Willard burst through the door, his face twisting the moment he saw what was happening.

“Daisie! What are you doing?! Let her go!”

He strode forward, fury exploding through him, and hit Daisie hard in the chest.

She was already too weak to withstand the blow. Her body flew backward, slamming onto the floor. Her forehead struck the edge of the bed frame with a sickening thud, and her vision went black. Warm blood trickled down the side of her face, pooling beneath her cheek.

The pain from her abdominal wound flared violently, making her curl up in agony.

“Kendra! Are you okay?” Willard ignored Daisie completely, rushing instead to cradle Kendra in his arms. His voice trembled with concern as he examined the red marks on her neck.

Kendra collapsed against his chest, sobbing uncontrollably, her whole body shaking.

“Willard… I was so scared… She suddenly went crazy! She tried to strangle me! She said she regretted everything, that she wanted to kill me and take her kidney back…”

Willard’s gaze turned to Daisie, who lay on the floor with blood matting her hair. There wasn’t a trace of pity in his eyes, only blazing rage.

“Daisie! You’re beyond saving!” he spat through clenched teeth, his eyes bloodshot. “You don’t deserve to stay in this hospital another second! Guards!”

Two bodyguards rushed in at his command.

“Take her back. Lock her in the basement. No one opens that door unless I say so!” he ordered coldly.

“Willard, please don’t…” Kendra pretended to plead, tears glimmering prettily in her eyes. “Daisie is still injured…”

“She won’t die,” Willard cut her off sharply, pulling her close and leading her out. “Women like her don’t deserve to breathe the same air as us.”

The bodyguards grabbed Daisie by the arms and dragged her away like she was nothing but a piece of trash. She didn’t fight back. She didn’t beg.

Blood blurred her vision, but through the red haze, she saw Willard tenderly protecting Kendra as they walked out together.

Hate?

Of course, she hated them. She hated them with every fiber of her being!

‘One day,’ she swore, ‘they will apologize to me and beg for my forgiveness!’

Now, she finally understood—in Willard’s heart, Kendra was everything. And Daisie was worth less than an insect beneath his feet.

The bodyguards dragged her across the floor and then threw her into the basement.

The iron door slammed shut behind her with a deafening clang, followed by the sound of a lock turning.

Darkness. Damp air. The stench of mold hit her face.

She crumpled onto the cold concrete floor, her body like a discarded rag doll.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

In the dark, she curled up, biting hard on her lip to keep herself from crying.

She couldn’t die.

If she died, Kendra would win.

If she died, there would be no one left to avenge her parents and her brother.

If she died… she’d lose her baby, too.

Suddenly, the basement door clanged open again.

Harsh light flooded in, and Kendra stepped inside, her high heels clicking sharply against the concrete. She held a perfumed handkerchief over her nose, her face twisted in disgust.

She prodded the curled-up woman in the corner with the tip of her shoe. “Get up.”

Daisie didn’t move.

Kendra signaled the guards, and they yanked Daisie to her feet.

“I’ll take you somewhere nice,” Kendra said with a cruel smile.

They dragged Daisie out, shoved her into a car, and drove away.

She didn’t know where Kendra was taking her, and she didn’t even have the strength to ask.

When the car stopped, she realized they were at the hospital.

The guards dragged her into an elevator, then into a patient ward.

On the bed lay her mother—pale, unmoving, a ventilator hissing softly beside her.

“Mom…” Daisie’s dry, cracked lips trembled, and tears burst from her eyes.

She tried to rush forward, but the guards pinned her down.

Kendra stepped to the bedside, leaning down, and spoke to the unconscious patient.

“Auntie, look who’s here. It’s Daisie, your wonderful daughter.

“She’s pathetic now. Lost a kidney, got tossed aside by Willard, and locked up in the basement like a dog. Your family’s finished. Your husband’s dead. Your company’s gone. Your son’s useless.

“And it’s all because of your precious daughter! That shameless bitch just wouldn’t stop clinging to Willard and wouldn’t stop provoking me. That’s why your family ended up like this!

“She’s cursed! She ruined her own parents’ lives! You’re lying here because of her!”

“Kendra! Shut up!” Daisie roared, struggling wildly against the guards. “Don’t you dare talk to my mother like that!”

Suddenly, the heart monitor beside the bed began to give a sharp, continuous alarm.

Her mother’s fingers twitched, and a tear slipped from the corner of her eyes.

“Mom! Mom!” Daisie cried hysterically.

