When Ariadnie opened her eyes, she was already in a hospital room.

The sharp smell of disinfectant lingered at the tip of her nose. She looked around—there wasn’t a single person there.

It felt as if the man she’d seen before losing consciousness had been nothing more than a hallucination.

Lowering her head, she caught a faint cedar scent on her clothes, and her heart eased.

‘It was him.’

Remembering what she needed to do next, and the wedding that was just around the corner, she immediately pulled out the IV from the back of her hand, checked herself out of the hospital, and headed home.

When she got home, the place was completely empty.

Scrolling through Reagan’s Instagram Stories, she saw that Rasper and Redmond were busy cheering her up—buying her jewelry, even booking out Disneyland for her.

A stabbing pain pierced through Ariadnie’s chest, like thousands of needles driving straight into her heart.

She looked down at her arm. The burn wrapped under gauze radiated heat and pain, keeping her from falling asleep.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before a heavy body suddenly crashed onto hers, the strong smell of alcohol making her frown.

The man’s voice was hoarse, dripping with lust. “Babe…”

Ariadnie froze. The moment she snapped back to herself, she used all her strength to push Redmond away.

“Still throwing a tantrum?” His expression turned cold. His tone was impatient. “It was your fault. I just locked you up for one night. Nothing happened to you, did it?”

Ariadnie’s cold gaze settled on the tear mole at the corner of his eye. Suddenly, she laughed.

“You know I hate the smell of alcohol. Couldn’t you at least take a shower first?”

Thinking she’d finally calmed down, Redmond looked satisfied. He took off his clothes and went to shower.

The moment the water started running, Ariadnie grabbed his phone. She tried several passwords with no luck until Reagan’s birthday flashed through her mind.

The phone unlocked at once. A knowing glint flashed across her eyes.

‘So Rasper isn’t the only one who likes Reagan…’

She quickly opened the photo album and deleted every video on both the phone and the cloud.

Just as she was about to exit, she accidentally noticed a hidden folder in the cloud. When she opened it, her pupils constricted sharply.

She hadn’t expected Redmond to gift her something this valuable.

Without a second of hesitation, Ariadnie transferred all the data onto her own phone.

By the time Redmond came out wrapped in a towel, he was mostly sober. He dimmed the lights first.

“Babe, you should cover your eyes later…”

Before he could finish, Ariadnie’s stomach twisted violently. She rushed into the bathroom and gagged.

When she stepped out, Redmond was on the balcony making a call.

“Bro, could Ariadnie be pregnant? I don’t want this kid.”

After a while, he replied, “Alright, I’ll figure out a way to take care of it.”

When he turned around and saw Ariadnie’s cold expression, a chill shot through him.

“Babe… did you… hear anything?”

Ariadnie quietly stared at his face. A moment later, she spoke softly.

“No.”

A flicker of guilt flashed in Redmond’s eyes. “Something urgent came up at work. I need to head out now.”

Ariadnie showed no reaction at all. “Okay.”

The next morning, just as she stepped out the door to go in for an abortion, a speeding sports car suddenly came straight at her.

She saw the vicious, unhinged look in Reagan’s eyes.

A loud crash followed as the car rammed directly into Ariadnie. She was thrown hard onto the ground.

Struggling, she reached into her bag for her phone—only for Reagan, who had already gotten out of the car, to kick it out of her hand.

“Go die!”

Not long after, Ariadnie lost consciousness completely, collapsing in a pool of her own blood.

When Ariadnie regained consciousness through the stabbing pain, the doctor beside her said, “Fortunately, the baby in your womb is safe.”

He asked gently, “Do you want us to inform your family?”

Ariadnie’s lips were drained of color. “No need. I don’t have a family.”

The doctor had just walked out when she heard Reagan’s choked voice outside the room. “I really didn’t mean it, Rasper. The brakes failed… You won’t blame me, right?”

Rasper’s cold voice followed. “I don’t blame you.”

Ariadnie forced herself upright and rushed to Reagan, swinging a slap across her face.

“You deliberately hurt me and then fled the scene. I’m calling the cops!”

Reagan looked utterly shocked, trembling all over. “It’s all my fault. The brakes malfunctioned… It’s all on me…”

Ariadnie raised her hand again, but Rasper grabbed her wrist in a vice-like grip. “Ariadnie, she said she didn’t do it on purpose. It was an accident. There’s no need to be so aggressive.”

