"Bullshit! How can I possibly die in seven days? None of it is real! Tanya, I'll never believe you!" 

Cedric rushed at me with his fists up, but Noah quickly sent him crashing down. "Cedric, isn't it? People like you will always have to pay for your deeds in the end. Even the gods won't save you this time. Just face it."

Richard hobbled over on his cane and dropped to his knees before me. "Tanya, the Stone family has wronged you. But Cedric's so young. Please, think of a way to save him. I'll give you anything you want, even my life," he helplessly pleaded, just as he had three years ago in the Hall of Judgement.

"She's a fraud. Why are you begging her?" Cedric asked, dragging Richard to his feet.

Under the cold fluorescent lighting, his face twisted in anger. "Tanya, you really would do anything to marry into the Stone family, huh? 

"Who is this stranger you've brought here? Do you

Arianna was forced to her knees by the guards. "Mr. Stone Senior, please believe me! I truly love Cedric! I never lied to him!"

Richard ignored her desperate act and slammed a stack of photos onto Cedric's lap. "Look at what Arianna's been doing behind your back. I regret ever asking Tanya to save you. I was the one who put her in danger!"

Overcome with remorse, Richard slapped himself hard.

Meanwhile, Cedric's eyes widened as he stared at the photos. Each one showed Arianna in intimate moments with other men.

Cedric lunged forward and grabbed her by the throat. "Arianna, how dare you betray me?"

"I didn't… Listen to me…" Arianna struggled to speak.

But Richard gave her no chance to twist the truth. "She knew from the start that your life was short. All this time, she's been quietly transferring your assets away. That man is just one of her many lovers."

"I didn't! Cedric, these p

"This is insane! No wonder it's Mr. Stone. He even dared to stream something like this."

"A gold-digging woman deserves it! Mr. Stone is amazing. Let's see who dares try him next."

Suddenly, the system notification sounded, and the livestream was finally shut down.

My ears still rang, and my body kept twitching uncontrollably.

"Cedric, you bastard. Open the door!"

Something slammed hard against the door. It was Richard.

"Mr. Stone Senior, save me!" I cried, struggling with everything I had left.

Cedric coldly chuckled. "Tanya, do you really think Grandpa can save you? I built this room just for you. The door's reinforced. Even he can't get in." He grabbed my chin, yanked off the blindfold, and stared at me with a satisfaction that made my blood run cold.

"What do you want from me? What will it take for you to let me go?"

"Let you go? So now you're afraid? Too bad. When you leaned on Grandpa's favor to push Arianna around, did it never occur to you that this would happen?"

"Push Arianna around?" I laughed bitterly. "Do you mean the first time, when I told you to quit smoking and drinking, and she made ten men hold me down in a wine barrel all night just to get you to a bar? 

"Or the second time, when I told you to restrain yourself, and she locked me in a cage and made me watch you two together every night for a month?"

Cedric slapped me across the face. "So what? Ari's kind. If you hadn't used your fake rituals to keep her away from me, she wouldn't have done any of that."

Richard continued pounding the door in frustration. "What kind of curse made me raise a monster like you? 

"Pathetic! None of you can even get this door open!"

Arianna's eyes flickered as she hooked her arm around Cedric's. "Cedric, why don't we keep Tanya? I'm bored of Coco. Let's break her hands and feet and keep her as my pet."

Cedric laughed, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Clever. We'll do just that. 

"But if she's going to be a pet, she'll need to learn how to behave." He took the red-hot branding iron from the bodyguard and pressed it against my face.

My scream echoed through the room as the stench of burning flesh filled my nose.

Richard begged him to stop from outside, but Cedric only seemed to get more excited.

He replaced the branding iron with a hammer and leaned in, gripping my chin and saying, "Sooner or later, Grandpa will see the truth and know Arianna is the better choice."

I couldn't take it anymore. I bit down hard on his hand.

Cedric's fury boiled over as he raised the hammer. 

Just then, the sound of a chainsaw cut through the room. The reinforced door splintered, and Noah charged in with his men. "Take them down!"

As the richest man in the country, Noah's team was highly trained. They quickly overpowered Cedric's men. 

"Ms. White, are you alright? I'm getting you out of here."

I had no strength to resist, so I let him pick me up.

"Tanya, if you leave, don't ever return!" Cedric shouted, then abruptly vomited a mouthful of blood.

"What's happening to me?" he muttered, staring at his blood-covered hands as his vision blurred.

Richard finally reached him and grabbed his arm. "You monster. Everything Tanya said was true. This is your punishment."

Cedric looked at his hands in shock. Then, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.

"Bullshit! How can I possibly die in seven days? None of it is real! Tanya, I'll never believe you!" 

Cedric rushed at me with his fists up, but Noah quickly sent him crashing down. "Cedric, isn't it? People like you will always have to pay for your deeds in the end. Even the gods won't save you this time. Just face it."

Richard hobbled over on his cane and dropped to his knees before me. "Tanya, the Stone family has wronged you. But Cedric's so young. Please, think of a way to save him. I'll give you anything you want, even my life," he helplessly pleaded, just as he had three years ago in the Hall of Judgement.

"She's a fraud. Why are you begging her?" Cedric asked, dragging Richard to his feet.

Under the cold fluorescent lighting, his face twisted in anger. "Tanya, you really would do anything to marry into the Stone family, huh? 

"Who is this stranger you've brought here? Do you think this little act can fool me? If you dare go with him today, I'll cancel the engagement right 

Chapter 5