"Su Qingwan, someone's come to ransom you. Follow me."

The heavy iron door creaked open, and a harsh beam of light invaded the dim cell, stinging her eyes. Su Qingwan winced but forced herself to stand, her heart pounding with hope. Weak from days without food, she swayed, bracing a hand against the cold wall to steady herself.

"Hurry up. No dawdling," the guard barked, his voice rough with impatience.

Stumbling forward, Su Qingwan followed him up the stairs, her legs unsteady. As they reached the office door, she heard a familiar voice—her fiancé, Li Jintian.

"One hundred million for one person. I'm taking her with me."

Overwhelmed with relief, Su Qingwan pushed the door open. "Jintian! I knew you'd come for me—"

Her words died in her throat.

There, in Li Jintian's arms, was her younger sister, Su Lin—her clothes disheveled, her skin mottled with bruises. Tears streaked Su Lin's dirt-smudged face, and she flinched at the sight of Su Qingwan, shrinking deeper into Li Jintian's embrace.

"P-please, sister, don't hit me again!" Su Lin sobbed, her voice trembling. "I won’t dare love Jintian anymore! I’ll give up everything—Mom and Dad, even the Su family name! Just don’t hurt me... It hurts so much... Jintian, save me!"

Li Jintian tightened his arms around Su Lin, pressing a tender kiss to her tear-streaked forehead. "Shh, my love. I won’t let her touch you again."

Then his gaze lifted, sharp as a blade, locking onto Su Qingwan with icy fury.

"Su Qingwan, the Su family raised you for over twenty years, nurtured you into the person you are today. And how do you repay them? You tricked Linlin into going to northern Myanmar and sold her to those scammers in the industrial park! Truly, a bad seed will always bear rotten fruit. You make me sick."

Su Qingwan was stunned. She never expected that Su Lin, who had always been sweet and close to her, would set her up like this.

"That's not what happened. Su Lin said she wanted to write her graduation thesis on the trending topic of northern Myanmar and begged me to take her there—"

Before she could finish, Su Lin's sobbing cut her off.

"Tian-ge, don't blame Sister. It was me who begged her to take me. I was the one who sold her to them. These injuries on me? I did them to myself. And those men who just tried to rape me? I hired them. It has nothing to do with Sister..."

In an instant, Li Jintian's piercing glare felt like it could tear through Su Qingwan's heart.

"I didn’t—" Before she could defend herself, a brutal slap struck her face.

The force sent her sprawling to the ground. Her ears rang, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

Clutching her cheek, Su Qingwan stared at the man she had loved for ten years.

For the first time, he seemed like a stranger—cold, ruthless, terrifying.

"You believe her... but not me?" she asked, fighting back tears.

Li Jintian sneered. "Even now, you show no remorse. I barely touched you, and you're already pretending to faint. No wonder you’ve been bullying Linlin behind our backs, then playing the victim to make us doubt her."

Her heart twisted in agony, choked with injustice.

"I didn’t do it. Please believe me."

Li Jintian didn’t even spare her another word. He turned to the person in charge.

**"I'll give you an extra ten million. Make sure she suffers—just don’t kill her."**

The manager never expected such a massive payout without the usual elaborate con. His eyes crinkled into slits as he grinned. **"Don’t worry, Mr. Li. Breaking people is my specialty—especially delicate beauties like her."**

Li Jintian gave a curt nod, cradling Su Lin in his arms as he loomed over Su Qingwan with icy disdain. **"Grow up, Su Qingwan. Actions have consequences. Did you really think kidnapping Linlin to Myanmar would go unpunished?"**

Without another word, he strode away, Su Lin secure in his embrace.

Su Qingwan stood frozen, disbelief crashing over her. *He’s leaving me here?*

Desperate, she lunged forward, clutching at his pant leg. **"Jintian! You can’t do this to me!"**

Li Jintian kicked her off without hesitation, his retreating figure radiating contempt.

Scrambling after him on her knees, she screamed, **"I need to call my parents!"**

**"They already know,"** he shot back without turning. **"Or did you forget? Su Lin is their *real* daughter. What’s a disposable foster child like you worth in comparison?"**

He quickened his pace, vanishing down the stairs.

Su Qingwan staggered to her feet, sprinting blindly after him, tears blurring her vision. **"Jintian! Please—don’t leave me!"**

Her foot caught. With a sharp gasp, she tumbled down the steps, her body crashing against the unforgiving concrete in a series of sickening thuds.

After a dizzying spin, she collided with something hard and finally stopped rolling.

Warm blood trickled down her forehead and along her cheek, but Su Qingwan couldn’t care less. All she knew was that if she didn’t catch Li Jintian now, her life would be over.

Scrambling to her feet, she dashed desperately out the door.

There, she saw Li Jintian carrying Su Lin in his arms as they climbed into the luxury car parked outside. Su Qingwan lunged forward, fingers outstretched to grab his sleeve—

But just before she could reach him, one of Li Jintian’s bodyguards kicked her away.

Her body went weightless before crashing onto the unforgiving concrete. Ignoring the pain, she crawled toward Li Jintian on hands and knees.

"Jintian, don’t leave me behind!"

A bodyguard’s foot pressed down on her ankle, pinning her like a helpless insect, writhing but unable to move an inch.

Su Lin nestled deeper into Li Jintian’s embrace, her voice fragile and sweet. "Brother Tian, Sister is just jealous that you love me. She didn’t mean to hire those men to assault me. Please, take her with us..."

Li Jintian tightened his hold on Su Lin, pressing a tender kiss to her lips.

"Silly girl, you’re too kind. Do you even know what kind of place Northern Myanmar is? If I had been a second later, those filthy dogs would have—" His voice darkened. "Since Su Qingwan orchestrated this little show, let her see it through to the end."

With a flick of his hand, the bodyguard shut the car door.

Su Qingwan watched as Li Jintian turned to leave, and her struggles became even more frantic.

"Jintian, I don't love you anymore! I swear I'll break off the engagement, I'll leave the Su family and never come back! Please, don’t go—I’m begging you!"

Unable to move, she could only crawl forward, kneeling and kowtowing desperately to Li Jintian.

But no matter how she pleaded, the sleek luxury car drove off without a second glance.

The bodyguard lifted his foot from her calf, and without hesitation, she scrambled after the vehicle.

Su Qingwan knew Li Jintian was her only hope of escaping this place—she couldn’t give up.

"Jintian—!" Her voice tore through the air, raw with desperation.

Inside the car, Li Jintian glanced at the deranged woman chasing behind him, his expression icy. "Drive faster," he ordered coldly.

The car accelerated, speeding past the iron gates of the compound without hesitation.

Su Qingwan lunged forward, only to be seized by the guards.

The heavy gates slammed shut behind the car, every lock clicking into place.

Despair crashed over her like a tidal wave.

In an instant, she crumpled like a discarded puppet, all strength leaving her body. Her face pressed against the cold metal gate as she slid limply to the ground, leaving a long, smeared streak of blood behind.

Lying there, her hollow eyes stared up at the rain-washed sky—so blue, so indifferent.

But all she could see before her was an endless abyss.

The voices of the amusement park staff echoed in her ears.

"Who knew we'd get front-row seats to such a tragic love story? The plot was gripping—I almost shed a tear myself."

"Boss, what should we do with this woman?"

"Top-tier talent, I tell you. Pretty face, killer figure—absolute perfection. Let's gift her to Brother Li. If he's pleased, we'll all be rolling in promotions, riches, and wives in no time!"

The men's raucous laughter cut through her like blades.

It hurt... so much...