Chapter 2 · A Vow Reforged

[How much longer is the supporting actress going to stick around? When is the main heroine finally going to show up?]

I stopped in my tracks.

What? I thought, bewildered.

I closed my eyes and shook my head forcefully.

When I opened them again, the words were still there, even more of them.

[Hey, if you want to see the main heroine, just switch to her perspective. Don't come here and ruin the vibe!]

[Doesn't anyone else think the supporting actress has it rough? If you put yourself in her shoes, my heart really goes out to her.]

[She's not the main heroine, so she's doomed to never win the male lead's heart.]

No way... This couldn't be happening, I thought, stunned.

Instinctively, I reached out, trying to touch the floating words.

But her bouquet of roses just swept through the air; nothing happened.

Yet they were still there, unmistakably hovering in the air, crystal clear.

I glanced back at the waiter.

He'd already pushed his cart into the private room.

Was I the only one who could see these words? I wondered.

[When the waiter opened the door, the male lead definitely spotted the supporting actress, right?]

[Duh, obviously. No question about it.]

As I reached the elevator, lines of text drifted across my vision.

Instinctively, I turned around.

The hallway was deserted, not a sound, not a soul in sight behind me.

[Sigh...the second female lead has it so rough.]

[Poor girl, I really feel for her.]

[+1]

[+10086]

I tore my eyes away and stared at the tightly shut elevator doors.

I must be just too tired, I thought.

People saw things when they were upset, didn't they? I tried to reassure myself.

But those words were still floating right in front of her, so vivid they didn't feel like a hallucination at all.

The elevator doors opened.

I stepped inside, pressed myself against the wall, and pulled out my phone.

The screen lit up. The chat was still stuck on Adrian's message from twenty minutes ago.

[The Gilded Peony Hotel, Moonstone Room.]

More lines of text scrolled across my vision.

It felt like they could see right into my phone.

[Second lead, babe, have you thought about giving Adrian a chance?]

The third lead? I thought, my mind reeling.

Adrian was the third lead?

Cassian was the male lead?

But where was the heroine?

Who was she supposed to be?

What was even happening?

Was I dreaming?

Or... was I really just a side character in someone else's story?

The thought was so absurd it was almost laughable.

But right now, I honestly couldn't come up with a better explanation.

The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened.

My phone buzzed. Adrian messaged: [Are you here yet?]

I took a deep breath and replied: [Something just came up, I can't make it. Don't tell Cassian I'm back yet.]

Adrian replied right away: [Got it.]

As I walked out of the hotel, I tossed the bouquet into a trash can. My phone started ringing.

The caller ID flashed: Adrian.

I tapped to answer.

"Miss Blackwell, it's Adrian. I'm at the back entrance of the hotel. Can you meet me for a minute?" he said.

"Okay," I said, hesitating for a moment before agreeing.

[Tsk tsk, this Adrian guy.]

[Girl, Avalon, just kick the main guy to the curb already!]

[Why am I getting so excited right now, ladies?]

[Press 1 if you're rooting for Avalon and Adrian to get together!]

[1111111]

[1111]

[If Avalon and Adrian end up together, then what happens to the rest of the plot?]

At the back entrance of the hotel, Adrian was leaning against his Graphite S7 Sportback, dressed in a charcoal overcoat and holding a cup of coffee.

[Damn, that's a Graphite S7 Sportback, my dream car!]

[Who's this handsome guy? Can someone fill me in? I don't remember him at all. Did I miss something?]

[You must've skipped the side stories. He's part of Avalon's story arc. I won't spoil it, but go check out the extras!]

[Wait, isn't Adrian supposed to be off-screen right now? Why is the plot going off the rails?]

I tuned out the bullet comments and walked straight up to Adrian.

He handed me the coffee. "Here, it's warm, which should help warm you up."

"Thanks," I said as I took the cup. "How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you," Adrian said.

[Adrian was sitting with his back to the door and still spotted her. Dude's got superhuman senses.]

[The moment his girl got close, Adrian's radar went off. LOL!]

