Chapter 1

I was in the midst of fighting for our company's overseas expansion when my husband volunteered to take my autistic brother out for some fresh air.

Worried, I decided to check on them at the secluded forest resort Lucas had mentioned.

Upon arrival, I discovered that all the familiar staff assigned to care for my brother had been replaced by strangers.

In a panic, I learned that my brother was being held captive deep in the primeval forest.

When I finally reached him, Henry was barely clothed and covered in wounds, surrounded by poisonous insects and wild animals.

The brother we had so carefully protected was left to die in the dense jungle by these people.

Remembering my husband's sinister expression when he heard that the company shares would be transferred to my brother's name, a chill ran through my heart.

How dare he lay hands on my family? He must have a death wish.

...

While I was away on a business trip for the company's overseas operations, my husband Lucas called to say he wanted to take my brother out for some fresh air.

My brother Henry suffers from severe autism. Lucas suggested that exposure to nature might help, so he wanted to take him to a secluded forest resort to try it out.

I was pleased that Lucas was considering my brother's condition and readily agreed.

But Henry has always been extremely dependent on familiar environments and people. I couldn't help but worry, constantly concerned that others wouldn't be able to care for him properly.

So a few days later, when my work reached a stopping point, I immediately boarded a private jet to the secluded forest resort.

After all, I hadn't inspected this resort invested in by our family yet. It would be good to take a break there as well.

When the resort manager saw me arrive, he immediately came over with a smile:

"Miss Yates? What brings you here so suddenly?"

"I'm here to see my husband and brother," I replied casually, though an uneasy feeling was growing in my heart.

The smile on the manager's face suddenly froze:

"Well, you see, Miss Yates, Mr. Martin has arranged a very cutting-edge immersive nature therapy for Mr. Henry. The treatment process can't be disturbed by any outside interference, so... why don't I arrange a meeting for tomorrow?"

What nature therapy? Lucas hadn't mentioned anything like that to me.

I frowned and looked around. The resort was very quiet and the scenery was beautiful, but something felt off.

In this huge resort, there was only this slick manager in front of me and a few unfriendly-looking unfamiliar security guards in the distance.

The trusted staff and medical team originally responsible for taking care of my brother were nowhere to be seen.

"Where are my people?" My voice turned cold.

The manager wiped his sweat, his eyes shifty.

"Mr. Martin said they weren't professional enough and their ideas were outdated, so... he sent them back."

The team members responsible for my brother's care were all top experts headhunted from around the world at great expense. How could they be unprofessional?

My unease grew stronger. My instincts told me that something was definitely being hidden from me.

Asking this man in front of me was clearly useless, so I pretended to nod:

"Alright, I'm tired too. Why don't you arrange a room for me first, and I'll see them tomorrow."

Hearing me say this, the manager visibly relaxed and showed me to a room.

After dismissing everyone, I made an excuse about taking a walk and quietly went outside the resort.

A few tanned locals were squatting in the shade, chatting idly.

"Those new city folks are so cruel. How can anyone survive in that forest?"

"It's such a sin a sin, tying up that poor young man in the Devil's Grove."

"Devil's Grove... that place is full of dangerous beasts at night. Someone could easily die there!"

My blood seemed to freeze instantly. The unease in my heart was almost overwhelming.

I walked over quickly, pulling out a wad of cash and slapping it down in front of one of the locals.

"Take me to Devil's Grove."

The guide was startled by the money in my hand and the expression on my face. He hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

We plunged into the depths of the primeval forest that the locals considered forbidden territory.

After walking for who knows how long, he stopped and pointed to a huge, vine-covered ancient banyan tree in the distance.

"That's... the place."

I pushed aside the last giant fern blocking our path.

The sight before me made me feel like I'd fallen into an icy pit.

My brother was tightly bound to the giant banyan tree known as "Devil's Grove" with a coarse hemp rope.

His shirt was torn to shreds, barely covering his body.

His once fair and delicate skin was covered in scratches and swollen bumps from insect bites. Some areas had even started to fester and rot, a horrific sight.

His eyes were unfocused and dull. When I rushed over, he didn't even recognize me at first.