During the five years of my secret marriage to Richard Kemp, he always thought I was a gold digger from a fallen family.

But in reality, I was the sole heiress to the Hale Group, the world's largest venture capital firm.

One day, he tricked me into attending a wine party for the sake of his mistress, forcing me to propose a toast to his potential business partner.

Furious, I slammed my glass onto the floor.

"How dare you humiliate me like this, Richard! Believe it or not, with just one word from me, your company will be wiped off the stock market for good!"

A trace of panic flickered in his eyes as he hurriedly pulled me into his embrace.

"Darling, I'm sorry. I just wanted you to help me... Forgive me, alright?"

After saying this, he spoon-fed me hangover soup and gently carried me to the lounge.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself hanging upside down on a drop tower ride.

Camelia Baldwin, Richard's mistress, pushed the button with a smirk. Instantly, I was flung dozens of meters into the air before plunging into the water.

Everything became a blur. Just before losing consciousness, I managed to pull out my phone and dial the emergency number.

"Philip, contact all major news outlets worldwide. I want to see them begging on the streets before dawn."

***

Just as I hung up, the icy pool water closed over my head again.

Camelia was convulsing with laughter, while Richard, standing beside her, wore an indulgent smile.

"Did you hear that, Richie? Madison said she wanted to see you begging on the streets! Has she lost her mind or what?" she scoffed.

Jeff Sims, Richard's potential business partner, burst out laughing.

Pointing at me, he jeered with contempt, "Richard, your wife's crazy.

"'Contact all major news outlets worldwide'? Who made her the Secretary-General of the UN?"

The other guests instantly broke into shrill laughter, looking at me as if I were a pathetic lunatic.

Richard pulled a long face, finding me embarrassing him in front of everyone.

He said to Camelia, his tone glacial, "Cam, help her sober up.

"Enough with her boasts."

"Sure, Richie."

Thrilled, Camelia pressed a red button on the control panel.

The seats of the drop tower shook violently, and once again, I was hurled into the air at high speed.

The weightlessness made my stomach churn. Wine, mixed with the hangover soup, rushed to my head, overwhelming me with nausea.

I couldn't help but scream, but the sound was soon swallowed by the howling wind.

An instant later, the seats plunged down even faster and slammed violently into the pool.

Water exploded upward, splashing everywhere. Engulfed in water tinged with the pungent smell of disinfectant, I began coughing uncontrollably.

Strapped tightly to the seat, I was completely immobilized—powerless as I was thrown high and crushed down again and again.

Each cycle was a suffocating torment.

Through it all, I never took my eyes off Richard, the man I had loved for five years.

Five years ago, when my family's business faced a crisis, my father announced bankruptcy to protect me and sent me abroad.

That was when I met Richard, who was just a struggling student at that time.

I hid my true identity, sharing the cheapest takeout with him, living in the poorest apartment, all to support him as he built his startup.

I truly believed that our love had been proven through every hardship.

Later, when he returned to the country to pursue his career, I followed without hesitation, content to stand behind him as his strongest supporter.

Not wanting to add to his pressures, I never spoke of my family—I hardly even called my parents.

He once held me in his arms and whispered, "Maddie, when my company goes public, I'll give you the grandest wedding the world has ever seen. I'll make you the happiest woman alive."

His promise still echoed in my ears, yet here he was, pushing me into the abyss.

Standing by the pool, Camelia took out her phone, capturing the most humiliating moment of my life.

"Check this out! Look how pathetic she is! This is definitely a moment to remember!

"Richie, see that look on her face? Isn't it hilarious?"

Instead of stopping her, Richard handed Jeff a bottle of champagne with a fawning smile on his face.

"Mr. Sims, is this to your satisfaction? Just say the word, and I'll make sure Madison does anything to please you."

Jeff swirled his glass of champagne, a leer in his eyes as he ogled my drenched figure.

"Not bad. You're quite good at this.

