Nico came to a sudden halt, and his eyes lifted to meet Cedrick's piercing gaze from the other side. His face paled slightly, startled by the intimidating look.

"I swear, my sister-in-law-to-be, I wouldn't dare tamper with the results when so many eyes are upon me!",

Compelled by a wave of trepidation, he swung the branch once more, this time with even greater force.

Evelyn convulsed in agony, her body trembling at the brink of collapse.

Her doe-like eyes brimmed with tears as she cast a helpless gaze toward Kieran and Treyton, who were seated on the nearby couch.

"Help me, Kieran, Treyton."

However, Kieran remained cold and impassive, his face devoid of any trace of emotion. He was unperturbed by her desperate plea for help.

Treyton couldn't bear to see her covered in blood as the brutal strikes echoed in his ears. Hence, he turned away, choosing to ignore the scene.

As Evelyn witnessed the apathy of her two brothers, a chill settled in her heart. A sardonic smile crept onto her pale lips, a bitter reflection of the irony that enveloped the situation.

She would groan in pain occasionally, but she never begged for mercy.

Slap!

As the final whip cracked through the air, the last thick branch in Nico's hand snapped.

He took a moment to catch his breath, feeling exhausted from the exertion. He turned to look at Gwendolyn and Cedrick and said, "We're done with the fifty lashes."

"Great." Gwendolyn's voice remained icy, devoid of any inflection.

Evelyn clutched her arms in pain and trembled uncontrollably on the ground. Her carefully styled hair and immaculate makeup were now marred by perspiration. The captivating charm she had exhibited at the homecoming feast had vanished, replaced by a disheveled appearance.

William stepped forward and forcefully pulled her up, making her kneel.

Her fragile form bore the marks of countless wounds. Despite teetering on the edge of collapse, her indomitable spirit refused to succumb completely.

Before any questioning began, she was subjected to harsh punishment. She knew all too well that this was Gwendolyn's deliberate attempt to crush her spirit and assert dominance over her. Gwendolyn turned away from Cedrick's embrace and shot Evelyn a sidelong glance. The frigid intensity in her eyes spoke volumes of her haughty and composed demeanor.

Her status in the family was evident.

Gwendolyn asked, "Lorelai said you instigated her to push Dad down the stairs. Is that true?"

Evelyn took a moment to ease the pain coursing through her. Finally, she replied expressionlessly, "Yes."

"You're truly despicable! How can you bear to have someone push him down the stairs? He has been supporting you and doting on you all these years. Don't you feel remorseful?" Gwendolyn hissed.

Evelyn let out a humorless laugh, and her eyes filled with a pained expression. Despite the agony she was experiencing, her voice carried a chilling coldness. "What is there to feel guilty about? He should have known the consequences when he gave you the inheritance. I know I'm his beloved daughter, but he loved you more. He was unwilling to make me part of the Harris family all these years. I was the illegitimate daughter who had to live in secrecy. Doesn't he deserve to die?"

Hidden beneath Evelyn's exquisite facade was a heart filled with malice and cruelty.

"You're a heartless woman!" Gwendolyn bellowed, "Nico, slap her. Make her pay for her vicious words!"

"Okay."

With that, Nico rolled up his sleeves and walked over. With a swift motion, he raised his hand and delivered a powerful slap.

Weakened by the relentless beatings she had already suffered, Evelyn couldn't bear the force of the slap any longer. She crumpled to the ground in pain.

She gently pressed her tongue against the damaged lining of her mouth. The searing pain persisted in her mouth even after she spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

Only when William forcefully yanked her back up and forced her to kneel again did she start to regain some semblance of clarity.

Gwendolyn was still furious by Evelyn's hurtful words earlier.

Cedrick quickly patted her back in the hope of soothing her anger.

Luckily, his presence calmed Gwendolyn down.

She asked Evelyn calmly, "You have treated me as your greatest enemy all these years and took great pains to cause me trouble. I don't understand why you hate me so much." Evelyn glanced at Kieran and Treyton, who were sitting on either side of the couch. They showed no signs of empathy as they witnessed her being beaten.

She scoffed, "We are both daughters of the Harris family. You are the almighty princess, protected by your dad and brothers from a young age. How would you understand the pains of an illegitimate daughter? While all of you were enjoying New Year's Eve dinner, I was alone at home weeping in sorrow. When I was young, I saw Dad holding you in his arms while we were out. I wanted to go over and call him 'Dad,' but Leif pulled me aside and told me that Marcus was not my father in public; he only had one daughter, Gwendolyn.

"Dad and my brother did give me many things, but they couldn't give me what I truly wanted. I had no choice but to pursue my desires myself, even if it meant resorting to despicable means. As long as I get what I want, isn't that all that matters?

"Gwendolyn, I don't hate you. I just feel it's unfair, so I wanted to switch places with you. Because in the Harris family, there can only be one beloved little princess, and I felt that you were interfering with my goals."

A blanket of silence fell over the room when Evelyn finished speaking.

When Alban amended Gwendolyn's DNA results and caused her to be mistaken as the illegitimate child, Gwendolyn felt miserable.

There was the incident involving Charles earlier too.

In truth, having an illegitimate status was frustrating for families of high social standing.

She could somewhat grasp Evelyn's fixation on her identity as an illegitimate child, including the inner turmoil she had endured for all these years. However, it was not a valid reason for her to absolve herself o the numerous heinous acts she had committed.

If she had chosen to act in such a way, she must be prepared to face the consequences of her actions.

Kieran and Treyton had no emotional attachment to Evelyn.

To them, the existence of an illegitimate child would disrupt the family harmony. Hence, they despised and loathed her instead.

Treyton locked gaze with Evelyn and said, "You've lived a more privileged life than many others. But your insatiable greed led you down this path. An illegitimate child remains an illegitimate child. Do you truly believe that you can become a princess? What makes you think you're worthy enough to take over my little sister's position?"

His final words struck a nerve within Evelyn, as it seemed that everyone held the same opinion when comparing her to Gwendolyn.

She chuckled bitterly, shaking her head, and redirected her gaze to Gwendolyn seated across from her. "You already know that I orchestrated everything that happened before. If there was something I couldn't accomplish, I would turn to my elder brother for assistance. Now that the truth has been exposed, I'm devoid of any will to stay alive. As I reflect upon my actions, I've come to acknowledge the countless sins I have committed. So, let Cedrick send me to the Federal Bureau of Investigation so that I'll be sentenced to death."

Gwendo

Next, sh

"I won't

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