"You owe this to Janelle."

Tears welled up uncontrollably. I bit my lip, and blood trickled down.

He didn’t know that this game was meant to save his life. But now, the reasons no longer matter. If my witchcraft still existed, perhaps I could bring back my people. But after sacrificing my blood to nourish the bracelet, I was now as powerless as anyone else.

With trembling hands, I removed the wooden hairpin from my head and spoke in a quivering voice. “Fine, I’ll participate, but the game should start in half an hour, okay?”

Without waiting for Adam’s response, I turned and fled the yacht.

On the deck, I cut my fingertips, hoping the blood would awaken the spirits of my ancestors. This was my final chance. But as the blood flowed, the wooden hairpin never reacted.

When I returned to the yacht, my dress was stained with blood. Adam’s smile faded as he looked at me.

“How are you injured?”

I looked up blankly. “I’m injured. Can the game be called off?”

The people around me sneered and scoffed.

“Are you scared? Trying to make Adam feel guilty by hurting yourself?”

“The Saint resorting to such a trick? If you can’t handle it, just say so. Either way, they’re just ashes. You won’t be able to bring them back. Let your brothers have them.”

Adam’s voice turned cold. “Shut up!”

His silence was all the answer I needed.

I suddenly laughed, the sound hollow and cold. “Let’s begin.”

One hundred questions had been carefully chosen by Adam, and the final five were selected. The host grinned and raised an eyebrow.

“The first question is: What color is Miss Burt wearing today?”

The audience gasped in surprise.

“The first question is that big? Who suggested this? Does anyone actually know?”

“Adam selects Miss Burt’s clothes himself. What do you think?”

Janelle blushed, hiding in Adam’s arms and playfully hitting his chest.

The host continued, introducing the stakes for the first round.

“The ashes of twenty Mystic Guild elders are far more potent than those of ordinary members. They can be used for wound treatment or even facial masks. Don’t miss your chance to get them!”

The elders of the Mystic Guild had unique physiques, and only I, as the saint, knew this.

I recalled what had happened half a month ago when Adam had taken me to see a psychologist under the pretext of insomnia. I had no memory of what happened after that.

A sharp pain struck my heart, and I pinched my thigh to stop myself from breaking down.

“Adam, did you hypnotize me?”

The man didn’t even look at me as he whispered something to Janelle, causing her to laugh softly.

“Red! It’s red!”

Someone in the crowd slammed the table and stood up, cursing.

Panic surged through me. “White! I bet on white.”

Janelle wore a white dress, and red underwear would leave her exposed.

My desperate words caused a stir.

“Caitlin really knows? No way?”

“Look at the cold sweat on her face—she’s probably just guessing!”

The host smiled and asked, “Any other answers?”

In the dead silence of the hall, I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. The host’s eyes settled on my face.

“Miss Nolan, I’m sorry, the answer is red.”

The man in the crowd cheered, his voice full of satisfaction.

The people around him eagerly pressed him for answers.

“You knew all this? Have you seen it?”

“The clothes Adam bought for Miss Burt are all from my brand. I personally delivered them, so how could I not know?”

“You’re incredible! I’ll definitely win the next round!”

The ashes of the twenty elders were handed to the man. He opened a jar on the spot and fed it to the German Shepherd at his side.

“Look at this witch. She’s nothing special. How about this: you kneel and beg me, let me sleep for just one night, and I’ll give you a jar. What do you think?”

“I’ve heard the witch saint has an abnormal physique, one that can make men die in the land of tenderness. I want to see if it’s true,” he added with a leer.

I forced myself to stand, fury rising, and poured a glass of wine into his face.

“Dream on!”

Enraged, the man lunged toward me, slapping me hard.

“Who do you think you are? I’ve been kind to you!”

“The whole clan is gone, so why are you still pretending to be noble?” he sneered.

“Today, there are 100 jars of ashes. Don’t even think about taking any!”

I slapped him back, feeling the sting of my own hand.

“Then give it a try.”

The host smiled, unfazed, and pulled out the second question.

“Miss Nolan, are you sure you want to continue? The next chip contains your parents’ ashes!”

“I’m just worried that you can’t handle the blow if you lose and that you won’t be able to continue the game,” he added, his voice dripping with mockery.

The crowd turned to me, all of them expecting me to give up.

Through tear-blurred eyes, Adam remained silent, his expression unreadable.

I handed Janelle a glass of juice, the last shred of hope vanishing from my heart. I smiled bitterly.

“Continue.”

The host grinned, clearly enjoying the moment.

“Second question: What did Miss Burt have for dinner yesterday?”

Janelle blinked playfully and asked, “Can I participate in this game?”

Adam scratched her nose fondly.

“Of course.”

He didn’t even try to hide his tolerance for her blatant cheating.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

“Miss Burt, how can you not know what you ate? This is ridiculous.”

“It’s going to be a joke, just accept your fate.”

Janelle chuckled.

“I lied to all of you. I won’t compete. I don’t want to make Caitlin sad, so I’ll step aside.”

The crowd was visibly moved.