"Richard, make her beg me. Then I might consider talking to my dad about investing in your project.

Richard's eyes instantly lit up. "For sure, Mr. Sims!"

Then he turned toward me, who was struggling in the water, and issued a cold command.

"You heard him. Beg him for mercy. Now!"

The pool water was icy, the wind biting—but nothing cut deeper than his cruel words.

As I stared at him, I suddenly smiled.

"You will regret this, Richard.

"I swear—you'll pay for what you did today. You'll wish you were dead."

My cold threat pierced Richard's fragile pride.

"I will regret this? The joke's on you, Madison. You're the one who's gonna regret this!"

He pointed at my nose, his voice dripping with contempt.

"Do you really still believe you're the rich heiress of the Hale family from five years ago? Your family went bankrupt long ago.

"Now, you're just a gold digger who's completely dependent on me.

"I pay for everything—your food, makeup, and even your underwear. You should be thanking me for giving you a chance to beg Mr. Sims."

Camelia, standing by his side, immediately echoed, "Richie's right. Madison, don't be so ungrateful.

"Richie is the CEO of Kemp Tech. Countless women are waiting in line to marry him.

"The only reason he still keeps you around is out of pity for the past you two shared. Otherwise, he would've dumped you a long time ago. Honestly, you're not even fit to be his maid."

The guests present started whispering among themselves.

"So her family went bankrupt? No wonder she's so submissive, doing whatever he tells her to."

"I always thought he married someone of equal status. Turns out she's just a deadweight."

"She brought this on herself. A parasite with an attitude? Honestly, she totally deserves this humiliation."

Their harsh words were a knife, twisting deep in my heart.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.

"Don't let yourself be bothered by those who are doomed, Madison," I murmured to myself.

Meanwhile, memories flooded back to me.

That winter, Kemp Tech's capital chain had been on the verge of snapping. Richard had pulled every string, called in every favor, but no one would help him. Wasted, he had collapsed in the snow.

I was the one who carried him home. Then I paid his rent and bought him food with the money I earned from secret part-time jobs.

He held me in his arms tightly, crying his eyes out like a boy. "Maddie, I swear I'll do everything I can to be good to you. You'll never suffer again—not even the slightest."

Now, that vow felt like nothing but a ridiculous joke.

For an investment, he didn't hesitate to let me become a plaything—to stand by and watch as my pride was crushed underfoot.

The drop tower continued, and I could feel my strength fading, my consciousness slipping away with each brutal plunge.

A splitting headache tore through my skull every time I slammed into the water, worse than the time before.

Amid the struggle, my phone had slipped from my pocket and sunk into the depths of the pool.

But it was fine. Philip already knew.

"Richie... She's not moving..."

Camelia bit her lip, a flicker of fear in her eyes as my body went limp.

"Chill," Richard snorted.

"She's not gonna die so easily. She needs to learn her lesson, or she'll never remember her place."

After saying this, he turned to Jeff with a fawning smile. "Mr. Sims, I suggest we spice things up."

Jeff's interest was immediately piqued. "Oh? Do tell."

Richard pointed at the water slide not far away.

"Let's make her slide down from the highest point without a life jacket.

"How about that?"

Hearing this, I instinctively looked at the water slide, and my heart sank.

Towering at least a thousand meters high, the water slide was a newly built attraction that had never been opened to the public due to failed safety tests.

Jeff clapped his hands excitedly. "Great idea! Nothing excites me more than watching a beauty get utterly drenched!"

Camelia giggled. "Richie, you're always full of creative surprises."

Within moments, I was untied from the drop tower and dragged to the summit of the slide.

As I stared down the near-vertical drop, a great terror seized my heart.

Richard didn't know anything about my acrophobia. Sliding down from here was no different from killing me.

He walked up, his hand gripping the ropes that bound me.

I looked at him pleadingly. "Richie, please... Don't let go."

