"Alger, the lingerie you bought for me just arrived. What do you think?"

Alger Swanson was taking a shower when a message from Melanie Floyd popped up on his phone.

Alice Tenny picked up the phone and saw a couple of spicy pictures of Melanie wearing lingerie with bunny ears.

Alice's breath caught, and her hands trembled.

A second later, another message from Melanie popped up.

"Alger, I'm waiting for you in the woods behind the villa wearing this. Come and punish me."

How ridiculous!

Alice felt she had seen the biggest joke in her life.

Alger was her childhood sweetheart, her beloved husband of ten years. Melanie was the student she had sponsored and personally brought into their home.

The two people she trusted most betrayed her at the same time!

She smiled bitterly, her heart being torn apart. How could they do this to her?

The bathroom door was opened, and Alger came out to get dressed in a bath towel. Alice turned and happened to catch a glimpse of some scratch marks on his back.

It seemed their sex was pretty intense.

She gritted her teeth and handed him his phone. "Alger, your phone rang."

Alger's heart skipped a beat. "Who was it?"

She said, "I don't know. I didn't check. Hurry up, I'm heading downstairs."

With that, she turned to leave. Behind her, Alger checked the messages, breathing a sigh of relief, feeling glad Alice didn't see anything.

That evening was New Year's Eve, and Melanie wanted to enjoy fireworks on the sea.

Onboard, the cruise ship jolted violently because of sudden huge waves. Melanie's body shook slightly, and Alice's parents as well as Alger reached out to support her at the same time. "Watch out, Melanie!"

Meanwhile, someone pushed Alice, and she fell into the sea.

She couldn't swim. She gulped down several mouthfuls of seawater immediately. Choking, she couldn't catch her breath at all, not to mention call for help.

What was worse, she had a deep-sea phobia. As she looked at the dark, cold seawater, she felt numb and cold all over. Her consciousness faded away, and her body kept sinking.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, she saw her parents and Alger still surrounding Melanie happily, not having the slightest clue she had fallen into the sea.

Until a woman stranger shouted, "Help! Someone's in the water!"

Before losing consciousness, Alice thought, "Maybe Dad, Mom, and Alger no longer need me. Melanie has already replaced me."

In the past, they had loved her dearly.

She had always been the apple of her parents' eyes. They gave her everything they could—houses, cars, jewelry, clothes, stocks.

When she was five, she had been kidnapped. Without hesitation, her father had handed over their entire fortune to bring her home safely.

When she was fifteen, she started to engage in charity work, insisting on sponsoring Melanie's education and living expenses and even taking Melanie back home to live with them. Her parents were reluctant but finally gave in due to her persistence, only saying they'd send Melanie back when the new term began.

Yet, one day, her parents, who had always disdained Melanie, suddenly invited Melanie to celebrate the New Year with them and transferred Melanie all the houses, cars, and shares that belonged to her.

She was left with nothing.

As for Alger—they had known each other since before birth. During these years, they grew up together, and he had always been by her side.

Back in the school days, he received countless love letters, but she had always been his one and only.

They started dating when they were students, and finally, they got married. He had always meticulously taken care of her, protecting her.

Three years ago, they were robbed. Without hesitation, he shielded her with his body and took a knife strike which was meant for her. He almost died on the spot, and the scar on his back was still visible now.

However, at some point, she wasn't the special one for him. No matter what he did, he always thought about Melanie and invited Melanie to join them. Even gifts were bought in pairs.

She asked him why, and he simply said, "Don't you say she's like a sister to you? That makes me her brother-in-law. I ought to be nice to her."

Similarly, her parents said, "You brought Melanie back. We're kind to her for your sake."

But she knew it wasn't the truth. They had forgotten her.

Melanie was the one who suggested spending New Year's Eve on the cruise ship, and everyone eagerly agreed. None of them remembered Alice's fear of deep water.

The New Year's Eve dinner was a seafood feast because Melanie loved seafood. They forgot Alice was allergic.

How ironic.

The old parable about warming a viper in one's bosom came true.

When Alice woke up in the hospital, her parents and Alger were by the bed.

"Alice, you freaked me out," Karen Tenny, her mother, said with eyes brimming with tears.

Reynard Tenny, her father, clutched her hand, his hands trembling. Their worry was genuine.

Alger held her in his arms and said, his voice shaky, "I'm so sorry, Alice. I should have held your hand the entire time. Punish me however you want; scold me and beat me if that will make you feel better."

