Chapter 4

My eyes scanned the coffee table for what felt like ages.

Finally, I spotted a bottle that seemed perfect for the job.

"Ah!" A piercing female scream rang out. "Rolland! Rolland, are you alright?"

[Aaaaa—]

[Is the side character out of her mind?]

[Male lead! The male lead's head is bleeding!]

[Holy crap!]

"No need to overreact," I interrupted Dorthy's cries—and the bullet comments along with them. "I just gave him a little crack on the head, that's all."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Dorthy finally dropped her delicate act, stepping in front of Rolland to shield him. "I'm calling the police right now!"

But she'd only just pulled out her phone when Rolland held her back.

"Dorthy, I owe her this."

Yeah, at least Rolland knew he owed me.

I stared him down, watching the blood ooze slowly from his forehead, nearly dripping into those dark, intense eyes locked on mine—eyes that somehow looked freed at last.

At last, a bitter laugh escaped me. "Oh, so you do remember you owe me, do you?"

I flung the broken half of the bottle aside and snatched up another handy one from the table—

Smash—

"This one's for when you were six, falling into the water and nearly drowning. I jumped in to save you and almost went down with you."

[Hold on, side character—does that even make sense? If you nearly died too, isn't that on you for playing hero without knowing how to rescue someone?]

Smash—

"This is for when you were fourteen, all rebellious and picking fights. I took a pipe hit for you, got you back on track, studying like you should."

[Side character's got issues—wallowing in her own sob story much?]

Smash—

"This one's for when you were twenty-two, fresh in the company, pissing people off without realizing it. Got kidnapped for revenge, and I ended up stabbed, barely holding out for help."

[How's that the male lead's fault?]

Smash—

"This is for swearing on your life in front of my grandma's sickbed, promising to treat me right—or else lightning would strike you down!"

Smash—

"And this is for my birthday yesterday, when you tricked me into flying to Glathe. You'd already fallen for someone else, but you played it clever."

Leaving me...

Leaving me to hear about the ticket you'd booked, the surprise under the aurora and meteors.

Making me think you'd propose to me in Glathe.

Only for the proposal to go to someone else.

Me?

I was just a joke, nothing more.

Before I left the private room, Rolland had already passed out.

I made sure to warn Dorthy. "Go ahead and call the police if you want.

"But think carefully. Sure, I've beaten Rolland pretty badly.

"But the Hayes and Arias families are still business partners, after all.

"If you report this, forget about the Hayes family—do you really think the Arias family will back you up?

"And afterward, will you even be able to marry into the Arias family?"

The barrage of comments was raging, calling my bluff.

[Call the police! Call the police!]

[Holy crap! That was a brutal beatdown!]

[Call the police! You think our female lead is like you, the side chick? Our FL isn't scared of your family's clout! Our little cutie is tough and unbreakable!]

Tough and unbreakable? Unafraid of power?

I had to laugh.

What kind of perfect angel had they turned Dorthy into in their heads? If I hadn't met her myself, I might've bought it too.

Yeah, I'd crossed paths with Dorthy a while back.

She'd only been at Arias Group for two months then, serving as Rolland's secretary.

That day, I was burnt out from studying and got this random urge to pack a cute lunchbox and drop it off at the office.

But the person who came down to greet me wasn't Rolland's usual assistant, Philip Beltran—it was Dorthy.

During that short elevator ride, her tone struck me as off. "Ms. Hayes, I heard from Mr. Arias that you've been swamped with exams lately. But here you are, finding time to deliver a lunchbox.

"You checking up on him?"

In a different tone, those words could've passed for lighthearted banter.

I picked up on the weird vibe, but it was our first encounter, and this wasn't Hayes Group turf, so I held back from showing how I felt.

I never expected her to just keep going without waiting for my reply, batting her eyes as she added, "Don't worry, Ms. Hayes.

"I'll watch Mr. Arias for you. He wouldn't dare sneak around behind your back."

Later, I brought it up casually with Rolland, saying his secretary had a real way with words—not in a good way.

How did someone with zero people skills end up right by his side? What kind of hiring standards did Arias Group even have?

He just shrugged it off back then, saying he'd reassign her soon.

Looking back now, especially with those barrage comments in mind...

Turned out, those two were already fooling around even then.

And the comments had the gall to blame the original book's version of me for going dark.

Who wouldn't snap after dealing with that?

But now? I was not out for revenge, and I was definitely not following the book's plot.

After all, pulling every dirty trick in the book just to win back some guy's affection?

What a miserable way to live.

As if I could actually blow off steam by cracking bottle after bottle over that two-timing jerk's skull.