3: 3

The shocks finally stopped.

"Agree at the start and you'd spare yourself the whole ordeal. But no, every single time you have to drag it out this far. What a stubborn wretch."

Shaking, I called the bank and gave them the security key.

"You can go collect it now."

Liam narrowed his eyes and looked me over, suspicious. "Usually I have to nearly kill you before you'll give up anything I ask for. Why the sudden cooperation this time? That's the most important thing your mother ever left you."

He was starting to doubt me.

My palms were damp with nerves. I put on a cautious, timid look. "I just don't want to be tortured anymore. I'm handing you the whole company. What's one pendant next to that?"

Three days ago, Liam had used the child in Bianca's belly as an excuse, telling me to sign the company over to him as compensation. I refused. So he used the chip in my brain to put me through the shocks.

More than ten hours of it, until I lost control of my bladder and every bone in my body felt scorched.

I couldn't take it, so I pretended to agree. Then I stalled for days, using the paperwork as a cover. In the end, when there was nothing left to try, I wrote a will, donated every asset in my name to the state, and prepared to end it all.

I never expected a stranger to pull me back from the edge, and that was how I finally found out the truth.

"It's just... that's the only thing my mother left me. I hope you'll take good care of it."

Bianca gave a smug little smile. "Don't worry. I'm your best friend. What's yours is mine. I'll take very good care of it."

Then she tugged at Liam's sleeve. "Stop overthinking it. It's been five years. She's finally learned her place."

Only then did Liam let go of his suspicion. He turned to me with that put-on look of his. "Amber, looks like we're almost there. Soon we can pull that lovesick system right out of your body. You'll be free."

Bianca pulled him back before he could say more. "Go get the pendant already. My stomach's acting up again."

I watched them walk toward the door, then slipped into the study.

I opened his computer, remembering how Liam had once said his password had to mean something to him.

I tried several and none worked. In the end I used the date the chip was implanted in me, and the computer opened right up.

I laughed coldly inside. So the day my suffering began really was worth commemorating.

I started searching for what I needed. Liam was as arrogant as ever. Every encrypted file on the machine used that same date as its key.

Reading through the files he'd buried, I could barely contain the surge inside me.

This was more than enough to send Liam straight to hell.

I sent it all out, then wiped every trace. I'd just stepped out of the study when I heard a noise at the front door.

Bianca had a phoenix jade pendant hanging around her neck. It was the most precious thing my mother had left me.

I gripped the hem of my clothes, my fingertips going white with the pressure, wanting nothing more than to snap her neck on the spot.

Catching my expression, Bianca stroked the pendant and looked at me, pleased with herself. "Amber, don't you want me wearing it?"

Liam's face went cold at once.

I shook my head. "Of course not. Seeing it just made me think of my mother. I got lost in it for a second."

Just then the study door drifted open a crack. I must not have shut it all the way.

Liam's gaze snapped to the study behind me. He came toward me slowly, cruelty and murder in his eyes.

"You were in my study?"

4: 4

His killing intent hit me so hard my palms went damp and a tremor ran through me that I couldn't stop.

His footsteps came closer, slow, as if he were treading right on my heart, until I could barely breathe.

I stumbled back a step, and when I caught myself I snatched up the file I'd already prepared in my hand.

"I went to the study to look for the ink pad. This transfer document still needs my thumbprint, after all."

"It's just that I hadn't been in the study in so long, I didn't know where it was kept."

The moment he heard "transfer contract," he let out a breath and grabbed the file out of my hand. "Didn't you say it would take you several days to get ready? How did you finish so fast?"

"The sooner I get the company signed over to you, the sooner I can rest properly."

"Let's set the date for three days from now. I've already sent word to the company group chat. We'll hold a press event, and the company will be yours."

His fingers tightened on the contract, trembling slightly, disbelief in his eyes. "You're really deciding just like that, no fuss?"

I nodded. "I've already drawn up the contract. You still don't believe me?"

He decided the chip had finally broken me in, and he let his guard down completely.

"There's no problem with the contract. As for the thumbprint and signature, let's do it at the event three days from now, in front of everyone, so no one thinks I forced you into it."

"Fine."

After that, Liam and Bianca threw themselves into preparing the signing ceremony three days out and stopped bothering me.

I stayed home, resting easy, quietly waiting for the moment to arrive.

On the third day I made a trip to the hospital and had the chip that had controlled me for five years removed.

That night I slept the soundest I had in five years.

Then came the signing ceremony for the company handover. You could tell Liam really cared about my company. He'd made the reception this lavish and brought in this many reporters.

He couldn't wait to pull out the contract and hold it out to me. "Amber, sign your name, and you'll never have to worry about the company again."

I looked at how smug and satisfied he was, and stood there on the stage without moving.

The reporters' cameras all swung toward me. "Why isn't Amber signing? Isn't she the lovesick fool who'd do anything for Liam?"

"Was she being forced all along? Is this some silent act of resistance?"

Liam heard the murmurs too, and his expression slowly went cold. "Didn't you agree to this yourself? What are you playing at now? Hurry up and sign."

Bianca looked at me too, the threat plain in her eyes. "You're not afraid of being punished again?"

"With this many people here, if you go rolling around on the floor like some pathetic mess, it'll be humiliating."

But still I didn't move.

Seeing this, Liam stepped closer to me, his voice coaxing. "Amber, I know you've always wanted to be free of this lovesickness system. You're almost there."

"If you defy me now, aren't you afraid of being tormented by this system for the rest of your life?"

"Haven't you had enough these five years? Don't you want your freedom?"

Bianca sneered. "Some people are just born to grovel. Liam, why waste your breath on her? Just make her lose control of herself in front of everyone and see what she does then."

Liam pressed his finger lightly against the watch on his wrist. "I'm giving you one last chance. Are you signing or not?"

I knew that was the control switch. The moment he pressed it, the so-called system would speak, and then it would punish me.

But now he couldn't threaten me anymore.

I glanced down at the latest message on my phone, a cold smile pulling at the corner of my mouth, and took the contract from his hand.

He thought I was going to sign. Smugness curled at his lips. "See, if you'd just been this obedient from the start. Had to make a scene."

The next second, I tore the contract to shreds and hurled it at him with all my strength.

"I'm not signing this. Liam, you can forget about it for good."