The Twin Sister's Deception

"Be good. Relax..." A man's warm hand pressed against the woman's waist. Ian Gibson leaned over, ready to go. However, the woman suddenly bit him hard on the earlobe, killing his mood. "Ian, have you gotten this far with my sister before?" Seeing Ian's astonishment, Tammy Palmer raised an eyebrow and watched with a teasing smile as the redness spread from the tips of his ears down to his neck. "Ian, can my sister make you feel as good as I do? You should break off your engagement to her and marry me instead. "You don't want everyone tomorrow to be talking about how Mr. Gibson stole his sister-in-law's innocence!" Memories flooded Ian's head. He finally came to his senses, and a dull pain stabbed at his heart. In his previous life, he and his younger stepbrother, Anthony Shaw, were both engaged to the Palmer twin sisters. However, an intimate video of him was leaked to the media on the eve of his wedding to Selena Palmer. That was when he realized the woman he had spent the night with was not his fiancée but her younger sister, Tammy! Chapter 1 Overnight, Ian Gibson was branded a disgusting, shameless scumbag and forced to marry his fiancée's younger sister, Tammy Palmer. Unexpectedly, Tammy doted on him. The wild, carefree heiress bought him cotton candy, took him to the circus, and clumsily climbed a tree to pick apple blossoms, only to end up covered in mud when she fell. She also walked through the cobblestone alleys with him on rainy days, holding his hand while hiding her smile. Life was good, so Ian gradually let go of his resentment and developed genuine feelings for Tammy. However, the good times did not last long. Tammy suddenly went bankrupt and suffered a car accident that left her crippled. Ian's mother-in-law called him a jinx and cried all night. Her intense emotions led her to have a stroke, leaving her paralyzed. After that, he had to drag a trolley around to sell scrap metal to make a living. One day, he collapsed in the street from exhaustion and was run over by a truck, resulting in a high-level amputation that left him permanently disabled. When he woke up, his supposedly disabled wife was standing up, pressing his younger brother, Anthony Shaw, against the wall. Her eyes were red. "Anthony, you're the one Selena and I like. Ian's mother killed your mother, so I deliberately tarnished his innocence. Selena leaked his intimate photos and forced him to break off the engagement. Our whole family pretended to be bankrupt and crippled to deceive him and avenge you." Ian shivered all over. He'd been living a lie for ten years. Every hardship he'd endured had been part of an elaborate scheme. His ex-fiancée and his wife tormented him and sought revenge on him over a homewrecker's son, making him live a life worse than death! In a fit of rage, Ian spat out a mouthful of dark blood and soon died from his injuries. After he died, Tammy refused to let him be buried in the family cemetery. Instead, she found a desolate, wild hillside and hastily buried him with a pile of scrap he had scavenged. When Ian opened his eyes again, he was sent back to the day of their passionate, intimate encounter. Looking at his wife, who had doted on him devotedly in his past life while plotting against him for years, Ian felt his eyes sting. He took a deep breath. "Where is the engagement annulment agreement? Hand it over." "You're agreeing to it that easily?" Tammy's eyes crinkled with playful amusement. She seemed to be in a good mood. "I guess you just really like this face! "Well, fair enough." She leaned in close. Her warm breath brushed against his ear as she drawled deliberately, "After all, I look exactly like Selena, and I'm even better in bed than she is, so you're just upgrading to a better model." Memories of their loving moments in his past life flashed through Ian's mind, leaving his throat tight. Her tenderness and doting affection had all been a sham. In this life, he would not be foolish again. He picked up a pen, signed the engagement annulment agreement, and handed it to her. Tammy caught sight of his reddened eyes and was about to speak when a call from Anthony interrupted her. Anthony's voice sounded timid and nervous. "Tammy... I was too rough with your sister last night. I accidentally caused some bleeding down there. "Could you come over and help me apply some ointment? She's pregnant, and I don't want her to see the blood and worry." 