A flicker of guilt crossed Dylan's eyes.

"The company hadn't been doing well a few years ago. There was nothing I could do. Felix is such a capable person. What's wrong with having him help out his own sister and brother-in-law?

"Fine. I'll just transfer a month's living expenses to him right now."

He was just about to make the transfer when Lynette held out her hand to stop him.

"Felicia is lying. Felix is traveling halfway across the globe as we speak. Don't fall for her lies, Dylan."

Dylan had been feeling bad earlier, but the moment he heard Lynette, his eyes blazed with anger at once. He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the cheek.

"It's bad enough that you're selling off my apartment without my permission, and now, you still have the nerve to lie to my face and cheat me out of my money?

"Have I been too lenient with you lately, Felicia Cooper? Is that why you think you can walk all over my head like this now?"

My body was weak to begin with, and I couldn't even withstand his slap. I fell to the floor in a heap after the contact.

Dylan was stunned when he saw me on the ground. He was about to help me up when Lynette said, "Dylan, she didn't even hesitate to curse her own brother just to lie to you. I bet that her claims of dying in three days unless you marry her today are fake too."

Dylan froze in his actions. He then flew into a huge fury and yelled at me.

"Felicia Cooper! You know that I hate liars the most, but you've been doing nothing but lying to me again and again lately!

"You said you'd die if you didn't marry me today, didn't you? Fine! I'll just lock you up at home for three days. We'll see if you're really going to die or not!"

I struggled hard as I fought back in despair.

"No! Felix needs money for his treatment! You can't lock me up!"

Lynette grabbed me and pinned me down.

"Dylan, it seems like she isn't showing any remorse at all. She'll definitely try to make a run for it if we just lock her up. I think we should also tie her up. I'll make sure to come in and feed her every day.

"We'll just try it out and see if she's been lying to you all along."

Dylan nodded in agreement. "Okay. We'll do exactly that.

"Felicia, you will remain tied up here while you repent and reflect on your actions. I'll let you out again three days later."

Then, he ignored my screaming and begging for mercy as he and Lynette dragged me into the room and tied me up. They even stuffed my mouth with a large wad of cloth to stop me from screaming for help.

After they were done, Dylan and Lynette then turned to leave while grinning widely and chatting amicably with each other.

I was bleeding from every nook and cranny on my face—my eyes, my nostrils, my mouth, and my ears. He would have noticed it at once if he had just turned back to look at me, but he never did.

Time passed by in seconds. Lynetter never showed up at all during this period, and I kept fainting and waking up repeatedly.

Soon, the countdown timer showed I had only five seconds left to live.

I suddenly heard the sound of someone punching in the code at the door lock, and I jolted awake at once.

A split second later, my phone lit up next to me with a text message from Troy.

"You fucking liar, Felicia Cooper! Your brother's dead now because the doctors failed to save him! I hope you spend the rest of your life wallowing in regret!"

I cried out in despair, letting out a muffled groan through the thick fabric. Tears streamed down my face.

I hated Dylan with every fiber of my being. I swore that I never wanted to see him again if there was an afterlife.

The doorlock beeped.

The countdown also reached zero.

My consciousness faded.

As I fell to the ground, the door was pushed open. Dylan walked in with a birthday cake in his hands, his voice light and cheery as he said, "See? I told you that you wouldn't die. You're still alive and kicking, aren't you? Happy b—"

He didn't manage to get the word "birthday" out of his mouth because he finally caught sight of the scene before his eyes, and he dropped the birthday cake to the floor.