Dana was in the guest room putting away clothes when Kelly's voice rang out, sharp and impatient. "Dana, where are you? Get down here and make dinner!"

Dana went downstairs. Gary, Kelly, and Sandy were all sitting on the living room couch.

The moment Dana appeared, Kelly glared at her. "Why are you so slow? Just how lazy are you? Can't you see we're all hungry? Go make dinner!"

Dana's gaze swept over Sandy. "Ms. Miller is here now. Let her do it. You'll definitely like her cooking more, anyway."

Kelly snapped back at her, "Sandy's precious hands are for playing piano. How could you expect her to do chores?"

She then turned to Gary, acting all hurt. "Gary, look at her! She eats our food, lives in our house, and now, she won't even cook us a meal! Does she have any conscience at all?!"

Sandy put on a troubled expression, her voice still gentle. "Kelly, don't be upset. I have never cooked before, but I'm willing to try for you. I'm just afraid it won't taste good."

Gary's tone softened. "Sandy, just sit."

He then stood up and turned to Dana. "Dana, you go. Sandy has never done this before. She shouldn't be in the kitchen."

Dana's chest felt like it was being crushed by something, and she could feel the pain. She remembered when they were dating, Gary would hold her hands and look at her with tenderness. "Your hands are meant for painting. I'll never let you work hard."

But now?

It was as if Dana had been born to do chores, while it was suffering for Sandy to just step into the kitchen.

Gary seemed to realize his words were unfair, so he softened his tone. "If you're tired, have Mrs. Johnson help you."

Dana said nothing as she turned and walked into the kitchen. She said to Mrs. Johnson, "Please handle dinner today."

Then, she leaned against the kitchen door, making no move to do anything herself.

The next day at breakfast, Kelly suddenly set down her fork, her eyes glittering. "Gary, I never got to go to your wedding. What a shame... Why don't you have another wedding? Between you and Sandy? I want to be the bridesmaid."

Gary froze, his fork suspended in midair as he shot a quick look toward Dana. Then, he frowned at Kelly. "Kelly, stop it."

"I'm not joking." Kelly's lips quivered and her eyes reddened. "What if my depression acts up one day and I'm suddenly gone? I would regret never seeing my own brother's wedding! I would not be able to die in peace..."

Sandy reached out and gently patted Kelly's hand, sounding conflicted. "Kelly, don't say that. You'll get better. And... Dana... that would not be appropriate."

Kelly immediately turned on Dana. "Dana, you won't mind, right? I missed my brother's wedding before, and now, I want to watch him marry Sandy. You won't interfere and leave me with regrets for life, would you?"

Dana slowly set her fork and knife down, her tone calm. "It's fine. If you want to have a wedding, go ahead."

All three of them stared at her, stunned.

Gary's voice shot up, full of disbelief. "What did you say?!"

Kelly froze for two seconds before clapping excitedly at the dinner table. "You said it yourself, Dana! Don't regret it later and go crying to my brother again!"

Dana stood up and calmly said that she wouldn't before walking toward the stairs. She had barely stepped onto the second floor when someone yanked her wrist hard. "Dana, do you even know what you're saying?"

"Wasn't it Kelly who brought it up?" Dana looked at Gary, who was visibly tense. "If you want to do it, then do it."

"That was only for Kelly's benefit." Gary hurried to explain. "It's just for show. If I refuse, she'll make a scene again, and I..."

"It's fine." Dana nodded lightly without rebuking him. "I have no objections."

Looking at her calmness only made Gary more uneasy, and he still did not let Dana go. After a few seconds, he softened his tone and made another promise. "Just give us a little more time, okay? When Kelly's doing better, I'll go with you to resubmit our marriage paperwork, alright?"

Dana smiled. "Alright."

Only then did Gary heave a sigh of relief as he subconsciously squeezed her hand. Dana quietly pulled her hand free and headed to the guest room.

Gary lowered his hand as a sense of unease crept over his heart, but he forced it down.

