"I want to hear it from him!" Adrian shot back, his voice rising. "Call him. Let me speak to him directly. Let him say it to my face… that I mean nothing to him. He is the only one I want to call, so dial the number!"
He shouted. "So call him."
The guards looked at each other, a flicker of hesitation passing between them. They hadn't expected him to demand a direct line. They knew if they called, the lie would fall apart, but they had their orders to keep the psychological pressure high.
"Since you've decided not to call anyone who actually gives a damn about you," one of them sneered, "then I guess you've chosen to stay here forever."
Adrian didn't say another word. He just watched them with hollow eyes as they left, the door locking behind them with a final, heavy click.
Once outside, the guard immediately called Iris. When she answered, he explained the situation, how Adrian had refused to reach out to his family or any other contact.
