The atmosphere at the clinic in the suburbs was unusually tense.

Xiaoling lay on the hospital bed, her face ashen, her eyes flashing with anger. Her hands were clenched into fists, as if she were about to explode at any moment.

"What exactly are you trying to do?! This is illegal, do you know that?!" She forcefully knocked the food that had been placed in front of her to the ground, splattering food everywhere and leaving unsightly stains on the floor. Her voice was sharp and angry, as if she wanted to pour out all her dissatisfaction and resentment.

Two bodyguards stood before her, their faces expressionless and their gazes resolute. One of them said, neither humble nor arrogant, "We are simply following orders. We hope you will cooperate." Their tone was calm and indifferent, as if they were dealing with a trivial matter.

However, these words completely enraged Xiaoling. She threw the water glass on the table, which arced through the air before crashing heavily against the wall, the sound of it shattering particularly jarring in the empty room.

"Hmph! That bitch Shen Meiyan tricked me! She lured me to this godforsaken place, where they don't even know if they have proper medical qualifications! How can I cooperate with you anymore?!" she roared, every word filled with anger and despair.

Xiaoling's tears slid down her cheeks. She glared angrily at the two bodyguards in front of her, clenching her fists in distress.

"Heh," Shen Meiyan's voice came from the doorway, tinged with sarcasm, "I just stepped into the hallway and heard your cursing. Looks like you're recovering well after the surgery!" She appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, a cold smile playing on her lips. Her gaze swept across the room, finally settling on the shards and food scraps scattered on the floor, her brow furrowing slightly.

Upon seeing Shen Meiyan, Xiaoling charged at her like an enraged lion. She yanked the needle out of her hand, blood dripping from her wrist onto the ground, completely oblivious. "Shen Meiyan, you bitch!" she screamed, throwing punches at Shen Meiyan.

However, the two bodyguards reacted quickly, blocking her from both sides. Xiaoling struggled, trying to break free, but the difference in strength was too great, and she couldn't escape at all. "Let me go! Let me kill this bitch!" she shouted angrily.

Shen Meiyan frowned as she watched Xiaoling's frantic actions. She pulled up a chair and sat down, placing her handbag on the bed near the door. Then, she spoke indifferently, "You're cursing me so enthusiastically, I want to ask you, what did I lie to you about?"

Hearing this, Xiaoling trembled with rage. "You promised to give me five million! You liar! After tricking me into having an abortion, you imprisoned me in this godforsaken place, leaving me to fend for myself!" She cried out in anguish, every word filled with hatred and anger towards Shen Meiyan.

Shen Meiyan sneered, "Didn't I give you a deposit?" She seemed completely unconcerned about Xiaoling's anger. "I remember I went to your house with a money box, and you personally checked the money before putting it in the safe!"

"Then how am I supposed to know if you've secretly taken the money if you've imprisoned me here?!" Xiaoling shouted indignantly.

Shen Meiyan curled her lip in disdain. "You underestimate me. That little bit of money is just my pocket money. Do you think I care that much? Rather than stealing your money, I'd rather curry favor with my dad and get him to give me more." Her tone revealed arrogance and disdain, and she didn't think much of the woman in front of her.

"Then what do you want to do?" Xiaoling asked, seeing that Shen Meiyan didn't seem to be lying, her eyes filled with wariness and unease. She looked around, knowing that she was still trapped in this remote clinic, and if Shen Meiyan didn't let her go, she had no chance of escaping.

Shen Meiyan curled her lips into a smile, looking at her as if admiring an interesting toy. "I've come to you for a reason, of course." Her voice was soft and seductive, yet it also contained a hint of coldness and calculation.

Xiaoling's heart raced. She realized she had underestimated Shen Meiyan; she was no ordinary person. This woman had her own plans and goals, and she seemed to be just a part of those plans.

"You suddenly disappeared while pregnant with my dad's child. You didn't go to your prenatal checkup, and you weren't home. My dad couldn't contact you and was extremely worried, unable to eat or sleep," Shen Meiyan continued, her tone revealing a hint of smugness and mockery. "Tell me, if you suddenly contacted my dad at this time, saying you were in danger and needed money from him to help you, do you think he would transfer the money immediately?"

Xiaoling was stunned. "You, you're planning to use me to blackmail your father?" Xiaoling asked in a trembling voice, her voice filled with fear and disbelief.

"Otherwise, why do you think I would give you five million?" Shen Meiyan smiled and tugged at the corners of her mouth, as if this plan was just a piece of cake for her. "I'm not such a kind person as to give so much money to a mistress who destroyed my family for no reason."

She gracefully tidied her hair, then handed her phone to Xiaoling. "Here, enter the password and log in to WeChat. My dad must have sent you a lot of messages."

Xiaoling took the phone, her hands trembling. She didn't know whether she should do as Shen Meiyan asked. If she refused, Shen Meiyan certainly wouldn't let her off easily. But if she did as Shen Meiyan asked, she would truly become Shen Meiyan's pawn.

She hesitated for a long time before finally taking the phone and logging into her WeChat account.

Sure enough, the moment she logged in, WeChat exploded with notifications. Xiaoling's heart raced, she nervously swallowed, and then opened WeChat.

All of them were sent to her by Shen Yanshan. From initial confusion to anger, and then to extreme anxiety after not being able to contact her for several days, every message revealed Shen Yanshan's concern and worry for her, as if he had been completely consumed by anxiety.

As Xiaoling read these messages, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside her.

Now was the perfect time to ask for money. Xiaoling took a deep breath, held up her phone to show Shen Meiyan, and said, "I want an extra million." Her voice was firm and powerful, as if she had made full preparations.

Shen Meiyan looked at Xiaoling, a hint of appreciation flashing in her eyes. She knew Xiaoling had realized her own value and dared to make higher demands. She smiled, "Interesting, okay." Her tone was relaxed and casual, as if she didn't care about Xiaoling's request.