Chapter 1 · Let Him Have His Doom

Chapter 1

On my first day inside this angsty romance novel, I made up my mind to go after the male lead, Jasper Lawson, and become the stand-in for the girl he could never forget—Hailey Quinn.

I copied her style, picked up her hobbies, and even went so far as to make myself disabled, just like her. I was hell-bent on becoming her, in every way.

Just when his affection meter for me was about to hit 99, she came back from overseas and got into a car accident right in front of him.

With her life hanging by a thread, she sobbed, telling him through her tears that she'd always loved him.

At that instant, I watched the number above his head drop back to zero. So that was how it ended for me.

The system's voice rang out, cold and mechanical.

It asked, "You've failed your 99th attempt. Would you like to try again?"

I let out a bitter smile, shaking my head.

No more. I was done. I just wanted to go home.

I don't want to save him anymore—not from Hailey's schemes, not from losing everything, not from becoming a broken man who was barely alive.

*****

Hailey's family went bankrupt, and with nowhere else to go, she came to Jasper, her eyes red from crying.

Inside the bridal shop, she stood nervously at the doorway, clutching the hem of her clothes, worn pale from too many washes, her eyes locked onto him.

I acted like I didn't see that face that looked so much like mine, keeping my head down as I carefully straightened his sleeves.

Jasper shot her a cold look, his tone as icy as ever. "What are you doing here?"

Hailey's eyes instantly filled with tears.

Just then, a group of burly men followed in, the leader wearing a sleazy grin.

The men said, "Ms. Quinn, why hide here? You dumped Mr. Lawson before, and now you really think he still cares about you?

"Come with us to the nightclub and help your dad pay off his debts. Relax, we'll be gentle."

As he said that, he reached out to grab Hailey by the arm.

She flinched back, her tears falling even harder as her eyes darted to Jasper, pleading silently for help.

She cried out, "What does this have to do with me? It's not my debt.

"I've already given you everything I have!"

The man sneered, grabbed her, and started dragging her out.

He said, "Your dad owes the money, so you pay. That's only fair."

Jasper just stood there, motionless.

But I was close enough to notice his hand at his side, clenched so hard that his knuckles had gone white.

I nudged him gently, flashing a smile as I held up my phone.

I said, "Hey Jasper, do these pics I just took look good?"

He automatically put his arm around my shoulders, gentle as always, but his gaze kept wandering to the door.

In that instant, I watched the number above his head—the one only I could see—begin to fall. 99, 98, 97... dropping fast.

Hailey was being dragged out, screaming and sobbing like her world was ending.

She cried out, "I'd rather die than do that!

"Jasper, I know I shouldn't have come, but I really have no one else to turn to. Please, I'm begging you, just help me this once."

She didn't get to finish.

Outside, brakes screeched and screams erupted.

"Someone got hit!" someone shouted.

Jasper pushed past me, then tore outside like he'd completely lost it. I followed.

Hailey lay in the middle of the street, a dark pool of blood spreading beneath her.

The man who'd been chasing her was shaking his head, yelling, "It wasn't me. She wouldn't listen. She just ran in front of the car!"

Hailey reached out a trembling hand toward Jasper, her breath so faint that it was like she was barely hanging on.

She murmured, "Jasper, I think I'm dying..."

Jasper dropped to his knees, pulling her into his arms, his eyes brimming with tears.

She managed a faint smile.

She went on, "Maybe part of me came back because I needed something, but deep down, it was always you."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

As she spoke, her hand went limp, and she lost consciousness.

I just stood there, frozen, watching as the number above Jasper's head instantly reset to zero.

He held Hailey tight in his arms, fumbling for his phone as he called for an ambulance.

The system's voice echoed coldly in my mind.

It asked, "You've failed your 99th attempt. Would you like to try again?"

I stared at the wedding dress I'd just put on, gripping the fabric like it was the only thing keeping me together. I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears streamed down my face.

No more. I was done. I just wanted to go home.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper hesitate for a split second, but then he walked away without looking back.

Just as I was about to get hit by a car, a shop assistant rushed out and yanked me back onto the curb.

She looked at me, worry written all over her face.

