Chapter 55: Lost all help and trapped in the siege

The iron door slammed shut behind Dai Shiya, making a desperate clang. There was only a simple single bed, a table and a chair in the room. The walls were mottled, and the air was filled with dampness and mold. Dim light shone through the small window high up, casting an irregular spot of light on the floor. Dai Shiya sat dejectedly on the bed, the cold iron frame hurting her. She felt as if she had been abandoned by the world, isolated and helpless.

She was deprived of everything, including freedom, communication, and even the opportunity to defend herself. The lies carefully woven by Dai Hua were like an airtight net that trapped her tightly. She knew that saying anything at this moment would be useless and would only make Dai Hua more proud. She had to calm down and find a way out.

She began to carefully recall everything that had happened during this period, trying to find any clues, any clues that could prove her innocence. However, Dai Hua's plan was flawless, and every detail was carefully designed, leaving her with no way to refute it, and she became more and more desperate.

Meanwhile, Wei Qing was running around anxiously. She was convinced that Dai Shiya was framed, and tried to contact Dai Shiya, but found that all communications were cut off. She tried to get closer to where Dai Shiya was imprisoned, but was also stopped by the family guards.

"Miss Wei, the head of the family has ordered that no one is allowed to approach here." The guard's tone was cold and unquestionable.

Wei Qing argued: "I am Shiya's friend, I have the right to see her!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Wei, we're just following orders." The guard didn't waver at all.

Wei Qing was extremely anxious. She knew that time was running out and she had to find a way to help Dai Shiya as soon as possible. She suddenly had an idea and pretended to leave. Then, when the guards were not paying attention, she sneaked around to the back of the room. She found that the small window in the room was not completely closed, leaving a small gap. She carefully stuffed a folded note into it.

There were only a few words on the note: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

In the room, Dai Shiya was staring at the wall in a daze. Suddenly, she felt a faint airflow, turned her head to look at the small window, and found a note lying there quietly. She opened the note with trembling hands, and when she saw the words on it, tears instantly burst out of her eyes. She knew that she was not fighting alone.

However, this scene was seen clearly by Dai Hua who was hiding in the dark. He raised a sinister smile, walked out of the shadows slowly, and ordered the guard: "Bring Wei Qing to me..." Dai Hua's sinister eyes swept across Wei Qing's face, as if he was looking at a prey that had strayed into a trap. He waved his hand, and the guard immediately understood and roughly escorted Wei Qing away. Dai Hua looked at Wei Qing's struggling back, with a smug smile on his face. He knew that as long as he controlled Wei Qing, Dai Shiya would be completely trapped.

At the family meeting, Dai Hua exaggerated Dai Shiya's "crimes", portraying her as a despicable person who betrayed the family for personal gain. He tearfully accused Dai Shiya of being cold-blooded and ruthless, trampling on the interests of the family, in order to gain sympathy and support. Dai Yong and other family members had originally doubted Dai Shiya, and now after hearing Dai Hua's "testimony", they are more convinced that she is the culprit who leaked the secrets.

"It's a disgrace to our family! How could there be such a scum in our Dai family!" Dai Yong slammed the table and roared in indignation.

Other family members also echoed the call, demanding that Dai Shiya be severely punished to serve as a warning to others.

The family's investigators began to interrogate Dai Shiya more harshly. They took turns to interrogate her, not giving her any chance to breathe. They shone a strong light into her eyes, made her keep the same posture for a long time, and used all kinds of lies and intimidation to break down her psychological defenses.

"We already have enough evidence. If you don't admit it, it will only make you more miserable." The interrogator's voice was low and cold, like the tongue of a poisonous snake, trying to entangle her nerves.

"I didn't! I didn't do it!" Dai Shiya's voice was hoarse and weak, but she still insisted on her innocence.

However, her defense was nothing more than a desperate sophistry to the investigators, who turned a deaf ear to her words and continued to use various means to force her to confess.

"How long do you think you can hold on? Your friends and your family will all pay the price for your stubbornness!"

Dai Shiya's heart sank. She seemed to see Wei Qing's desperate eyes and hear her relatives' disappointed sighs... Her eyes were dark and despair overwhelmed her like a tide...

"Sign it," the interrogator threw a document in front of her, and the cold voice was like a call from hell, "As long as you sign this confession, everything will end..." Dai Shiya's lips were cracked and bleeding. She felt as if her throat had been sanded by sandpaper, and it was burning. The lights in the interrogation room were still dazzling, making her dizzy. She knew she had to stay awake, but she felt her consciousness was fading bit by bit.