Alice's eyelashes fluttered. Did she get them wrong?

Maybe they still loved her. They just neglected her feelings temporarily.

Just then, the door was opened, and Melanie stood outside with an insulated lunchbox in hand. She said timidly, "Alice, I'm sorry..."

Reynard, Karen, and Alger all turned to look at Melanie and comforted her, "You didn't push Alice. No need to feel bad about it."

Melanie poured some soup and handed Alice the bowl carefully. "Alice, I fixed some soup. Eat it; you'll feel better."

Seeing Alice didn't reach out, she bit her lip, her eyes turning red. "Alice, are you still mad at me?"

Alger nudged Alice. "Alice, why are you taking it out on Melanie? What happened last night was an accident."

Reynard and Karen echoed, "Melanie stayed up all night to fix the soup. Eat it while it's still warm, Alice."

Looking at the sapphire ring on Melanie's finger, Alice gave a bitter smile.

She thought, "An accident? Really?

"I remember distinctively seeing this ring on the hand that pushed me down."

She'd never mistake the ring because it was the Tenny family's heirloom. Karen promised to give it to her within a few years, yet at some point, Melanie had it.

Since Alice remained motionless, the others became impatient. Alger took the bowl and placed it next to Alice's lips.

Alice instinctively pushed it away, and the boiling-hot soup spilled all over the blanket and her hand.

Frowning, Alger snapped, "Cut it out, Alice! To make soup for you, Melanie even caught a cold. At least try to be grateful, OK?"

"It hurts..."

Suddenly, Melanie burst into tears while covering her hand.

He immediately took her hand gently and said with distress in his eyes, "Melanie, your burn needs treatment. I'll take you to put some ointment on it."

Meanwhile, Reynard glared at Alice. "Alice, it's the New Year's Day. And you're making a scene already? Has Melanie ever offended you? Why are you taking it out on her?"

Karen said, "Alice, I won't take your side again. You're way over the line today. Apologize to Melanie!"

Alice thought, "Sure enough. As long as Melanie plays the victim, everyone immediately sides with her. Who gives a damn about me?

"Apologize to Melanie?

"No way."

She looked at the peanuts on the blanket and lifted her red, swollen right hand. "It's got peanuts. Have you all forgotten? I'm allergic to peanuts."

The others looked awkward right away.

"Well, Alice... Melanie must have..."

As Alger was about to explain on Melanie's behalf, Alice suddenly looked at them with a smile. "You've forgotten everything, including my peanut and seafood allergy as well as my fear of deep water.

"All you can remember is what Melanie likes, and you gave her everything that belongs to me, including the sapphire ring and the shares. She even has my husband and also my family's love. What do I have?"

Hearing this, Melanie immediately wanted to take the ring off. "Alice, you got them wrong. I just wanted to borrow the ring for a few days for fun. I didn't know it meant so much to you. I'll give it back to you now."

With that, she tried to take it off forcibly, and even her finger was red as a result of the brutal force.

Alger stopped her. "Stop it, Melanie. Instead of taking it off, you'll break your finger."

Melanie said while sobbing pitifully, "I have to take it off. Can't you see? Alice is upset. I don't want her to hate me. Don't talk to me, Alger, or Alice may get the wrong idea..."

Alger immediately frowned. "Alice, Melanie has never been on a cruise ship before, and you're bitter that we took her for a cruise ship trip on New Year's Eve? You love pirate ships, but they always make me sick. Yet, I still went on with it so many times just because I wanted to make you happy. According to your logic, should I argue with you?"

How absurd!

Alice gawked at him; she had never known he was this good at twisting her words.

When she was ten, the huge waves swept away her lifebuoy, and she almost died in the sea. It was Alger who swam over to her and grabbed her hand; he risked his life and saved hers.

From then on, she always felt dizzy whenever she saw the sea.

Alger knew it well, so he always made sure nothing related to the sea could be seen at home. Whenever his friends invited him to surf or enjoy the beach, he'd always say, "Alice can't go, so I won't."

But when Melanie proposed to enjoy the sea, he instantly forgot about the principle he had adhered to for the past fifteen years and agreed, "Sure. Why not? I love the sea the most."

At night, Melanie sent Alice a photo of her and Alger at the beach.

Then Melanie texted her, "Alice, you know what? Alger and I have been to the beach many times already."

Alice didn't reply.

In fact, she knew.

She even knew the first time the two went to the beach because Alger came back smelling like seawater.

