The day before she would leave abroad, Hector sent someone to pick up his two daughters from the hospital.

Joy and Charmaine got into the same car. Unexpectedly, halfway through the ride, the driver suddenly changed directions onto a small road.

By the time Joy sensed something was off, the car had already stopped in front of an abandoned factory. The driver opened the car door, and two fierce-looking abductors rushed up and dragged her and Charmaine out.

Terrified, Charmaine shouted at the top of her lungs, "Help! Let me go!"

Joy was also stunned.

Their father had arranged the driver. How could he have been bribed by the abductors?

While she was deep in thought, the two were thrown into a shoddy room.

The abductor said icily, "One of you is Leon's fiancée and the other is Leon's future sister-in-law. It's not too much for me to ask him for a ransom of 100 million dollars."

Charmaine widened her eyes. Before she could speak, the abductors had already dialed Leon's phone number and put it on speaker.

"Hello?" Leon's deep voice came through the receiver.

The abductor gave Charmaine a look, and Charmaine immediately sobbed, "Leon, it's me. I'm Charmaine! I... I've been abducted. They're demanding a ransom of 100 million dollars..."

Leon's tone instantly turned cold. "Don't touch Charmaine! Send the account number over and the money will be transferred immediately."

Hearing this, the abductor held the phone to Joy's mouth again. "Say a few words too. If Leon adds another five million dollars, we can release you too."

Joy clenched her fists.

Leon hated her. He would not be willing to spend money to save her.

Just as she was thinking about what to say, another abductor came up to his accomplice and whispered, "Boss, didn't Ms. Joy say 100 million dollars? Why..."

Although the abductor's voice was not loud, Leon, on the other end of the phone, heard it.

Leon's fingers grasped the phone tightly. His face was so gloomy.

He thought, 'It turns out that Joy and the abductors were in cahoots! It’s no wonder the driver was bribed and the abductors asked me for 100 million dollars.'

Leon answered coldly, "Whether Joy lives or dies has nothing to do with me. Do whatever you want!"

Since Joy wanted money so much, he would give it to her to end their ill-fated relationship.

Hearing this, Joy's heart sank to her stomach.

It turned out that Leon really wanted her dead... He never loved her and only felt endless hatred toward her.

...

Not long after, there was the sound of emergency brakes outside the warehouse.

Leon rushed into the warehouse and hugged Charmaine in his arms.

Then, he glanced at Joy in the corner as if he was looking at trash and said to the abductors, "The money has been transferred. You can do whatever you want with Joy. Whether to sell her to a remote area or kill her is up to you."

Joy watched Leon walk away with Charmaine in his arms.

After the two left, the abductors stopped pretending and displayed a mocking expression. "I heard that you slept with Leon before. I thought he would have some feelings for you. Who knew he would be reluctant to pay a mere five million dollars? It shows that your status is worse than a pet to him!"

Joy looked at the abductors indifferently. "You got the money. Can I leave now?"

The abductors seemed to have heard a joke. "Leave? We've got the money, but our job isn't done. Just wait and enjoy yourself!"

The two men rushed toward Joy with a sly smile and tore off her clothes.

The next second, a hot cigarette butt burned her skin!

Joy screamed miserably, and cold sweat and tears streamed down her face.

Seeing her in such a disheveled state, the abductor became even more excited. "I heard that this is how you were bullied in school. Today, we'll help you relive that experience."

"Boss, why don't we brand her?"

"Sure, what word shall we use?"

"Slut. It's perfect for her! Hahaha..."

The cigarette butt pressed against her legs, her waist, and her back. Joy was sweating profusely from the pain and almost lost consciousness.

After some time, the two finally stopped and walked away, laughing maniacally.

Joy curled up, her body twitching from time to time.

It was not until the sky darkened and the piercing pain gradually faded that she struggled to get up. Holding herself against the wall, she staggered forward.

Joy flagged down a car by the roadside and made her way home.