However, he glanced at me in disgust before loosening his grip without hesitation.

I plunged down. Since there were no safety measures, halfway down, my body launched into the open air.

After tumbling through the air, amid my scream, I crashed into the pool, water splashing everywhere.

The impact was beyond pain. In that moment, I wasn't sure if a single bone in my body remained intact.

Camelia's complacent laughter rang out from the edge of the pool. She held her phone high, capturing every humiliating second.

"Richie, look! The look on Madison's face is priceless!"

Jeff jeered obscenely, "Richard, you're truly lucky marrying her.

"She sounds so cruel while making the threat, but look at her now—limbs splayed, almost exposed for everyone to see.

"I wonder if she's that wild in bed, too."

The crowd roared with laughter at his vulgar remark.

Richard didn't seem the least bit angered. "Mr. Sims, please forgive her ignorance.

"She's just a naive housewife who doesn't know her place. I apologize on her behalf.

"I'll agree to anything just to please you. About the project..."

"The project isn't a problem," Jeff interrupted him.

"But this isn't fun enough. You wanna please me? That's easy.

"Make her drink every last drop of the water in the pool. It'll be her apology to me."

Richard was stunned.

Pointing at the pool, Jeff smirked maliciously.

"A glass in exchange for 10,000 dollars."

The onlookers gasped, then burst into even crueler laughter.

Richard's eyes lit up with greedy anticipation.

"Do you mean it, Mr. Sims?"

"Of course. I never joke about things like this."

"Alright!" Richard said eagerly, worried Jeff would change his mind.

Then he turned to me, still struggling weakly in the water, and issued a cold, uncompromising command.

"You heard him, Madison. Drink every drop of the water in the pool. Now."

His words sent a chill down my spine. All of a sudden, the air around me became thin, suffocating me. I even forgot to struggle.

"Well, well. Richie, it seems she's not taking you seriously," Camelia said, adding fuel to the fire.

"You should do something before Mr. Sims loses his patience."

Richard instantly flew into a rage.

He lunged into the pool, dragged me out of the water, and signaled for two of his men to hold me upright, completely ignoring my weakened state.

"Are you deaf, Madison? I said, drink!" he hissed, filling a glass with pool water and forcing it against my lips.

"It's just water. What's the big deal? A glass for 10,000 dollars—that's more than fair. Why are you so reluctant?

"Mark my words, Madison. You aren't leaving until you drink this entire pool dry."

Looking at the exasperated look on his face, I couldn't help but let out a scornful laugh.

It further enraged him. "What's so funny? You've been leeching off me for years, and now you won't even make a small sacrifice?

"You're not that pampered heiress anymore, Madison. It's time you paid me back. Now drink!"

Just as he refilled the glass and prepared to force another drink down my throat, the manager of the amusement park came rushing over, followed by several security guards.

"Mr. Kemp, Mr. Sims, please, you must stop this! This has gone too far!"

The manager's face was ashen, sweat beading on his forehead.

Richard waved his hand impatiently. "Chill. She's my wife, understand? We're just playing a little game. I'll take full responsibility if anything happens."

But the manager looked far from relieved. If anything, he seemed on the verge of tears. "Mr. Kemp, please. I'm serious!

"Higher-ups just notified me ... someone critically important to the Hale Group is here right now.

"We're asked to ensure her safety at all costs."

"The Hale Group?" Richard was momentarily stunned before letting out a derisive laugh.

"You've got the wrong person. No one here is connected to the Hale Group."

Jeff scorned, "The Hale Group? The world's largest venture capital firm?

"Why would anyone that significant be here? You must be joking."

Panicking, the manager pointed at me, who was drifting in and out of consciousness, and faltered in a trembling voice, "I-I'm not mistaken...

"It's ... Mrs. Kemp..."

Instantly, everyone's smiles froze.

"No way..." Richard muttered.

"Her family ... went bankrupt years ago ... didn't they?"