Reborn Heiress: Reclaiming My Monster Billionaire

A sharp, piercing pain, like a cold electric current, coursed through Ginny's consciousness, making her gasp. Her spine arched violently, slamming against a concrete pillar, every nerve twitching. Her brain couldn't even distinguish whether the pain originated from her body or her heart.

She suddenly broke free of her restraints. The rusty iron chain, as thick as her thumb, dug deep into the skin of her wrist, leaving a deep purple mark. A burning pain spread up her forearm.

She was tied up in an empty room in the center of an abandoned industrial warehouse. A broken skylight was open overhead. The air was foul and filled with the smell of cold machine oil, damp decay, and a faint scent of blood at her feet.

Ginny forced herself to open her eyes. A bead of cold sweat slid down her hairline, across her forehead, stinging her eyes and blurring her vision.

Through the hazy mist, a figure appeared.

The crisp, clean click of her high heels was like a hammer striking concrete. Coretta stepped lightly into the moonlight streaming through the broken roof. She wore a pristine white, custom-made trench coat, its fabric as smooth as silk, flawless. Not a speck of dust could have touched it. Her golden hair was meticulously styled into a bun. A gentle, angelic smile graced her lips-the same smile she wore in photos at the charity gala.

Coretta stopped in front of her. A melodious, well-trained laugh escaped from her lip-glossed lips.

Coretta crouched down. The hem of her pristine white coat brushed against the dirty, slippery floor.

"Still pretending to be strong, Ginny?" Coretta said in a low voice, her voice as smooth as silk but with a hint of venom.

Ginny jerked her head back, slamming it against the pillar. The chains scraped against the corrugated metal wall with a harsh screech, drawing blood from her skin. A burning pain spread along her arm. She couldn't break free.

Heavy footsteps echoed from the darkness behind Coretta.

A man stepped into the dim light. He wore a well-tailored charcoal gray suit that accentuated his broad shoulders. He raised a silver lighter and lit a large cigar, the lighter gleaming coldly in his hand. The orange smoke reflected off his angular jawline and empty, cold eyes.

Brandt.

Ginny felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, as if the air in her lungs had been sucked out instantly. A sharp pain shot through her chest, and she felt as if her ribs were about to break. This was the man she was about to marry, the man she deeply loved.

Without turning his head, Brandt walked forward, wrapped his arms around Coretta's waist, and pulled her tightly into his embrace. He lowered his head and kissed her lips deeply and passionately.

Ginny felt as if something was blocking her throat; she couldn't breathe, nor could she look away.

Brant walked away from Coretta and finally turned his gaze leisurely to Ginny. His eyes were empty, completely devoid of any human emotion.

"I only need the core password, Ginny," he said. His voice was calm and efficient. "You are the key to the vault. That's all."

Those words tormented her more than chains, more painful than shattered bones. Her breathing was rapid and intermittent. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, sliding down her eyelashes and leaving faint traces on her dusty cheeks. Tears dripped from her chin, soaking the torn collar of her shirt.

Coretta stared at the tear tracks on Ginny's face, clenching her teeth. The triumph in her eyes froze into something uglier-a sharp, vicious jealousy. Even wounded and covered in mud, chained like livestock, Ginny still possessed that face. A face that could suffocate.

Coretta clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Ginny looked at Coretta. A low, hoarse tremor came from deep within her throat, growing louder and louder until it became a hollow laugh that echoed across the steel wall. The sound was chilling, utterly insane.

Coretta's face flushed crimson, as if it were about to bleed. She suddenly raised her arm and slapped Ginny hard across the face. Ginny's head snapped to the side, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Brandt disappeared into the shadows. A few minutes later, he returned.

A large bucket of ice water was poured over Ginny's head. The icy chill made her shiver violently, and the water ran into her eyes, mouth, and nose, causing her to cough violently. The water, mixed with dust, flowed down her body, soaking her clothes.

Brant took the cigar out of his mouth, flicked off the ash, and then casually blew a puff of smoke in Ginny's face.

"Then you should stay here and enjoy yourself, enduring the cold and hunger. Maybe it will take half a month, maybe a month, or even half a year, before someone finds you."

Coretta and Brandt turned away. Their laughter drifted back, soft and melodious.

The heavy iron gate slammed shut with a bang. The latch clicked shut.

Her thin clothes were soaked through with ice water, and the bone-chilling cold made it hard for Ginny to breathe. She coughed violently, her vision blurring. She realized this was a slower, more painful way to die.

She tilted her head back, her throat tightening, and gazed upwards through the broken skylight, swallowing the faint, cold starlight.

"If I survive," the thought was deeply etched into her dying mind, "I will make you both taste the bitterness of betrayal. Little by little."

Having gone without food or water for several days, the struggle she had just endured had exhausted the last bit of strength in her body; each breath she took felt like being punched hard in the lungs.

Her consciousness gradually faded, and darkness surged in from the edge of her vision. Her last sensations were the cold ground and the burning hatred in her heart, more intense than any flame.

Her heart pounded against her ribs one last time, then stopped beating.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but the bone-chilling cold disappeared, and the heavy chains vanished as well. A strange, light buoyancy lifted her up.

Ginny looked down. She was suspended ten feet above the concrete ground, surrounded by thick black smoke, staring at her lifeless body curled up on the ground.