Chapter 5

Diana's tears came instantly: "For you, I've become a mistress who can't see the light of day. We even have to hide just to hold hands, and now you're blaming me for venting my emotions..."

Zachary Brown was always one to feel sorry for women. He didn't last three seconds before surrendering.

I floated nearby. For some reason, strong unease welled up in my heart.

Time moved forward silently amid my anxiety.

Until this day, when Zachary Brown's phone rang.

After taking the call, his expression changed dramatically. He grabbed his coat and rushed out.

"Lily actually dared to kidnap Diana. I absolutely won't let her get away with this!"

He was certain I wasn't dead. He was convinced the person the kidnappers on the phone called "Miss Li" was me.

Zachary Brown frantically dialed my number, but it kept going to voicemail.

"Since you're so vicious, don't blame me for punishing you."

He slammed the accelerator. The sports car had already sped far into the distance.

I desperately chased after him, screaming at the top of my lungs for him not to go, but he couldn't hear me.

In the old residential complex, Zachary Brown kicked the door open and severely questioned my father who'd come at the noise.

"Where's Lily? Did she kidnap Diana? Hand her over!"

My father looked completely confused, not understanding what he was talking about, but still tried to explain.

"I was going to ask you where our Lily is. We haven't seen her all day. Today's my birthday. Every year she comes to spend it with me. How could she possibly have time to kidnap someone?"

My mother looked worried, convinced I must have run into trouble.

"That's right. It's this late and Lily still hasn't come home. Something must have happened!"

Unfortunately, Zachary Brown didn't believe them. He shoved my father aside and rushed inside, ransacking the place, convinced my parents were harboring me.

But he found nothing. In his frenzy, he grabbed my father by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

My mother tried to stop him, but he pushed her away too. Her forehead hit the corner of a table, blood seeping out.

"If you don't hand her over today, I won't be polite!"

Zachary Brown, consumed by rage, had his bodyguards beat my elderly parents.

Even as they were beaten black and blue, my parents refused to tell a single lie. They insisted bitterly that I could never do such a thing.

"Don't you know what kind of person our daughter is?"

I floated nearby, watching them endure such torment while I could do nothing. My soul felt like it was about to shatter from the pain.

I could only watch helplessly as my father, driven to desperation, pulled my mother to the window.

"Zachary Brown, we're not hiding Lily."

I screamed with all my soul not to, but they couldn't hear me.