Two weeks after Imogen’s arrival, Lincoln observes her and Pierre in the kitchen. When Pierre tells Imogen they are out of her usual oatmeal, she appears anxious about choosing a different breakfast. Pierre suggests pancakes, which surprises her, and he happily begins to cook. As he does, Imogen and Lincoln share a prolonged, intense gaze from across the room, which is only broken when Pierre serves the food.

Later that night, Lincoln finds Imogen reading by the fire in the library. He stands in the shadowed doorway; he is not wearing his mask but feels comfortable because the room is too shadowy and dim for Imogen to make out his scarred face. She approaches him without fear, and he allows himself to gently touch her cheek. She leans into his hand, but he quickly pulls away, reminding her that he is a monster. He says goodnight and leaves, but her soft reply nearly makes him turn back. He forces himself to keep walking, remembering an unspecified promise he made to her father.

Lincoln finds his desire for Imogen is increasing. One day, after living him for nearly a month, Imogen approaches to ask for sanitary pads. Realizing she has her period and is in pain, Lincoln immediately volunteers for the two-hour drive to the nearest town. Hy purchases pads, Advil, several types of candy, and a calendar so Imogen can track her cycle.

Back at the house, he gives the items to Imogen. She is visibly moved by his thoughtfulness. Overwhelmed by his desire for her and conscious of the power imbalance between them, Lincoln quickly leaves.

Late that night, Lincoln finds Imogen awake and in pain from cramps. He brings her a hot water bottle, a remedy she has never seen before, and sits on the bed to place it on her abdomen. When a thunderstorm begins, she becomes frightened and asks him to stay with her. Lincoln understands her fear, recalling the violent storm on the night her father was killed 18 years ago—the same night he found a three-year-old Imogen and her mother hiding in the woods.

He agrees to stay, and they watch a zombie movie. She tells him she was rarely allowed to watch television growing up and that her favorite book was The Secret Garden. She admired the characters for their bravery. Lincoln sits with her, fighting his physical attraction.

Imogen feels a pang of sadness when the movie ends, as it means Lincoln will leave. The thunderstorm triggers a vague, distressing childhood memory of being trapped and wet. After Lincoln goes, she is left with a deep, aching longing for him, which she connects to the romantic scene in the movie. She thinks about masturbating but stops herself, recalling the lessons of her former caretaker, Larissa, who taught her that female pleasure was a weakness. Instead, Imogen buries her face in the pillow Lincoln used, breathes in his scent, and falls asleep dreaming of a faceless hero.

Lincoln calls Harriet Hardman, an antiques dealer in New York whom he has worked with before. He asks her to find a first-edition copy of The Secret Garden, specifying that it is a gift and money is no object. He arranges for payment and has the book shipped to a P.O. box. He reflects on Imogen’s ability to find joy in small things, feeling that while he cannot give her the world she deserves, he can bring elements of joy.

Five days later, Imogen remains consumed by fantasies about Lincoln. In the library, she discovers a beautiful, leather-bound copy of The Secret Garden waiting for her. Inside is an inscription: “For Imogen. Who is braver, stronger and more courageous than any character from any story ever written.” (106) She is overwhelmed with emotion when Lincoln enters and confirms he left it for her. He insists he meant the words he wrote, which intensifies her attraction to him, but he dismisses her and returns to his work.

Feeling rejected, Imogen goes to the garden and finds Pierre. She asks if he resents her presence, and he admits he would rather she weren’t there, but only because he wishes she were living a free and happy life elsewhere. He gives her the affectionate nickname “mon chou” (my little cabbage). Imogen considers that she might be able to find happiness in her current life, and wonders if it would be worth sacrificing her freedom.

Believing his presence is preventing Imogen from healing, Lincoln decides to stay away. He leaves in his plane that night without telling anyone. Upon landing, Lincoln meets with Edgar North, an ally who helps him with his project of destroying the Brotherhood. Edgar provides him with a car and supplies, and Lincoln drives alone to a farmhouse in Appalachia. Lincoln is on a mission to rescue another woman from the auction, Lot 17, who was bought by a meth dealer named Henry Finch.

Arriving at his destination, he silently infiltrates the house, killing two guards. He overhears Finch’s men speaking crudely about the girl before one of them, Billy, goes into her room. Lincoln follows, interrogates, and then kills Billy. He finds the young woman, Leah, injured and in a catatonic state. He gives her clothes and promises to get her out.

Leah is terrified and begs for a weapon. Lincoln reluctantly gives her a gun. When they attempt to sneak out, they are discovered, and a firefight breaks out. Leah kills two men, and Lincoln kills another. Leah leads him through a basement passage to a barn, but they are cornered. Just as Henry Finch is about to execute Lincoln, Leah shoots and kills him. They escape in an armored SUV. In the car, Lincoln tells Leah he is taking her to a safe house where she can start a new life. When she asks how to repay him, he tells her to live the best life she can.

Lincoln has been gone for a day, and Imogen misses him. To distract herself from her romantic fantasies, she looks for a book in the library and finds a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover. She recalls Larissa warning her that the book was sinful. As she reads, she is captivated by the tender and passionate relationship depicted. The mutual desire and connection between the characters is a revelation compared to the crude, one-sided portrayals of sex in the videos Larissa showed her as part of her “training.” Overwhelmed by her own longing to be touched with such passion, Imogen closes the book.

Feeling lonely, Imogen knocks on Pierre’s door and asks if he would like to have hot chocolate with her. He agrees, and she brings two mugs to his sitting room. He invites her to watch his movie, The Avengers, as long as she remains quiet. Imogen, completely unfamiliar with the story, immediately begins asking questions. Realizing her lack of pop-culture knowledge, Pierre decides to give her a proper introduction to the Marvel universe, starting with Iron Man. He uses the remote’s voice command to start the film, which astonishes Imogen. After watching, she is enthralled and agrees to watch the sequel with him the next night. She leaves feeling peaceful and content, recognizing that while her time with Lincoln is thrilling and intense, she has found a true friend in Pierre.