[Ladies, flood the chat with 'He's so in love!' right now!]

[He's so in love!]

I couldn't help but check Adrian out for a second.

So, if those bullet comments were right, Adrian actually liked me? I wondered, feeling a bit thrown.

That couldn't be true, though. We had only met a couple of times, tops.

I only asked him for help because he kept things to himself better than anyone else.

"Did you hear everything Cassian said?" Adrian asked, cutting straight to the point.

I nodded, keeping my eyes fixed on my shoes, not saying a word.

Adrian didn't push it. He just opened the car door. "Get in. I'll take you home."

"You know where I live?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"I do," Adrian said, sounding certain.

[He knows everything about you!]

[Of course he does! He doesn't just know your address. He's got all your favorite things memorized!]

I got in the car.

It was warm inside, and the air smelled faintly of woodsy cologne.

Adrian drove with steady hands, silent the entire ride, only glancing at the rearview mirror every so often.

I watched the streetlights flicker by outside and finally spoke up. "Adrian, thank you for today."

"Thank me for what?" he asked, glancing over.

"For helping me dig up the info," I said.

"For what you said back in the Moonstone Room," I added. "And for giving me a ride home."

As I spoke, tears slipped down my cheeks, even though I tried to hold them back.

Childhood sweethearts, always together.

I thought it was fate, but in the end, it was just me holding on alone.

Adrian stayed silent, quietly pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it over.

I took it and said, "Thanks."

The handkerchief had that same cool, woodsy scent as him.

The live comments started buzzing again.

[Adrian, are you a robot or something?]

[Adrian's heart is breaking, but he's got that ice-cold expression.]

[Seriously, Adrian, with that stone-cold look, how's anyone supposed to know you like Avalon?]

[Adrian, say something! Comfort her! Hug her! Kiss her!]

[Seriously! Why not swoop in and take advantage while she's down?]

[Adrian, what's the point of having a mouth if you're not gonna use it? Speak up!]

The comments poured in.

The car pulled up in front of my apartment building.

I opened the door and stepped out, and Adrian followed right behind.

Chapter 2

[How much longer is the supporting actress going to stick around? When is the main heroine finally going to show up?]

I stopped in my tracks.

What? I thought, bewildered.

I closed my eyes and shook my head forcefully.

When I opened them again, the words were still there, even more of them.

[Hey, if you want to see the main heroine, just switch to her perspective. Don't come here and ruin the vibe!]

[Doesn't anyone else think the supporting actress has it rough? If you put yourself in her shoes, my heart really goes out to her.]

[She's not the main heroine, so she's doomed to never win the male lead's heart.]

No way... This couldn't be happening, I thought, stunned.

Instinctively, I reached out, trying to touch the floating words.

But her bouquet of roses just swept through the air; nothing happened.

Yet they were still there, unmistakably hovering in the air, crystal clear.

I glanced back at the waiter.

He'd already pushed his cart into the private room.

Was I the only one who could see these words? I wondered.

[When the waiter opened the door, the male lead definitely spotted the supporting actress, right?]

[Duh, obviously. No question about it.]

As I reached the elevator, lines of text drifted across my vision.

Instinctively, I turned around.

The hallway was deserted, not a sound, not a soul in sight behind me.

[Sigh...the second female lead has it so rough.]

[Poor girl, I really feel for her.]

[+1]

[+10086]

I tore my eyes away and stared at the tightly shut elevator doors.

I must be just too tired, I thought.

People saw things when they were upset, didn't they? I tried to reassure myself.

But those words were still floating right in front of her, so vivid they didn't feel like a hallucination at all.

The elevator doors opened.

I stepped inside, pressed myself against the wall, and pulled out my phone.

The screen lit up. The chat was still stuck on Adrian's message from twenty minutes ago.

[The Gilded Peony Hotel, Moonstone Room.]

More lines of text scrolled across my vision.

It felt like they could see right into my phone.

[Second lead, babe, have you thought about giving Adrian a chance?]

The third lead? I thought, my mind reeling.

Adrian was the third lead?

Cassian was the male lead?