'Too rough? Pregnant?'' Ian thought self-mockingly. He had dated Selena for five years. She was always aloof, composed, and distant. He was not even allowed to hold her hand for more than three minutes. That was why, when Tammy came onto him with the face she shared with her sister, he had been too flustered and shy to realize he was with a different woman. However, it turned out Selena was already pregnant. "Alright. I'll be right over." Tammy chuckled softly before leaving resignedly. Ian was lost in thought as he watched her leave. Then, he dialed a number. "I agree to the terms you proposed earlier." A low chuckle came from the other end of the line. "Those sisters really have terrible taste. I'll be back in five days to pick you up myself." Chapter 2 When Ian got home, he did not see his mother, Gloria Gibson. His heart tightened abruptly. "Alfred, where's my mom?" The butler, Alfred Hedger, was anxious. "Mrs. Gibson heard that Mr. Shaw seduced Ms. Selena and forced you to break off your engagement to marry someone else. She was so angry that she went to settle the score with him." Ian got extremely worried and rushed to the private club. When he arrived, Gloria was in the middle of punishing Anthony. "Your mom just died not long ago, and you're already learning from her evil ways to seduce people? Drink up all this alcohol, or don't blame me for being ruthless. I'll make sure the whole world sees just how low you can sink." Anthony knelt on the ground, looking broken and pitiful. "I-I'll drink it." He picked up the wine glass and drank one glass after another. Seeing this, Ian's face paled instantly. In his previous life, he had witnessed Selena and Tammy's cruelty. Anthony was the person they cherished most. If they knew Anthony suffered such humiliation... Ian could not think any further and hurriedly stopped her. "Mom! Don't make him drink!" Gloria sighed, tears welling in her eyes. "Ian, don't be afraid. I know you like Selena. I'll get you justice!" As soon as she finished speaking, Anthony suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Two figures rushed in quickly from outside. Tammy held him, her tone tense. "Anthony! Are you okay?" Selena glanced over the scattered liquor bottles and glared at Gloria. "Anthony is allergic to alcohol! He can't touch a single drop. You forced him to drink all that liquor? "Are you trying to kill him?! Mrs. Gibson, apologize to Anthony immediately!" Gloria sneered. "He's a low-class homewrecker. I'd sooner die than apologize to him." "A homewrecker?" Tammy looked up with a cryptic smile. "Since you're insulting Anthony like that, why don't I let you experience what it really feels like to have a homewrecker son?" A sense of foreboding washed over Ian. "What are you gonna do?" "Treating my future mother-in-law to a show, of course." Tammy sneered. "Someone, strip Ian's clothes off and drag him out onto the street." Ian was filled with disbelief. The woman who had been insatiably passionate with him just last night had turned on him without a shred of mercy! "Don't touch me!" He struggled desperately but was pinned down hard by the bodyguards. Gloria was also pressed to the ground, unable to move. Rip! With his pants torn off forcefully, Ian was dragged out onto the street, where a curious crowd quickly gathered. His face flushed crimson with instant, overwhelming shame as he clutched his body in a futile attempt to cover himself. Women giggled and snapped photos, even deliberately brushing up against him. "Isn't this Ian Gibson? Tsk, tsk, tsk! Pale skin, long legs, and a butt perky enough to balance a bottle of soda on it!" "Selena never touched him, yet he's covered in fresh hickeys and bruises. Did he get caught playing homewrecker?" Selena frowned and tried to intervene, but Tammy scoffed softly. "Ian is the type to hold a grudge. If we don't teach him a lesson, the next thing we see will be Anthony's corpse." Selena paused and withdrew her hand. "He's stubborn. He needs to be taken down a peg or two so he learns his lesson." "No! Don't touch my son!" Gloria broke free from her restraints and rushed forward to hug Ian tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Ian, I dragged you into this! I won't let them hurt you again." A look of ruthlessness flashed across Anthony's face, and he signaled to his bodyguards. The next second, Gloria was sent flying. She hit the ground hard like a kite with a severed string, and