“Miss Burt is so generous! After all she’s been through, she can still forgive the Dark Magic Guild. If it were me, I’d have dragged her out and whipped her corpse. Too bad everyone’s already dead. Only ashes remain.”

“Hurry up, don’t miss your chance. I bet on seafood!”

“I bet on Japanese food!”

At that moment, Janelle walked over to me and whispered, “Caitlin, how about I tell you the answer quietly? You’d be better off burying your parents’ ashes yourself, so it doesn’t make you sad…”

“Spare me your hypocrisy!”

Adam, who had been watching this exchange, finally showed a flicker of emotion. His face darkened, and he broke the wine glass in front of me.

“Caitlin, don’t be ungrateful. Janelle is just being kind.”

I sneered, meeting his gaze with a look of disbelief.

“So, you want me to cheat and win the next four games, right? I have no objection.”

Adam fell silent, pulling Janelle into his arms.

“Don’t listen to this lunatic. Let’s go back to watching the show.”

I stared at the stage, my voice was steady.

“I bet on Western food.”

The host’s smile faltered.

“Miss Nolan, I must remind you that there are only two free chances. If you lose all of them, you can only bet on your body, like... your hair.”

I nodded, my neck stiff.

“Betting, no more nonsense.”

Laughter erupted from the crowd.

“It looks like Adam has planned this all along. He must be venting his anger on Miss Burt.”

“There are still three games left. First hair, then… it’ll be a bet for life, right?”

"Why bother? They’re dead. What’s the point of keeping the ashes? It’s better to stop now. If you lose, you’ll be useless. Who will want you then?"

The mocking words sliced through me, deep into my heart. My gaze fell on the eighty jars of ashes behind me, and I forced myself to straighten my back.

“Tell me the result, don’t waste my time.”

The host dragged out his announcement, stretching the moment to its fullest.

“The answer is Japanese food. Sorry, Miss Nolan, you lost again.”

“Do you want to continue? The next bet is your hair.”

“Go on.”

Janelle smiled and walked toward the winner of this round, her voice dripping with sweetness.

“I heard that if you scatter ashes in the sea, the deceased can be reborn. Could you give me the ashes of Miss Nolan’s parents?” she asked, her tone syrupy.

“After all, she took care of Adam for five years. I want to repay her kindness.”

The man hesitated, glancing at Adam, seeking approval. Adam’s cold, threatening gaze made him nod quickly.

“Of course. I’m here today because of your blessing. Just two jars of ashes—think of it as a wedding gift for Miss Burt and Adam. Take them.”

Janelle took the ashes and left, cradling them like a precious possession. I followed her hurriedly, but she stumbled several times, caught in the crowd of guests.

By the time we reached the deck, Janelle had already scattered my parents’ ashes into the sea. Beneath the surface, a shark had been waiting, drawn by the scent.

“No—!” I cried out, my voice cracking, as I dashed toward her.

Janelle screamed and released the jar, letting it sink into the sea. Tears flooded my eyes, blurring everything.

From behind, I heard Adam’s voice, cold and uncaring.

“Caitlin, don’t go crazy. You scared Janelle.”

“If you want to continue, get out of here. No more waiting.”

“Oh, and by the way, the next game’s chips are the ashes of your two younger siblings.”

He hugged Janelle tightly and turned away without a second glance.

When I arrived back at the game, it was already halfway through. A waiter, unable to bear the tension, leaned in and whispered the question for the round.

It was to guess where Janelle had stayed the night before.

Before the host could announce the answer, I spoke quickly.

“Adam’s old house!”

The host shook his head with a regretful expression.

“It was a seven-star hotel. Sorry, Miss Nolan, you lost again.”

The winner popped open champagne, celebrating their success.

“No wonder Mr. Read asked me to arrange a hotel for last night. He was giving me a chance!”

“Adam is so generous. I’ll never forget this!”

The man toasted Adam, and the crowd laughed. But as the cheers rang out, I saw Adam’s bodyguards walking toward me, razors glinting in their hands.

I closed my eyes, my body numb. I had become a puppet, simply accepting whatever Adam decided to give me.

The cold light from the razor hit my scalp, and the host paused, sensing the rising tension.

“Miss Nolan, the bet for the next game is your two arms. Are you sure you want to participate?”

“Continue.”

The taste of blood filled my mouth, and I could barely hear my own voice over the ringing in my ears.

The man beside me, who had lost several rounds, couldn’t hold his frustration any longer.

“Caitlin, are you crazy? Why don’t you just burn your own ashes already? What are you fighting us for?”

“You’re never going to win. You’re just wasting time. If I really cut off your arm, can you accept it? Stop pretending!”

“Let everyone sleep for a night and give you a few jars. That’s enough. Do you really think you’re so special? Can’t you see that this is all about getting revenge on you?”

I took a drink from the wine in front of me, trying to steady my shaking hands.

“I admit it. I’m willing to accept the loss.”

“As long as I still have chips, the game isn’t over.”

“Speak up,” the host said, nodding toward Adam.

At his signal, the game continued.