Today is the engagement of Zhuo Yichen, the heir of the L City's foremost family, the prominent Zhuo Corporation, and the young miss of the Shangguan Jewelry Group.

It is the day where two leading forces of L City — Zhuo Corporation and Shangguan Jewelry Group, unite through a marriage alliance.

Shangguan's Mansion

"Manrou, you must follow my lead later. Whether we can stay together forever, success or failure hinges on this moment." A man's voice, deep and sensual entices with an undertone of ambiguous heavy breathing.

"Mm~ I know... I've endured her for over a decade; as long she dies, I no longer have to suffer her tyranny. No one will ever stand in our way again... Yichen, I love you so much." A woman's voice coos softly and seductively, laced with an undercurrent of malice.

"Good girl, I love you too!"

…

Standing outside the door, Shangguan fei trembled and bit her lip firmly.

Through the slightly ajar door, she saw a man and woman tangled in an intimate embrace, their clothes in disarray.

The couple romancing each other behind closed doors were her beloved fiancé, and her stepsister whom she treated as a blood sister.

Since childhood, she had treated Shangguan Manrou exceedingly well, as if her heart was not enough to give.

Whenever she had any good things, Shangguan Manrou was always the first person she thought of.

Zhuo Yichen was the only man she ever loved so deeply.

But she never expected these two individuals, her dearest loved ones, to betray her, to be together behind her back, even plotting to kill her...

A wave of dizziness swept over her, causing her to stumble a few steps.

The chaotic sound of high heels disturbed the people in the room. Zhuo Yichen immediately rushed to the door and pulled it open, only to see Shangguan Fei, with her face pale and swayingly on the verge of collapse, leaning on the wall with one hand.

He was initially stunned, and then a bloodthirsty smile appeared on his refined and handsome face, "You've heard everything."

Shangguan Fei, as pale as a ghost, and the image of Zhuo Yichen, with his shirt half-unbuttoned, entangled with Shangguan Manrou in her mind, made her so sick to the stomach that she almost forgot they were plotting to kill her.

"How could you... I... I'll have grandpa fight for my rights..."

Saying that, her face twisted in agony, she hastily turned to leave -

As soon as Zhuo Yichen heard her wanting to leave, he swiftly gripped onto her arm.

Shangguan Fei resisted him like stung by a bee, retreating in caution with a fighting stance, her face filled with terror.

"Shangguan Fei, isn't that the martial art I taught you? Do you think you can beat me?" Zhuo Yichen responded with a cold sneer, his aura menacing as he closed in step by step.

Mr. Shangguan and the Shangguan couple were already greeting guests at the hotel.

The rest of the servants were on holiday, with only the housekeeper and a few others remaining, already sent away on various tasks.

Today, Shangguan Fei must die.

Shangguan Fei retreated continuously, watching Zhuo Yichen, whose eyes were tainted with killing intent, and cold sweat trickled down her forehead.

But Zhuo Yichen, seemingly guessing her intention to escape, immediately launched a vicious and ruthless attack with agility.

After facing a few blows, Shangguan Fei was already at a disadvantage. In a lack of concentration, her arm was held in a lock by Zhuo Yichen and pressed onto her back, the brutal move made her break out in a cold sweat.

With a quick roll, Shangguan Fei broke his hold. At the same time, she aimed a savage kick at his lower body.

Regaining her freedom, she glared warily at Zhuo Yichen, who appeared menacingly a few steps away, all the while retreating carefully and quickly towards the staircase.

Unexpectedly, just as she reached the staircase, someone pushed her hard from behind—

"Ah... "

A shrill scream echoed throughout the entire mansion.

Shangguan Fei tumbled down from the marble steps, landing in a pool of blood.

Her pale face was stained with crimson, appearing devilishly ghastly.

Her eyes filled with icy hostility, surprise, and disbelief, she stared at Shangguan Manrou standing at the staircase's door. She struggled to stand but to no avail, feeling as if all her bones had come apart.

Zhuo Yichen, holding Shangguan Manrou, descended the staircase and stood beside her. He looked down at Shangguan Fei writhing in the pool of blood.

He uttered a cruel laugh, "This citywide attention-grabbing engagement ceremony is your funeral."

"This is the gift Zhuo Yichen and I prepared for you, sister," Shangguan Manrou leaned into Zhuo Yichen's embrace, displaying a triumphant and provocative smile, "Do you like your coming of age gift?"

At her words, Shangguan Fei spat out a mouthful of blood in fury, struggling with all her might to stand up, "I'll fight you..."

Even if she goes to hell, she'll drag them down with her.

"You're overestimating yourself," Zhuo Yichen stepped on Shangguan Fei's shoulder, preventing her from moving.

Pain took away Shangguan Fei's breath for a moment, a nauseating metallic taste rising to her throat. The physical anguish, along with the heartrending pain of betrayal, radiated to her limbs and tugged on her every nerve.

"Yi Chen, you look so handsome when you kill... Hurry up and kill her. Every time I see her, I remember the nightmare of being oppressed by her all these years..." Shangguan Manrou praised, and then pretended to be weak while urging him on.

Once Shangguan Fei is dead, everything in the Shangguan family will be hers.

Upon hearing her words, Zuo Yichen coldly grabbed Shangguan Fei's hair and viciously smashed her head onto the marble floor.

Anyway, since Shangguan Fei fell down the stairs, no one would suspect anything if more violence was inflicted upon her.

Because the victim was their beloved Shangguan Fei, someone they deeply cared about.

Shangguan Fei glared at the two with bloodshot eyes. With her bloody hand, she tightly grasped Shangguan Manrou's skirt, angrily shedding tears and grating her teeth, "Zuo Yichen... Shangguan Manrou, even if I become a ghost, I will surely crawl out from hell to drag you both down with me...."

Pugh---

With her last statement, she spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto Zuo Yichen's face.

She really had been blind in this life, despite her heartfelt devotion towards them, she ended up dying such a tragic death.

If time could be turned back, she would definitely send this treacherous man and wicked woman to hell before they could kill her.

If being kind would only lead to such an outcome—

Then in her next life, she would become an irredeemable killer, a demon of slaughter...