are you?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Slowly, the woman lifted her face.
The moment Vincent recognized her, his knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, mouth agape and tears streaming down his face.