After breakfast, Gary left for work.

Near noon, Dana came out to get a glass of water.

Kelly was curled up on the sofa, scrolling through her phone with Sandy beside her. Without even looking up, Kelly said, "Dana, make me an iced Americano. Cut up some watermelon too."

In the past, Dana would have done it without a word.

Today, Dana did not answer.

Kelly's face darkened. "Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!"

Sandy quickly stepped in. "Kelly, don't get mad. I'll do it."

She went into the kitchen and made a cup of instant coffee.

Dana remembered how she had ground coffee beans and brewed it fresh for two years only to be scolded for not trying hard enough. But now, Kelly accepted that cup of instant coffee with a bright smile. "Sandy is the one who really gets me."

Dana turned around, wanting to head back upstairs

Kelly stopped her again. "I'm going for a walk in the garden. Bring my parasol. And wipe my white sneakers from yesterday clean."

"You like Ms. Miller," Dana said with an even voice. "Let her do it."

Kelly was about to explode but Sandy grabbed her arm. "I'll get the umbrella. Don't let this ruin your mood."

Kelly shot Dana a hard glare. "You're coming with us too. Stop hiding in your room and slacking off."

Dana wanted to refuse, but Kelly's expression made it clear that refusing meant another outburst. She had no choice but to nod.

The three of them went out with Sandy holding the umbrella over Kelly, and Dana followed behind. When they reached the arched bridge in the garden, Sandy suddenly slipped and pitched toward Kelly.

Dana lunged on instinct, grabbing Kelly's arm and pulling her toward the safer side.

Kelly whipped around and shoved Dana hard. "Watch where you're going! Are you trying to drag me down with you?"

Dana lost her footing completely and toppled over the railing, splashing into the river. She could not swim, and she flailed her hand around in panic as she choked on mouthfuls of water.

She fought to keep her head above the surface and saw Kelly and Sandy standing at the edge of the bridge, making no move to help.

As her vision blurred, she saw them smile as they turned around and slowly walked away. She swore they were skipping with excitement…

When Dana woke up in the hospital, she found Gary sitting by her bed.

There was a hint of worry in his eyes, but it was quickly swallowed by anger as he frowned deeply. "You're finally awake! Do you know you almost died? If Sandy hadn't called the ambulance in time, you would be gone..."

Dana opened her mouth, and her voice was painfully hoarse. "It was Kelly. She pushed me in."

"You're still trying to pin it on her?" Gary's face darkened at once.

"She really pushed me..." Dana tried to sit up, wanting to tell the truth.

"Shut up!" Gary leaned forward, the fury in his eyes almost spilling over.

"They already told me everything. You tried to hurt Kelly, and Sandy stopped you. In the end, it was Sandy who called for help, and that is the only reason you were saved."

"You can check the cameras..."

"Check the cameras?" Gary cut her off, his tone full of disappointment and anger. "I watched Kelly growing up. Do you think I don't know what she's like? Sandy is gentle and kind! You're the one who has always held a grudge against Kelly, and now you actually tried to hurt her! Dana, when did you become so petty and cruel?"

Every word he hurled at her was like a cold blade driving deep into her heart.

She stared at the man who had once promised to protect her for a lifetime. Now, he was using the harshest words to condemn her, refusing to listen to a single explanation and unwilling to offer even the smallest bit of trust.

Dana closed her eyes and pressed the call button by the bed. "I want to call the police."

"Are you out of your mind?! Do you need the police over something like this?" Before the nurse could come in, Gary stepped out first and said, "She just woke up. Her emotions are unstable, and she hit the button by mistake."

When he came back into the ward, his face was cold. "If you don't want to rest here, then we'll go home."

He did not give her a choice and forced Dana to go back to the villa.

The villa was very quiet that night.

As soon as Kelly saw Dana, she hid behind Sandy, her voice shaking. "Gary! She tried to hurt me! She wanted to push me into the river!"

Gary soothed her gently. "It's alright. I'll keep an eye on her, and I won't let her get near you again."

