The view was faint and pitch-black.
Shen Wan's eyes were blindfolded with a black cloth, and her hands were tightly bound with rope, abrasions on her wrists where blood had been drawn.
She struggled vigorously, her knuckles turning white without blood.
Today was her twentieth birthday, as well as her engagement party with Su Haolan, but she had been trapped here all night. She needed to get out quickly and not delay the engagement.
Bang! Bang!
The door was violently struck, eventually being smashed open.
Disordered footsteps rushed in, and the cloth in front of her eyes was ripped away, the blinding light nearly preventing her from opening her eyes.
"Shen Wan!"
A group of people outside pointed at her and whispered among themselves. She immediately recognized the man in front of her, her childhood sweetheart and fiancé on whom she deeply relied.
"Haolan..."
Her eyes reddened, the ropes finally broke free, and she threw herself into Su Haolan's arms, crying, "Haolan, someone is framing me! Quick, call the police."
"Would someone even bother to harm you, you hideous monster?" Su Haolan sneered, a drastically different demeanor from his usual gentleness and consideration, which shocked Shen Wan deeply.
A large burn scar disfigured Shen Wan's left cheek, making it hideously unsightly.
Su Haolan scoffed coldly and tossed a stack of photos on Shen Wan's face, "Monster, I never thought you'd have an excuse for your promiscuity!"
His eyes were full of disgust, "Let's call off the engagement! It was you who betrayed me!"
"What?"
Scattered photos lay all around in disarray.
The woman in the photos was Shen Wan, but the man's face was blurry. Upon closer inspection, it was not just one man.
What this represented was self-evident.
"No, it wasn't me..."
"If not you, then who else!"
A well-dressed woman stepped forward gracefully, her petite and innocent face filled with pride. She moved close, pushed aside Shen Wan's hair, and with her sharp nails, pinched the scars from the burn on her face.
"Cousin..."
Shen Mingyue looked down on her condescendingly, "How could you betray Haolan like that? To save our families from disgrace, I'll have to take your place at today's engagement party."
"No..."
Shen Wan clutched Su Haolan's sleeve like it was her last lifeline, "These photos must be doctored, I didn't do this. Haolan, I only love you."
"Your love, so disgusting."
Su Haolan pushed her away harshly, meticulously wiping his fingers with a wet cloth as if discarding some bacteria.
Shen Wan fell to the ground. Shen Mingyue stepped on her fingers—the precious fingers of a designer. Bending over with a hypocritical face, Shen Mingyue said, "I'm sorry, cousin, I didn't mean it."
Shen Mingyue's smug, soft voice rang in her ear, "Cousin, the police will be here to arrest you soon."
She had long woven a web of crimes for the monster Shen Wan, "You're not truly one of the Shens! You discovered your real heritage and orchestrated your foster parents' fatal car accident to inherit what your uncle started, the Shen corporation! The Shen corporation belongs to my father. I am the only true heiress to the Shen family."
Shen Wan suddenly came to her senses, her eyes blazing with rage.
"It was you! You set me up! Last night, it was you who trapped me here!"
She stumbled up from the ground and lunged at Shen Mingyue, grabbing her throat with all her might.
"Ah... Haolan, save me!"
Shen Mingyue struggled to call for help.
Su Haolan kicked Shen Wan in the stomach, and she flew back into a standing lamp, falling to the ground into the shattered glass lampshade, a pool of blood beneath her motionless body.
"Is she... dead?"
Su Haolan's voice quivered slightly.
A buzzing noise surrounded Shen Wan's ears, her fingertips felt the sticky touch of fresh blood, and even breathing pained her.
"Bitches have nine lives, she's not that easy to kill."
Shen Mingyue kicked her body disdainfully, "Shen Wan, I told you I'd prepare the best engagement gift for you. Now, take the final present."
"The police are here, make way!"
"Shen Wan, you are under arrest for suspicion of murder."
The cold handcuffs wrapped around her like a venomous snake.
Amidst the chaos, a luxurious Canary Diamond Cufflink rolled to one side. She forced her eyes open long enough to register it. It belonged to men's attire, quite valuable.
There had been a third person in the room besides her and Shen Mingyue!
Shen Wan gradually lost consciousness.