I had already explained everything, getting ready to leave. Just as I finished packing, the door slammed open. Adeline walked in parrogantly in high heels. She looked at me with eyes full of defiance.

She strode up to me and spoke arrogantly, "Lilian, do you really think you're so special just because you're our parents' biological daughter? They love me now!"

"I've known all along. You're going to marry that lunatic for me. Isn't the bride price just one billion? After I marry Brian, there will be far more money. Plenty more."

Her tone dripped with arrogance as she continued, "Brian’s project will soon make more money than I could spend in ten lifetimes. The Wyatt and Herbert families are far ahead in technology. With us together, we'll be unstoppable."

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a vicious whisper, "And you … you're just trading one hell for another. The Lloyd Family is cruel beyond words. Once you marry into their family, you might not even survive three days."

"If you manage to live, you’ll get the money. If you die … you’ll leave it all behind, untouched."

Her cruel words echoed in my ears. The anger I’d been holding back for so long finally exploded. I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. The sharp sound rang through the room like a gunshot.

A cold smile spread across my lips as I glared at her.

"Really? Then I hope you get exactly what you deserve!"

Adeline couldn’t help but cover her cheek as she looked at me with disbelief.

"You … you dare hit me? Lilian, how dare you hit me!"

I didn’t waste a single breath on her. Again, I slapped her. In fact, it was even harder than before. This time, blood instantly welled at the corner of her mouth. A thin crimson line slid down her chin.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed outside. The door burst open. Brian stormed in. The second he saw Adeline’s bloody mouth, his eyes filled with rage so intense it was almost murderous.

"Lilian! Have you gone mad? Who gave you the right to hit her?"

Immediately, Brian rushed to Adeline. He pulled her into his arms as he carefully wiped the blood from her lips. Before I could speak, his palm struck my face with a loud crack. Pain exploded across my cheek. My head jerked to the side as my mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.

I swallowed it down and slowly lifted my head to look at him. Instead of anger, I smiled coldly.

"Brian, I hope you won’t regret this."

My parents arrived right after him. They immediately rushed to my side. Not to protect me, but to scold me like I was a stranger.

"Lilian, you ungrateful wretch! How could you hurt Adeline like this? What has she ever done to you?"

Adeline clung to Brian, crying pitifully, yet her trembling voice was laced with false kindness as she spoke, "Brian, Mum, Dad … please don’t scold Lilian anymore. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have upset her."

"I’m leaving tomorrow. I won’t trouble this family again. I just don’t want her to keep being unhappy because of me … "

Her performance only added fuel to the fire. Brian’s face became even more grim. His rage was nearly uncontrollable.

Brian then shouted toward the doorway and two black-clad bodyguards immediately entered.

"Drag her outside. Hang her upside down from the tree in the yard," he ordered.

He paused before he continued with his tone cutting me like a knife, "Let the sun warm her dark, filthy heart. The Herbert Family does not tolerate women as vile as her."

The bodyguards moved without hesitation, seizing me by the arms.

"Brian! Let me go! You can’t do this to me!"

But no one listened. They dragged me out into the yard. My struggles were meaningless against their strength.

The rough rope bit into my ankles as they tied me up. With a hard yank, they then hoisted me upside down from the tall tree. Blood rushed to my head, making me dizzy and nauseous.

The scorching midday sun beat down mercilessly on my body. My skin burned, my chest tightened and my breath came in ragged gasps. Through the haze of heat and pain, I tilted my head and caught sight of the living room window.

Inside, Brian was tenderly applying medicine to Adeline’s wounds. My parents sat beside her, speaking softly, comforting her. The three of them looked like a warm, happy family while I was left to suffer alone.

Tears streamed from my eyes, falling to the ground below. The hot sun dried them instantly, leaving no trace. I clenched my teeth and swore silently to myself.

Just one day. I only have to endure this for one day. When I got free, I would make every single one of them pay for what they had done to me.

Meanwhile, the sunlight grew hotter and hotter. My vision blurred. The world spun wildly around me.

Finally, everything went black.

Once I regained my consciousness, I was lying in my room where I was wrapped in a soft quilt. Fresh bandages covered the wound on my shoulder, while the gauze was clean and neatly tied. I heard movement near the door, followed by the servant’s voice.

“Miss, you’re awake? Mr. Herbert was very distressed after bringing you down from the tree yesterday. He told me to take special care of you.”

As she said, the servant pointed toward a large box beside the bed.

“Mr. Herbert also had someone deliver this this morning. It’s a wedding dress. He said it’s been altered and wanted you to try it on. Your wedding is the day after tomorrow.”

I turned my head to look. The wedding dress I had once eagerly awaited now lay before me, yet my heart felt completely cold. Without saying much, I threw off the quilt and climbed out of bed. I didn’t even spare the dress another glance as I walked straight toward the door.

As I stepped into the hallway, Adeline appeared, walking toward me. The moment she saw me, she froze. Her eyes were flashing with disdain and mockery.

“Well, well, Lilian. You really are something! You were hanging from a tree yesterday, but now you’ve somehow made Brian feel sorry for you? What’s your plan now? Seduce him in a wedding dress and ruin our marriage? I-”

I cut her off as I flatly said, “I don’t care about the wedding dress. I’ll give it to you. I have no interest in fighting you for Brian. You’ll be the one marrying him, not me.”

Adeline was frozen by my words, completely caught off guard.

Ignoring her, I continued past her without a backward glance. My body was still weak, but I forced myself down the stairs step by step and pushed open the mansion’s front door. A cool breeze brushed against my face, clearing my head.

Brian’s empty gestures and fake concern meant nothing to me now. What I needed wasn’t to stay in this suffocating house. It was to prepare to leave in two days.

