Just because I caught my boyfriend drugging my wealthy sister, he turned around and locked me in the boiler room.

"A fake daughter really is a fake daughter, always doing disgusting, sneaky things!"

"If it weren’t for you, how could Blair have nearly died just to prove she’s the real daughter? And now you dare to get in the way of her finding love!"

After saying that, he opened the boiler room and threw me inside.

But he didn’t know the boiler room equipment had malfunctioned and scalding water was spraying out nonstop.

Terrified, I pounded on the door and begged for help.

But Spencer thought I was lying, just trying to get his attention and pity.

So he got even more into his heated moment with Blair, making loud noises on purpose just so I could hear it.

They completely forgot about me.

Until the maintenance workers rushed in, clearly alarmed and told him.

“We just detected someone still inside the boiler room. Has she been rescued yet?”

Spencer froze.

Then, ignoring everyone trying to stop him, he ran toward the boiler room in a panic.

But it was already too late.

That day, countless people saw him kneeling on the ground, crying uncontrollably.

——

A loud bang came from inside the boiler room.

A sharp piece of iron shot out from the boiler and pierced into my body.

Next door, I could still hear the sounds of passion between my sister and my boyfriend, Spencer Dawson.

“You’re so much more tempting than Scarlett, that fake daughter. I fell for you the moment I saw you.”

“I’ve already transferred all of Scarlett’s assets to you. How could a fake daughter, who stole someone else’s identity, deserve any of that?”

Spencer’s words stabbed into my heart like knives.

But I didn’t have the strength to care anymore.

The iron shard had truly pierced through me.

I knocked weakly on the wall, begging for help.

“Spencer... help me... I’m dying...”

His cold voice came from the other side.

“Scarlett, are you trying to get attention again with your tricks? Just like a fake daughter with dirty blood, always scheming.”

“Didn’t you hear that explosion just now? Why would I lie about something like this?”

Spencer paused.

He hesitated and said to Blair, “I should go check. There really was a loud explosion just now. What if something actually happened…”

Blair’s voice came through, sweet and playful.

“The villa’s full of safety systems. What could possibly go wrong? Sister always makes a fuss just to get attention. I’m sure this time is no different.”

I was in so much pain I could barely speak.

Because Blair was lying.

I saw with my own eyes that she had turned off all the villa’s safety systems, using maintenance as an excuse.

That’s why the alarm never went off when the boiler room exploded.

Blood poured from my back.

My vision blurred and my voice grew weaker.

But Spencer still thought I was lying.

He grew even more furious and mocked me.

“Scarlett, are you jealous that I’m about to become the Lewis Family’s son-in-law and you, the fake daughter, are about to be kicked out?”

“Are you trying to crawl your way back into the Lewis Family and that glamorous world of money by becoming my mistress?”

“Scarlett! Keep dreaming! A mess like you should stop pretending you can be a star!"

After saying that, he turned on the fire suppression system inside the boiler room and said to me coldly. “Since you claim there was an explosion in here, let me help cool you down a bit!”

Then he walked away with Blair, who giggled sweetly without even looking back at my screams.

They didn’t know that the water meant to spray from the system had already turned into sulfuric acid.

I crawled desperately into a corner.

There was a divider here, just big enough to shield me from the falling acid.

Hiding under a panel once used for workers during renovations, pain tore through my chest.

I couldn’t understand how someone who once loved me so much could turn so cruel the moment he found out I wasn’t the real daughter of the Lewis Family.

He burned down the house we were supposed to live in after marriage and destroyed all the photos we took together.

He even gave away all our savings and assets to Blair.

Blair, who had never seen that much money before, was thrilled but still kept teasing Spencer, never really giving herself to him.

Until he drugged her.

Every time I saw Spencer chasing after Blair, I remembered how he used to hold my hand so sincerely, telling me that all he wanted was to marry me, Scarlett and grow old together.

But now, the pain and the will to survive pulled me back to reality.

I banged on the walls of the boiler room, shouting, hoping someone would hear me.

But the person who came was the Lewis Family’s steward.

“Still pretending to be the young miss of the Lewis Family, huh? You don’t even see what you are and you still dare to cause trouble in the boiler room!”

“Do you not understand your place now? A bastard worse than a dog. How dare you bark around here!”

Ever since it was revealed that Blair was the real daughter of the Lewis Family, my adoptive parents' attitude toward me had changed completely.