“I’m aggressive?” Ariadnie let out a cold laugh. “She tried to fucking kill me!”

Tears filled Reagan’s eyes, making her look pitiful. “It’s all my fault. Ariadnie, you can hit me or punish me however you want…”

Ariadnie’s pale lips curled into a cold smile. “No wonder—you’re the daughter of a mistress. You really know how to put on a show.”

Reagan burst into tears and bit her lip hard. “A-Ariadnie… How could you say that about me?”

Ariadnie turned away, grabbed the water pitcher from the bedside table, and splashed it straight over Reagan’s head.

“Just looking at you makes me sick!”

Rasper clamped down on her arm, squeezing hard enough to crush bone. “Enough!”

Ariadnie didn’t back down. She looked him dead in the eyes. “I want her in jail!”

She picked up her phone, but Rasper snatched it away. His gaze was cold as ice. “She hit you, yes, but she’s still your sister. You’d really send her to jail? You don’t need to file a report. No one in all of Houston will take this case.”

Gripping the hem of her dress until her fingers hurt, Ariadnie finally asked, “Rasper… After three years, what exactly am I to you?”

He lowered his gaze, voice low. “Of course, you’re my girlfriend. Don’t worry. I’ll punish her.”

He explained, “I won’t let her leave the house for a day.”

Ariadnie suddenly laughed and laughed until tears spilled down her face.

“That’s your idea of punishment?”

His brows tightened. “Enough. Just rest here for the next couple of days. I’ll take her home first.”

The day she was discharged, Ariadnie walked straight out of the hospital and got into a cab.

Soon, she realized the route was wrong. “You’re going the wrong way.”

But the driver didn’t respond.

A chill ran through her. She tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

The next second, the driver slammed on the brakes, whipped around, and jabbed a syringe of anesthetic into her arm.

Then, her vision went black.

When she opened her eyes again, her hands and feet were tied tightly. Before she could make sense of anything, a bucket of ice water crashed over her head.

The freezing cold shot through her entire body, making her curl up involuntarily.

A second bucket followed, the sudden splash startling her. Then a third.

Her blood felt like it had frozen solid; her body shook violently.

But she bit down on her lip, refusing to scream.

By the time the ninety-ninth bucket poured over her, her mind was barely conscious, drifting into darkness.

“Sir, I’ve done what you ordered.”

A man’s voice echoed from somewhere far away.

On the other end of the phone, a familiar voice replied, “Good. She must’ve learned her lesson by now. Send her back.”

Ariadnie’s heart clenched; she recognized the voice. It really was Rasper.

Just because she poured a pitcher of water on Reagan, he had someone dump ninety-nine buckets of ice water on Ariadnie.

In the end, completely drained of strength, she passed out for good.

When Ariadnie woke up, she found herself in her bedroom. Her whole body was burning up, and a sharp cramp twisted through her lower abdomen.

Just as she tried to sit up, Reagan pushed the door open.

Holding a bowl of soup, Reagan smiled triumphantly. “You splashed a pitcher of water on me, so Rasper punished you by dumping ninety-nine buckets of ice water on you. Girl, you’re really pitiful.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she set the bowl down, her tone dripping with contempt.

“I made this soup just for you. Drink some to nourish yourself. Even if you don’t drink it, that bastard in your stomach still needs it.

“I’ve known all along about everything Rasper has been doing for me. I’ve just been sitting back and watching the show. So? Did his brother sleep with you well?”

She scooped up a spoonful of yam and brought it to Ariadnie’s lips.

“He said you’re wild in bed, willing to do anything, in any position—”

Before she could finish, Ariadnie’s gaze turned cold. She raised her hand and slapped her hard across the face.

Then, without hesitation, she dumped the hot soup all over her. “Bitch! You know I’m allergic to dairy and still did this to disgust me! Are you brain-damaged?”

“I know—you’re about to marry into the Paytons with that bastard. Everyone knows that playboy is a madman.”

Her smile turned sweet and vicious. “Rasper said he wants that kid in your stomach gone. I told him no. I want to watch you and Reid tear each other apart like dogs.”

“Your mom couldn’t beat my mom,” she added. “Your sister couldn’t beat me. And even you—you’re nothing but useless trash.”