And to make sure that everyone who had hurt me paid the price.

I pulled out my phone and sent a message to my trusted friends.

[In two days, release all the evidence to every major media outlet. Immediately block the Wyatt and Herbert families’ critical technology.]

I made a promise to myself, ‘To the Wyatt Family and the Herbert Family, I will make you pay!’

Before I could put my phone back into my pocket, a hand suddenly clamped over my mouth and nose from behind. A strong, pungent smell filled my nostrils. My vision spun and went black.

When I woke again, I was tied to a cold iron chair in a dark, damp room. In the corner, Adeline was tied up as well as she softly sobbed. Before I could even process what was happening, a tall man with a scar across his face walked toward us.

He casually picked up a phone, dialed a number and turned on the speaker.

“Mr. Herbert, come now if you want to save your woman.”

Ten minutes later, Brian burst into the room. Panic flashed in his eyes as he looked at Adeline and me. And then the scar-faced man toyed with a dagger as he showed a cruel smile on his face.

“I heard one of them is your fiancée. Here’s a game for you. Choose one.”

Brian froze, his mouth opening but no words coming out. His hesitation filled the air like poison.

“I … ” he stammered.

“Stop wasting time!” the kidnapper barked impatiently.

The man grabbed both Adeline and me by the neck, cutting off our air. Our breathing turned frantic and shallow.

“Brian! I’m scared! It hurts so much! Please, save me!”

Adeline’s screams were high-pitched and desperate, echoing in the cold room. Brian’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His eyes darted between us, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Finally, he spoke with a trembling voice, “I choose to save Adeline!”

After Brian chose Adline, the scarred man yanked me forward by my hair and shoved me into a deep pool nearby. The icy water swallowed me whole. My lungs screamed for air. It suffocated me, making me tremble.

Once. Twice. I was dragged up only to be shoved back under until my consciousness began to fade. Finally, they pulled me out and dumped me onto the cold, wet floor. I gasped desperately, coughing and choking, trying to breathe.

The man laughed cruelly as he said, “Mr. Herbert, you really are decisive.”

Before I could recover, the kidnappers dragged both Adeline and me to two large sealed iron cages.

“Mr. Herbert, it’s time to choose again. Who should we pick this time?” the scar-faced man lazily asked.

Brian’s eyes flicked to Adeline. Her face was pale, but her eyes fixed on him that were full of hope.

“I choose Adeline!” he shouted firmly.

The kidnapper smirked, unlocked one of the cages and shoved me inside instead. The iron door slammed shut with a loud clang. The dark, cramped space closed in around me, making it hard to breathe.

I curled up in the corner, my whole body shaking.

My voice cracked as I called out softly, “Brian … ”

But outside, there was only Adeline’s sobbing and Brian’s gentle words as he comforted her. Only after a long time did he remember me. His voice turned impatient as he spoke, “Name your price. Don’t hurt Lilian again.”

The scar-faced man laughed mockingly before he responded, “Wonderful! One hundred million. That’s enough to buy one life. So, Mr. Herbert … who do you want to save?”

Brian’s answer was sharp and quick.

“Don’t touch her. Redeem Adeline.”

He practically shouted the words.

Meanwhile, I leaned weakly against the cold bars as Adeline was untied. She threw herself into his arms as she cried dramatically while I was too exhausted even to curse. Brian then lifted her carefully and looked at me with a complicated expression.

“Lilian, your sister is fragile. I’ll take her first. Wait here. I’ll transfer the money and come back for you.”

He didn’t wait for me to reply. Without another glance, he left carrying Adeline. The scar-faced man crouched in front of my cage and kicked my leg casually.

“Your fiancé is really devoted to her, huh?”

I realized that I was coughing blood, but I forced myself to sit up straighter as I looked at the man coldly.

My voice was steady as I asked him, “How much would it cost to save my life? I’ll pay you double whatever Adeline gave.”

The man froze for a moment, then his lips curled into a grin. As I suspected, these men were indeed people ordered by Adeline. He quickly stopped with his act, boldly saying, “Your sister wants you dead. But we only care about the money.”

My hands shook as I pulled out my cracked phone. I called a trusted friend and wired two hundred million on the spot. The kidnappers checked the transfer, then cut the ropes around my wrists.

I walked out without looking back, hailed the first taxi I saw and headed straight to the airport.

Right before boarding, my phone buzzed. One billion appeared in my account. A message from my friend followed.

[Brian was fooled. Two days later, their stocks would crash and they would lose their critical technologies.]

I stared at my phone screen. A faint smile tugged at my lips. It began.

Meanwhile, Brian had rushed back to find me after sending Adeline to the hospital. But Adeline clung to his arm to stop him.

“Mum and Dad just called. They said they already rescued my sister and took her home. If you leave now, I’ll be all alone.”

Brian couldn’t help but feel irritated with the crying Adeline. He kept recalling my last cold, distant look. It left behind a strange unease in his chest.

However, Adeline kept talking, “Mum said Lilian’s resting. And you’re marrying her tomorrow, remember? It’s bad luck to see the bride the day before the wedding. You’ll see her tomorrow. Don’t worry.”

It was only after Adeline told Brian that I was safe and sound that he exhaled slowly. He told himself that he would make everything up to me tomorrow and for the rest of our lives.

The next day, the wedding was everywhere in the news. Everyone was talking about the grand union between the Wyatt and Herbert families, calling it the wedding of the century.

Brian stood at the altar, excitement lighting up his face as he saw the bride walking toward him in a sea of flowers. He rushed forward and pulled “me” into his arms.

“Lilian, I missed you so much!” he said warmly.

But then the bride turned around. Brian’s entire body froze. With a shocked expression, Brian angrily asked, “Adeline, why are you here? Where’s Lilian?”