Margaret’s face lit up with sudden excitement.

"Really? I’ll go greet her right away!"

With a dismissive glance at me, she barked, "Full of lies and nonsense!"

"Get rid of this scumbag. We can’t have President Miller walk in and spoil her mood!"

The only person Margaret ever referred to as "President Miller" was Brenda. Could it really be her?

A lump lodged in my throat, but there was no time for sentimental thoughts.

I had no idea what they intended to do with me, but I knew this was my one shot at freedom.

As the person who had tied me up dragged me toward the door, I seized the moment. In a flash, I slammed my nose into their face, my heart pounding.

The person let out a howl of pain, their grip loosening just enough.

I bolted, my feet pounding the floor as I ran for my life.

But the karaoke bar was dark, the dim lights casting long shadows that blurred my way. I wasn’t familiar with the layout and as I raced forward, my foot caught on a step.

I crashed to the floor with a thud; my body jarred from the fall.

My ankle twisted painfully and my forehead slammed against the stairs, leaving my mind in a haze.

But even in my foggy state, I saw her, Brenda, standing in the shadows, holding a wine glass.

A string of crystals dangled from her wrist, the very same birthday gift I had given her just last year.

I opened my mouth to shout, but before a sound could escape, someone clamped a hand over my mouth, silencing me in an instant.

Brenda glanced in my direction, a flicker of confusion in her eyes, but ultimately, she saw nothing.

The person dragged me back into the shadows and, in one swift motion, struck the back of my head with a brutal force.

"You bastard, how dare you run into me? Let’s see if you don’t regret that later!"

And with that, everything went black.

When I came to, I found myself tied up in a dark, cramped basement, tape sealing my mouth shut.

No one was around. Had they all gone to welcome Brenda?

I steadied my breathing, whispering to myself. As long as Brenda hadn’t left, there was still hope.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I struggled to sit up and inch my way to the corner, hoping to loosen the ropes that bound me.

Just then, I heard low voices drifting from outside the door.

I quietly moved closer, my heart skipping when I recognized James' voice.

A rush of relief flooded through me.

When I had been tied up, James had just stepped away to the bathroom and I'd been worried about him.

But now that I knew he was okay, my chances of escaping seemed much brighter.

However, as I listened to his conversation with the person outside, my hope shattered.

"Sis, did you get the money? Hurry up and give me my share!"

"You still have the nerve to say that? Didn’t you win five million? How come you can’t even come up with three million? Are you trying to scam me?"

"Sis, I swear I didn’t! I went with him to claim the prize. He’s just being stubborn. You’ll have to use stronger tactics!"

"Yeah, and earlier, he pretended to be President Miller’s brother. He’s really asking for it. But... he’s not bad-looking and he reminds me of my first love. It’d be a waste to just get rid of him! Hehe…"

The moment I heard those words, a chill ran down my spine.

For the longest time, I had believed James was completely unaware of what was happening. I had been counting on him noticing my absence and rushing to call the police to save me.

But to my horror, I now realized he was in on it all along.

I had treated him well and trusted him, so why would he betray me like this?

Was it really just for the five million?

I couldn’t bear to listen to their conversation anymore.

Instead, I threw all my energy into rubbing at the rope, desperate to break free. If I escaped, there was no way I’d let him get away with it.

Before long, I had managed to cut through one of the ropes.

A surge of joy rushed through me and I was just about to finish the last one when I heard keys turning in the door.

Panic gripped me. "This is bad!"

I grabbed the broken rope and quickly pulled myself back to my original position.

The door creaked open and in stepped a plump middle-aged woman who promptly yanked the tape from my mouth.

"Little handsome guy, if it weren't for me, your legs would’ve been broken by now and your face would be a mess. Aren’t you going to show some gratitude?"

I fought the urge to gag and asked, "How exactly should I show it?"

Without warning, her greasy, clammy hand brushed against my cheek.

"How about you come with me from now on? I’ll promise you a life of luxury and that three million? You’ll never have to worry about it again. What do you say?"

I was boiling with rage.

"Yuck! Why would I leave behind a gangster queen to follow you, an old hag? You should take a good look at yourself..."

Before I could finish, her hand shot up and clamped tightly around my throat.

"Think before you speak, pretty boy. It’d be such a shame if your handsome face were ruined..."

Panicked, I begged, "Please, let’s calm down and talk this through..."

Her grip loosened and a lecherous smile spread across her face.

"So, are you saying you’d be willing to be my lover?"

I choked, struggling to speak, when a thin, bald man quietly slipped into the room.

He looked like he might be her husband.

Seeing that she didn’t notice, I decided to play along, attempting to flatter her.

"Big sis, you must be married, right? If your husband knew I was your lover, do you think he’d beat us both to a pulp?"

The plump woman’s voice suddenly rose, "Don’t bring up that baldy. He’s all flash and no substance!"

"As long as you’re with me, I’ll give you whatever you want..."

Before she could press her filthy lips to my face, the bald man slapped her hard across the cheek.

"Bridget Taylor, you shameless woman! How dare you keep a young lover behind my back? Let’s see if I don’t end you today!"

A brawl erupted between them.

I wasted no time in egging them on, "Big sis, give it all you’ve got! If you beat your husband, I’ll do anything you ask!"

"You can’t even handle your own husband; how are you going to establish your authority in the future?"

At this, Bridget flew into a rage, pouncing on the bald man, landing blow after blow.

Seizing the opportunity, I silently loosened the rope, crouched low and slipped out of the basement.

The sunroof couldn’t bear our combined weight and shattered in an instant.

A shard of glass cut across my forehead and blood quickly stained my face.

Though the plump woman had cushioned my fall, my limbs were still broken.

Hearing the crash, Brenda immediately rushed out of the car.

She frowned, her gaze filled with disdain as she looked at me.

"Margaret, what’s going on here? Are you up to something shady again behind my back?"

Brenda’s presence was like a cold wind, pushing everyone away. Her aura was a stark contrast to the one she wore when she was with me.

Her displeasure was clear, almost spilling over.

She didn’t even recognize me.

No wonder I must’ve looked like a madman, disheveled and covered in blood.

Even my throat could only produce muffled sounds.

I didn’t resemble the brother she once knew at all.

How could she recognize me now?