a pool of blood quickly spread beneath her. "Mom!" Tears burst from Ian's eyes as he screamed in anguish. "Take your anger out on me! Please spare my mom!" Tammy was stung by the sight of Ian's tears. It felt as though her heart had been pricked. She instinctively raised a hand to wipe them away, but then snapped back to reality and withdrew her fingers. She felt a sudden, inexplicable irritation. "When you forced Anthony to drink, did you ever consider sparing him? Mrs. Gibson, I'm giving you one last chance. Apologize to Anthony, or your son will face a fate far worse than just having his clothes stripped off." Mrs. Gibson, a woman who had lived a life of dignity and prestige, knelt with a long trail of blood behind her. "I'm sorry. I was wrong to say those things! Please just put a coat on my son... He hasn't even been married yet..." Tammy's gaze softened slightly, and she began to take off her suit jacket. Just then, Anthony suddenly fainted. Selena and Tammy immediately rushed him to the hospital, completely forgetting about Ian and Gloria's punishment. No one came to their aid, let alone called an ambulance. Everyone looked like they were enjoying the show and happy to revel in someone else's suffering. Panicked, Ian pressed his hands against Gloria's bleeding head, his heart wrung with anguish. Braving onlookers' strange stares, he bought a pair of trousers from a store and returned with bandages and medicine. When he got back, Gloria was already gone. He panicked, searching frantically in every nook and cranny, yet found nothing. Just then, Anthony called and snickered. "Stop looking. After the way your mom humiliated me, how could I possibly spare her?" Ian had a mental breakdown. "She apologized to you! What more do you want?" Anthony laughed maliciously. "I want to make her wish she were dead, of course. Didn't she love calling me a homewrecker? So, I sent her to a nightclub. "And guess what? Your mother was assaulted by more than a dozen men for five hours. Unable to bear the trauma, she jumped from the 17th floor and died instantly. "Don't worry. I had her body sent to a Mastiff breeding center to feed the dogs, saving you the trouble of having to collect her remains." Chapter 3 Ian's head buzzed as his whole body trembled, leaving him unable to speak. Ian thought, 'Mom's dead? No, that can't be true! She just held me and cried, saying she would protect me.' She had even celebrated her 80th birthday in his previous life. How could that lovely old lady who loved dancing in the park die, just like that? He sped 120 miles an hour like a madman, running countless red lights to arrive at the Mastiff breeding center. The scene before him made him almost throw up. Inside the iron fence, several Mastiffs with glowing eyes were gnawing on Gloria. He watched helplessly as his mother's face and body were bitten to pieces, leaving only a jumbled heap of bones. "Mom! Mom!" Ian completely broke down. Crying hoarsely and tearfully, he picked up a stick and lunged at the Mastiffs. "Go away! Mom, wake up! I'll take you to the hospital. Please hold on..." The mastiffs' hot breath blasted against his face, and their sharp teeth tore into his flesh, leaving him a bloody mess. The excruciating pain spread all over his body. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a hospital bed. Tammy stayed with him all night. Her delicate hands held the ointment and bandages as she carefully changed his dressings. "Does it hurt? You're seriously injured. Don't touch water while you're recovering." Ian's voice trembled as he asked, "Where's my mom?" Tammy paused. "I gave Mrs. Gibson a lavish burial. Anthony truly did go too far this time, but I've already punished him. You're not allowed to confront him." 'You punished him? Do you mean in bed?' Ian wondered. Ian stared at the ceiling. His eyes stung, yet not a single tear would fall. "My mom is dead, yet you're still taking his side?" Tammy frowned. "Anthony is innocent and kind-hearted. If you hadn't forced him to drink and gotten him drunk, he never would have acted without thinking. When it comes down to it, you and your mom brought this on yourselves. You have no one else to blame." Ian felt as though his throat were being crushed. He was suffocating, unable to make a sound. This was the woman he had loved his entire past life. In her eyes, Anthony's provocations and malice were merely innocence and kindness, while his mother's tragic