I did not know how long I was unconscious before I woke up.

The cold wind cut across my nearly bare body like knives.

It helped me regain some awareness.

Then I realized I was hanging from a tree.

My feet did not touch the ground. The rope dug deep into my skin.

Quilla held up her phone and aimed it at my face.

The number of viewers was climbing fast. Comments started to scroll.

[What the hell is happening?]

[It’s the middle of the New Year! What’s she doing?]

[What did this woman do? Why is she hanging from a tree? Is this a stunt or something else?]

[Hey, tell us what is going on!]

Quilla grew more excited when she saw the questions.

She held up the police raid notice and the photos of me from the hotel.

The comments changed instantly.

[This kind of person corrupts society. Hanging her like this is too kind!]

[Support the streamer! People like her should be exposed! Let her reputation be destroyed!]

[Nice! This feels so satisfying! Great job, streamer!]

[No mercy for someone like her! Make her pay!]

The screen was full of insults and cheers.

Quilla watched the viewer count rise. Her smile could have split her face in two.

She moved the camera close and gave me a full view of my swollen, bruised face.

I forced out the last bit of strength I had and said, “Quilla, you’re insane. You’ll stop at nothing to frame me. Did you ever think about what would happen if the truth came out?”

Quilla did not get angry. She laughed. She picked up an ice-covered tree branch from the ground, swung it hard, and struck me.

“You shameless woman! Still talking back when death is at your door!”

The branch cut several bloody welts into my body.

I was already numb from the cold. I could barely feel any pain.

After striking me more than ten times, I was still silent.

Seeing her attacks fail, Quilla panted and walked over to Cole. She put on a pitiful look.

“Cole, this woman is so stubborn. Punishing her like this is still too mild.”

Cole stared at my bloody wounds.

He froze for a moment. The last trace of hesitation in his eyes disappeared, and he looked cold and determined.

He took a deep breath and said sharply, “If she’s so shameless and refuses to repent, then brand her face with a mark. Let everyone know what she has done.”

My blood ran cold.

The man I once loved, the one I wanted to spend my life with, could say such cruel words as if they meant nothing.

It felt like a hole had been drilled through my heart, and the cold wind rushed straight in.

Before long, Quilla brought a tool.

She held up a glowing hot branding iron and waved it in front of my face like a threat.

“Sophia, I’ll give you one last minute. If you admit everything now, maybe I can go easy on you.”

She shook the red-hot tip of the iron.

I stared at the phone camera.

I forced out my voice.

“I’ll never admit to something I didn’t do, even if it kills me.

“But you’ll pay for what you did today.”

Quilla’s face turned bright red with fury.

Her eyes hardened. She raised the glowing iron and aimed it at my face.

“Fine! I’ll finish this. You’ll never hold your head up again!”

Just as the tip of the iron was about to touch me, urgent sirens cut through the air.

Several police cars stopped at the gate.

Officers jumped out and ran toward us as fast as they could.

Leading them was Owen.

He pushed through the crowd and searched anxiously until he saw me hanging from the tree, battered and bruised.

His face went pale.

He shouted in fury, “You have some nerve! Do you even know who she is? Put her down right now!”