Chapter 846

846 Chapter 845

Keira stared at the note in her hand, and the moment she saw the words, tears began streaming down her face.

There were only a few words scrawled on the paper: Don’t save me. Live a good life.

But how could she not save her?

She had to save Jodie.

Keira clenched her fists tightly, her resolve hardening as she stared at the note for what felt like an eternity. In the end, she reluctantly tore it to pieces and flushed the scraps down the sink.

There could be no evidence left behind.

Afterward, she stayed obediently at home.

But ever since Jessica’s true colors were revealed, their relationship had hit rock bottom.

Keira hadn’t spoken a single word to her since.

For days, she locked herself in her small room, spending her time listening to the radio.

The South family only had a handful of radio channels, and Keira had even tried reaching out to satellite signals, but the house was equipped with a blocking device that kept all external signals out.

Time flew by quickly.

Five days passed in a blur.

Finally, the day came when Keira was set to leave. She would be taken away the same way she came—drugged unconscious to ensure she couldn’t trace the South family’s location.

This time, the South family didn’t even bother with pretense. They brought the drug to her openly.

Jessica herself handed it over. The liquid, tinted pink, carried a faint strawberry scent. Lowering her gaze, Jessica said softly, “I made it strawberry-flavored, just for you p>

Keira responded flatly, “Tastes change p>

Jessica set the drug on the table and looked at Keira. After a long silence, she finally spoke. “Do you hate me for helping them test you p>

Keira didn’t answer.

Jessica pressed on. “I didn’t have a choice. If I didn’t help them, they were going to cut off Ryan’s arm p>

At that, Keira glanced over at Ryan, sitting quietly at the far end of the room.

Jessica had always said she felt no affection for Ryan, that she’d only kept him out of pity. But now, seeing her expression, Keira thought maybe there was something more.

Keira shifted her gaze to Jake, sitting nearby.

The man, in his forties, looked like a broken doll. Slouched on the couch, he sneered when he caught Keira looking. “What are you staring at? Right now, Ryan has a higher status in this family than I do p>

Jessica frowned.

Ryan mumbled nervously, “Jake, I’m not trying to compete with you or Jessica. I just… I just want a place to belong p>

Jake scoffed. “You’re invading someone else’s family, and you think you have the right to say that p>

Ryan lowered his head. “Maybe I should just leave. They can send me somewhere else, so I don’t cause problems for you and Jessica p>

Hearing this, Jessica’s face hardened, and she snapped at Jake. “Enough! He’s just a defenseless man. Do you have any idea what could happen to someone like him out there? He’d get eaten alive p>

Jake rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Keira couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

Men or women, it seemed, were equally bad at spotting a manipulator.

Suddenly, she understood those online jokes about love triangles. When two men—or women—are competing for your attention, it’s impossible to just throw one away. You want to keep both, balancing them against each other p>

People called men fickle, but when women played the same game, they were no better.

The South family was a matriarchal society, where women held all the power, and men depended on them to survive.

In all the time Keira had been here, she hadn’t even learned these two men’s real names. Jessica always referred to them as Jake and Ryan, and Keira had simply followed suit.

Lost in thought, Keira barely noticed Jessica’s intense gaze.

Jessica’s expression was dark as she broke the silence. “I’ll give you a chance p>

Keira blinked, caught off guard. “What kind of chance p>

“A chance to ask me one question. I’ll answer it truthfully p>

Keira hesitated, her jaw tightening as she studied Jessica.

Jessica avoided her gaze. Keira asked, “Any question p>

Jessica said, “Any question that I’m allowed to answer p>

Keira hesitated.

Matthew, sitting nearby, whispered urgently, “Ask her about the South family prophecy p>

But Keira shook her head. Instead, she locked eyes with Jessica and asked, “What would make you happy p>

Jessica froze, staring at her in disbelief.

“What did you say p>

Keira repeated, “I said, what would make you happy p>

Jessica clenched her fists, her eyes turning red.

After a long pause, she let out a small, bitter laugh. “You’re such a fool. Such a ridiculous, stupid girl p>

Keira pressed on. “You can answer this, can’t you p>

Jessica turned her head away. “If you inherit the South family and set me free… I’d be the happiest person in the world p>

Keira nodded solemnly. “Alright. I’ll try my best p>

With that, she picked up the glass of pink liquid.

Just as she was about to drink, Jessica spoke again. “It’s almost New Year. Happy New Year p>

Keira paused, smiled faintly, and nodded. “Happy New Year p>

With those words, she drank the liquid in one go.

The strawberry flavor was sweet, almost pleasant.

That was Keira’s last thought before everything went black.