death was something she had deserved. After being given a second chance at life, he dragged his mother into this mess. Ian tried every possible way to involve the police, but his evidence vanished without a trace, and the originals had been deliberately destroyed. The Palmers wielded immense power. He could not even try to avenge his mother. Driven to despair, Ian grabbed a fruit knife late one night and went to Anthony's hospital ward. Visions of his mother's gruesome death without even a corpse left behind flashed before his eyes, and his gaze filled with hatred. Seeing the knife in Ian's hand, Anthony was filled with terror. "What are you doing?" Screaming for help, he scrambled backward. "Ian, Tammy and Selena will never spare you if I die!" Ian raised the knife and stabbed with all his hatred. "My mom is dead, and I have no reason to go on living, so let's just die together!" However, before the blade could even touch Anthony, Ian was kicked away. His back slammed against the sharp edge of a table, sending a bone-deep pain through his body. Selena glared at him and roared, "Ian! When did you become so vicious? You actually tried to stab Anthony?" "I'm vicious?" Ian doubled over, laughing like a lunatic. "He sent my mom to a nightclub, and she jumped to her death after being violated by a dozen men. He even had her body fed to the dogs. "He killed my mom. You protect a murderer like him, yet call me vicious?" Shock registered on Selena's face, and her tone betrayed barely suppressed anger. "Have you lost your mind? How dare you fabricate such lies to slander Anthony? You're just out for revenge, aren't you? "So, you like stabbing people? Someone, give him 99 cuts!" A sharp pang pierced Ian's heart. His voice trembled violently. "Selena, I've been your boyfriend for five years. Does our past mean nothing to you at all?" She knew that 99 cuts would be fatal. Seething with anger, Selena barked, "Do it! Not one cut fewer!" Chapter 4 One cut, two cuts... The sharp blade sliced through Ian's skin, and blood immediately gushed out. He couldn't help screaming in agony. His body gradually turned cold, and his vision began to blur. "Ian, I bought your favorite apricot pie. I was in line for an hour..." Tammy walked in with a smile. However, when she saw what was happening, her eyes went bloodshot as she kicked the bodyguard away. She chided, "Who gave you the nerve to do this? Are you asking for trouble?" Selena frowned and clutched Tammy's wrist. "I ordered it. Calm down—" "He's my fiancé. How can you expect me to be calm?" Tammy's usually carefree eyes suddenly shone with chilling iciness. "If anything happens to Ian, I'll have you buried with him!" Her eyes filled with killing intent. Anthony's eyes flashed with calculation as he rubbed his red eyes and choked out, "Tammy, it's all my fault. Ian blamed me for Mrs. Gibson's death and tried to stab me to avenge her. Selena panicked and had the bodyguard intimidate him..." "He stabbed you with a knife?" Tammy's expression changed abruptly, and she examined Anthony from head to toe. "Are you injured? Where's the doctor?" Ian lay in a pool of blood, with a sarcastic smile on his lips. No matter how badly he was injured, as long as Anthony was there, their guilt would vanish without a trace, and they would unhesitatingly side with him. Anthony looked pitiful. "I'm fine. Ian seems to have passed out. Tammy, go take care of him." Tammy sneered, "Take care of him? He was badly bitten by those mastiffs. I stayed by his side all night and arranged for the best doctors to treat him, yet he still dared to lay a hand on you. "Since he refuses to change, I'll lock him in the basement so he can reflect on his actions!" She showed no mercy, locking Ian in the basement as a cacophony of piercing sounds rang around him. He had a vision of his mother weeping tears of blood as her body was mangled and dripping with gore from the Mastiffs' attack. She dragged herself toward him through a trail of blood. "Ian, it hurts so much... Save me..." Trembling in agony, Ian clutched his head and repeatedly confessed, "Mom, I'm sorry! I caused this. I'm coming down to join you now!" An angry shout rang from a distance. "Who turned off the lights? He's claustrophobic and terrified of the dark!" It no longer mattered whether it was Selena or Tammy. In a daze, Ian hurled himself against the wall. Just before collapsing, he thought he heard a familiar, anxious