Chapter 1

"Arlene Maxwell, you'd say anything to save your own skin, huh? Nicky went to Happyland today with her best friend, Yvette Myer. I just helped her look up guides last night. Next time, remember to get your story straight before you lie," said Scott Preston.

Tricia Connell's voice came through the walkie-talkie.

"Arlene, what goes around comes around. Just like how you killed my brother, Jimmy Connell, back then, now you can go die together with that little tramp next to you."

I moved away from Nicky Preston a little, afraid of blocking the view. I wanted them to see her face clearly.

However, I was overly naive.

After being stuck here for a long time, her makeup was such a wreck that, frankly, it would've been a miracle if they hadn't mistaken her for some kind of ghost.

"Scott, you'll regret this!"

After saying this, I cut off the walkie-talkie.

Time was running out! If we didn't climb up now, we were as good as dead once the quicksand reached our chests.

Nicky, gasping for breath, refused to let go of my hand. "Arlene, what's wrong with Scott? Don't tell me he really wants to kill me. I'm his sister, for God's sake!"

After she said this, she finally couldn't hold back and burst into tears.

Although my heart went out to her, I didn't have the luxury of time to comfort her.

If I hesitated even a second longer, we'd both die.

The quicksand was rising higher, slowly covering our ankles.

"Hold on to me, and don't let go!"

I used a rope to tie us together and, with the small shovel I carried, dug hollows to make climbing easier.

The next second, a fist-sized rock grazed my ear as it tumbled down.

Nicky shouted up hoarsely at them, "Scott, have you lost your mind? Why are you throwing rocks at Arlene?"

I covered my ear to prevent too much blood loss.

Scott's arrogant voice came through a megaphone. "You've got one foot in the grave, and you still dare to talk back to me? You must have a death wish!"

Stones fell like rain.

I was forced to stop digging and dodge the barrage of rocks with Nicky.

Meanwhile, the sand just kept mounting, and our calves were soon buried entirely.

The next second, the bodyguards all suddenly stopped shoveling sand.

A package was thrown down. I opened it to find a document and a phone, which was on a video call with Scott.

"It's still not too late to surrender. Sign this contract, and I'll have someone pull you two up immediately."

I flipped open the contract, wanting to see just what it was that had driven him to go to such lengths to kill me.

One look at the contents left me utterly dumbfounded.