"Mina Sherwood, who gave you the nerve to play us? Huh?"

Mina's scalp burned with pain, forcing her to look up.

She gritted her teeth and said nothing.

Her father crawled over and held her uncle's leg.

"Big brother, Mina is still young and doesn't know any better. Please forgive her..."

Her uncle kicked him away.

"Trash raises trash! Forgive her? Will Mr. Locsitant forgive me?"

He raised his hand to slap Mina.

Mina closed her eyes, waiting for the pain.

But the slap never landed.

She opened her eyes in confusion.

Her uncle sneered.

"This face is quite pitiful. Mr. Locsitant has been thinking about it. Can't ruin it."

He released Mina.

Mina just relaxed.

Slap!

A hard slap landed on her father's face!

Her uncle began punching and kicking her father.

"Failed to teach your daughter! I'll teach you to fail!"

Her father didn't dare fight back.

He covered his head and begged for mercy.

"Big brother, hit me, curse me, but let Mina go. She's still a child... She doesn't owe the Sherwood family anything!"

"Dad!"

Mina's eyes widened with rage.

She tried to rush forward but was held back firmly by the bodyguards.

She struggled desperately, trying to stop her uncle's violence.

The bodyguards didn't budge.

"Uncle, stop! You'll kill him! Please!"

Mina cried bitterly, her voice hoarse.

Her uncle finally stopped.

He rubbed his wrist and looked at Mina.

"If you want me to stop, behave from now on..."

Mina's nails dug into her palms.

She knew exactly what her uncle wanted.

Her father's face was bruised and swollen from the beating.

Her mother was pinned down by bodyguards.

Her grandmother fainted from shock the moment she stepped out of the bedroom.

She couldn't blame Marcus for this.

If he hadn't intervened at the restaurant, Mr. Locsitant would have assaulted her.

She only had herself to blame.

She was too weak.

She had achieved nothing at the company, earning no respect from the main family branch.

Her parents had always been suppressed by them.

She had seen this day coming.

Yet, she still felt a surge of resentment toward Marcus.

She hated her own powerlessness even more.

She couldn't protect her parents.

She couldn't help her best friend.

In the end, she was just a pawn in her uncle's hands.

Mina collapsed to the floor, drained of all strength.

Her father struggled to get up. "Mina, don't agree to his terms…"

Her mother looked over with tear-filled eyes.

Mina closed her eyes. "I'll obey. I'll do whatever you say. Just let my parents go."

Her uncle smiled with satisfaction.

He pinched her chin. "Six o'clock tomorrow night. You're coming with me to the hotel. Make things right with Mr. Locsitant first."

He left with his bodyguards without another glance.

The news quickly reached Marcus.

In his study, he listened to his assistant's report, his expression unreadable.

He hadn't realized Mina's situation was so dire.

His assistant cautiously asked, "Sir, she is technically under your protection. Should we intervene…"

"No."

Marcus suppressed the strange feeling in his chest. His voice was cold. "She dared to scheme against Grace. She must pay the price."

The assistant asked again, "What about the company contract? Do we still assist?"

"I gave her my word. I won't interfere further."

Marcus lowered his gaze. "It's only two million. Help Grace repay it afterward."

The assistant nodded. "This might help your cousin see her husband's true colors. Perhaps it will cure her of her blind devotion."

Marcus scoffed. "If she can truly wake up, there's hope. Once she's recognized by the Valentines, Third Uncle can discipline her properly."

He instructed further, "Keep a close watch on Grace. She is Third Uncle's daughter. She must not be wronged."

"What about Miss Sherwood?"

Marcus was silent for a moment before finally saying coldly, "Leave her be."

That night, Marcus dreamed of her.

He dreamed of Mina's pale skin, crying and begging for mercy on the couch. He softened, wanting to end it quickly, but the scene suddenly shifted.

Mina lay beneath an obese man.

Her eyes were seductive, glancing sideways at him. "It's not the first time, Marcus. Why do you care?"

Marcus jolted awake.

He rubbed his temples, feeling inexplicably disturbed.

He tossed and turned, unable to fall back asleep.

He endured until dawn and went to the company to handle affairs. Just as the afternoon meeting ended, his assistant rushed in. "Sir, after Zack learned we wouldn't help, he forced your cousin to divorce! We just received word. He printed the divorce agreement and is forcing her to sign it."

Marcus's pupils constricted. He smirked coldly. "Let's go see. Does he really think Grace has no family to back her up?"

At that moment, Grace was struggling to suppress a smile as she looked at the divorce agreement.

The agreement gave her the company and the villa.

Kelsey sneered, "Grace, Zack is being more than fair. He's giving you the house and the company. The child stays with you too. Once he signs, you sign promptly, understand?"

She then looked at Zack.

Zack was staring blankly at the two agreements, a hint of reluctance in his expression.

Three years of marriage, and he was only getting a small amount of cash.

The first year's company dividends went to Grace. His salary over the next two years was about four hundred thousand. Household expenses took two hundred thousand. He spent over a hundred thousand on Kelsey. Entertainment costs took another chunk. Now, he only had a little over ten thousand in savings.

Three years, and all he had to show was ten thousand.

He was deeply unsatisfied.

But the property and company were under Grace's name. A quick transfer was impossible. To completely separate assets, he had to give everything to her.

Seeing his hesitation, Grace pretended to be distraught. "Zack, don't abandon me… Property prices are low right now. The villa can fetch one point five million at most. The company still has two million in debt. I'll be saddled with millions in debt. You can't do this to me…"

Zack panicked.

If they didn't divorce, he'd be jointly responsible for millions in debt as her husband.

Third Master Valentine had made it clear he wouldn't help.

He pushed Grace away and prepared to sign.

Grace couldn't appear too eager. She continued to weep pitifully.

Zack's mother couldn't help speaking up. "Grace, you should reflect on yourself too! It's your own fault for being useless! You even slept with Mr. Vance and gained nothing! If Mr. Vance had helped, the company could have been saved, and you wouldn't be in this state!"

Grace wanted to retort.

But she saw Zack had already signed one copy and was pausing before signing the second.

She swallowed her anger and lowered her head, crying. "Zack, for the sake of our three years together, don't abandon me. I haven't worked in years. How can I raise Chloe with millions in debt…"

Zack stopped hesitating and quickly signed the second copy.

The corner of Grace's mouth twitched upward.

Kelsey handed the agreement over. "Grace, stop struggling. Sign it quickly! Otherwise, Zack and his mother won't let you off! Blame yourself for having no family to support you. You deserve to be bullied!"

Grace took the agreement with a trembling hand.

To the three of them, she appeared utterly miserable.

In reality, she was struggling hard not to laugh.

Just then, outside the Nan family villa, a black luxury car screeched to a halt.

Marcus, followed by his assistant, stormed through the front door of the Nan residence.