voice. "Ian!" Some time later, he felt a long-absent warmth. Tammy's forehead was beaded with sweat as she held him tightly. Tammy held back her anger. "I only locked you up for a night. Was it really necessary to play the victim to the point of attempting suicide? "I haven't slept in two days just to plan our wedding! Can't you just behave?" Ian's eyes were vacant as he forced a smile. "A wedding? You drove my mother to her death. Did you actually think I'd marry the woman who killed her?" Seeing his hollow gaze and expressionless face, Tammy paused. She felt as though something had pierced her heart. "Ian, I—" Just then, a bodyguard rushed in, looking frantic. "Ms. Tammy, Mr. Shaw has suddenly started vomiting and suffering from diarrhea. It looks like... like he's been possessed." Tammy immediately put down the cotton swab she was holding. "Deal with the cut on your forehead yourself. I'll go check on Anthony." However, before she could leave, Anthony pushed the door open and entered. "Tammy, I dreamt of Ian's mother. She's turned into a vengeful spirit, and she wants the child in Selena's womb to pay for her life with its own!" His face was deathly pale as his voice trembled with a tearful edge. Tammy tried to soothe him gently. Eventually, unable to refuse his insistence, she hired an exorcist to perform an exorcism. As the exorcist examined the situation, his expression turned to one of horror. "This isn't a vengeful spirit claiming a life. It's the work of the living! Someone has used demonic charms to curse Mr. Shaw, cursing him to a wretched death and eternal damnation!" Sure enough, the bodyguards discovered demonic charms hidden within the lining of Anthony's pillow, stained sinisterly with blood. "That's it! That's the one!" Anthony wailed incessantly, demanding a blood comparison test. All evidence pointed toward Ian. The exorcist looked grave. "This is a truly vicious curse. To break it, the person who cast it must kneel and transcribe 99 copies of ures in their own blood. Only then can Mr. Shaw and his child be kept safe!" Ian found the whole thing absurd as he watched their charade unfold. He forced a smile and looked at Tammy. "Do you really believe this?" She had never believed in the supernatural. Someone had once tried to pull a charade involving spirits and trickery in her presence and ended up with both legs broken. This time, Tammy sighed and whispered into his ear, "I know Anthony bought off this exorcist, but he's just having a little fit. He means no real harm. After all, he is your younger brother. Just humor him." Sarcasm flickered in the depths of Ian's eyes. "What if I refuse?" Tammy had initially felt a twinge of sympathy, but her expression turned cold at his retort. "Ian, my patience has its limits." Her gaze dropped to his legs. "If you refuse, I'll shatter the bones in your legs, section by section, leaving you to spend the rest of your life on your knees. You'll never stand again. "You can walk over there yourself, or have your legs broken and be carried into the family chapel. "The choice is yours." Chapter 5 Ian's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was trembling. "Tammy, are you trying to kill me?" Seeing his broken state, Tammy paused for a moment, a hint of compassion in her eyes. Anthony interrupted him furiously, "Ian, I didn't even hold you accountable for stabbing me with a knife. This is just copying ures. How is this killing you? Looks like you really have no remorse!" A glint of cruelty flashed in his eyes. "If you don't copy them, fine. I heard that the most effective way to pacify evil spirits is to destroy their ashes. I'll have someone smash your mother's tombstone right now and throw her ashes into a ditch to feed the maggots!" Ian did not expect him to be this insane. His heart throbbed painfully as he looked at Tammy. "My mom was so kind to you. How could you just let Anthony do whatever he wants? Don't you care that he's disturbing her peace even in death?" Tammy sneered and scoffed. "Ian, it's you disturbing her peace even in death. Anthony just wanted an apology. You refused to submit because of your precious pride and dignity. "Anthony's right. You just won't change. You almost killed him, yet you wouldn't even do a simple task like copying ures. I should've disciplined you sooner." She made a phone call. "Go ahead. Smash his mother's tombstone." On the other end of the video call, the bodyguards raised