Chapter 1
"You are nothing more than my bootlicker," I said as I grabbed my new husband Caleb Burrows by the chin and admired the humiliation burning across his handsome face. "Obey me. You have no other choice."
Just as I prepared to take things further, golden text flashed in front of my eyes.
[Oh no! The evil side character is torturing Caleb again. Someone stop her.]
[Relax. In thirty seconds, Emory Layton, the guy Caleb will end up with, will kick the door open and send this crazy woman flying.]
I froze, stunned and confused.
After reading the texts, I realized not only would I get kicked across the room, but also go bankrupt because of Caleb and Emory, and die on the streets in the end.
I quietly climbed off Caleb, pulled my robe closed, walked back to the couch, and crossed my legs.
Fine. If this novel needed a disposable villainess, someone else could take the role. I quit.
*****
"Get up and get dressed," I said, my voice emotionless, like I was already done with him.
Caleb Burrows, my new husband, was sprawled on the bed, and glaring at me with humiliation and hate. Now, he was caught off guard.
He probably thought he'd misheard me. His knuckles went white from gripping the sheets so hard, and there was something swirling in those icy eyes of his that I couldn't read.
I ignored him.
I was too busy trying to process the barrage of pop-up comments that kept appearing out of nowhere in front of me.
[What's going on? This isn't how it's supposed to play out! Why did the evil side character suddenly stop?]
[Damn! What's with that look? Why is she staring at my hubby like he's trash?]
[Wait, is she actually looking right at us?]
I couldn't be bothered to guess anymore, so I just asked out loud, "Who are you guys?"
The comments exploded instantly, all kinds of colors zooming and scrolling in front of me like fireworks on New Year's.
[Holy crap! She can actually see our comments.]
[Help! Did we just break through the fourth wall or something?]
[Run! If the evil side character catches us, she'll slice us up for research!]
"Slice you up?" I snorted, picking up my wine and taking a sip. "Relax, I have zero interest in you 2D creatures."
Honestly, I was way more curious about what was gonna happen to me next.
According to these so-called "readers", in thirty seconds—wait, make that ten—Emory Layton, a big-shot CEO, would kick down my door and catch me in the act of tainting his precious love.
Then they'd snap scandalous pics of me, trash my reputation, team up to wreck my family's company, and leave me homeless, freezing to death in a snowstorm.
Ugh, could my ending be any more cliché and vicious?
I swirled the wine in my glass, watching that intoxicating red, my mind already making plans.
Honestly, I only wanted Caleb for his body, and maybe to get a little payback on that sorry excuse for a father of mine.
Caleb was the son of my dad's business rival. After his family went bankrupt, my dad brought him in under the pretense of helping out, and called him an adopted son. But really, Caleb was just a walking blood bank to keep my dad's precious bastard with a heart problem alive.
Me? I was nothing but a pawn in a business marriage, never got a drop of fatherly love. So I stole the thing Dad cared about most, his bastard's "heart", and locked Caleb down with a marriage contract, just to watch Dad lose his cool and be totally helpless against me.
Looking back now, I realize I made the wrong move from the very beginning.
I was never the player in this game, just a pawn on someone else's board, doomed to be sacrificed.
Bang!
With a deafening crash, my high-end custom door was kicked open from the outside.
A tall, imposing man stepped into the doorway, rocking a perfectly tailored suit. His eyes were razor-sharp, zeroing in on Caleb, who looked rumpled and out of sorts.
The comments started flooding the screen again.
[Hooray! Mr. Layton is here. He's got that alpha vibe.]
[Mr. Layton is so hot. He just kicked down a 300 thousand dollar door without even blinking.]
[Look at the way he's staring at Caleb. He's so possessive, like he's absolutely determined to make him his.]
Emory didn't even glance my way as he strode straight to the bed. He slipped off his suit jacket and wrapped it around Caleb in one swift motion, like he was shielding his most precious treasure.
"Caleb, don't be scared. I'm here now," Emory said, his voice low and smooth. Seriously, he sounded like a late-night radio DJ.
I almost burst out laughing.
What kind of ridiculous setup was this? Was this the classic "CEO saved the damsel in distress", except both protagonists were guys?
Caleb was clearly thrown off by the sudden turn of events. His gaze darted between Emory and me, wary and confused.
"Y-you two..." Caleb started.