Gabrielle hissed, "Do you think you can scam me out of that 100-million-dollar prize? I only wanted to take Freddie out to relax for a bit, and Cyril kept trying to stop us. Fine, whatever. But to lie to my face?

"Tell him that even if he is genuinely abducted, I won't let a scheming man like him drive Freddie away from me again!"

I was so furious that my head throbbed, and I shouted back at Gabriella, "Cyril was abducted! When you brought your people last time, they were in the middle of beating him. Did you already forget?"

Gabriella's eyes flickered for a moment. Then, she let out a cold, bitter laugh. "Oh, it was such a well-done performance, I nearly believed it myself. So what if Cyril got a little roughed up? Freddie lost his life!

"The fact that I got a second chance proves that I made the wrong choice the first time. I should have stood by the one who was truly worth keeping."

I chuckled bitterly. It was the kind of laugh that spilled over into tears without warning. Ever since Freddie showed up, Gabriella and Cyril had gone from passionate lovers to constantly arguing and fighting every other day.

They finally managed a short period of peace, and Cyril even agreed to take a break from work and focus on the family.

However, Freddie insisted on turning the company's year-end bonus event into a game, which threw all of Brightshire into fear and chaos.

Even Gabriella's old enemies, the ones she'd once silenced with brutal means, began crawling out of the woodwork. Then, just when we needed protection the most, the bodyguards assigned to protect Cyril abandoned their posts, tempted by the 100-million-dollar prize.

All because she wanted Freddie to be happy, Gabriella used both my life and Cyril's as playthings. She even humiliated me in front of everyone.

My heart turned as cold as ice. Through gritted teeth, I asked, "Since Freddie came into your life, how often have you even been home? Do you know how many death threats we've received since this game started? Cyril's been living in constant fear. His depression keeps coming back—"

Gabriella impatiently interrupted me, "I hired Dr. Jerome Manning to check on him and look after him 24/7. If Cyril insists on running out and getting himself into trouble, that's on him, not me!"

She added, "Your little script had holes from the start. He's surrounded by top security and world-class therapists. I don't care if he is my husband. If he's lying to me like this, I'm done with him!"

I was filled with resentment and hatred. "Then call the mansion and see if they're there today!"

Gabriella's expression gradually turned cold as she picked up the phone and dialed. After a sarcastic chuckle, she hung up and showed me the footage from the home surveillance cameras.

The footage showed Cyril surrounded by his bodyguards, receiving psychological counseling while a therapist gave him a massage.

She said through gritted teeth, "Is this what you call being tortured? He's living such a luxurious life, so what more could he want? Why does he have to scheme with you to drive Freddie away?"

Hannah's gaze toward me turned ice-cold. She kicked me in the stomach with disgust and spat, "I'd love to cut you open and see what kind of rotten garbage you've got inside! Gabriella thinks you're just a spoiled brat, but I say you're way past saving!"

I collapsed to the ground, my whole body shaking. Two of my ribs were broken, and the pain was unbearable. Sweat rolled into my eyes as I forced myself to look at the footage again.

"It's fake! Gabriella! That footage is fake!"

I noticed that it was drizzling steadily outside the large windows in the footage. However, I knew that the past week had been sunny.

Gabriella's face was cast in shadows as she shut off the surveillance without hesitation. "You think you can twist the truth with a few lies, Vance? I fell for your tricks once. Did you really think that I'd be stupid enough to fall for them again?"

I pleaded desperately, my elbows scraping bloody against the steps.

I yelled, "Ella, please trust me! Cyril said that you two had an agreed signal and that you could find him no matter where he went. That's the vow you made together! You've been married for a decade. Were all those years you spent together a lie?"

Gabriella narrowed her eyes, studying my face. She thought for a moment before saying, "My game is about to reach its final peak, but I don't think 100 million dollars is enough anymore. Since you're so stubborn and won't admit that you're wrong, come to the arena and see how cruel the world is without me protecting you."

She added, "It'll give you something to tell Cyril—that lying and playing the victim will never bring me back. And he needs to stop using our past to manipulate me."

Gabriella ordered Hannah to tie me up tight. After injecting a sedative and blindfolding me, they transported me straight to a deserted island where the final game was being held.

I woke up to the deafening roar of a crowd. Suddenly, someone ripped off the cloth over my eyes. My wrists were bound behind a post at one end of the oval arena. Below me were eager crowds of desperate people with murderous gleams in their eyes, holding various bloody weapons and sizing me up like prey.

Gabriella cleared her throat, and the entire venue immediately fell silent. "We're raising the stakes for this final round. Whoever wins not only gets the 100-million-dollar grand prize but also gets to spend the night with Vance."

The eruption of cheers was like a tidal wave, shaking me to my core.

Freddie stepped forward and announced, "The rules are simple. Whoever slices that man's head off first wins!"

Only then did I notice the man tied up on the high platform at the other end of the field. His face was covered, but his white shirt was drenched in blood, and his body trembled weakly.

I recognized the shirt immediately. It was Cyril's.

My heart skipped a beat, and I struggled violently, my eyes wide in horror. However, my mouth had been stuffed with cloth, blocking off every scream.

Hannah, who was watching over me, warned me to stay quiet. She said, "It's too late to admit your mistake now. Gabriella has already decided to give you away as a prize as an apology to Mr. Morgan for today's farce."

With the sound of a whistle, the game began. I watched in despair as the bloodthirsty players scrambled up the platform, their blades randomly slashing hundreds of cuts across Cyril's body.

Before long, blood poured from the platform like a waterfall, staining everything crimson as the metallic smell filled the entire venue.

I desperately looked toward Gabriella, hoping she would quickly realize that the man tied on the platform was the one she'd known since childhood and married.

However, Freddie was so excited that he could barely contain himself. He passionately kissed Gabriella and exclaimed, "Ms. Rutherfurd, I've had such a wonderful time this holiday. Thank you for spending it with me!"

Gabriella leaned lovingly against the man's shoulder and took his hand. "A man as wonderful as you deserves the whole world."

From beginning to end, she only focused on Freddie's emotions and never once looked toward the platform.

"The winner is Contestant 461!" With the cold, mechanical announcement, a severed head rolled down from the platform and landed at Gabriella's feet.

The blood-soaked cloth that once covered the face had already been torn off during the struggle, revealing a pale, lifeless face that was all too familiar.