their sledgehammers and smashed them down hard onto the tombstone, causing it to shatter instantly. Gloria's memorial portrait was destroyed, leaving only a pile of debris. They then raised their pickaxes to dig up her ashes... "No! Don't touch my mom!" Ian gripped her wrist tightly, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "I promise to kneel in the family chapel. I'll copy the ures! I just beg you to spare my mom..." Gloria had died because of him, and her body was barely cold. If he could not even protect her ashes, how could he ever face her spirit? Fighting through excruciating pain, Ian dragged himself toward the family chapel, leaving a long trail of blood from his injured leg as he stumbled and crawled along. Seeing this, pity flashed across Tammy's face. She was about to reach out and help him when Anthony grabbed her wrist. His ears turned red as he leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Tammy blushed deeply, casting Ian completely out of her mind. She then took Anthony's hand and turned to leave. Ian's eyes burned with emotions. In his past life, Tammy had 'spoiled' him so much, yet she always found excuses to refuse him, teasing him for being insatiable whenever they were intimate. Only now did he realize that she was capable of blushing, just not for him. She could for the man she truly loved. In the family chapel, he knelt on the freezing floor. Once, twice... His fingers were torn and bleeding profusely. It took him two days and two nights of grueling effort to finish copying the ures. However, he overheard whispers outside. "Poor Mr. Gibson. He was tricked into copying 99 copies of ures, only to have his mother's tombstone smashed anyway. I heard there's not even any ashes left..." Ian's mind went blank. Just then, Tammy walked in carrying a suit. She wrapped her arms around Ian's waist, her hot breath washing over his chest. "I designed this suit for you myself. Take a look. Do you like it?" The black suit was exquisitely tailored and luxurious. Still, Ian shoved her away, tore the suit to shreds, and slapped her across the face with his red eyes. Tammy wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her expression turning cold. "I stayed up all night personally altering the fit of that suit. Why are you being a spoiled brat and throwing a tantrum now?" Ian gripped the scissors tightly, his voice trembling. "You promised me! You said if I humbled myself and apologized, you'd spare my mom. Why did you still let them destroy her ashes?" Suppressing her anger, Tammy clamped her hand around his wrist. "Your mom is already dead. Why are you so mad about it? Anthony smashed the grave, but he's agreed to forgive you. Is your brotherly bond less important than a handful of ashes?" "Tammy, you b*tch!" Tears streamed down Ian's face. As he struggled, the scissors slipped and cut Tammy's chest. Whoosh! Blood instantly gushed from the wound, splattering across his face. He turned deathly pale, and his fingertips trembled slightly. Tammy was absolutely enraged. Seemingly oblivious to any pain, she pinned him fiercely against the table in the family chapel and grabbed a tie to bind his wrists. Ian's face burned with humiliation as he struggled desperately. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Tammy gripped his chin and said coldly, "Ian, since you're too stubborn to know what's good for you, I'll teach you what a real marriage is supposed to look like!" The scent of blood hung in the air, fueling Tammy's rough movements. She tore open Ian's trousers and thrust herself onto him... Suddenly, a voice exclaimed in wild excitement, "Holy crap, girls! Hurry up and take a screenshot of this! This is amazing! We can use the pictures for later." Ian felt the blood drain from his face, and a chill ran through his entire body. Just then, Anthony's playful laughter came through the phone. "Sorry, Ian. Tammy and I were livestreaming with some fans, and we forgot to turn off the camera." Chapter 6 The humiliation swept over Ian, and his throat filled with a bittersweet taste. