Chapter 4

Miller's face drained of color in an instant. "M-Miss Li, that is far too dangerous!"

"Shut up!" Chloe cut him off viciously. "Do as I say! Otherwise, I'll call Brandon right now and make sure you're fired before the hour is up!"

He swallowed hard, trembling, and ultimately waved his hand at the guards.

"No! You can't do this!" I screamed, paralyzed with terror.

My mother-in-law realized the danger too, struggling with all her might. "You venomous psycho! What do you think you're doing?!"

Chloe completely ignored our cries, having the guards drag my mother-in-law to the gantry directly suspended over the deepest, most lethal part of the shark tank.

"Chloe Li! Stop! Let go of my mother-in-law! Brandon will never forgive you for this!"

I sobbed and screamed at the top of my lungs, thrashing violently. My fingernails gouged bloody tracks into the guard's arm, yet I still couldn't break free.

My mother-in-law's hands were tied behind her back. As the winch groaned, the rope slowly pulled her up, leaving her suspended directly over the dark water.

"How is it, you old hag? Does looking down from up there feel good?"

Tears blurred my vision as I fought against the guard's hold. "Chloe Li! What do you want?! Let her go! If you have a problem, take it out on me!"

"Take it out on you?" Chloe acted as if she had just heard something entertaining. "Sure. If you want me to release this old bag, it's very simple."

She pointed down at the hard, frigid concrete floor.

"You. Right now. Kneel down and kowtow to me eighteen times. With every single kowtow, yell, 'I was wrong, I shouldn't have offended Miss Li.' Once you finish, I'll consider pulling her back up."

"Don't you dare!" my mother-in-law screamed from mid-air. "Nora, don't kneel! That evil viper isn't worthy!"

I shook all over. Looking at my mother-in-law dangling between life and death, and then down at the monstrous shadows circling below the water's surface, my pride meant nothing compared to her life.

"I'll kneel!"

My forehead struck the concrete with a heavy, hollow thud.

"Nora! Get up! I forbid you to kneel!" My mother-in-law's voice cracked into sobs.

I didn't get up. I slammed my head down again.

"I was wrong... I shouldn't have offended Miss Li."

Chloe burst into delighted laughter, watching as if she were enjoying a masterclass performance.

By the time the eighteenth kowtow was done, my forehead was a swollen, bruised mess. Warm blood trickled down my face, obscuring my vision.

"Now... let my mother-in-law down!"

Chloe clapped her hands, swaying with laughter. "Magnificent! Truly magnificent! Who knew you two in-laws were so devoted to each other!"

She walked over to the rigging, placing her hand on the safety release carabiner.

Yet, she didn't unhook it.

"However..." she dragged out the word playfully. "I changed my mind."

A sadistic, twisted grin spread across her face.

"You made me so unhappy today. How could a few kowtows possibly be enough? I need to make sure you two... remember this lesson forever!"

"NO—!"

A bloodcurdling scream tore from my throat as I desperately lunged forward.

It was too late.

Chloe took a pair of heavy shears and ruthlessly severed the suspension line bearing my mother-in-law's life!

"Ah—!"

My mother-in-law let out a sharp cry, plummeting straight down into the shark tank below!

"SPLASH!"

A massive geyser of water erupted.

The water was instantly churned into violent turbulence. The sharks, which had been circling hungrily, shot forward like released arrows.

Blood. Within seconds, thick crimson bloomed and stained the blue water.

The entire world turned red before my eyes.

My screams choked in my throat; no sound could escape my lips.

She was gone.

Right in front of me, Brandon's mistress had personally dropped his mother into a shark tank.

Just then, someone in the crowd shouted:

"Mr. Zhou is here."