Tyler squinted, a look of satisfaction curling on his lips. "Hurry up, the heirs from the capital and Missouri are coming to discuss the amusement park deal with me. Don’t ruin their mood."
At the mention of the two heirs, Emma’s eyes practically lit up, her voice dripping with flattery. "I’ve heard the heir from the capital spoils his sister something fierce. He’s throwing over a hundred billion to build the amusement park in Springfield, just so his sister doesn’t get bored while studying here. The heir from Missouri? He’s the little princess’s childhood sweetheart and they’re about to get engaged."
Tyler’s smug expression softened just a bit, his gaze shifting to one of subtle reverence. "To please these two big names, it’s best to win over the little princess. I heard she’s here in Springfield, too. Go grab the jewelry I bought for ten million. I’ll give it to her as a gift."
He turned and slapped my face lightly. "What good is that wide-eyed stare? The little princess from the capital is living a charmed life, born the heir’s sister. You? You’re just here for my amusement. So throw her in."
Several hands gripped me, lifting me effortlessly and shoving me into the towering two-meter-high water tank.
I struggled, desperate to break free. "I warn you, don’t touch me. My brother is the heir from the capital!"
The room fell into an eerie silence. For a fleeting moment, I thought they might have taken me seriously until loud, mocking laughter filled the air.
"What nonsense is this?" Tyler scoffed. "You’re the little princess from the capital? Then I must be her grandfather."
Emma, clutching her stomach, laughed so hard she nearly collapsed. "Then I must be the little princess’s grandmother. Come on, granddaughter, show me your drowning beauty act. If you die, I’ll make sure you get a nice pile of ghost money."
Before I could retort, Tyler smashed a wine bottle into my forehead.
A sharp ringing filled my ears. The world spun, a blur of red invading my vision.
Suddenly, my feet left the ground. I was hoisted up and with a splash, the freezing water hit me, shocking my senses back to life. Through the haze, I barely heard someone start counting down.
I pressed my back against the cold, unyielding wall of the tank. The stench of blood seeped into the water, choking me as it blocked my mouth and nose.
The cramped space was suffocating, too small for me to even turn. The walls were as smooth as glass and though I could swim, I couldn’t climb.
The so-called Golden Three Minutes? It was nothing more than a cruel game, watching someone struggle in their final moments.
Through the tank’s transparent wall, I saw Heidi being restrained, her clothes torn apart. In a desperate attempt to preserve her dignity, she slashed her wrists with shards of glass.
But they didn’t care. They yanked at her hair, kicked and punched her.
She lay in a pool of her own blood, a broken doll with no one to save her.
I pounded the tank’s wall in vain, my mouth open, but the words dissolved into bubbles.
The faces around the tank gleamed with twisted excitement as if they were watching a show.
The three minutes passed and the only exit was sealed shut.
My lungs screamed for air. I could feel the suffocation building, my chest tightening as if it would explode. Despair and pain washed over me and my hands, once pounding the walls, slowly fell, floating in the murky water.
Tyler leaned over the edge of the tank, his sneer unmistakable. "So much for being a little princess from the capital. I'd rather toss you into a dark alley to let wild dogs feast on you."
Just as his words hung in the air, the door to the private room was suddenly flung open with a crash.