But where was the heroine?

Who was she supposed to be?

What was even happening?

Was I dreaming?

Or... was I really just a side character in someone else's story?

The thought was so absurd it was almost laughable.

But right now, I honestly couldn't come up with a better explanation.

The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened.

My phone buzzed. Adrian messaged: [Are you here yet?]

I took a deep breath and replied: [Something just came up, I can't make it. Don't tell Cassian I'm back yet.]

Adrian replied right away: [Got it.]

As I walked out of the hotel, I tossed the bouquet into a trash can. My phone started ringing.

The caller ID flashed: Adrian.

I tapped to answer.

"Miss Blackwell, it's Adrian. I'm at the back entrance of the hotel. Can you meet me for a minute?" he said.

"Okay," I said, hesitating for a moment before agreeing.

[Tsk tsk, this Adrian guy.]

[Girl, Avalon, just kick the main guy to the curb already!]

[Why am I getting so excited right now, ladies?]

[Press 1 if you're rooting for Avalon and Adrian to get together!]

[1111111]

[1111]

[If Avalon and Adrian end up together, then what happens to the rest of the plot?]

At the back entrance of the hotel, Adrian was leaning against his Graphite S7 Sportback, dressed in a charcoal overcoat and holding a cup of coffee.

[Damn, that's a Graphite S7 Sportback, my dream car!]

[Who's this handsome guy? Can someone fill me in? I don't remember him at all. Did I miss something?]

[You must've skipped the side stories. He's part of Avalon's story arc. I won't spoil it, but go check out the extras!]

[Wait, isn't Adrian supposed to be off-screen right now? Why is the plot going off the rails?]

I tuned out the bullet comments and walked straight up to Adrian.

He handed me the coffee. "Here, it's warm, which should help warm you up."

"Thanks," I said as I took the cup. "How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you," Adrian said.

[Adrian was sitting with his back to the door and still spotted her. Dude's got superhuman senses.]

[The moment his girl got close, Adrian's radar went off. LOL!]

[Ladies, flood the chat with 'He's so in love!' right now!]

[He's so in love!]

I couldn't help but check Adrian out for a second.

So, if those bullet comments were right, Adrian actually liked me? I wondered, feeling a bit thrown.

That couldn't be true, though. We had only met a couple of times, tops.

I only asked him for help because he kept things to himself better than anyone else.

"Did you hear everything Cassian said?" Adrian asked, cutting straight to the point.

I nodded, keeping my eyes fixed on my shoes, not saying a word.

Adrian didn't push it. He just opened the car door. "Get in. I'll take you home."

"You know where I live?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"I do," Adrian said, sounding certain.

[He knows everything about you!]

[Of course he does! He doesn't just know your address. He's got all your favorite things memorized!]

I got in the car.

It was warm inside, and the air smelled faintly of woodsy cologne.

Adrian drove with steady hands, silent the entire ride, only glancing at the rearview mirror every so often.

I watched the streetlights flicker by outside and finally spoke up. "Adrian, thank you for today."

"Thank me for what?" he asked, glancing over.

"For helping me dig up the info," I said.

"For what you said back in the Moonstone Room," I added. "And for giving me a ride home."

As I spoke, tears slipped down my cheeks, even though I tried to hold them back.

Childhood sweethearts, always together.

I thought it was fate, but in the end, it was just me holding on alone.

Adrian stayed silent, quietly pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it over.

I took it and said, "Thanks."

The handkerchief had that same cool, woodsy scent as him.

The live comments started buzzing again.

[Adrian, are you a robot or something?]

[Adrian's heart is breaking, but he's got that ice-cold expression.]

[Seriously, Adrian, with that stone-cold look, how's anyone supposed to know you like Avalon?]

[Adrian, say something! Comfort her! Hug her! Kiss her!]

[Seriously! Why not swoop in and take advantage while she's down?]

[Adrian, what's the point of having a mouth if you're not gonna use it? Speak up!]

The comments poured in.

The car pulled up in front of my apartment building.

I opened the door and stepped out, and Adrian followed right behind.