Chapter 2
The angsty novel Stephanie had been thrown into was being followed by readers from another world, who were chasing every new update.
They could watch the story unfold in real time and send live bullet comments. Now, for some unknown reason, Stephanie could see those comments too.
[System Alert: New feature "Bullet Comment Observation" detected and activated.]
A mechanical voice echoed in Stephanie's mind. She froze.
'The System is still here?' Stephanie thought, surprised. 'I thought the System would've vanished after three years in this story.'
[System Alert: Hidden quest triggered. Reach 10,000 reader emotion points to unlock a special reward. Current emotion points: 234.]
Stephanie checked out the bullet comments and noticed a tiny number in the bottom right corner of each one: +1, +2, and so on... Turned out, every comment contributed to the emotion points.
[Stephanie is so pitiful. Porter hasn't even looked at her properly in three years.]
[Porter's first love, Destinee, just gets on my nerves.]
[Major drama incoming. Get ready for a recap of everything she's done.]
'A recap?' Stephanie wondered.
The thought barely crossed her mind before a series of scenes flashed before her eyes.
It was three years ago, when she'd first been thrown into this book.
On their wedding night, Porter lifted Stephanie's veil, barely glanced at her, and said flatly, "I have someone I love. I married you because my parents wanted me to. As long as you stay in line, I won't treat you badly."
With that, he walked straight to his study.
Stephanie spent the whole night alone, the red candles burning down to nothing. By dawn, she'd made up her mind.
'Since I'm his lawful wife now, I'll just stick to the plot. At least I won't end up too badly,' she thought.
But what she didn't realize was that, in the original story, the legitimate wife's fate was to be cast aside by Porter, banished to isolation for three years, and left to waste away in misery.
Stephanie didn't want to die.
So for the past three years, she did everything she could to please Porter.
Whenever he coughed, she made him herbal remedies. When he got drunk, she stayed by his side. When his political enemies tried to poison him, she drank the poisoned wine for him.
That time, she was bedridden for half a month, and she almost didn't make it. Porter came to see her once, stood at the doorway, and asked, "Is she dead yet?"
The maid replied, "No," so he just walked away.
On a freezing winter day, Porter's pendant—his mother's keepsake—slipped into the icy lake. He said it was important, so Stephanie didn't hesitate.
She dove right in and searched the freezing water for an hour before finally fishing it out. Her whole body trembling, she handed it to him.
Porter barely glanced at her and said, "Wipe it clean."
She fell seriously ill after that, but Porter didn't visit her even once.
[I can't take this anymore.]
[She loves him so much, but what about him?]
[Stephanie deserves so much better.]
[Porter, please, just open your eyes and see her.]
Stephanie stared at the bullet comments, her eyes stinging with tears.
'So this is what it feels like to finally be seen,' she thought.
For three years, all her efforts, all her heartbreak, all those nights she cried alone—nobody ever noticed. Porter didn't know, Millie didn't know, nobody in this world knew.
But now, thousands of strangers knew.
[Stephanie, don't cry. If you cry, I'll cry too.]
[Sending hugs to Stephanie.]
[Girls, spam the chat to cheer her up.]
The screen was instantly flooded with [Hug you.], [You got this.], and [Stephanie is the best.]. Every comment boosted the emotion points.
[System Alert: Current emotion points: 1,567.]
Stephanie dabbed at her eyes and took a deep breath.
She wasn't here to play the victim.
She was here to make Porter truly regret, to make him feel so much pain he couldn't bear it.
"Millie," Stephanie raised her voice and called.
Millie rushed in, her eyes red from crying. "Miss Morrison, you called for me?"
"Go pack your things. We're leaving in three days," Stephanie said.
"Miss Morrison." Millie cried, her voice shaking with worry. "Are you really going? This is a marriage alliance. The Northvalen is wild. If you go, you might never come back. How could Mr. Montgomery stand to let you go?"
"Why would he care?" Stephanie cut her off, her tone chillingly calm. "He only cares about Destinee. Me leaving just makes room for her."
The comments read: [That's harsh...]
[She's dead inside.]
[Stephanie's definitely planning something big.]
[Major drama incoming: Destinee's about to make her entrance.]
There was a gentle knock at the door.
"Stephanie, are you in there?" Her voice was gentle.
Destinee stepped inside, wearing a flowing white dress with a pale blue sash around her waist. Her features were elegant and refined, and she had an air of quiet grace. Smiling, she carried a food box in her hands.
"I heard you're leaving for Northvalen, Stephanie. I made some pastries for you to snack on during the trip," Destinee said.
Stephanie looked at her, thinking, 'She's Porter's long-lost sister. Too bad he still has no idea.'
Bullet comments read: [She's Porter's real sister, the lost kind.]
[So Porter doesn't love her. It's just family ties.]
[Poor Stephanie, she's been taking the fall for three years.]
Destinee set the food box on the table and gently took Stephanie's hand, her eyes misty with emotion. "Stephanie, I really don't want you to leave. Porter didn't have a choice either.
"The court wants a marriage alliance, and the Montgomery family has to send someone. You're his wife, so it's only right for you to help shoulder the family's troubles..."
Stephanie could tell what Destinee was getting at.
Destinee was trying to convince her not to hate Porter.
Stephanie pulled her hand back and replied calmly, "I know. I don't hate him."
Destinee paused, caught off guard.
[Seriously? She says she doesn't hate him?]
[Yeah right, keep pretending.]
[Stephanie got Oscar-level acting.]
[Wait, did anyone else catch that weird look on her face when she said it?]
Stephanie stared at Destinee and suddenly asked, "Destinee, have you ever thought about why you and Porter look so similar?"
Destinee's face faltered for a moment.
[Holy crap.]
[Stephanie just dropped the bomb.]
[This is getting good.]
"Come on, Stephanie, you're kidding, right? I... I don't look anything like Porter," Destinee said, trying to smile.