But she said nothing because she figured she was the one who took Melanie home.

She figured they all chose to spend time with Melanie because of her.

However, it seemed she was horribly wrong.

It was 12:00 a.m. sharp, the next day after the New Year's Day.

Alice went to the rooftop of the hospital and stood at the very edge.

Behind her, Melanie said, "Alice, you think they're going to regret it after you jump? Wanna bet?"

Alice turned back to look at Melanie and smiled.

Ten years ago, she saw Melanie for the first time. Back then, Melanie looked sallow and emaciated, and her body was covered with marks of being beaten up. It was the depth of winter, the coldest time, yet Melanie wore nothing but a shirt.

In the cold wind, Melanie shivered non-stop, but her eyes were filled with stubbornness, which was why Alice chose her.

Ten years later, Melanie wanted to kill her to replace her.

What a viper.

"Alice, you hate me, don't you? But have you thought about why even your parents and your beloved husband who grew up with you take my side? Don't you think it's your failure?"

Melanie was right; Alice agreed she was a total failure.

Just then, the door to the rooftop was pushed open. Hearing the sound, Melanie strode forward to push Alice over the edge, and the latter grabbed her hand instead. In the next second, both slammed hard onto the rooftop edge.

"Melanie!"

Without hesitation, Alger rushed over to hold Melanie in his arms. "Are you OK? Why did you do that?"

Then he glared at Alice. "Alice, what the heck do you want? You won't stop till you see Melanie dead. Is that right? Don't forget that you're the one who insisted on taking her back home. You said you wanted her to have a bright future. So, what are you doing now? You wanna ruin her!"

Alice opened her mouth to explain, but before she could do so, Reynard slapped her hard.

"You damned girl! Alice, you disappoint me so much!"

For the first time during the past twenty-five years, Reynard got physical with her.

And he did it for Melanie.

How ridiculous.

"Mr. Tenny, don't blame Alice. It's not what you think..." Melanie said, seemingly anxious.

"Don't defend her. She needs a lesson."

Reynard took off his belt and started to whip Alice. Alger stood aside while watching, not moving at all.

It was Melanie who pounced over and shielded Alice.

Seeing this, Alger finally moved. He stood in front of Melanie.

"Reynard, calm down," he said.

All of a sudden, Melanie passed out. Alger immediately picked her up and ran downstairs, and Karen followed him anxiously. Reynard was equally worried and even forgot to whip Alice.

Alice smiled bitterly.

Sure enough, they had long chosen Melanie over her.

At 4:00 a.m., Alger pushed open the door to Alice's hospital room.

"Alice, does it still hurt?"

Curling up her body, Alice didn't say anything.

He lifted the blanket carefully and checked her wounds. "I'm sorry. I didn't protect you well enough. But you should have asked Melanie to go to the rooftop. After all, we're family, and we can always talk things out, right? I promise that we won't go to the beach or have any seafood anymore, OK?"

Since she remained silent, he continued, "Alice, Melanie is diagnosed with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Your bone marrow happens to be a perfect match. You should donate it to her."

Alice widened her eyes in great disbelief. "What did you say, Alger?"

She couldn't take it. Ever since they were kids, Alger had always protected her from any harm, and he even took the knife strike which was meant for her. Now, he wanted her to donate her bone marrow to Melanie.

Did he think something this big was as trivial as tomorrow's weather?

Before Alice could say anything, Reynard and Karen walked in.

"Alger, no need to ask for her opinion. I call the shots. Alice, you're going to have to give Melanie your bone marrow, or she'll die."

Reynard snorted with disdain, "It's just a bone marrow. It's not like we're asking you to give Melanie your heart. You won't die, and you'll recover pretty soon."

Reynard had always been the one who doted on Alice, and he was now the one who said those cruelest words. It broke Alice's heart, and the pain was so immense that she could hardly breathe.

She thought, "Fine. None of you want me anymore.

"Given so, I no longer wanna live in your world and bug you.

"I'll leave you."

After they left, she reached out to the friend she trusted the most. "Do me a favor..."

Alice came back home. She packed up all her belongings and then looked at the things on the shelf.

Reynard stayed up late, gluing that crystal chandelier bit by bit when she was eleven.

Karen hand-knitted the pair of tiny woolen shoes for her.

And those two vases that symbolized being together—Alger and her went to the pottery shop together and made them together when she was eighteen.

She smiled, put them all in a box, and threw the box away.

