Hayden looked down and exclaimed, "Oh, no—my shoes got dirty from the dust earlier!"

Tiana coaxed him gently, saying, "I'll buy you another pair this afternoon."

Hayden's eyes turned bloodshot as he choked back tears. "You were the one who gave these shoes to me. Why is Nicholas always picking on me?"

Tiana furrowed her brow as Hayden glanced warily at me. She then barked, "Go clean the dirt off Hayden's shoes!"

It was then that one of the household staff nearby said contemptuously, "I can show you how to wait on someone properly."

He then glanced up at Tiana, clearly looking for a pat on the back. Tiana remained silent, her compliance serving as a clear endorsement of his behavior.

I was forced to press my face against Hayden's shoes.

Hayden laughed in satisfaction and took a few photos. He then let out another cry a moment later. "Ouch, my foot! You don't have to hurt me just because you don't want to clean my shoes, Nicholas. I'm already physically weak, so I can't handle being scared like this."

Tiana grabbed my collar and slapped me hard across the face. "How heartless of you! Drag him to the courtyard and force him to kneel. He can only get up when Hayden is no longer angry. Go find that hidden bastard of a child and make her kneel at the chapel to pray again!"

I kneeled in the pouring rain with hands pressing heavily on my shoulders. I held Sabrina's ashes tight against my chest, watching numbly as Tiana bustled around the living room, spoon-feeding Hayden.

It was then that the shaman, whom Hayden hired, made another visit, swinging her whisk as she chanted under her breath. She then explained, "Henry remains unconscious because the malevolent energy is still present. You must find the girl immediately so that she can perform the prayers."

Tiana held Hayden close under the umbrella. "Go hold his head underwater to clear his mind. Get rid of that urn he's holding as well—it makes me sick just looking at it."

I cried out in utter disbelief, yelling, "Those are Sabrina's ashes! How can you be so heartless?"

I couldn't let them deny Sabrina peace in the afterlife. I kneeled and groveled before Tiana, saying, "You can't do this, Tiana."

Tiana kicked me aside with a grim expression, and before long, the urn was taken from me and thrown to the ground, causing the ashes to spill out and promptly washed away by the falling rain.

I was forced under the water, swallowing mouthfuls as I struggled for air. I was right on the edge of drowning when Tiana finally told them to drag me out.

It was then that the shaman sighed helplessly and said, "If the child can't be located, there is only one remaining method. Mr. Zeller shares an unbreakable bond with that child, as they are related by blood.

"Thus, we must take one of Mr. Zeller's organs, soak it in the holy water, and burn it in a fire to perform the rite."

Tiana furrowed her brow and asked, "Is it going to work?"

Hayden suddenly clutched his chest and said, "I feel so suffocated."

Upon seeing that, the shaman's eyes widened in alarm. "There is malevolent energy converging in this area! There is no time to lose!"

Tiana accepted the knife from one of the household staff and said, "I'll only remove one of your kidneys, Nicholas. I'll raise Sabrina as my own child in return—this will be my way of making it up to you."

I burst into hysterical laughter as the knife cut into my flesh. "You're truly an ingrate! I should have never invested tens of billions of dollars into Sabell Group!"

Tiana's hand stiffened as she asked in shock, "W-What did you just say?"

Hayden sneered. "That investment came from the Zeller family of Brookvale—the ones with hands in both the underworld and the legitimate world. You're nothing but an orphan, Nicholas."

Gina, barely able to stand and supported by a cane, rushed over and slapped Tiana repeatedly across the face. "Nicholas is the heir of the Zeller family of Brookvale! He severed all ties with his family just to marry into yours, Tiana!"