The pain brought me back to my senses. Only then did I realize I was hanging from a tree.

My feet were off the ground, and the rope was digging deep into my flesh. Duncan was standing in front of me with his phone raised, the camera pointed straight at my face.

The live stream viewer count shot up as comments came in like a flood.

"What the heck is happening?"

"What do they think they're doing when the new year has just kicked off?"

"What did this guy even do? Why is he hanging from a tree? Is this some kind of stunt?"

"Explain already!"

Seeing the questions roll in only got Duncan more hyped. He held up the public security administrative penalty notice and the photos for the camera.

The tone of the comments shifted instantly. "Trash who can't keep it in his pants deserves worse than being put on display for public shaming."

"I support the streamer. People like this deserve to be exposed and socially ruined."

"This is so satisfying. Well done!"

"Scum like this don't deserve mercy! Go all out on him!"

The screen was filled with curses and cheers.

Watching the numbers surge, Duncan was practically grinning ear to ear. He moved the camera closer, deliberately giving a close-up of my swollen, bruised face.

Gathering the last bit of strength I had, I forced out the words, "Duncan, you're insane… I can't believe you're willing to go this far to ruin me. Did you not even consider the consequences if the truth comes out?"

Instead of getting angry, Duncan laughed. Picking up a frozen tree branch from the ground, he swung it hard against my body. "Even when you're about to be done for, you still won't come clean?"

A few hard strikes later, my body was covered in fresh wounds. Nonetheless, I could barely feel the pain because of how numb I was from the cold.

He struck me more than a dozen times. Still, I didn't make a sound.

Seeing that he couldn't break me, Duncan walked over to Jennifer, panting. Putting on a pitiful act, he complained, "He's just going to be stubborn to the end, Jenny. Seems like teaching him a lesson like this isn't going to be enough."

As she stared at the bloody wounds on my body, she froze for a moment. Then, the last trace of hesitation in her eyes was replaced by ruthless resolve.

She took a deep breath, her voice sharp as she said, "Since he has no shame and refuses to repent, we might as well brand the word 'whore' on his face so everyone knows exactly what he is."

At those words, my blood ran cold. The woman I once cherished, the one I wanted to spend my life with, could actually say something so vicious so casually.

It felt as if my chest had been hollowed out, allowing cold wind to fill it. In no time, Duncan came back with the tools.

He thrust a red-hot branding iron in front of my face threateningly. "I'll give you one last minute, Nicholas. Admit everything now, and maybe I'll go easy on you."

While he waved the glowing tip back and forth, I stared straight into the phone camera and used all my strength to say, "I will never admit to something I didn't do, even if it kills me. As for you, you will undoubtedly pay for what you've done today."

Duncan became so furious that his face turned dark red.

With a hard glint in his eyes, he brought the glowing iron toward my face. "Fine! I'll grant your wish and make sure you can never hold your head up again for the rest of your life!"

Just as the iron was about to touch me, the sound of police sirens pierced the air, stilling Duncan's movements.

Moments later, several police cars screeched to a stop nearby. Multiple officers hopped out and dashed over as fast as they could.

Leading them was Captain Carter. Shoving through the crowd, he looked around frantically until he spotted me hanging from the tree, covered in wounds.

His face went deathly pale, and he immediately roared, "You've got some nerve! Do you have any idea who he is? Get him down. Now!"