I had just come to my senses from Andre's forceful kiss. I struggled to get out of the car, but Andre closed the door even faster.

The driver slid back into the driver's seat. Andre's order pierced through the air like a gunshot. "Go to the hospital. Immediately."

On my way to the private hospital, I finally pieced together the whole story from the snippet of Andre's conversation over the phone earlier.

It turned out that someone had exposed on the dark web that Maya was not of the Lawson family's bloodline. She was merely an orphan with good luck and a well-fabricated lie.

Although my biological parents had stepped forward to give a statement, the public release of her orphanage file still exposed the truth.

Maya's status as the successor was being questioned.

The Lawson family's enemies were as restless as sharks that had smelled blood.

Under all that heavy pressure, Maya actually attempted suicide.

Andre gritted his teeth and stared icily at me. "Danielle, you have to attend the family meeting in half an hour. You must publicly admit that Maya is your biological sister."

I could not help laughing sharply and icily. "Why?"

He spoke as if he were explaining the obvious to a stubborn child. "Because they'll only believe you right now. As the long-lost biological daughter of the Lawson family, why would you relinquish your inheritance to her if Maya weren't your biological sister? They'll have no choice but to believe you if you admit it."

Every word he spoke conformed to political logic. However, logic meant nothing to someone who had always lived in the shadow of their family.

I asked again with a gentle hint of murderous intent, "I asked why."

Why should I clean up the mess left by a woman who had stolen my parents from me? Why should I protect someone who had snatched my inheritance, my family name, and the man I once loved? Why should I shed my own blood to pave the way for her?

Andre's expression darkened completely. "Danielle, stop being so stubborn. If you help Maya, I'll grant you your long-held wish."

I forced an expressionless smile. "How noble. But I don't even know what wish you can help me grant."

"Stop pretending. Haven't you always wanted me to sleep with you? If you help Maya, not only will I sleep with you, but... I'll even allow you to have my child." Andre's tone was impatient, as if he thought he was being incredibly generous.

"I know that guy is a nobody. You were just using him to make me jealous. Once this calms down, I'll give you what you've always wanted."

His throat bobbed. He must have remembered the alluring way I had offered myself to him in my lace nightgown.

"I'll give it to you as many times as you want, okay?"

My face turned deathly pale. My fingers dug into my palms, but I felt no pain. "Andre, what do you take me for?"

He took my loyalty as a bargaining chip and my feelings as a transaction. He even thought letting me bear his child was a reward? Was I really that worthless to him?

The despair in my eyes stung Andre's heart, and a flicker of unease flickered in his eyes. The unprecedented feeling of being out of control made him extremely irritable. He grabbed my chin and forcefully pressed his lips to mine again.

He thought my anger would melt away with a kiss, but it did not.

I bit down as his tongue probed deeper.

Andre jerked back as he stared at the blood at the corner of my mouth.

"You bit me? Danielle, you actually bit me?" He growled as his voice trembled with disbelief.

My lips were stained red with blood, making my complexion even paler. My eyes were terrifyingly bloodshot.

Andre froze, feeling his breath stifle.

Before he could come to his senses, the driver knocked on the car window and whispered," Sir, Ms. Maya is awake. She said if you don't go there soon, she'll..."

Andre suppressed the inexplicable sharp pain in his heart and icily told me, "The doors to the conference hall will be locked in 30 minutes. I'll only give you 30 minutes to get there. If you're absent and cause something to happen to Maya, I won't spare you."

Having said that, he left to rush to the ward where Maya was.

The car door slammed shut, and the car fell silent.

The tears I had been holding back finally poured out of my eyes.

The debt between us had long been written off. Andre could not threaten me anymore.

I took out my phone and texted the lawyer.

Danielle: [Thirty minutes later, outside the Lawson family's conference hall, publicly release the evidence of Andre's extramarital affair with Maya and my divorce agreement with him.]

Then, I handed the Lawson family's supplementary credit card, which the family had once given me, to the driver outside the car window. "There are millions of dollars in it, and the PIN is six ones. Take me to the port, and it's yours."

My voice was deathly calm.

Thirty minutes later, I boarded the yacht Chiara had arranged. The engine roared to life, and the yacht slowly sailed away from the coastline, carrying me along. Only then did I see a dozen missed calls from Andre on my phone, accompanied by several messages.

Andre: [The conference hall doors are about to be locked. Danielle, where are you?]

[I'm warning you, don't expect me to touch you again for the rest of your life if you play any tricks!]

[Danielle, reply! Now!]

The panic in his messages grew with each one, but my heart was utterly calm.

I pulled out the SIM card, held it in my palm for a final second, and threw it into the sea.

I did not want it anymore. I did not want Andre anymore either. Since he and my biological parents wanted Maya more, Maya would be the only one they had from now on.

...

Inside the conference hall, Andre gripped his phone tightly. His knuckles were white, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. He dialed my number repeatedly, but the only response he received was, "Sorry, the number you have called is unavailable."