Chapter 1

I transmigrated into a novel, and now I was trapped in a time loop. I had been forced to live the same day again and again.

After the female lead, Sophia Quinn, failed to save the male lead, Ethan Chase, for the ninety-ninth time, he stood on the rooftop, looking like he had completely given up on life.

I couldn't stand it anymore, so I marched over and gave him a slap.

"You're going to be the richest guy in the world someday, and your wife will be beautiful and rich! Why are you even thinking about dying?" I shouted.

Ethan froze, his eyes red. "Is my wife... you?" he asked.

*****

My temples were pounding, and my knuckles were white from gripping my pen.

This again.

This was the ninety-ninth time.

Outside the window, Sophia, the over-empathetic female lead, was clutching the male lead Ethan's arm, her face streaked with tears.

"Ethan, don't give up on yourself. I know things are tough, but look at me. I'm not going anywhere," she cried.

Ethan, the damn male lead, was wearing a faded school uniform, looking so skinny and fragile. He kept his head down, and his hair hid every emotion on his face.

He was like a sponge soaked in negativity—gloomy, silent, and ready to lash out at any kindness the world tried to offer.

And Sophia was the "angel" who naively believed love could tame his thorns.

She was the Quinn family's heiress, rich and kind-hearted. When she happened to notice Ethan was dirt poor but aced his classes, her savior instincts went wild, and she launched her so-called mission to save him.

She brought him food, helped him with his studies, and even stepped in when he was getting hassled by punks.

It sounded pretty touching, but I transmigrated into this story, and I already knew how it all ended.

In the original plot, Sophia didn't even exist. After graduation, Ethan would rely on his ruthless ambition and killer business instincts to bulldoze his way to the top.

He'd become a world-famous business mogul—cold, decisive, and ruling from the very peak.

He'd meet his real destined heroine, a woman from a powerful family who could stand toe-to-toe with him. Together, they'd become a legendary power couple.

But now, with Sophia barging in, the whole story had turned into a mess.

Ethan's gloom never got better. In fact, thanks to Sophia's heiress-style pity, he became even more self-conscious and insecure. His thorns hurt her, and her helpless tears only drove him deeper into self-loathing.

It was a vicious cycle that never ended.

I was Rachel Linwood, just a nobody in this story. I was forced to go through this damn loop with them again and again.

Every single time, it was always today. Ethan got cornered by loan sharks, Sophia showed up with money to "save" him, his pride got completely shattered, and then they had a huge fight.

Ethan ended up on the school rooftop, ready to put an end to this whole damn mess.

The first ninety-eight times, Sophia would always drag Ethan back from the edge at the last second. They'd hug and cry, and their so-called feelings would "level up", only to plunge into an even worse mess.

I couldn't take it anymore, seriously.

My goal couldn't be simpler. Since I knew how the story went, all I wanted was to keep my head down, stay out of trouble, and wait for the plot to run its course. Then I could finally get back to my own world.

But now, I was trapped.

Watching those two melodrama stars outside the window, I couldn't hold back my frustration and anger anymore.

Screw keeping my head down. I was done with it.

With the whole class staring at me in shock, I shot to my feet, the legs of my chair screeching against the floor.

I stormed out of the classroom and bolted up to the rooftop.

The wind was fierce, making my school uniform skirt flap loudly around my legs.

Ethan was standing right at the edge, his figure bleak and desolate, like the wind could sweep him off at any moment.

Sophia was standing behind him, crying so hard that she could barely breathe.

"Ethan, please, come down... I'm begging you..." she sobbed.

I ignored Sophia and marched right up to Ethan.

He finally looked up, and his eyes looked hollow and lifeless, like all hope had been drained out of him.

Ethan saw me and froze, wondering who I was.

I didn't give him a chance to think.

Smack! I gave him a brutal slap right across the face, using every bit of strength I had.

The whole rooftop went dead silent.

The wind, Sophia's sobs—everything stopped, like someone hit pause.

Ethan's face turned red and swollen almost instantly, and he was completely dazed by my slap. For the first time, real surprise broke through the emptiness in his eyes.

Sophia's mouth dropped open in disbelief as she stared at me, forgetting to cry altogether.

"What... What the hell are you doing?" she shrieked.

I didn't even spare her a glance. I kept my eyes locked on Ethan, my nails digging so hard into my palms that it hurt.

I yelled at him, my voice shaking with rage. "Get your shit together!

"Who are you putting on this miserable act for? You think the whole world owes you? You think you're some tragic victim?"

"Listen up, Ethan." I jabbed a finger right at his nose, enunciating every word. "Drop that pathetic pride and inferiority. In less than ten years, you'll be the richest man in the world.

"You'll have your own private jet, a global empire, abs that could cut glass, and a V-line that could make anyone swoon. You'll be so loaded and powerful that you could play with this whole city like it's your toy.

"And you'll have a wife who's drop-dead gorgeous, loaded, seriously influential, and absolutely crazy about you.

"So stop thinking about offing yourself all the damn time. Get your ass down here, live your life, and go grab everything that's meant to be yours!"

I was done shouting.

My chest was heaving, and all the anger I'd been holding back for ninety-nine times burst out in that moment.

Damn, that felt good.