Serena had her life insured for over 60 million , a fact she seemed eager to share, though it only highlighted how insignificant Liza’s existence was treated in comparison. “Lucy, enough,” Serena said softly, wiping away a tear. Then, turning to Liza, she continued with a tone of forced kindness. “Sister, don’t overthink this. Dad only bought the insurance because he worries about me. My face alone is insured for 60 million . But your life… your life is valuable too, truly.” Her words were sugar-coated, yet they stung. As if sensing the awkwardness, Serena quickly retrieved a checkbook from her bag. After scribbling an amount, she held it out with trembling hands. Tears glistened in her eyes as she whispered, “Here, 600,000 . Take this as compensation. I swear, I never wanted to harm you. I’d never dare...” Liza stared at the check, her expression unreadable. Six hundred thousand ? That’s what her life was worth in their eyes? A hollow laugh escaped her lips as she reached out and took it. She turned the paper over in her hands and smiled coldly. “So, 600,000 is the price you’ve put on attempted murder?” “Sister, please don’t put it that way!” Serena exclaimed, her voice quivering. “It’s not like that. I didn’t mean your life is only worth 600,000 . It’s just that Dad told me to be careful with money…” “Enough!” Lucy interjected sharply, her face flushed with anger. “You’ve got what you came for, Liza! Stop making a scene. We all know you came here to squeeze money out of Serena. You’re nothing but a shameless woman from the countryside, acting high and mighty in front of her! Honestly, 600,000 is more than your life is worth. Serena’s generosity is the only reason you’re getting anything at all. So, don’t push your luck!” Liza’s lips curled into a sly smirk. Without responding to Lucy’s insults, she calmly reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and pressed a button. “Six hundred thousand for my life. How generous,” she remarked coolly. Lucy continued her tirade, oblivious to the growing tension. “You’re delusional if you think you can compare yourself to Serena! She’s the eldest daughter of the Sinclair Family, and you? You’re nothing! Why don’t you look in the mirror and remind yourself where you stand?” Suddenly, the sharp sound of footsteps echoed from the stairwell. Everyone turned to see a group of bodyguards ascending in precise formation. The lead guard approached Liza, bowing slightly. “Miss, we’ve brought what you requested.” A satisfied smile spread across Liza’s face. “Perfect. Let’s begin.” Before anyone could react, the bodyguards moved swiftly, separating Serena from Brandon and forming a protective circle around her. Brandon and Lucy yelled in protest, frantically trying to intervene, but their efforts were futile. Liza remained calm, unbothered by their shouts. She retrieved her own checkbook, wrote down an amount, and casually tossed the check in front of Serena. It fluttered to the ground, landing at her feet, as the air grew heavy with anticipation. "Sixty million ," Liza said with a calm smile. "Take good care of yourself, dear sister." Serena froze, a sense of dread creeping up her spine. “W-What are you planning?” she stammered. “Me? I’m not planning anything drastic,” Liza replied casually, settling into the chair a bodyguard had placed for her. She took a slow sip of the coffee they handed her, her movements deliberate. “I’m simply using 60 million to purchase something important—your face. Let’s proceed.” “What?” Serena’s eyes widened in panic. Her instincts screamed that she understood Liza’s intent, but denial rooted her in place. Her fears were confirmed when two bodyguards stepped forward, gripping her arms firmly. One of them raised a large, steady hand and delivered a resounding slap across her cheek. The slap echoed through the space, leaving her once flawless face reddened and swelling rapidly. “Stop this madness!” Brandon yelled, rushing forward in alarm. His voice was tinged with desperation. “Liza, this is your sister! How can you treat her like this?”Liza didn’t flinch, her attention seemingly fixed on the fruit knife she now twirled idly in her fingers. “Bullying?” she echoed, feigning surprise. “That’s a strong word. I paid her 60 million for this. Fair trade, isn’t it? After all, if my life was worth only 600,000 to her, I’d say I’m being far more generous.” The leader of the bodyguards smirked, stepping closer. “Miss Liza should be grateful. If she doesn’t wish to cooperate, we could always share the surveillance footage of her... unfortunate actions. I imagine the students at her university would be shocked to learn how their angelic peer attempted to harm her own sister. That would certainly damage her pristine reputation.” Liza tilted her head thoughtfully, then nodded. “You make an excellent point. My dear sister treasures her image more than anything else. It would be such a shame if that reputation were to... crumble. Let's ensure that doesn’t happen, shall we?” Lucy, who had been seething with anger, snapped. “Liza, you vile—!” A sharp sound cut her off mid-sentence. With precision that seemed almost unreal, the fruit knife left Liza’s hand and embedded itself firmly into the wall behind Lucy, quivering with residual force. “Hold your tongue while I’m still in a decent mood,” Liza warned coolly, her gaze cold enough to send a shiver down everyone’s spine. Brandon stood frozen, staring at the knife in horror. His voice trembled as he addressed Liza, “What happened to you? You... you’re not the same person I knew.” Ignoring him, Liza signaled to her bodyguards, and the slaps continued. Each one rang louder than the last, leaving Serena dazed and barely conscious. Her once-beautiful face had swollen grotesquely, nearly unrecognizable. When Liza finally raised her hand, signaling them to stop, she chuckled softly, a look of mock pity on her face. “That should do. We wouldn’t want to overstep, would we? After all, I’ve already paid in full.”