"Lyra, you're so naive, thinking everyone in the world is good-hearted. What will you do when I'm not around to look after you?

"Once you eat my candy, you're mine. Lyra, grow up quickly. When you do, I'll marry you."

When did Sebastian, who had worried about my innocence and simplicity and promised to cherish me for a lifetime, start to distance himself from me?

It was after Selena suddenly barged into our world with her frequent unexplained bruises and her evasive, ambiguous words.

It was her "coincidental" encounters with Sebastian, her tears of grievance, the feigned horror when she looked at me and my parents, and her affected loneliness and pitiful state.

In the end, Sebastian was utterly drawn to her side.

And I transformed in his mind from an innocent girl to a malicious and jealous woman.

Sebastian took out his phone, scrolled to my number, and his finger lingered on the call button for a long time.

Just as he was about to dial my number, Selena wheeled herself in.

She glared at my number on his phone, her expression ferocious, but when Sebastian looked at her, it softened into a look of understanding.

"Sebastian, let Lyra go. Although she crippled me, she's always been pampered and has never suffered. Besides, her family has raised me for fifteen years."

Selena, with moist eyes, tugged at her fake disabled legs on the wheelchair, her eyes full of grievances and forbearance.

"As for me, it doesn't matter. No one has loved me since I was a child. I thought coming to the Clark family would mean I had parents and a home again. I didn't expect Lyra and her parents to treat me like that..."

Sebastian's face turned cold all at once, and he looked at Selena with compassion.

"Selena, you don't have to be so humble. Although the Clark family raised you, they've caused you too much harm over the years! As for Lyra, she had you kidnapped, almost destroyed you, and left you crippled. I won't let her off the hook!"

"Moreover," Sebastian said, his eyes revealing loathing, "when we were kidnapped three years ago, she abandoned us and ran away by herself when I was knocked unconscious! I won't forget that it was you who stayed by my side and risked your life to save me! Without you, I might have died there."

I was stunned. Sebastian actually thought she had been saved by Selena!

Three years ago, Sebastian, Selena, and I went to a holiday resort and were kidnapped.

He was knocked unconscious during the resistance.

Seeing the chance to escape, Selena left Sebastian and fled without hesitation.

To help Sebastian, I risked my life to drag him away, never leaving his side until we were both captured again and suffered greatly.

My parents called the police immediately.

After being rescued, Sebastian and I were taken to the hospital for treatment.

At that time, to stabilize the company and for my reputation, my parents did not announce that I had been kidnapped and asked Sebastian and me not to mention it again.

I always thought he knew I had saved him, but when he woke up and saw Selena by his bedside, he believed it was her!

Selena's eyes flickered with evasion for a moment, then returned to normal.

"Sebastian, no matter how Lyra treats me, I can't bear to see her suffer. You should call her."

After speaking, Selena took the initiative to call me by video.

Soon, the call was connected, and my face appeared on the screen.

I was puzzled. I was already dead, so why would I appear on the video call?

I soon realized that this was another pre-recorded video.

During my detention, Selena came in with a camera and forced me to record these videos.

I refused and could only watch helplessly as she brandished various torture devices under my horrified gaze.

Terrified, I screamed in pain and curled up in a ball, yet still unwilling to submit.

Blood pooled on the ground, a heart-wrenching sight. "Selena, I will avenge you if I ever get out!"

Selena was furious. "Get out? You will never escape in this life!"

The torture intensified, and the sharp pain struck my very soul.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

I would never be able to recall that unbearable, convulsing, mind-numbing agony in this life.

I used to cry at the slightest pain from a mosquito bite, and when I had a nightmare, my whole family would gather around to comfort me!

"Lyra, your mother is still in hospital. If you don't comply, I'll have them remove her ventilator."

Selena's once innocent face was like that of a demon at that moment.

Thinking of my mom, I get scared.

I could endure all the inhuman torture, but my mom couldn't!

In the end, I could only give in.

I cried and did everything Selena asked until she was satisfied and took the camera away, leaving me in tatters.

And those videos and audio recordings I had made before my death were what Sebastian had seen and heard of "me" these days.

"Lyra, if you apologize to Selena, I will let you go," Sebastian said coldly, looking at "me" on the screen.

"Impossible! I will never let her go if you dare to keep me locked up forever! I will torture her bit by bit and leave her in agony!"

"I" was frantic on the screen, shouting.

Sebastian's face darkened instantly.

"Lyra, Selena saved me. Since you refuse to apologize, prepare to bear the punishment that comes next!"

Sebastian hung up with a stern face.

What other punishment would Sebastian have in store for me? Would it be more painful and more terrifying than the atrocities Selena inflicted upon me?

It was the sixth day after my death.

Sebastian was becoming more absent-minded, even not hearing when Selena called for him several times.

At night, I even saw him suddenly wake up from a dream, sit up, and mutter to himself.

"Lyra, why won't you just give in?

"Selena saved me, and you had her legs crippled. I can't just stand by and do nothing.

"Lyra, if you just admit your mistake, I will forgive you."

I was almost laughing at the side, watching over my own decaying body.

What mistake did I admit? Was it that we shouldn't have adopted Selena and let her live a life of luxury?

Was it wrong for me to expose and resist when Selena staged a kidnapping and feigned disability, pretending to be a savior?

Was it my fault that I didn't willingly endure the abuse and atrocities?

Or was it wrong that I risked my life to save him in the first place?

If that was the case, then I was indeed wrong.

I was wrong for being too naive and blind and for not seeing her true colors.

As I mocked Sebastian's arrogance in my mind, he frowned and suddenly looked up, sniffing the air.

"What's that smell? Where is that stench coming from?"

I jolted with anticipation.

Could it be that my remains were finally going to be discovered after six days?