Chapter 2

I got out of bed and dressed myself.

I needed this money. It had been years since I had been in such dire straits. My father had been burdened with debts and suffering, and now that he was gone, I should give him a proper funeral.

I bent down and picked up the scattered bills on the ground, piece by piece.

Suddenly, Victor forcefully grabbed my wrist where I had cut myself.

Blood immediately stained the white bandage.

The pain was excruciating.

"Irene, it's not so easy to die here." He continued to exert force, and blood dripped down my hand. "Don't think of any other ways to end your life. Consider this a lesson."

With a strong swing of his hand, I was pushed to the ground by his strength. "And your skills have been declining. From now on, you'll only receive eighty percent of your payment."

He slammed the door shut, and I heard him instruct the butler outside. "Put away all the sharp objects in the house and keep an eye on Miss Gibson 24/7."

I couldn't die.

I could only live.

Victor valued money.

My father's funeral went smoothly.

There were very few relatives who came, as everyone wanted to keep their distance from a gambler.

My younger brother was still in school.

The funeral was grand, yet few people attended.

"Miss Gibson?" I stood motionless in front of the tombstone.

Just by hearing that voice, I knew it was Victor's cousin, Melanie.

Originally, I had faithfully served Victor for five years until our contract ended. During that time, I fulfilled my duties and accompanied Victor in every aspect of his life.

Victor had always been cold and indifferent.

Although our relationship was based on a contract, we rarely argued and had a big fight with each other.

Ever since Melanie returned, she had been sowing discord and speaking ill of me in front of Victor.

Victor's attitude towards me changed from indifference to irritability and disgust, tormenting me from time to time both verbally and physically. I was exhausted both mentally and physically.

Melanie approached me, feigning concern as she said. "Miss Gibson, I rushed here as soon as I heard the news. I’m here to express my condolences."

I looked up and met her bright smile, her white teeth blinding my eyes and making me nauseous. "Melanie, you're not welcome here. Please leave."

"Miss Gibson, what are you saying?" Melanie lit a cigarette with false concern. "I'm sorry for your loss. Don't be too sad."

She poked my shoulder with her finger. “If you get too upset and fall ill, how can you donate your kidney to my relative?"

I spat out disdainfully and said fiercely, "Dream on. Even if I die, I won't give my kidney to you."

Melanie chuckled.

Her laughter felt eerie in the quiet cemetery.

She smirked. "So did you succeed in dying?"

She circled around me mockingly.

"Oh dear, do you think someone who can't even decide to die can decide where a kidney goes? How ridiculous."

Laughing, she lightly covered her mouth with her slender fingers.

Melanie's voice was sharp and piercing. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth.

"Please watch your words. You’re in front of my father's tomb."

Her circling footsteps suddenly stopped as she turned her head to stare at my face and sneered.

"Your father died from drunk driving. It wasn't just him who died."

"Did those families demand huge compensation from you?"

She smiled again.

"You still have unpaid debts, yet Victor gives your father a nice funeral..."

Her footsteps halted abruptly as she stared at me.

"Shut up!" I raised my hand.

But Melanie slapped me hard before I could do anything.

These days of suffering mentally and physically had taken a toll on me. My reflexes were slow. I couldn't react fast enough.

"Irene, you actually want to hit me." Melanie pointed at me as I fell to the ground.

My face instantly swelled up.

The imprint of the slap appeared on my pale face.

"What's going on?" Victor's voice rang out.

I lifted my head.

"Victor." Melanie rushed over in a coquettish manner when she saw him, throwing herself into his arm. "I came here to attend Irene's father's funeral, but she chased me away."

Melanie pouted in grievance. "I wanted to give my condolences to her father, but she sat on the ground throwing a tantrum."

Melanie leaned towards Victor with her head tilted. "Did I do something that irritated her Victor?"

Victor stared at my swollen face with the imprint of the slap on it.

He chose to believe Melanie's nonsense.

He patted her head and said reassuringly, "Melanie, it's alright. Pay her no mind."

I snorted lightly as I propped myself up off the ground.

Melanie was good at playing the victim, and it wasn't the first time she did that. If Victor kept his wits about him, he could see through her act, yet he chose to believe her.

"Explain yourself," Victor said coldly.

What was there to be explained?

The facts were right in front of him, yet he still turned a blind eye to something evident.

Why bother explaining to him?

"I have nothing more to say," I said calmly.

Victor clearly wasn't satisfied with my answer as he stared at my red face with the imprint of the slap on it. "If there's something you're unhappy about, just say it directly."

He spoke as if I was unwilling to speak the truth myself.

If only he chose to believe me once, then I wouldn't have remained silent.

"Fine then," I said calmly while holding my breath. My voice rang out loudly. "Please leave along with your cousin right now."

"You heard her, right?" Melanie immediately shouted, her eyes flashing with malice. "Victor, I told you. She chased me away, and now she actually wants you gone."

Victor's face instantly darkened.

Melanie continued, adding fuel to the fire, "Victor, didn't she know that it was you who covered the funeral costs? If it weren't for you, her father would have been left unburied in the wilderness and torn to pieces by wild dogs."

"Yet she treats you like this, showing an utter disregard for your kindness..."

"That's enough!" Victor snarled, silencing Melanie immediately beside him.

Victor walked towards me with a sour expression on his face.

“Here he goes,” I thought. Whenever Melanie was aggrieved because of me, he would wear that terrifying look on his face as if he could stab me at any moment but wouldn't allow me to harm myself either.

"Victor." Melanie called out to him and turned her gaze towards me before continuing in a teasing tone, "There's an urgent need for models for a batch of mourning clothes recently, and we haven't found a suitable candidate yet. Since Irene's father just passed away, why don’t we let her sell them through live streaming?"

I couldn't hold back anymore.

"Melanie, don't go too far!"