As she passed by the living room, she suddenly realized the family photo they took on her wedding day with Alger had been replaced with another photo at some point, in which were her parents, Alger, and Melanie.

Her heart ached. Then she went back to her room to burn all the photos and then grabbed a few clothes before going down to her apartment with Alger.

To her surprise, the second she stepped in, she saw Melanie and Alger on the couch, laughing and chatting.

Both were stunned at her presence.

Alger stood up. "Alice? Are you supposed to be discharged today? Shouldn't you be preparing for the bone marrow?"

Alice's gaze swept over Melanie. "The patient is here. Why can't I be?"

Melanie said hurriedly, "Alice, you got us wrong. There's nothing going on between us. Your birthday is around the corner, and we wanna surprise you..."

Alger immediately became so protective of Melanie. "Alice, stop targeting Melanie. If we were doing something, we wouldn't do it at home."

Alice didn't retort. She simply went upstairs with her luggage.

"You two go ahead. I'm just back for a few things."

Alger presumed she was going back to the hospital later, so he nodded. "OK. I'll take you back later."

Alice put all the gifts Alger had given her in a box, packed up, and went downstairs.

"What's this?"

Alger took the box and was about to open it when Melanie suddenly clutched her head, crying out in pain. "It hurts... My head..."

He ran over to her right away, picked her up, and hurried outside.

"I'll take you back to the hospital now, Melanie!"

He was so flustered and anxious that he totally forgot about Alice. When she came out, the car happened to vanish from her sight.

She glanced at the file on the coffee table. It was about the necklace, "Heart of the Ocean".

She smiled bitterly. Melanie was the one who liked sapphires, not her.

How ridiculous.

Apparently, the necklace wasn't for her birthday.

When she came back to the hospital, Reynard said, "Karen and I are going to throw a party at Garden Hotel on your birthday to officially accept Melanie as part of the family. From now on, she'll share our surname and will be your sister. Take care of her.

"Alice, we're doing this for your good. We want you to have a sister. Well, you've already treated her like one, right?"

Alice was already numb from her heartache.

In the past, her parents and Alger would start preparing a surprise for her a month prior to her birthday.

Every year, they'd throw her a grand birthday party.

The theme was always different. One year, it was an icy wonder world, and there was also a year about Barbie princess fantasies, and there was even a diamond-related one...

Yet, now, Reynard and Karen were going to take Melanie as part of the family on her birthday.

She felt nothing but numb and cold; even her tears were dried.

"Dad, Mom, are you sure Melanie isn't your biological daughter?"

Immediately, Reynard slapped her. "How absurd! You brought Melanie back. Because of you, we're nice to her. Everything we've been doing is all for your own good!"

For her?

For her, they let Melanie push her into the sea and turned a blind eye to her struggle?

For her, they let her eat the food she was allergic to?

For her, they accepted Melanie as part of the family on her birthday?

For her, they forced her to donate her bone marrow to Melanie?

For her, they hurt her again and again?

After Reynard and Karen left, Alice lay on the hospital bed and cried to sleep.

In the middle of the night, someone suddenly kicked the door open. Then a strong, powerful hand grabbed her and dragged her out, the force so brutal that she felt her arm was going to dislocate at any second.

"Let go of me!" she screamed.

"Melanie suddenly fell ill. She needs a blood transfusion right now, but the blood they have here isn't enough. Only your blood type matches," Alger said urgently.

What kind of logic was that? Only hers matched, so she must give Melanie her blood?

Hadn't Melanie taken enough from her already?

She shoved Alger's hand away forcibly. "No!"

He glared at her. "Melanie's life is at risk! Are you saying you're going to let her die?"

"I feel very unwell."

Leaning against the wall, she looked at him feebly, her face utterly pale.

At the sight of that, Alger suddenly felt his heart twitched.

In the next second, a nurse ran over hastily. "Is Ms. Floyd's family here? The patient is dying. She needs a blood transfusion right away!"

The hesitation in Alger's eyes vanished as he grabbed Alice's wrist. "Did you hear that? Melanie is about to die. If she does, how can you ever live with your conscience? You'll be a murderer."

A murderer?

Alice was slightly stunned before she sneered, "Don't you think you should call Melanie that? She pushed me into the sea and tried to push me down from the rooftop. I'm lucky I survived both times. And now, you're forcing me to save the woman who tried to kill me? Tell me. How can you ever live with your conscience?"

"You're lying! Melanie is the most kind-hearted person I've ever seen. She'd never try to kill you. You must have gotten her wrong."

