Crash—

The crystal trophy slipped from Sophie’s hand and shattered on the ground.

“Oh no, sorry, sister, my hand slipped.”

She laughed, cruel yet innocent.

“But it doesn’t matter. You won’t be needing it anymore.”

Her actions completely ignited my fury.

I leapt to my feet and tore the contract in half.

“I will not sign it!”

I shouted at my parents.

“Even if you beat me to death today, I will never sign!”

“Courting death!”

My father, enraged beyond reason, ripped off his belt again and swung it at me with no restraint this time.

The belt cracked through the air before slashing into me.

The wounds that had just been treated split open again, leaving raw flesh exposed and bleeding.

I curled up on the floor, my consciousness blurring from the pain.

“Stop!”

My mother suddenly spoke.

For a fleeting moment, I thought she had grown a conscience.

But then—

“Don’t beat her too much. If she’s broken, how will we deliver her to the Dawson family tomorrow?”

My heart turned completely to ash.

“I’ll handle it.”

From the doctor’s medical kit, she pulled out a syringe.

“This is a sedative. Beating you isn’t working—it’ll make you more obedient.”

Terror gripped me as I realized my own mother intended to drug me.

I struggled desperately, but after the savage beating, my body had no strength left.

My father and Sophie pinned me down from either side.

I felt the cold sting of the needle pierce my skin.

Before darkness swallowed me whole, I caught one last sight: Sophie clutching my hand, pressing it onto the contract, leaving my fingerprint as a seal.

…

When I woke again, it was already midnight.

I had been moved to a bedroom. My entire body ached as though it had been torn apart.

From outside came the sound of laughter—my parents and Sophie. Along with it, the acrid smell of burning paper.

Dragging myself to the door, I peered through the crack.

They were huddled around a brazier, feeding the flames with every last one of my business plans and the legal documents from my overseas company—burning them sheet by sheet.

Three years of blood and sweat, my carefully prepared safety net—destroyed before my eyes.

They were determined to erase me completely.

I couldn’t even muster the strength to scream stop.

Sensing movement, my mother strode toward the door.

It swung open roughly. She looked down on me as if I were nothing but trash waiting to be disposed of.

“The wedding dress will arrive tomorrow morning.”

“This is your final contribution to this family.”

“After the wedding, the Bennett family will have only one daughter.”

“She will be the Bennett family’s only daughter—Sophie Miller.”

She turned and left, as if even one more glance at me was revolting.

The door locked behind her.

Moments later, Sophie’s voice floated through the wood, sickly sweet.

“Thank you for making this possible, sister. From tomorrow on—your parents, your room, everything that was yours… it’ll all be mine.”

At dawn the next day, the door burst open.

Several burly maids entered, holding a blood-red wedding gown in their arms.

I sneered. Clearly, they had chosen ones strong enough to subdue me.

“Miss, it’s time. Put the dress on and come with us.”

“Don’t waste words. Just force it on her. She’s no young lady anymore.”

“Miss Sophie gave orders—whoever can subdue her the fastest will be rewarded. Let’s go!”

One of the maids—easily over two hundred pounds—lunged forward to pin me down.

From the hair I had pinned up, I yanked out the hairpin I’d spent all night sharpening, and with a fierce thrust, I drove it into the back of her hand.

“Aaahhh!”

The maid’s shriek pierced the air as blood gushed out.

Seizing the chaos, I scrambled to my feet, shoved another aside, and bolted for the floor-to-ceiling window.

I had only one thought—I have to escape!

I grabbed a nearby chair and hurled it against the glass with all my strength.

Crash!

The window shattered instantly.

Below was the lawn. If I jumped, I still had a slim chance of survival.

I was just about to leap when another maid tackled me from behind.

“She’s trying to run! Somebody come!”

At her cry, a swarm of security guards stormed in, pinning me brutally against the shards of glass.

The jagged pieces dug into my face, my hands, every inch of exposed skin.

“Trying to run?!”

My father stormed into the room, his face ashen with fury as he took in the wreckage.

“You really are beyond redemption!”

Pointing at me, he barked at the guards:

“Bind her! Even if you have to carry her, drag her to the wedding stage! I will watch her marry with my own eyes today!”

I had no strength left to resist. My hands and feet were tied with rope, and tape sealed my mouth.

As I was dragged out of the estate, I caught sight of Sophie.

She was dressed like a true princess, my mother clinging affectionately to her arm.

They were radiant, ready to attend my wedding.

My mother frowned slightly at the sight of me being dragged along and ordered the guards:

“Hurry up! Don’t keep Mr. Dawson waiting.”

Then, with a cold sneer:

“Sophie, come on. Don’t look at her anymore—you’ll dirty your eyes. After today, our family will finally have peace.”

I was tossed into the back seat of a car. After a rough, jolting ride, we arrived amid the sound of blaring music and celebration.

I knew—this was my grave.

A burly man hauled me into a dressing room, where several people smeared grotesque makeup on my face until I looked like something out of a horror film.

They said this was Mr. Dawson’s special request.

Two men then barged in, shouting, and dragged me out—half carrying me—onto the wedding stage.

Glancing out, I saw the hall packed with the city’s elite.

They looked at me with surprise, contempt, and worst of all—amused indifference.

Those who had once partnered with me stared in disbelief.

“How could Miss Bennett… end up like this?”

“Shh, quiet! The Bennett family declared they have only one daughter now—Sophie Miller.”

“What Sophie Miller? Wasn’t she just their niece? I thought her name was Sophie Miller… when did that change?”

“I heard marrying Sophia off was just to clear the way for Sophie. What a shame.”

“Such a waste—Miss Bennett was a business genius. And now, to be handed to that bald creep… what a tragedy.”

Robert Dawson.

My so-called “husband.”

The greasy, balding man stood beside me in a neatly tailored suit, looking me over as though I were nothing more than a plaything about to be delivered into his hands.

My heart turned stone cold.

“And now, the bride and groom will exchange rings—”

But at that very moment—

All the giant screens around the wedding hall suddenly went black.

The next second, they flickered back to life.

On the screens appeared a scene I knew too well—our family’s study.

And in it, my parents.