"Great," Shane said, his tone flat as if stating the most ordinary fact. "Only by suffering will Lily understand that money isn't so easy to earn.

"As a reward, I'll make sure your family's business gets extra attention. But Lily mustn't know this yet. After the New Year, when our parents return, I'll tell them myself."

My breath caught. My heart nearly stopped.

A waiter came by to take my order. I couldn't speak—I only trembled, pointing randomly at the menu. Then I signaled him to leave quickly, hoping my brother wouldn't notice me.

Charlene's voice came from the other side, soft and attentive.

"Shane, you told Lily you were testing haunted houses, but you were sneaking home every day. Aren't you tired? Why didn't you just go abroad with your parents back then?"

My chest heaved. A tidal wave of realization crashed over me.

So the haunted-house story my brother told me—it was a lie. He had been coming home the whole time, while I suffered alone. For five years, had I been the only one enduring hardship?

My brother sighed.

"Lily is my little sister. I couldn't leave her alone in the country. Besides, the company may have moved abroad, but it will return eventually."

He shook his head, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "The five-year punishment we planned has flown by. Time passes so quickly."

Quickly? I let out a bitter laugh in my mind. For me, every single day of those five years had been torture.

Playing a corpse wasn't easy. Under Charlene's instructions, I was always placed in the most grueling, dirtiest scenes.

Wind, rain—it didn't matter. I couldn't move. Over time, my body grew weak. My periods came irregularly or dragged on endlessly. And in their eyes, it was just a punishment.

Ridiculous…

"Charlene, you've worked hard these five years too. Consider this a gift," Shane said as the conversation continued across the table.

He handed Charlene a delicate gift box.

She opened it and gasped, "What a beautiful diamond necklace!"

My heart sank into a pit of despair.

That necklace—the one I had pouted to my parents for five years ago. Back then, they didn't buy it for me. Too expensive, they said.

I had let it go, thinking it wasn't essential.

Now, it seemed that necklace had sparked my five years of punishment.

But why? Our family was so rich—why would wanting a necklace earn me five years of suffering?

And Charlene, whose family was less wealthy, could effortlessly get whatever she wanted?

Had I been disobedient? Naughty?

I'd been obedient all my life, never defying them. So why was I the one being punished like this?

Emotions overflowed. I couldn't contain myself any longer. I slammed my hand on the table with a loud bang and stood up abruptly.

All the diners turned to look.

Shane spun around, his face instantly pale.

"Lily… what are you doing here?"

"Was it fun? Five years of lies—was that fun?"

I ripped off my hat and mask, lunging forward to grab his sleeve.

"Tell me! When have I ever been wasteful? Why did you all have to torture me like this?"

Panic flashed in my brother's eyes. He looked around, embarrassed, and gripped me firmly.

"There are too many people here. Let's go outside."

"Who needs to hide from the public eye? It's you!" I wrenched my arm free, my face burning red, and screamed hysterically, "You and Mom and Dad—working together to deceive me! Telling me the family went bankrupt, that we owed money, telling me you were testing haunted houses!

"But in reality? They were traveling abroad, and you came home every day to relax! The only one suffering all this time… was me!"

My control snapped. Tears poured down my face.

"Shane… why? Can't you tell me why? I beg you! What does it matter if our family has billions and I spend one thousand on a phone?"

His expression darkened.

"No wonder you asked me that this afternoon. So you overheard me calling Mom and Dad."

He grabbed my wrist again, this time with force, trying to drag me out of the restaurant.

A waiter rushed over, holding me back.

"Ma'am, you haven't paid yet—your meal is five hundred dollars!"

My brother froze for a moment, then his brow furrowed.

"Why did you order such an expensive meal? Don't you know how hard it is to earn money?"

All eyes turned toward me. He deliberately delayed, letting my face drain of color before I finally swiped the card.

Outside, Charlene's voice added fuel to the fire, "Lily, your parents and brother meant well. They're just trying to teach you a lesson—don't be ungrateful!"

"What does that have to do with you?" I snapped, fury boiling in my chest.

I yanked my hand free from my brother's grasp and slapped Charlene across the face.

She shrieked, clutching her cheek in shock.

The next second, my brother returned the slap—right to me.

"Lily, is this really necessary? If you hadn't been so vain, would our parents and I have done this? These five years were hard for you, and you think we had it easy? You even dare lay a hand on someone else! Maybe your punishment still isn't enough!"

I froze, listening to his cold, relentless voice. My heart felt dead inside.

After a long moment, I lifted my eyes and sneered, my voice dripping with mockery.

"Not enough? Fine. Then take my life. Is that enough?"

