Chapter 1

Ever since Serena got divorced, her skin had been practically glowing.

She was radiant and stunning. Even though she was thirty, she looked like she was barely twenty.

Standing next to her, I felt completely plain.

So many nights, I’d walk into her bedroom late, only to find her gasping for breath, drenched in sweat.

I couldn't understand it. I kept asking her what her beauty secret was.

She refused to tell me a single word.

We even gave each other the cold shoulder for a week because of it. "We’re sisters," I had argued. "What could you possibly keep from me?"

Unable to take my relentless badgering anymore, Serena finally agreed to take me to the place she went for her "treatments."

Standing before the VIP entrance of a private zoo, I asked her in confusion, "A zoo? What does an animal park have to do with getting pretty?"

Serena’s face flushed red. Her eyes grew hazy, lost in some decadent memory, completely intoxicated.

"Wait until you get inside. You'll see how incredible it is. I promise you'll walk out looking gorgeous—and you'll never want to leave."

I was completely head over heels for Lucas, the star dancer in the performing arts department.

I had spent two years chasing him, but hadn't made an inch of progress.

Serena, on the other hand, was divorced, getting younger by the day, and had a never-ending line of suitors.

I was so envious. We shared the same blood, yet lived in completely different worlds.

Desperate to be as magnetic as her so I could finally win Lucas over, I constantly begged her to tell me how she stayed so radiant.

Every time I asked, she dodged the question.

Finally, I snapped. "I’m your sister! Why are you hiding something this amazing from me?"

"Do you want everyone at college to laugh at me forever?"

I threw a massive tantrum in her room. That was when Serena finally caved and agreed to bring me along.

When we arrived at the private zoo's VIP gates, I was utterly bewildered.

Without explaining, Serena grabbed my hand and led me inside.

The front desk attendant beamed the moment she saw Serena, greeting her like an old regular. "Serena, back again? Riding the fierce tiger today as usual?"

Hearing that, my jaw dropped. I froze on the spot.

A tiger was an apex predator, naturally violent. What kind of tiger was docile enough to let people ride it?

In an instant, pure curiosity consumed my mind.

Serena chuckled softly. "Yeah. That one's my favorite. The ride is incredible."

The clerk’s gaze swept over Serena’s curvy, flawless figure. "I can tell. The transformation on you is unreal. I already had the handler bring it out. Head on in."

Serena nodded and walked forward. I hurried to follow, but before I could take a second step, an arm blocked my path.

"Excuse me, miss. You look new here. Do you have a VIP membership?"

I shook my head.

Serena turned back. "She's my sister. I brought her to try it out today. Just charge ten grand to my card."

My eyes went wide in disbelief. Ten thousand dollars just to see some animals? That was insane!

I yanked Serena’s sleeve. "Serena, is this place a scam? Ten grand for a zoo ticket?"

"Watch your mouth, young lady," the clerk chimed in smoothly. "Ask your sister if every penny is worth it."

Serena’s face remained flushed. "She's still in college, a bit young. It's her first time."

I snapped back immediately, "It's not my first time! I've seen tigers plenty of times before!"

The entire reception desk burst out laughing.

"Look at that innocent face. Definitely a virgin to this. How about I pick a gentler tiger for her?"

Serena got the fiercest one, while I was stuck with the mildest?

I finally made it here, and the money was already spent. If I was doing this, I wanted the best!

"No way. I want the same kind Serena gets!"

The attendant tried her best to dissuade me. "Sweetie, since it's your first time, a wild one might break you."

Break me? Just looking at a tiger?

The way they talked felt completely off from what I imagined visiting a tiger would be. It made me crave seeing what was truly behind those doors even more.

Could a single glance at a tiger really make me as gorgeous as Serena?

"Let her have her way," Serena said. "She's always had plenty of stamina since we were kids. She'll be fine. I'm heading in first. Take your time helping her pick."

With that, Serena walked toward the inner VIP suite.

A moment later, a low, ferocious roar echoed from behind the heavy door.

Overwhelmed by curiosity, I pressed my ear against Serena's door. The attendant patted my shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry. The one we picked for you won't be any worse than hers."

I stood up straight and nodded, my heart racing with anticipation.

Yet, the second the attendant opened the door to my room, what I saw inside terrified me so badly that I bolted out, collapsed beside a trash can in the hallway, and threw up until my stomach was empty.