He reached for Dana, intending to take her upstairs to the guest room, but Kelly clung to his sleeve and would not let go. "No! She'll sneak out in the middle of the night and hurt me!"

Sandy stood to the side, looking troubled.

"Gary, Kelly is already emotionally unstable. If she gets frightened again..."

Gary was silent for a moment, then said, "Lock her in the basement."

"You have no right to lock me up!" Dana screamed as she was dragged down into the damp, cold basement.

In the darkness, she leaned against the wall for a long time as she calmed herself down. Then, she suddenly remembered the house staff mentioning that the outdoor well's pipe was connected to the basement.

Feeling her way along the wall in the dark, Dana finally found the pipe and climbed up through it.

She went back to her room and used her spare phone to dial 911, her hands shaking.

The police arrived soon.

Gary looked helpless. "Officers, I'm really sorry. My wife hasn't been feeling well mentally. That's why she made the call."

Dana grabbed one officer's arm in a panic. "I'm not sick! He locked me in the basement..."

She was cut off by Gary before she could finish. His tone was full of concern. "Something happened at home recently, and she keeps imagining that I wanted to hurt her. I was just about to take her to a psychiatrist."

When the police saw that it was a family dispute and Gary sounded sincere, they had no choice but to advise them to communicate properly before leaving, as they had no evidence either.

The moment they were gone, Gary's anger exploded. "Dana, are you done causing more problems now?!"

Kelly cried out, her eyes red, "Gary! She'll definitely sneak out and hurt me! She even called the police! Who knows what else she will do?!"

Sandy sounded worried as she said, "Gary, she knows this villa too well. As long as she still has any strength left, she'll get out sooner or later. When that happens, Kelly is..."

"I did not!" Dana cut them off, her voice shaking but stubborn. "I never wanted to hurt Kelly! The two of them are in this together! They are framing me on purpose!"

Gary looked at how unapologetic Dana was and shouted at the house staff, "Drag her back to the basement!"

There was already a wooden barrel about half as tall as a person prepared in the basement, and it was packed full of water and ice. The freezing water rose to Dana's chest in an instant as she was thrown inside, the cold making her whole body shiver.

There was a hint of hesitation in Gary's mind, and he was just about to say something when Sandy stepped to his side. "Gary, Kelly just had a nightmare. She was crying that Dana was going to hurt her..."

Gary swallowed hard and said coldly to the staff, "Begin!"

"Say it! Did you try to push Ms. Miller into the river?!"

Dana shook from head to toe, but she still shook her head. The house staff grabbed her by the back of her neck and pushed her in. The freezing water immediately flooded over her mouth and nose as panic crushed her chest. She thrashed blindly until her vision went dark and her consciousness was starting to fade, and only then did they haul her up.

Dana coughed wildly as she collapsed against the rim of the barrel, gasping for air with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Gary's nails dug deep into his palm, and he could not stop himself from saying, "That's enough..."

"Gary..." Sandy's voice was tight with anxious concern. "If Kelly isn't satisfied with this, her depression will only get worse. What if she does something stupid later?"

Gary closed his eyes and turned away, refusing to look at Dana again.

With his silent consent, the house staff grabbed her and forced her under the water once more.

Her hair clung to her pale face. Her limbs were so weak she could barely struggle, and she could only shiver.

"Will you admit it?"

The house staff's voice kept echoing beside her ear, testing her endurance again and again.

After several rounds, Dana finally broke, and she used the last of her strength to shout,

"I admit it..."

Only then did Gary turn around, his eyes red. "If you had admitted it earlier, you wouldn't have had to suffer."

He stepped forward and reached out, wanting to lift her out of the barrel.

Dana flinched away like a frightened cat, jerking out of his reach.

Gary's hand froze in midair. His face then hardened and turned cold. "Get her out of there. Lock her up down here for the night so she remembers tonight."

Then, he turned and walked away.

He never saw the look Sandy gave the house staff.