A wave of dizziness washed over her.
Yun Jiao struggled to open her eyes, her head pounding as if it were about to split apart. She tried to move, but her arms refused to obey.
Cold ropes dug into her wrists.
She was tied to a chair.
Panic instantly surged through her chest.
"Hey! Who's there?!"
Her voice trembled slightly as she struggled violently against the ropes.
"Who the hell are you?! Why am I here?! What do you want from me?!"
Her breathing quickened.
"Come out! What, hiding like a coward?! Face me if you dare!"
The empty room echoed with her voice.
Then—
Click… click… click…
The sharp sound of high heels slowly approached from outside the door.
A woman's manic laughter followed.
Yun Jiao froze.
The door creaked open.
Standing there… was someone she never expected.
"Yunjinna…?"
Her pupils shrank.
Her stepsister leaned casually against the doorframe, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
"Ha… Yun Jiao," she sneered.
"You didn't expect this, did you?"
Yun Jiao frowned, confusion filling her face.
"Jinna… what the hell is going on? What are you doing here?"
Yunjinna slowly walked toward her.
"Shhh…"
She raised a finger to her lips.
"Jiao Jiao… why? Are you scared?"
Her eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.
"You really didn't see this coming, huh?"
She bent down slightly, staring directly into Yun Jiao's eyes.
"But I'm not surprised. You were always so stupid."
"Always trying to be the perfect daughter… the perfect sister… the perfect heiress."
Yunjinna laughed softly.
"But you never realized…"
Her smile turned vicious.
"You were being used by everyone around you."
"Me… my mother…"
She paused.
"And your beloved fiancé… Chu Jintan."
Yun Jiao's body stiffened.
"My fiancé…?"
She stared at her in disbelief.
"Brother Chu…?"
"Yeah," Yunjinna said smugly, raising her hand to show the dazzling engagement ring on her finger.
"That Brother Chu."
"We're getting married."
For a moment—
Yun Jiao felt as if her brain had stopped working.
Her family…
Her fiancé…
Everything she trusted…
All of it suddenly felt like a cruel joke.
But something suddenly struck her.
"Wait!"
Her heart started pounding wildly.
"Where's Yun Xiao?!"
Her younger brother!
"He was supposed to be at the bar with Brother Chu tonight!"
Her voice grew frantic.
"Where is he?!"
Yunjinna suddenly burst into laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"You're really hopelessly stupid."
She leaned closer and whispered cruelly:
"Your dear Brother Chu already killed him."
Yun Jiao froze.
"You sent your little brother straight into the devil's den."
"And you still expect him to be alive?"
Her voice was filled with mockery.
"He was only five… so weak… so easy to kill."
For a moment—
The world went silent.
"No…"
Yun Jiao shook her head violently.
"You're lying!"
Her voice cracked.
"I don't believe you!"
"Brother Chu would never do something like that!"
"Chu Jintan loves Yun Xiao! He would never hurt him!"
Yunjinna smirked.
"Oh?"
"You don't believe me?"
"Then I'll give you a little gift."
She raised her voice sweetly.
"Brother Chu~"
"Come in."
"Bring Jiao Jiao her unforgettable present."
Heavy footsteps approached.
Yun Jiao's heart trembled violently.
Please…
Please let her be lying…
The door opened.
Chu Jintan walked in.
And in his hand—
He was holding something.
Something small.
Something dripping with blood.
When he lifted it—
Yun Jiao finally saw it clearly.
A child's head.
Her little brother.
Yun Xiao.
His tiny face was pale.
His eyes were closed forever.
"BOOM—"
Her mind shattered.
"Yun Xiao…!"
Her voice broke into a desperate scream.
"What did you do to him?!"
"He's just a child!"
"My Xiao Xiao is innocent!"
"WHY?!"
Chu Jintan sighed softly.
"I'm sorry, Jiao Jiao."
"But I had to do it."
"I hope you can understand."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then Yun Jiao suddenly started laughing.
"Haha…"
Her laughter slowly turned hysterical.
"You hypocrite."
"You expect me to understand?"
Her eyes burned with hatred.
"You killed my brother…"
"You betrayed me…"
"And now you're marrying my stepsister."
Her voice became cold and terrifying.
"If I ever get out of here alive…"
"I swear I'll make both of you pay."
For a moment—
A terrifying aura burst from her body.
Even Yunjinna felt a chill run down her spine.
But when Yun Jiao looked at her brother's severed head—
Her aura disappeared.
Her eyes turned empty.
Dead.
She leaned back against the chair like a broken doll.
Seeing this, Yunjinna quickly regained her confidence.
"Still acting tough?"
"You're about to die."
She sneered.
"Why should you be the Young Heiress of the Yun family… while I'm only the 'second daughter'?"
Her expression twisted with hatred.
"I grew up in that mansion!"
"I lived as the Yun family's princess!"
"But then YOU came back from the orphanage!"
"You stole everything from me!"
Her laughter became hysterical.
"Oh right…"
"Since you're dying anyway…"
"I'll tell you a little secret."
She leaned closer.
"Yunting was never my father."
"My mother had me with the driver."
She grinned wickedly.
"How does it feel…"
"To have the driver's daughter trample the Yun family's proud heiress?"
Yun Jiao slowly lifted her head.
"Just kill me already."
Her voice was cold.
"But remember this."
"If I ever get the chance…"
"I will take revenge for every single thing you've done."
"And Chu Jintan…"
Her voice turned icy.
"I'll make your life worse than death."
"Jiao Jiao—"
"Don't call me that!"
She roared.
"Call me Yun Jiao!"
"Better yet…"
"Call me Young Heiress Jiao."
Chu Jintan sneered.
"You're still dreaming."
"You think you're still the Yun family's heiress?"
He laughed cruelly.
"You're nothing but a toy for my men now."
"After they're done playing with you…"
"We'll chop you into pieces."
Yunjinna's eyes widened.
"What?!"
"Brother Chu! You want to sleep with her?!"
He chuckled.
"Relax."
"I wouldn't touch this trash."
"I was just scaring her."
He kissed Yunjinna's cheek.
"I'll leave her to you."
"Take your revenge."
Then he walked out.
Yunjinna watched him leave before turning back to Yun Jiao.
Her eyes were filled with hatred.
"You still dare look at my man?"
"I'll dig out your eyes first."
"Someone!"
A burly bodyguard entered.
"Dig out her eyes."
The man approached with a knife.
Yun Jiao slowly closed her eyes.
The blade flashed.
"AHHHHHHH!"
Blood sprayed across the floor.
One eye.
Then the other.
"YUNJINNA!"
Her scream echoed through the room.
"You will pay for this!"
Yunjinna's stomach churned at the gruesome sight.
But she forced herself to remain calm.
She stepped forward.
A gun appeared in her hand.
She pointed it at Yun Jiao's forehead.
Her voice was cold.
"Yun Jiao…"
"I'll keep killing you."
"In this life…"
"And the next."
BANG.
The bullet pierced her skull.
Blood splattered across the floor.
Yunjinna quickly turned away.
"Clean this up."
She walked out of the room.
Behind her—
The corpse of Yun Jiao lay motionless.
But no one noticed…
A single tear slid down her bloodstained face.
And deep in the darkness—
Fate had already begun to change.