Noticing the stubborn look on Alice's face, Alger sighed, his tone softening, "Alice, please. I'm begging you. OK?"

Begging her?

He was begging her for Melanie?

In the end, Alice let them draw her blood anyway.

As she slumped to the chair due to exhaustion, Alger had already run to Melanie with her blood bag.

She smiled bitterly.

How absurd.

She felt her strength had all been drained away, but she still forced herself to stand up and walk away.

Then she saw the door of the emergency room open, and Melanie was wheeled out. Reynard, Karen, and Alger all rushed up and surrounded Melanie at once.

"How's my daughter?"

"How come she fainted all of a sudden? Does she need a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible?"

"Is the blood enough? Does she need more?"

Alice looked at them, once again sighing at how "great" they were.

They walked away while surrounding Melanie. Looking at their retreating figures, she couldn't hold on any longer and passed out.

When she woke up, Alger was sitting by the bed with a glass of milk in hand.

"Hey, Alice. Come, drink the milk while it's still warm."

He placed the glass next to her lips.

Seeing that she remained motionless, he blew on the milk gently. "The doctor said you need milk after the blood transfusion."

Just as she expected.

Feeling a bit fed up with it, she didn't want to even open her mouth, but Alger still held the glass.

"Alger, I'm allergic to milk."

His hand froze, and he immediately poured it away. "I'm sorry. I must have been so busy that I totally forgot about it."

She sneered, "Alger, let's just get a divorce so that you can marry Melanie. I hate to stand in your way."

Alger's expression darkened at every word Alice said. When she was done speaking, he smashed the glass onto the floor.

"Alice, I know it was careless of me to forget about your milk allergy. But do you really have to make such a big deal? We've known each other for twenty-five years. Don't you know what kind of person I am? If there was anything going on between Melanie and I, I..."

"Enough. I'm not interested."

As she recalled Melanie's messages she had seen, she felt nothing but ironic.

Melanie and Alger had done everything they shouldn't have. How could he lie through his teeth in her face?

"Alger, Melanie wants to see you. Go check on her. Ignore Alice; let her reflect on herself," Reynard said, standing at the door.

After Alger left, Reynard looked at Alice coldly. "I'm warning you, Alice, don't make any trouble during this period. After we officially take Melanie in, we'll start to prepare for her bone marrow transplantation. I don't want any surprises."

With that, he turned to leave.

Alice let out a bitter laugh again.

Being an extra was so pointless.

At first, she felt angry; but not anymore.

She was so calm that she couldn't even feel a thing.

Melanie came to her room at night.

Wearing the clothes Karen had just bought for her, she looked radiant and elegant just like the heiress of a wealthy family.

"Alice, you wanna see me dead so much, right?" she said, looking smug.

Alice didn't even look at her.

Then Melanie played a video, and nasty gasping sounds came out.

Looking up, Alice saw that in the video, Alger was pressing Melanie against the car window while moaning Melanie's name non-stop. The expressions on their faces were so sultry.

Her heart sank as coldness spread over her entire body, suffocating her.

Alger had never had such intense sex with her.

Then Melanie showed her another video. This time, they were doing it on her bed with Alger, and Melanie was wearing her pajamas while being pinned on the bed by him.

They did it everywhere, including the bathroom, the kitchen, the study, the living room, and the balcony...

Almost every corner of the villa witnessed how wild they were.

Alice felt disheartened, angry, and then simply sick.

She shoved Melanie's phone away forcibly. "I'm not interested in what you do with him."

Melanie picked up her phone. "Alice, you aren't welcome in this family. If I were you, I would step down."

"You ingrate!" glaring at her for a while, Alice cursed.

Melanie smiled, "Did it really never cross your mind when you took me home? I'm way better than you. I'm prettier than you and sexier than you, or why would Alger have sex with me again and again? Why would Reynard and Karen be so good to me?"

When saying this, she raised her hand. "Oh, and they gave me the ring, too."

What?

Alice got out of bed to snatch the ring, but in the next second, Melanie suddenly slumped to the floor, begging her.

"Alice, I know you don't wanna let me have your bone marrow. I know. I know you've been helping me so much. You changed my life. I really shouldn't be asking for more. It's all my fault...

"Blame me, OK? Not the others. Reynard, Karen, and Alger are all your family, and they..."

"Get up! What are you doing, Melanie?"

Alger rushed inside, pushed Alice away, and picked up Melanie. "The floor is so cold. What if you fall ill again?"