She felt her heart being torn apart. In her desperation, she fought to break free.

Kendra watched Daisie’s agony with a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

“See? Even your mother can’t stand the sight of you. She doesn’t want you here. She hates you, Daisie.”

Doctors and nurses rushed in, but despite their efforts, it was too late.

Her mother was gone.

Kendra gestured to the guards. “Take her away.”

“No! I’m not leaving! Mom! Mom!” Daisie shrieked.

Her nails raked the guards’ arms until blood streaked down, but they still dragged her off, shoving her back into the car and dumping her again in the dark, damp basement.

Suddenly, warm liquid soaked through her pants and the blanket beneath her.

What came next was a stabbing pain that ripped through her abdomen.

“No… No! The baby… My baby…”

She curled over, clutching her belly, her face drained of color.

At the door, Kendra froze as she noticed the spreading pool of blood beneath Daisie.

Questions flooded Kendra’s head. ‘Her baby? Daisie’s pregnant? She’s carrying Willard’s child?’

For a split second, panic flickered across her face. But then, it quickly hardened into resolve.

‘I won’t allow this baby to live!’ she swore.

“Help… Help me…”

Daisie reached out a trembling hand toward the small window. Her voice was barely a whisper.

“Kendra… Please… Call a doctor… The baby… Save my baby…”

Her voice broke. “I know I’m worthless… But please… Have mercy…”

Kendra stared at the growing pool of blood beneath her and let out a cold laugh.

“Save you? Keep dreaming.”

She slammed the window shut, cutting off Daisie’s desperate gaze and voice, then turned and ran away.

“No… Don’t go… Save my baby!”

Daisie cried with everything she had left, but the basement door was soundproof; no one outside could hear her.

The pain was unbearable; her mind drifted in and out.

Blood kept flowing, spreading across the cold floor.

She could feel it—the tiny life inside her slipping from her little by little.

Her vision dimmed, her body grew heavy, the darkness pulling her under.

Outside the basement, Willard had just returned from work.

He frowned, pausing mid-step. ‘Did I just hear something? A faint sound… coming from the basement?’

“What is it, Willard?”

Kendra walked over quickly, slipping her arm through his with a sweet smile. Her voice was soft and coaxing.

“Didn’t you promise to go with me to pick up the new season’s bags? There’s a limited edition that’ll sell out fast if we’re late.”

Willard tilted his head, listening again. But the sound was gone.

A strange unease stirred in his chest. For a moment, he was confused. “I thought I heard something… from the basement. Daisie…”

Kendra’s heart skipped a beat, but she masked it with a calm face. She tugged his arm, her tone casual.

“Oh, come on, what could it be? Probably just the wind. Let’s go, or we’ll be late and someone else will snatch that bag!”

She pressed herself against him, her soft body brushing his arm.

Willard couldn’t bring himself to push her away. Besides, he told himself, maybe it was just his imagination.

‘After all,’ he thought, ‘Daisie’s always manipulating me. Maybe this is just another one of her tricks to get my attention.’

“Alright. Let’s go,” he said finally, brushing his thoughts aside and opening the car door for Kendra.

The engine started, and the car rolled away from the Granthams' estate.

Meanwhile, in the basement, Daisie’s consciousness wavered.

Blood pooled around her, the floor cold and slick beneath her.

With every passing second, she felt herself slipping further… into the void.

Just as she was about to lose consciousness completely, the iron door burst open from the outside with a deafening crash!

“Daisie!”

Odessa burst through the door with two of her most trusted servants.

The moment she saw Daisie lying in a pool of blood, barely breathing, the older woman’s face went ashen.

“Hurry up! Call an ambulance now! Be careful when you lift her!” she urged, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

The servants rushed forward, carefully placing Daisie onto a stretcher.

Blood continued to drip from her body, leaving a dark, terrible trail on the floor.

Odessa’s heart clenched at the sight of the crimson stains and the young woman’s deathly pale face.

She quickly took off her coat and covered Daisie with it.

The ambulance wailed through the night as it sped toward the hospital.

The emergency room light stayed on for what felt like forever.

Odessa waited anxiously outside.

Earlier, she had received a call from an old servant at the family estate, reporting that Willard had locked Daisie in the basement.

A terrible sense of dread had seized Odessa. She rushed over and found exactly what she had dreaded.

When the doctor finally emerged, his expression was grave.

“Ma’am, the patient’s condition has stabilized after resuscitation, but…”

“But what?”

