Chapter 2

Lynette suddenly slapped her forehead with an "Oh!"

"I've got something interesting here that you guys have definitely never seen. Our Lydia here is quite the talented actress who even made front-page news with her performances."

Lynette pulled up a news article titled "Underage She-Wolf Nearly Assaulted, Fakes Silver Poisoning to Escape Danger."

The men present looked at me like I was something filthy.

"She acted so convincingly. Back then the silver poisoning was fake, so who knows if this time is real or not."

"Seriously, don't you guys think it's disgusting? Even if they didn't go all the way, that pervert must have groped her all over. Dude, if that were me, I'd be too ashamed to keep living."

Lynette dramatically covered her mouth, smiling sweetly at me:

"Oops, Lydia, you won't blame me for being too blunt, will you? I'm not like you little girls - I always say what's on my mind."

The men around chimed in:

"Usually acts like some pure virgin, but she's already been used by other guys."

"Tyler, man, you got played. Dating such a dirty girl."

Tyler was absolutely furious, pointing at me and roaring:

"Why didn't you ever tell me about this!"

I was suffocating in agony, my pupils losing focus.

My painful past was being torn open like this, becoming their weapon to humiliate me.

"Oh no, Tyler! The hairpin you gave me is missing!"

Lynette's eyes welled up with tears. "That hairpin might not be worth much, but since you gave it to me, I treasure it so much.

I just walked around the pool area, so it probably fell in the water. Could Lydia help me find it?

Perfect timing - I can test whether silver poisoning affects swimming ability. I heard Lydia's quite the swimming expert."

I shook my head in terror.

Tyler roughly dragged me by the arm.

I croaked through my tears, begging him:

"Tyler, please, don't throw me in there. I'll really die."

Hesitation flashed in Tyler's eyes.

His buddies started egging him on:

"Your girlfriend's so dirty anyway, might as well give her a wash. Plus it'll help Lynette with her experiment. Win-win."

"Haha, Tyler, bros before hoes, right? You're not gonna backstab your brothers over some second-hand goods, are you?"

Tyler's expression changed, and he threw me straight into the pool.

"Splash."

I was surrounded by ice-cold water, swallowing several mouthfuls as my hands frantically slapped the surface.

My consciousness grew hazy, my struggling movements gradually slowing.

After Tyler noticed a streak of red, his eyes trembled and he quickly pulled me out of the pool.

Lynette laughed hysterically, clapping non-stop. "Lydia, what amazing skills you have! In a pool that's barely three feet deep, you actually managed to act out a near-drowning scene."

I coughed up several mouthfuls of water, crawling on the shore like a dying fish.

Tyler pointed at the red streak beneath me, explaining: "Lydia's on her period. I should take her home first."

Lynette pouted. "What about my graduation thesis?"

Rage clouded my mind.

What did Lynette's graduation thesis have to do with me? Why should I have to cooperate?

In the three years I'd been with Tyler, I'd had enough of Lynette's little schemes.

My constant tolerance had only led to increasingly outrageous humiliation from Lynette.

The intense emotional turmoil made it almost impossible for me to breathe.

I felt the air in my lungs being sucked out bit by bit.

I really couldn't breathe anymore.

Through my blurred consciousness, I saw the silver poisoning relief medication by Lynette's feet.

My heart jumped violently as I desperately crawled toward it.

Just as I reached out, about to grab the medicinal mist - a high heel kicked viciously.

Right in front of me, the relief medication fell into the pool.

It was Lynette.

Driven by survival instinct, I jumped in without hesitation.