I just shook my head, too numb to say a word.

Chapter 1

On my first day inside this angsty romance novel, I made up my mind to go after the male lead, Jasper Lawson, and become the stand-in for the girl he could never forget—Hailey Quinn.

I copied her style, picked up her hobbies, and even went so far as to make myself disabled, just like her. I was hell-bent on becoming her, in every way.

Just when his affection meter for me was about to hit 99, she came back from overseas and got into a car accident right in front of him.

With her life hanging by a thread, she sobbed, telling him through her tears that she'd always loved him.

At that instant, I watched the number above his head drop back to zero. So that was how it ended for me.

The system's voice rang out, cold and mechanical.

It asked, "You've failed your 99th attempt. Would you like to try again?"

I let out a bitter smile, shaking my head.

No more. I was done. I just wanted to go home.

I don't want to save him anymore—not from Hailey's schemes, not from losing everything, not from becoming a broken man who was barely alive.

*****

Hailey's family went bankrupt, and with nowhere else to go, she came to Jasper, her eyes red from crying.

Inside the bridal shop, she stood nervously at the doorway, clutching the hem of her clothes, worn pale from too many washes, her eyes locked onto him.

I acted like I didn't see that face that looked so much like mine, keeping my head down as I carefully straightened his sleeves.

Jasper shot her a cold look, his tone as icy as ever. "What are you doing here?"

Hailey's eyes instantly filled with tears.

Just then, a group of burly men followed in, the leader wearing a sleazy grin.

The men said, "Ms. Quinn, why hide here? You dumped Mr. Lawson before, and now you really think he still cares about you?

"Come with us to the nightclub and help your dad pay off his debts. Relax, we'll be gentle."

As he said that, he reached out to grab Hailey by the arm.

She flinched back, her tears falling even harder as her eyes darted to Jasper, pleading silently for help.

She cried out, "What does this have to do with me? It's not my debt.

"I've already given you everything I have!"

The man sneered, grabbed her, and started dragging her out.

He said, "Your dad owes the money, so you pay. That's only fair."

Jasper just stood there, motionless.

But I was close enough to notice his hand at his side, clenched so hard that his knuckles had gone white.

I nudged him gently, flashing a smile as I held up my phone.

I said, "Hey Jasper, do these pics I just took look good?"

He automatically put his arm around my shoulders, gentle as always, but his gaze kept wandering to the door.

In that instant, I watched the number above his head—the one only I could see—begin to fall. 99, 98, 97... dropping fast.

Hailey was being dragged out, screaming and sobbing like her world was ending.

She cried out, "I'd rather die than do that!

"Jasper, I know I shouldn't have come, but I really have no one else to turn to. Please, I'm begging you, just help me this once."

She didn't get to finish.

Outside, brakes screeched and screams erupted.

"Someone got hit!" someone shouted.

Jasper pushed past me, then tore outside like he'd completely lost it. I followed.

Hailey lay in the middle of the street, a dark pool of blood spreading beneath her.

The man who'd been chasing her was shaking his head, yelling, "It wasn't me. She wouldn't listen. She just ran in front of the car!"

Hailey reached out a trembling hand toward Jasper, her breath so faint that it was like she was barely hanging on.

She murmured, "Jasper, I think I'm dying..."

Jasper dropped to his knees, pulling her into his arms, his eyes brimming with tears.

She managed a faint smile.

She went on, "Maybe part of me came back because I needed something, but deep down, it was always you."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

As she spoke, her hand went limp, and she lost consciousness.

I just stood there, frozen, watching as the number above Jasper's head instantly reset to zero.

He held Hailey tight in his arms, fumbling for his phone as he called for an ambulance.

The system's voice echoed coldly in my mind.

It asked, "You've failed your 99th attempt. Would you like to try again?"

I stared at the wedding dress I'd just put on, gripping the fabric like it was the only thing keeping me together. I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears streamed down my face.

No more. I was done. I just wanted to go home.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper hesitate for a split second, but then he walked away without looking back.

Just as I was about to get hit by a car, a shop assistant rushed out and yanked me back onto the curb.

She looked at me, worry written all over her face.

I just shook my head, too numb to say a word.