Little did she know that she would see a heart-wrenching scene as soon as she entered the building.

Wrapped in a blanket, Charmaine was curled up on the couch, looking like a wounded kitten.

Leon was beside her, cautiously feeding her soup, spoonful by spoonful. Out of the corner of his eye, Leon saw Joy. His gaze was like a sharp knife, carrying an almost tangible sense of disgust.

"How dare you come back!" Hector strode forward and slapped Joy hard.

Joy felt the world spin and almost lost her balance.

"I know you're unhappy about Charmaine's return, but she's your sister after all. Aren't you afraid of traumatizing her with such a prank? If Leon hadn't arrived in time, who knows what would have happened?!"

Charmaine was inwardly gloating but hypocritically advised, "Dad, don't hit Joy. I'm fine, aren't I?"

"Don't speak up for this brat!" " Hector's chest rose and fell violently, looking extremely furious.

Joy stood still, her ears buzzing.

The next second, Leon, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "Apologize to Charmaine." The man's tone was icy.

Joy gritted her teeth. She did not know where she got the courage from, but she retorted, "I won't apologize."

She understood it when the kidnappers tortured her. Charmaine had arranged the kidnapping to frame her and make her the vicious sister.

She did nothing wrong. Why should she apologize?

Charmaine sighed and pretended to be generous. "Forget it, Leon. Joy probably didn't do it on purpose. I don't want to ruin our bond as sisters..."

"She almost killed you. Is it too much to ask for an apology?" Leon stared at Joy, the disgust in his eyes intensifying.

When did Joy become so wild and unruly?

Hector was also angered by Joy's stubbornness. He grabbed Joy's arm and dragged her over to Charmaine. It was when Joy groaned in pain that he noticed that her arm was densely covered with burns. Hector frowned.

Just when he was about to ask what happened, he heard Leon say icily, "You put yourself in such a state to frame Charmaine. Joy, you really took the words 'by any means necessary' to a whole new level."

Hector heard this, and his confusion instantly dissipated, replaced by a stronger sense of fury. He grabbed Joy's shoulders and pressed down hard, forcing her to kneel heavily on the ground. "You exist because of me, but it seems that you have completely forgotten this!"

Joy raised her head numbly and met Leon's icy gaze.

He hugged Charmaine, looking condescending as if he was examining a prisoner, while Joy knelt in front of him, her dignity long since crushed.

Leon was inexplicably uneasy about her stubborn gaze. He repeated coldly. "Joy, as long as you apologize to Charmaine, I can let this matter go."

Joy burst into laughter when she heard that. She glared at Leon with red eyes and uttered, "Let me repeat myself. I won't apologize. You can kill me or cut me up as you like."

Leon froze, and the little pity left in his eyes disappeared.

After that, Hector continued to beat and scold her.

Joy was already very weak, and she soon lay on the ground and lost consciousness.

...

Joy had no idea how long she had been unconscious. When she woke up, the living room was empty. She endured the excruciating pain all over her body, supported herself on the couch with both hands, and staggered back to her room to check her luggage.

Before closing the suitcase, Charmaine's voice came from behind.

Charmaine leaned against the door frame with a contemptuous smile. "Do you like the farewell gift I prepared for you? I wanted to keep you until the engagement party so that you could give me and Leon your blessing, but unfortunately, Dad refused.

"He felt that you had humiliated the Quinn family and didn't want you to stay here for a second longer.

"Joy, never come back after you leave. After all, this family is only complete without you. Also, thank you for being my husband's free plaything for two years. You made sure that he wasn't so lonely without me.”

Joy pursed her lips tightly and said nothing.

The suitcase closed with a thud, also sealing her last trace of nostalgia she felt for this family.

Before dawn the next day, Joy boarded a flight to go abroad. She left resolutely. Before boarding the plane, she deleted all of Leon's contact information without hesitation.

The plane flew across the vast sky, leaving white chemtrails and completely ending her disgraceful past.