I had always felt guilty toward Blair and my parents, thinking I had stolen her rightful place, keeping them from their true family. So, I always gave in.

But I never expected they would just keep pushing further.

The servants in the estate saw the shift and followed their lead. Now, they treated me worse than a dog.

But at this moment, desperate to survive, I had no choice but to swallow my pride and beg softly.

“There’s something wrong with the boiler room. The fire system is spraying sulfuric acid. Please, I beg you, let me out, or I’ll die in here!”

The steward hesitated.

Maybe because he sensed it was truly life and death, he gave in and made a call to ask for instructions.

The call went to my adoptive parents. As soon as they heard it was about me, the father who once loved me dearly now spoke with nothing but disgust.

“Sulfuric acid? That brat can’t even lie properly! She just wants attention again. Does she really think she can do whatever she wants in the Lewis Family just because she’s a stray?”

Mother hesitated for a moment.

“That doesn’t sound right. Scarlett was never the kind to lie like that. What if it’s true?”

Then Blair’s voice came through the phone.

“Mom, how could something like that even happen? Scarlett just can’t stand to see us happy. That’s why she’s saying such scary things, to get you to go back and check on her. Who knows how she even ended up in the boiler room!”

Blair’s words made Mother upset as well.

“If that’s the case, Scarlett, you’ve really gone too far! We raised you all these years and you have no gratitude. Now you want to tear this family apart? Have the steward lock the door! If she wants to stay in there, then let her stay!”

Before the steward or I could respond, the call ended abruptly.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but I thought I heard a hint of satisfaction in the steward’s voice. He shrugged and said, “Miss, you heard them. There’s nothing I can do.”

Then he added ten more locks, completely cutting off any hope of escape.

The sulfuric acid crept closer.

At that moment, I closed my eyes in despair.

Dad, Mom, when will you finally realize that I’m your real daughter?

That Blair was the fake one.

Then, I heard the steward making a call just outside the door.

“Miss Landers, it’s done. Just like you asked.”

“The boiler room’s filled with sulfuric acid. Even if she survives, her face will be ruined. When that happens, even if the Lewis Family wants her back, they won’t be able to bring themselves to acknowledge someone so hideous.”

“Miss Landers, from now on, you will be the Lewis Family’s one and only little princess! All of the Lewis Family’s fortune will belong to you alone!”

The steward’s words felt like ice water pouring over me from head to toe.

So this had all been a setup between the steward and Blair.

She had tricked Mom and Dad just to steal everything from the Lewis Family.

Then Blair’s smug voice came through the phone.

“I never thought just switching the DNA samples would get me such a big reward! I already have everything that used to belong to Scarlett. Now, Scarlett’s parents treat me even better than they treated her!”

“Who would've guessed that the powerful Lewis couple, so respected in the business world, could be fooled this easily? And that pathetic rich boyfriend of Scarlett? He worships me now like a loyal dog!”

Her arrogant words echoed over and over.

In the boiler room, tears streamed down my face.

I never imagined my parents and Spencer would be so cruel to me, all because of one lie.

In their eyes, I had never truly mattered. What they really valued were those unseen, intangible bloodlines.

Tears of pain ran down my face and I made up my mind: I had to save myself.

I tore down a wooden board and used it to shield my head as I moved toward the boiler room’s internal phone.

It was only connected to the estate’s internal line, but after pulling it apart and fixing the wires, I managed to link it to the emergency rescue team.

The toxic fumes and heavy blood loss were clouding my mind.

With the last of my strength, I whispered into the phone.

“Enrico… help me…”

I heard a panicked voice on the other end, but I was too weak to respond.

I didn’t know how much time had passed until suddenly, I heard someone pounding hard on the door.

“Scarlett! Hold on!”

But right after, I heard the steward trying to stop him.

“Young Master Moore! You’re damaging Lewis Family property! Be careful, or the master will be furious and ruin you!”

Enrico’s cold laugh rang out from outside.

“A mere Lewis Family thinks they can bankrupt me? What a joke. Hand over the keys now, or I’ll ruin your life instead.”

The steward was so scared that he didn’t dare resist.

He stood frozen as Enrico snatched his phone and called my father.

“Uncle Magnus, Scarlett is trapped in the boiler room. Her condition is very serious. Where is the spare key?”