Just as Ariadnie lifted her hand, Reagan slapped herself several times, then dropped to her knees, crying pitifully.

“It’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have appeared in front of you…”

The next second, Rasper rushed into the room after hearing the commotion.

His face darkened with anger as he helped Ariadnie up. His eyes were sharp as knives. “Ariadnie! Don’t go too far!”

“If you still won’t learn your lesson,” he warned, “you’re staying locked in this room. You’re not allowed out until you apologize!”

Ariadnie didn’t speak. She just stared at Reagan, who was curled up in Rasper’s arms with a faint, satisfied smirk.

As the door locked behind her, her eyes turned empty.

This was the man she had loved for three years. How laughable.

She always thought that when the heartache reached the point of spasms, she would break down crying.

But only now did she understand—when your heart is truly dead, you can’t shed a single tear.

She knew today was the day Rasper planned to humiliate her in front of everyone and the day he meant to confess to Reagan.

The entire villa was empty except for her.

She grabbed an ashtray and smashed the window to pieces. Then she poured strong liquor into every corner of the room, lit a cigarette, and tossed it inside.

By the time she climbed out, flames had started spreading.

Her heart was completely calm.

“Rasper, this is my first gift to you,” she muttered.

Just then, Reid sent a message. [Tonight is our wedding banquet. I’m coming to pick you up.]

Right after that came Rasper’s message.

[Today is your birthday. Reagan has forgiven you. I’ll pick you up tonight.]

Ariadnie let out a cold laugh. Afraid the show won’t run without its main character present?

She wondered what expressions Rasper and Redmond would make once they saw the surprise she prepared for them.

They wouldn’t know she’d already secretly replaced the video in their shared cloud folder.

She blocked all of Rasper’s contact methods, then replied to Reid.

[I’ll be waiting at the hospital with my sister.]

She got up, packed her things, and drove to the hospital.

Just as she arrived and was about to undergo the abortion, the lights flickered. A chilling sense of dread rose inside her.

Her eyelid twitched violently. She took a step toward the operating room, only to be stopped by her sister’s attending physician.

“Ma’am, your sister… Something’s happened!”

Ariadnie rushed to the ward. The doctor said her sister needed to be transferred immediately.

Ignoring the heavy pain in her lower abdomen, she followed her sister into the ambulance.

But halfway there, the entire road ahead was blocked. The ambulance couldn’t pass.

The driver got out to check, then returned. “Ma’am, the people blocking the road said Sir Rasper ordered it closed for some kind of confession ceremony. They won’t let us through…”

Panic clawed at her. A warm liquid suddenly trickled down her thigh, blood dripping onto the floor.

Her face turned ashen, but she didn’t spare a second for herself. She ran to the guards blocking the way.

“I’m Rasper’s girlfriend. Please. Please let us through.”

The guard looked her up and down, scoffing. “You? Sir Rasper’s girlfriend is right inside. Who do you think you are?”

A stabbing pain shot through her abdomen, and she collapsed to her knees with a heavy thud.

“I’m telling the truth… My sister—she’s dying. Please…”

Seeing her like that, the guard grew uneasy and grabbed his walkie-talkie, only to be cursed out on the other end.

“Everyone knows Sir Rasper’s girlfriend is Ma’am Reagan. Get rid of that woman already!”

Dizzy and fading, Ariadnie heard the driver’s panicked shout, “Ma’am! Your sister! S-She doesn’t look good.”

Her entire body turned cold. She crawled desperately to her sister.

“Amina… don’t… don’t leave me…” she sobbed. “It’s all my fault. I was blind. I loved the wrong guy!”

Her vision blurred as fireworks crackled in the distance and voices carried through the night.

“Wow, Sir Rasper is so romantic. He must really love Ma’am Reagan.”

“What about her eldest sister?”

“She has a terrible temper and acts wildly. Who cares if she lives or dies?”

Ariadnie scraped her fingers against the pavement. All hope drained out of her as darkness swallowed her consciousness.

When she woke again, she was in the hospital.

Her phone showed over a hundred missed calls. She shared her location with Reid.

Half an hour later, she stepped outside and saw a black Rolls-Royce pull up.

She got in. Her phone buzzed. It was the lawyer’s message.

[Ma’am, the five buildings have been successfully transferred to your name.]

She looked at Reid beside her, her voice cold.

“The plan can begin.”