"I ... just wanted to apologize to Alice..." Melanie said pitifully.

"You don't have to because you didn't do anything wrong." Alger walked out with Melanie in his arms, not sparing Alice a glance.

Alice's belly hit the cabinet, and the sharp pain instantly shot through her body. Weakly leaning against the cabinet, she said, "Alger, my abdomen..."

"Drop the act, Alice. Melanie is a leukemia patient. Have you ever heard her complain? Just shut up and reflect on yourself."

Alger and Alice had been there for each other for twenty-five years, and he had always doted on her. But at this precise moment, she suddenly realized something.

Alger had changed.

He could never return to the man she fell in love with.

As she came around, the doctor sighed, shaking his head, "Ms. Tenny, you had a miscarriage. You were at the hospital... If we'd found it sooner, we might have saved your baby."

Saying nothing, Alice lowered her head and stroked her belly. "It's all just fate," she thought.

She even felt that it was a good thing that the baby was gone.

In such a broken family, no one else would love the baby.

In the following days, she was forced to do all kinds of tests. She thought about escaping, but Reynard had bodyguards stationing the door, and she didn't have a chance.

She was finally set free at Melanie's honorary godparent ceremony.

Karen brought her a set of clothes to change into. "Today is Melanie's honorary godparent ceremony, and you should attend, too, as her sister. Change into this."

As she opened the bag, she saw nothing but a black dress. It was so simple that there wasn't any embellishment at all, let alone jewelry.

"It's Melanie's big day. You wouldn't wanna steal her thunder, right?" Karen said.

Clutching the bag, Alice smiled bitterly.

It was also her birthday and the third wedding anniversary of her and Alger.

But who else but she would remember anyway?

She nodded and changed into the black dress without saying anything.

After arriving at the banquet venue, Alice stood at the edge of the crowd and looked at Melanie. Today, Melanie was fully dressed up. With the Heart of the Ocean around her neck, the sapphire ring and a ten-carat diamond ring on her fingers, and a crown designed with diamonds on her head, she was radiant.

Those heirs and heiresses who had always despised her all came to her, surrounding her.

Reynard said, "Hi, everyone. Welcome to today's honorary godparent ceremony. From now on, Melanie will be Karen and my daughter."

Someone asked, "What about Alice? Why would you want another girl when you already have one?"

Frowning, Reynard replied, "Today is all about Melanie, and she's going to be our daughter. That's all you need to know."

Looking at Alger, he added, "Alger, lead Melanie around to meet your friends and parents."

"OK, Reynard," Alger said.

Then he stepped forward, took Melanie's hand, and walked toward his friends with a smile.

"Well, well, Alger, hats off. You've nailed both the daughters of the Tenny family? We envy you so much."

Wrapping his arm around Melanie's waist, Alger said, "Hey, stop it. Alice will be upset if she hears you."

"Come on; what's there to be afraid of? You've got Mr. Tenny's permission, right? Alice is his biological daughter, yet he now favors Melanie more. It shows Alice has totally let him down."

Alger didn't say anything, and Melanie chimed in, "Don't say that about Alice. She has never done anything wrong."

The others' opinion of Alice didn't improve after they heard what Melanie said. Instead, they found Melanie generous and kind.

Then Alger took Melanie to the woods behind the hotel.

"Alger, I've got my seduction gear on."

Smiling coquettishly, Melanie unzipped her dress. "Well? Do you like it?"

Immediately, Alger pressed her against the tree. "You need some discipline, you little minx..."

Soon, suggestive gasps came from the depths of the woods.

Standing not far away, Alice recorded the whole thing.

Then she came back to the villa, took out a box, and put everything inside, including the video camera, the divorce papers, the miscarriage report, and the chat records between Melanie and herself.

After that, she took out another box, put the documents severing her relationships with Reynard and Karen inside, and had a courier send it to the Tenny's home.

Finally, she went to the racetrack to participate in an underground race.

She used to be a race car driver and only gave up her dream under the persuasion of Reynard, Karen, and Alger. They said she shouldn't be pursuing such a dangerous career since she was a married woman.

It never occurred to her that after several years, she'd come back to the racetrack to embrace her death.

At 10:08 p.m., the time when she was born, two race cars colluded. They both tumbled down the hill, and both drivers died.

Meanwhile, the banquet ongoing in Garden Hotel was still in full swing, and the gasps from the woods continued.

No one realized Alice was nowhere to be found.