Death wasn't supposed to be this loud.
I remembered steel crashing down on me, the scent of scorched plastic and concrete dust clogging my lungs. The last thing I saw in that other world was a blinding flash of light—a truck skidding into the crosswalk, too fast to stop. The world blurred into blackness.
Then… I woke up.
But not in a hospital. Not in heaven. Not even in hell.
I was on my knees, gasping for breath, the cool marble of an immaculate office floor beneath my trembling hands. Lights buzzed faintly overhead. Glass walls gleamed like mirrors. The air smelled of orchids and espresso. Sleek, sterile. Familiar.
Too familiar.
"Mr. Reyes?" a cold, silken voice called out behind me.
My head snapped up.
Standing with a tablet in one hand and a flawlessly arched brow raised was Alyssa Yuan—CEO of Yuan Enterprises. Elegant. Impeccable. Terrifying.
And entirely fictional.
I blinked. My heart thudded wildly against my ribs. This couldn't be. Couldn't—
A soft chime echoed in my ears.
> [System Initiated… Player Profile: Ethan Reyes Activated]
Mission Objective: Alter Destiny | Romance Route: In Progress
I froze.
No way. No. Freaking. Way.
I was inside the world of "Villainess CEO: Ruin Her or Love Her"—a corporate romance webnovel I binge-read over two sleep-deprived weekends. And not just anywhere. I was Ethan Reyes, the womanizing, disposable secret lover of Alyssa Yuan. A man doomed to be discarded in Chapter 32 when she chose ambition over love.
Except I remembered everything. My own life. The novel. Her fate.
The room spun as Alyssa's heels clicked closer.
"You're late," she said coolly, crossing her arms. "The press is waiting. Fix yourself."
I caught my reflection in the chrome of her desk.
Sharp suit. Strong jaw. Disheveled hair that looked effortlessly styled. I looked like the male lead of a drama. But I wasn't. I was a side character meant to die quietly so the plot could move on.
Not this time.
I stood slowly, shoulders squaring.
"Sorry," I said, voice steady. "Rough morning."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't embarrass me, Ethan."
Her words should have hurt, but I knew her too well. Alyssa Yuan wasn't heartless. She was armored. Raised by wolves in a corporate jungle. Everyone she loved had betrayed her.
In the story, Ethan never tried to understand her.
But I would.
The System pinged again:
> [Side Quest Unlocked: "First Impression – Part Two"]
Objective: Win over Alyssa during press event.
Reward: +50 Affection | Trait: Charisma (Level 1)
I smiled faintly and followed her toward the elevator, heart pounding like I was about to walk into a final exam—but this time, I had the answers.
The elevator was silent, save for the soft hum of strings playing through hidden speakers. I glanced at her through the mirrored walls.
"New perfume?" I asked.
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Orchid and… vetiver. Subtle. Powerful. Like you."
She said nothing, but her lips quirked upward.
> +3 Affection
The doors opened to a flash of light and noise. Reporters. Cameras. A crowd that came to witness Yuan Enterprises announce the biggest merger in tech history.
Alyssa stepped forward like a queen. I walked at her side, no longer just a shadow.
I was rewriting the story—one heartbeat at a time.