"I didn't... I didn't..." She repeated this sentence over and over again, like a drowning person grasping at the last straw. However, this weak voice seemed particularly powerless in the empty interrogation room and was soon drowned out by the indifferent gaze of the investigators.

She knew that in their eyes, she had already been convicted. No matter what she said or did, she could not change their views. This feeling of powerlessness was like an invisible hand, tightly strangling her throat, almost suffocating her.

Despair was like a cold tide, hitting her defenses wave after wave. She began to doubt herself, her memory, and everything she insisted on. Did she really remember it wrong? Did she really accidentally leak the secret?

No, it's impossible! She shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel the self-doubt that was growing in her mind. She clearly remembered her every move during that time. She had not touched any confidential documents, nor had she come into contact with any suspicious people.

She tried to recall all the details of the time when the secrets were leaked, trying to find a clue from the traces. She remembered that she had been reading in the study that night and didn't go to bed until late at night. The next morning, she went for a walk in the garden, and then... and then...

A sudden blank appeared in her mind. She tried desperately to grasp the fragments of memory that disappeared, but in vain. The memory was like a broken puzzle, missing key parts, making it impossible for her to piece together the complete picture.

Anxiety and fear gnawed at her heart like a poisonous snake. She knew that if she couldn't find evidence to prove her innocence as soon as possible, she would lose everything.

She was imprisoned in a small room with no windows, no sunlight, and only a dim light bulb. The room was empty, with only a simple bed and a table. She was like a bird trapped in a cage, losing her freedom and hope.

She paced the room again and again, trying to clear her mind. She needed a plan, something that would get her out of this mess.

Suddenly, she thought of Wei Qing. Wei Qing was smart and clever, maybe she could help her find the truth. However, Wei Qing was also imprisoned, how could she contact her?

She walked to the table, picked up a pen and paper, and wanted to write something. However, her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't control the direction of the pen. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps outside the door. She raised her head suddenly and stared at the door nervously.

The door opened, and a man in a black suit walked in. He looked at Dai Shiya expressionlessly, holding a document in his hand.

"Miss Dai," the man said in a cold voice, "the family's top brass has made a decision..." "The family's top brass has made a decision," the man paused, his eyes as sharp as a knife, "If you still refuse to admit that you leaked the secret, you will be expelled from the Dai family."

Expelled from the Dai family! These four words exploded in Dai Shiya's ears like thunder. She staggered back a step, her face instantly turned pale. Being expelled from the Dai family means losing everything, losing her only support in this world. She bit her lower lip tightly, almost biting it through. She knew that this was Dai Hua's conspiracy. He had been trying every means to drive her out of the Dai family and seize her inheritance.

"I didn't!" Dai Shiya's voice was hoarse and weak, but with unquestionable determination, "I didn't leak any secrets! You are slandering me!"

The man sneered, "The evidence is irrefutable and you cannot deny it. I'll give you one last chance. If you confess, perhaps the family will show leniency to you."

"Evidence? What evidence?" Dai Shiya stared at the man, "What you call evidence is nothing but forged by Dai Hua! He is the real mastermind behind this!"

The man was unmoved. "Words are not enough. If you can't provide any evidence to prove your innocence, then you will be expelled from the family." He put the document on the table and said, "Sign it."

Dai Shiya's eyes fell on the document. The eye-catching words "Expulsion Agreement" stung her eyes. She took a deep breath, tried to control her trembling hands, and slowly picked up the pen. The tip of the pen was suspended on the paper, and it didn't fall down for a long time.

She knew that once she signed the agreement, she would really lose everything. But if she didn't sign it, what could she do? She was now isolated and helpless, no one believed in her, and no one was willing to help her.

Time passed by minute by minute, and the atmosphere in the room was so oppressive that it was suffocating. Beads of sweat oozed out of Dai Shiya's forehead, and she was struggling and tormented in her heart.

"I..." She spoke with difficulty, her voice trembling violently, "I need time to think about it."

The man frowned impatiently. "You don't have time. Either sign it, or..." He paused meaningfully. "At your own risk."

Dai Shiya held the pen tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh. She knew that she had walked to the edge of the cliff, and if she was not careful, she would be crushed to pieces.

In the end, she put down her pen. She couldn't just give up, she couldn't let Dai Hua's plot succeed. She had to find evidence to prove her innocence and take back everything that belonged to her.

Seeing this, the man snorted coldly and turned to leave the room. With a "bang", the door was slammed shut, and the room fell into silence again.

Dai Shiya slumped in the chair, feeling that all the strength in her body had been drained away. She looked around and her eyes fell on the corner of the room. There was a small vent there, and it seemed... it seemed that someone had touched it.