Sacrificed for His Sister's Whim

Emmeline Gardner was given to her adversary, William King, as a "trophy" for three years, all in the name of her brother's pursuit of true love. During this time, she had to obey every whim of William and his sister, Skyla, without question.

In the first month, after moving into the King's mansion, Skyla claimed she was afraid of the dark, so Emmeline was made to sleep on the cold floor outside her room to "guard" the door. In the second month, after William praised Emmeline's violin skills, Skyla had her stand on ice and play the instrument all day, leaving her skin stuck to the ice in the freezing winter. If she faltered, the whip would fall immediately. In the third month, for some cheap thrill, Skyla ordered the staff away and, along with her friends, shoved Emmeline from the second-floor balcony into the swimming pool over and over again, trapping her in a constant cycle of fear.

Repeatedly, Skyla tormented Emmeline under flimsy pretenses. Initially, William would comfort her and reprimand Skyla, but as time passed, his words dwindled to a single phrase: "These are the terms we agreed upon; are you backing out?" With this, Skyla grew more brazen, and Emmeline understood her role in the house—as a mere toy for the King siblings.

Her thoughts were interrupted when William returned, commanding Emmeline to prepare to accompany him to a charity gala. She recalled how, at every event, Skyla would find excuses to humiliate her, threatening to display compromising photos on the big screen if she didn't comply with their degrading demands.

Emmeline's body trembled instinctively, her hands clutching her dress, and she nervously asked, "Do I... have to go?"

William's eyes held a cold sharpness that cut deep. "Half an hour. Don’t keep me waiting."

"Alright." Her face turned ashen, understanding that William's words were orders, not requests.

Seated before the mirror, Emmeline let the makeup artists transform her into a meticulously wrapped doll, void of any value. Three years ago, when her brother introduced her to William at a party, it was not like this. Back then, William was a charismatic figure among the young women, and her heart raced at the sight of him. Learning her brother offered her as a trophy to William in his romantic pursuit, she did not resist—she was smitten.

William was generous with her, indulging her desires, except when it came to Skyla. He chose to believe Skyla without question. Despite being repeatedly wronged, healed, and hurt again, her heart grew numb, burying her feelings deep inside.

"Don't move." Her memories were abruptly pulled back as William clasped a diamond necklace around her neck, looking down at her. "It suits you."

At the gala, the spotlight settled on them as William's hand rested on Emmeline's waist. He whispered, "If anything catches your eye today, let my assistant know."

Just then, a lively voice interrupted them. "Will!" Skyla rushed up to grab William's arm, ignoring Emmeline completely. "When did you