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

Once I regained my consciousness, I was lying in my room where I was wrapped in a soft quilt. Fresh bandages covered the wound on my shoulder, while the gauze was clean and neatly tied. I heard movement near the door, followed by the servant’s voice.

“Miss, you’re awake? Mr. Herbert was very distressed after bringing you down from the tree yesterday. He told me to take special care of you.”

As she said, the servant pointed toward a large box beside the bed.

“Mr. Herbert also had someone deliver this this morning. It’s a wedding dress. He said it’s been altered and wanted you to try it on. Your wedding is the day after tomorrow.”

I turned my head to look. The wedding dress I had once eagerly awaited now lay before me, yet my heart felt completely cold. Without saying much, I threw off the quilt and climbed out of bed. I didn’t even spare the dress another glance as I walked straight toward the door.

As I stepped into the hallway, Adeline appeared, walking toward me. The moment she saw me, she froze. Her eyes were flashing with disdain and mockery.

“Well, well, Lilian. You really are something! You were hanging from a tree yesterday, but now you’ve somehow made Brian feel sorry for you? What’s your plan now? Seduce him in a wedding dress and ruin our marriage? I-”

I cut her off as I flatly said, “I don’t care about the wedding dress. I’ll give it to you. I have no interest in fighting you for Brian. You’ll be the one marrying him, not me.”

Adeline was frozen by my words, completely caught off guard.

Ignoring her, I continued past her without a backward glance. My body was still weak, but I forced myself down the stairs step by step and pushed open the mansion’s front door. A cool breeze brushed against my face, clearing my head.

Brian’s empty gestures and fake concern meant nothing to me now. What I needed wasn’t to stay in this suffocating house. It was to prepare to leave in two days.

And to make sure that everyone who had hurt me paid the price.

I pulled out my phone and sent a message to my trusted friends.

[In two days, release all the evidence to every major media outlet. Immediately block the Wyatt and Herbert families’ critical technology.]

I made a promise to myself, ‘To the Wyatt Family and the Herbert Family, I will make you pay!’

Before I could put my phone back into my pocket, a hand suddenly clamped over my mouth and nose from behind. A strong, pungent smell filled my nostrils. My vision spun and went black.

When I woke again, I was tied to a cold iron chair in a dark, damp room. In the corner, Adeline was tied up as well as she softly sobbed. Before I could even process what was happening, a tall man with a scar across his face walked toward us.

He casually picked up a phone, dialed a number and turned on the speaker.

“Mr. Herbert, come now if you want to save your woman.”

Ten minutes later, Brian burst into the room. Panic flashed in his eyes as he looked at Adeline and me. And then the scar-faced man toyed with a dagger as he showed a cruel smile on his face.

“I heard one of them is your fiancée. Here’s a game for you. Choose one.”

Brian froze, his mouth opening but no words coming out. His hesitation filled the air like poison.

“I … ” he stammered.

“Stop wasting time!” the kidnapper barked impatiently.

The man grabbed both Adeline and me by the neck, cutting off our air. Our breathing turned frantic and shallow.

“Brian! I’m scared! It hurts so much! Please, save me!”

Adeline’s screams were high-pitched and desperate, echoing in the cold room. Brian’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His eyes darted between us, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Finally, he spoke with a trembling voice, “I choose to save Adeline!”

After Brian chose Adline, the scarred man yanked me forward by my hair and shoved me into a deep pool nearby. The icy water swallowed me whole. My lungs screamed for air. It suffocated me, making me tremble.

Once. Twice. I was dragged up only to be shoved back under until my consciousness began to fade. Finally, they pulled me out and dumped me onto the cold, wet floor. I gasped desperately, coughing and choking, trying to breathe.

The man laughed cruelly as he said, “Mr. Herbert, you really are decisive.”

Before I could recover, the kidnappers dragged both Adeline and me to two large sealed iron cages.