When He Chose My Sister Over Me, I Left for a Better Life

I had already explained everything, getting ready to leave. Just as I finished packing, the door slammed open. Adeline walked in parrogantly in high heels. She looked at me with eyes full of defiance.

She strode up to me and spoke arrogantly, "Lilian, do you really think you're so special just because you're our parents' biological daughter? They love me now!"

"I've known all along. You're going to marry that lunatic for me. Isn't the bride price just one billion? After I marry Brian, there will be far more money. Plenty more."

Her tone dripped with arrogance as she continued, "Brian’s project will soon make more money than I could spend in ten lifetimes. The Wyatt and Herbert families are far ahead in technology. With us together, we'll be unstoppable."

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a vicious whisper, "And you … you're just trading one hell for another. The Lloyd Family is cruel beyond words. Once you marry into their family, you might not even survive three days."

"If you manage to live, you’ll get the money. If you die … you’ll leave it all behind, untouched."

Her cruel words echoed in my ears. The anger I’d been holding back for so long finally exploded. I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. The sharp sound rang through the room like a gunshot.

A cold smile spread across my lips as I glared at her.

"Really? Then I hope you get exactly what you deserve!"

Adeline couldn’t help but cover her cheek as she looked at me with disbelief.

"You … you dare hit me? Lilian, how dare you hit me!"

I didn’t waste a single breath on her. Again, I slapped her. In fact, it was even harder than before. This time, blood instantly welled at the corner of her mouth. A thin crimson line slid down her chin.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed outside. The door burst open. Brian stormed in. The second he saw Adeline’s bloody mouth, his eyes filled with rage so intense it was almost murderous.

"Lilian! Have you gone mad? Who gave you the right to hit her?"

Immediately, Brian rushed to Adeline. He pulled her into his arms as he carefully wiped the blood from her lips. Before I could speak, his palm struck my face with a loud crack. Pain exploded across my cheek. My head jerked to the side as my mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.

I swallowed it down and slowly lifted my head to look at him. Instead of anger, I smiled coldly.

"Brian, I hope you won’t regret this."

My parents arrived right after him. They immediately rushed to my side. Not to protect me, but to scold me like I was a stranger.

"Lilian, you ungrateful wretch! How could you hurt Adeline like this? What has she ever done to you?"

Adeline clung to Brian, crying pitifully, yet her trembling voice was laced with false kindness as she spoke, "Brian, Mum, Dad … please don’t scold Lilian anymore. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have upset her."

"I’m leaving tomorrow. I won’t trouble this family again. I just don’t want her to keep being unhappy because of me … "

Her performance only added fuel to the fire. Brian’s face became even more grim. His rage was nearly uncontrollable.

Brian then shouted toward the doorway and two black-clad bodyguards immediately entered.

"Drag her outside. Hang her upside down from the tree in the yard," he ordered.

He paused before he continued with his tone cutting me like a knife, "Let the sun warm her dark, filthy heart. The Herbert Family does not tolerate women as vile as her."

The bodyguards moved without hesitation, seizing me by the arms.

"Brian! Let me go! You can’t do this to me!"

But no one listened. They dragged me out into the yard. My struggles were meaningless against their strength.

The rough rope bit into my ankles as they tied me up. With a hard yank, they then hoisted me upside down from the tall tree. Blood rushed to my head, making me dizzy and nauseous.

The scorching midday sun beat down mercilessly on my body. My skin burned, my chest tightened and my breath came in ragged gasps. Through the haze of heat and pain, I tilted my head and caught sight of the living room window.

Inside, Brian was tenderly applying medicine to Adeline’s wounds. My parents sat beside her, speaking softly, comforting her. The three of them looked like a warm, happy family while I was left to suffer alone.

Tears streamed from my eyes, falling to the ground below. The hot sun dried them instantly, leaving no trace. I clenched my teeth and swore silently to myself.

Just one day. I only have to endure this for one day. When I got free, I would make every single one of them pay for what they had done to me.

Meanwhile, the sunlight grew hotter and hotter. My vision blurred. The world spun wildly around me.

Finally, everything went black.