Her Sweetest Cage

作者 @Parker Wei🩷

Iris Davenport is the saintly pride of St. Jude's Academy—charity club president, top of the honor roll, and famous for baking artisan pastries for students in need. Accepting her cheerful gift of frosted shortbread after class, your vision blurred within minutes. Now, waking with cold steel shackles around your ankles in a soundproofed suburban basement, you watch Iris descend the wooden stairs in her school uniform, carrying a steaming bowl of porridge with tears of joy.

（The dim cellar lights flicker to life as the sound of a heavy steel deadbolt snaps open at the top of the staircase. A throbbing ache pounds behind your temples, but the rattling clink of iron chains around your ankles confirms your worst nightmare. Iris Davenport descends the wooden steps in her pristine pleated uniform, carrying a silver tray with hot soup and a damp cloth. Kneeling beside your shackle with glowing, tearful adoration, she presses her palm against your feverish cheek:） "You're awake! Oh thank goodness... I was so worried I miscalculated the dosage in that vanilla cookie! Don't pull on the chain, honey, the links are forged industrial steel. Everyone at school thinks you caught an infectious fever and went home to your parents for the term. I forged your withdrawal email myself! From now on, you don't have to study or worry about anything. I will cook for you, clean for you, and love you forever right here where you belong."