My mind went blank with a loud ringing sound. I didn't know where the strength came from, but I broke free from the servant and slapped Serena across the face.
"Ah!" Serena screamed and covered her cheek.
"Sera!" Landon rushed in and shoved me away.
My back slammed into the wall. Pain shot through me, and my vision spun.
He immediately helped Serena up, his face full of concern, then turned his cold gaze toward me.
Before I could even stand, he raised his hand and slapped me.
"Lily, I never thought you could be this vicious! Fine, you looked down on her because of where she came from and kept making things difficult for her, but now she's about to marry me, and you still dare to hit her? Do you really think you're still the eldest daughter of the Shaw family? Do you really think I'll keep protecting you?"
Serena leaned against him, crying like she had been wronged.
"Landon, I only came here because I wanted to comfort Lily and help her get through this, but she..."
"Enough!" My whole body shook, and my nails dug into my palms. "She threatened to take my mother's ashes and feed them to dogs!"
Landon cut me off sharply. "Sera is kind-hearted. She would never do something like that. Lily, after everything you've done, you still have the nerve to accuse her?"
He looked at me as if I was nothing more than garbage. "Looks like your father was still too lenient with you."
He waved his hand, and the bodyguards immediately rushed over and pinned me to the ground.
A blow struck the back of my neck, and darkness swallowed me.
When I woke up again, a black cloth bag was already pulled over my head.
The next second, fists, kicks, and clubs came down on me like a storm.
I curled up from the pain, my mouth filled with the taste of blood.
As my consciousness faded, I heard Serena's tearful voice. "Landon, you know what Lily is like. She got hit today, and she'll definitely blame me for it. Maybe, maybe we should let this go."
Landon's voice was gentle enough to melt ice. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
But the next second, his voice turned colder than frost. "Lily dared to hurt you, so I'll make sure she pays ten times the price. Today is only a warning."
After saying that, the cloth bag over my head was ripped open. One by one, cold, slippery things were thrown inside.
Snakes. Live snakes.
They wrapped around my arms, my neck, and my legs.
I was terrified of snakes. When I was a child, I had been bitten by one and almost died.
The moment their cold, slimy bodies touched my skin, every hair on my body stood up. I trembled violently, but I couldn't make a sound.
The opening of the bag was tied shut again. I was lifted up and thrown away like a piece of trash.
Cold water rushed in from all directions. It was a swimming pool.
I struggled desperately inside the bag as water poured into my mouth and nose.
The suffocating feeling dragged me back to a year ago.
Landon's company had gone on a beach trip. He had fallen into the water and nearly drowned. I couldn't swim, but I still jumped in to save him. I almost lost my own life and spent two days unconscious after someone pulled me out.
After that, I couldn't even step into a bathtub.
Back then, Landon stayed by my hospital bed, holding my hand and crying as he promised he would protect me forever. He swore he would never let me go near water again.
And now, he was the one who threw me into it.
I thought I was going to die. But someone pulled me out and threw me onto the ground like trash.
The bag was taken off. I coughed violently, spitting out mouthfuls of water.
Landon stood in front of me, looking down without a trace of emotion. He tossed a coat at me. I pushed it away.
He sneered, "Remember this lesson. If you dare hurt Sera again, next time you won't get off this easily."
He left with Serena in his arms.
I stared at their backs and laughed. I laughed at how stupid I had been and how blind I was.
That night, I came down with a high fever.
But I still forced myself up and went to the funeral home to collect my mother's belongings.
I wanted to put her favorite necklace into her urn so she could take it with her.
The moment I walked out of the funeral home, my father and Landon blocked my way with a group of bodyguards.
I instinctively hugged the things in my arms tighter.
Landon stepped forward and grabbed me by the throat.
"Lily, I warned you to behave. How dare you bribe one of the maids and put abortion pills in Sera's soup?"
Aksara