“She had a miscarriage. There was severe bleeding, and her uterus sustained significant damage. I’m afraid she may never be able to conceive again.”

He sighed, showing a hint of pity on his face.

“Also, her previous kidney removal surgery site has become infected. Combined with the blood loss and trauma, her body is extremely weak. She’ll need a very long recovery.”

Miscarriage… Unable to conceive again…

Odessa stumbled backward at those words, steadying herself against the wall as tears welled up.

‘Good grief! What kind of terrible things have led to this?!’

Soon, Daisie was moved into a VIP ward. No one knew how long it took before she finally stirred awake.

Her fingers twitched slightly. Her entire body felt like it had been dismantled and pieced back together; every inch of her hurt.

Her belly felt hollow.

Her baby… was gone.

The last fragment of hope she had clung to was gone with it.

Tears slipped silently down her cheeks, soaking the pillow beneath her head.

“Daisie, you’re awake?” Odessa’s voice quivered as she came to the bedside, her eyes red from crying. She gently held Daisie’s cold hand. “How do you feel? Are you in pain anywhere?”

Daisie looked at her with vacant eyes.

“My baby… She’s gone, isn’t she?”

Odessa’s throat tightened as she nodded. “Your baby couldn’t be saved. But you’re still young. If you take good care of yourself, in the future—”

“In the future, there won’t be another one,” Daisie cut in, her tone frighteningly calm. “The doctor told me. It’ll be very difficult for me to bear a child again.”

Odessa choked, tears spilling freely down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, dear… I should’ve protected you… I should’ve stopped that bastard…”

Daisie shook her head. She didn’t blame Odessa.

If blame was to be placed, it was on Daisy herself—on her blindness, on her foolish love for the wrong man.

“Mom,” she whispered, looking at Odessa with the last flicker of hope in her eyes. “Please… help me. Let me leave this place with my brother. I’m begging you.”

If she stayed any longer, she would truly die.

Maybe not her body, but her soul sure would.

Odessa wiped her tears away and pulled a folder from her bag, placing it gently in front of Daisie.

“Take a look at this.”

Daisie opened it. It was a divorce agreement.

When she flipped to the last page, her breath caught. Under the line marked [Party B], the signature read [Willard Grantham].

The sharp, bold handwriting was unmistakably his.

She lifted her head in shock, disbelief flooding her expression.

Odessa explained, “He was drunk, and I took advantage of it. I told him I needed his signature to purchase a property I liked. He didn’t even read it before signing.”

She sighed, exhaustion and guilt clouding her face.

“I know it’s deceitful, but it’s the only way to free you from him soon. If he were sober, he absolutely wouldn’t sign this.”

Daisie’s hands trembled as she clutched the papers.

‘Is this… freedom?’ she thought. Just like that, I’m free again? No more torment from Willard? No more suffering from Kendra’s cruelty?’

The realization felt unreal, like a dream she might wake from at any second.

“Thank you… Mom. Thank you so much…”

She choked on her sobs, not knowing what else to say except how grateful she was.

Odessa reached into her bag again and took out an envelope. Inside was a plane ticket, a new passport, some cash, and a debit card.

“Your brother’s been released. This plane ticket is for tonight—a direct flight to Switzerland. I’ve arranged everything there: doctors will meet you to help with your recovery, and there will be people to take care of your daily needs. The money in this bank card is more than enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your lives.”

She gripped Daisie’s hand tightly, her eyes rimmed with tears, her voice thick with emotion.

“Daisie… once you leave, don’t ever come back. Forget everything here. Forget Willard. Start over with your brother, hm?”

Daisie stared at the ticket and passport in her hands as tears streamed down her face.

She struggled to sit up, ignoring the sharp pain tearing through her body, and clutched Odessa’s hands sincerely.

“Mom… I’ll remember your kindness for the rest of my life.”

That night, under Odessa’s meticulous arrangements, Daisie and her brother made their way toward the boarding gate through a special passage.

Every step she took hurt, her lower body ached, her abdomen throbbed with emptiness, and her heart… her heart hurt most of all.

At the gate, she stopped, turned back, and looked once more at the city, where she had lived for more than twenty years. It was a city carrying all her love, hate, and grievances.

This was the place that buried her love, her marriage, her child, and her loss.

There was nothing left here worth holding onto.

Moments later, the plane began to taxi down the runway. And slowly, steadily, it lifted into the night sky.