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. His vision darkened before he fainted. When he woke up, Tammy and Selena were by his side, seemingly relieved. "You're finally awake?" Anthony smiled and wrapped his arm around Ian's shoulders. "Ian, I heard you got so upset you collapsed, so I came to apologize." He deliberately flaunted the Rolex on his wrist. It had belonged to Ian's late mother. She had once promised to put it on his wrist herself on his wedding day. Now, Anthony had stolen it. Seeing his eyes redden, Anthony leaned in close and taunted him in his ear. "I killed your mom, stole your fiancée, and leaked your private videos. You couldn't even protect your mother's ashes and dowry. "Ian, you must be so pissed off! "Also, my mother was nine months pregnant when she fell down the stairs and died. The truth is, I deliberately pushed her and framed your mother for it! "Your stupid father believed it wholeheartedly and didn't hesitate to disobey the entire family to bring the son of a homewrecker back to the Gibsons." Anthony added, "When we were children, your father hated you and spoiled me. When we grew up, your fiancée and girlfriend schemed against you. To avenge me, Tammy impersonated Selena and slept with you... "Ian, you're a complete joke. Hahaha!" The truth was like a knife unexpectedly stabbing Ian's heart. Gloria had carried the blame for more than a decade for something she never did. He had endured pain and suffering in his past life when the Palmers joined forces to fake bankruptcy and illness, deceiving him until he died. What did all his pain and suffering count for? Ian trembled, grabbed a teacup and hurled it at Anthony. He managed to squeeze out, "G-get out!" When Selena saw the bruise forming on Anthony's temple, her expression instantly turned cold. "Ian, when are you going to stop?" Ian spoke in a voice filled with despair. "You all enabled Anthony to cause my mother's death, violate me, and leak my private photos... "Wasn't it all because my mother supposedly killed his mother and unborn sibling, so you wanted revenge for him? "But Anthony admitted it himself just now! He deliberately pushed his mother down the stairs when she was nine months pregnant, causing her death, and then framed my mother for it! My mother was innocent!" The hospital ward fell instantly silent. A flash of panic crossed Anthony's face, but Selena soon sneered. "Stop slandering Anthony." Tammy scoffed as well. "Anthony was barely ten years old back then. How could a little boy be so vicious as to kill his own mother? You'll stop at nothing to make up excuses, won't you?" Every word they spoke showed an unprincipled bias toward Anthony. Ian forced a smile. "Isn't he vicious enough? He caused two deaths, yet you still think he's innocent—" "Enough!" Tammy was furious, her eyes filled with malice. "It seems the last punishment was too lenient if you still dare to twist the truth. Since you refuse to change your ways, go reflect in the walk-in freezer!" She had expected Ian to argue or make a scene. Instead, he merely gave a mocking smile. He did not resist or struggle. Tammy was taken aback and frowned. She felt there was something different about him, but she could not quite put her finger on it. Before she could stop them, bodyguards dragged Ian away like a piece of livestock toward the walk-in freezer. His knees were scraped raw and bloody against the cold, hard steps. It was -20 degrees in the freezer. Ian shivered violently and curled into a ball, frost clinging to his eyelashes. "Cold... So cold..." His face and fingers were red and swollen from frostbite. Suffering from severe hypothermia and having nearly lost all sensation, he could only murmur the same words again and again: "Save me… Save me…" Just as his consciousness began to slip away, the door burst open with a loud crash. Well-trained bodyguards in black immediately put a warm coat over him. "Mr. Gibson, Ms. White sent us to pick you up. The private jet is ready." Ian's face remained numb. It took a long time for him to finally warm up. Before getting into the car, he cast one last glance toward the Palmers' estate. The wedding was grand and magnificent. Tammy had meticulously planned it. However, his eyes were bloodshot, burning with intense hatred. He compiled all the evidence he had gathered, drafted a message, and posted it on his social media. Meanwhile, everyone at the wedding was filled with joy. A white contrail streaked across the sky. Tammy felt a sharp pang in her heart and instinctively looked around, but she did not see that familiar figure. Clutching her chest where the abrupt pain had struck, she called out to the butler, Jeffrey Lucas, "Where's Ian? The wedding is in two hours. I know he likes to look sharp. Tell the stylist to make sure he looks good."