"You're still speaking recklessly!"

His gaze turned cold. He called the driver over and shoved me into the car.

Tears streamed down my face, yet I laughed bitterly.

"Go home? Which home?"

He didn't look at me once. He pulled out his phone and called our parents.

"Come back. Yes… Lily knows now.

"I didn't say anything! She overheard herself!"

He slammed the phone down in frustration, his aura dark and oppressive.

When he looked at me, his eyes were full of impatience.

"And you still have the nerve to cry? I've suffered alongside you for five years, and in the end, I'm the one getting scolded. What exactly are you crying about? Stop acting like you've been the one wronged!"

I couldn't speak. I let him berate me all the way to the old villa. I hadn't been back for five years. Stepping inside again, all I felt was alienation.

The stabbing pain in my stomach surged. I couldn't hold it and vomited black blood.

In my panic, I tried to wipe it away. My brother saw, but only sneered coldly.

"Using props to gain sympathy, huh? Trying to make me feel guilty? Wait 'til Mom and Dad are back. This little act won't work on me."

My parents returned quickly—early the next morning, they were home.

Shane, still irritated from their scolding, forced me to sit on the sofa all night. I hadn't slept, my stomach ached, and cold sweat drenched me. I felt utterly drained.

Yet, when my parents arrived, I rose to my feet like a reflex.

In my mind, they had died five years ago. Now, seeing them alive and well at home felt like a dream.

"Lily, do you understand what you did wrong?"

My father's cold words yanked me back to reality.

I froze, my voice hoarse.

"Wrong? What did I do wrong?"

His expression darkened slightly.

"Five years, and you still don't understand how hard it is to earn money? When we faked our deaths and went abroad, it was to teach you—money always runs out, one day there's no more to earn, one day there's nothing left to spend. Now you understand. Good—so we can return home."

A cold shiver ran through me. I spoke with growing emotion, "So in the end, you think I'm dragging you all down? I don't understand… our family's money could last generations. I never squandered it. Why should I be punished like this? Do you know how wronged I feel? These five years, I…"

"Lily, just admit your mistake!" My mother suddenly came forward and gripped my hand, tears in her eyes. "To teach you a lesson, your father hasn't even returned home to visit your grandmother's grave for five years. You've had it hard, we've had it hard—stop being stubborn. If you just admit you're wrong, the punishment ends. Our family…"

"I'm not wrong!" I yelled and yanked my hand free. "You're wrong! It's your ideas! I haven't done anything wrong!"

Before I could react, my brother slapped me across the face.

"Is this how you speak to our parents? Lily, what grievance do you have? What temper is this? These past five years—you think I had it easy? If I hadn't been worried about you, I would have gone abroad with Mom and Dad long ago!"

My mind went blank. My ears buzzed. What he said… I could barely hear it.

I stood there for a long while, then finally resigned, nodding slightly.

"Give me back the 13 thousand dollars you owe me."

It was money I'd earned with my life.

He glanced at me with disdain and made a call. Within moments, someone returned carrying my bundle of cash.

I wiped my tears, shouldered the money, and prepared to leave.

My mother opened her mouth to speak, but my father stopped her.

"Let her go. I want to see where she'll go."

I closed the door behind me, carrying the cash back to the slum.

Just as I pulled out the key to unlock the door, someone grabbed my wrist.

"Young lady, this house has been sold. You can't enter."

"Sold to a Porter?" I didn't even look up.

"Yes. How did you know?"

I let out a bitter laugh and continued walking, carrying the cash.

Two steps later, a sharp pain stabbed my stomach again. I went to a nearby hospital.

While waiting for the results, I went to pay.

But just as I handed over the money, security grabbed me.

My mind spun; I had no strength to struggle.

I heard words like "counterfeit" and "call the police" in a blur.

Soon, the police arrived.

The lead officer frowned at me. "Young lady, this money is fake. Where did you get it?"

In disbelief, I scrambled for my contract and handed it over.

"I don't know! I was hired as a clinical trial volunteer to earn money! Officer, this has nothing to do with me!"

He studied the contract, frowning deeper.

"You've been deceived. This company is a criminal gang. Did they draw your blood?"

My pupils constricted. I nodded mechanically.

The officer sighed.

"The medicine itself isn't the problem, but the needles…"

He couldn't bring himself to continue.

A cold dread filled me.

Just then, the test results came in. The doctor handed them to the officer while saying, "It's a level-three blood disorder. Those fraudsters went too far."

"Ugh—"

I couldn't hold back. I vomited black blood and collapsed, unconscious.

As I closed my eyes, I heard the officer shouting, "Contact her family! Now!"