Chapter 2 · The Villain Won't Let Me Go: A Breakup Gone Wrong

I froze completely. The crowd of onlookers around us froze, too.

Everyone's mouths hung open wide enough to fit an egg inside.

My mind raced with questions I couldn't voice. Five minutes to buy out a car dealership? Transfer a department store into my name?

Wasn't he supposed to be a broke college student? Where did all this money come from? Did he somehow transmigrate into this story with a billionaire cheat code?

My thoughts screamed in chaos, but my face remained blank and unresponsive.

Julian seemed satisfied with my stunned reaction. The obsessive fog in his eyes cleared slightly, and a barely visible smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He settled back into his seat and pushed the bank card toward me again.

Julian said calmly, "You gave me 300 thousand dollars."

He paused deliberately and continued, "So that makes it my money."

His logic was terrifyingly clear and precise as he added, "I'm using my money to buy things you like, so it's perfectly reasonable."

My internal voice protested loudly. That wasn't reasonable at all. This was emotional blackmail disguised as generosity!

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words would come out.

Right then, a cold mechanical voice cut through my mind.

"Warning! Plot deviation at 10%. The host must correct immediately, or first-level electric shock will be activated!"

A sharp jolt of electricity shot through my body, and I jerked hard.

It was coming. The damn death sentence was here.

My face went white instantly.

This cursed transmigration system had trapped me in a cannon fodder storyline, and it set up endless punishment mechanisms to keep me there.

Anytime I strayed from the original character's actions or personality, it shocked me.

Julian noticed something was wrong. He leaned forward and reached for my forehead. "What's wrong? You feeling okay?"

I flinched back like a scalded cat before he could touch me.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped.

My reaction was too sharp, and my voice came out shrill.

Julian's hand froze in midair.

The coffee shop had just started to get noisy again, but now it fell utterly silent.

His eyes went cold in an instant.

The look he gave me was a mix of hurt, confusion, and the warning signs of real anger.

"Warning! Plot deviation at 20%. The host must distance themselves from the target character immediately and deliver humiliating dialogue!"

Damn it. The electric current surged harder, and I broke out in a cold sweat. My lips started trembling from the pain.

I couldn't keep this going. I had to get away from him now.

I shot to my feet, and the chair scraped loudly across the floor.

I forced myself to sound as cruel as possible and said, "Julian, do you not understand my word?

"I told you, I'm done. You're broke, you're boring, you're emotionally dead. So what if you have money now? People don't change. I can't stand looking at your face anymore. We're over. Do you understand? Over!"

I grabbed my bag and bolted out of the coffee shop without looking back.

I didn't dare turn around.

I was terrified I'd see his eyes turn cold and merciless, exactly like they did in the original story.

I ran to the corner and leaned against the wall, gasping for air.

The voice in my head announced that the deviation from the story had dropped to 5% and that the punishment had been lifted.

Relief flooded through me, and my body felt completely drained, so I slumped against the wall.

God, staying alive was exhausting.

I was about to call a cab and get the hell out of there, but a black Maybach glided up silently in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing Julian's ice-cold face.

He wasn't alone.

A driver in a black suit and white gloves sat behind the wheel.

What happened to the poor college student? A freaking Maybach?

Julian said flatly, "Get in."

I shot back, "No!"

He looked at me calmly and said, "Sophia, I'd rather not make a scene on the street to get you into this car."

His voice was quiet, but the threat was crystal clear.

I had no doubt that if I refused again, he would drag me into the car right here in broad daylight.

I gritted my teeth in humiliation, yanked open the door, and climbed in.

The interior was spacious, and it smelled like him.

I pressed myself against the door and tried to keep as much distance from him as possible.

"Skyline Estate, Mansion One," Julian told the driver.

The car pulled away smoothly, and my stomach dropped.

Skyline Estate was the city's most exclusive gated community, and security was so tight that not even a fly could get through.

In the original story, this was where he locked me up after he went dark.

It was moving way too fast. We weren't supposed to be at this part of the story yet.

"Why are you taking me there?" I asked, immediately wary.

Julian didn't look at me and kept his eyes on the scenery flying past the window outside.

He said coolly, "Didn't you say I was boring?" He turned to face me, and a strange smile curved his lips. "I'm taking you to see something interesting. Like the new cage I prepared for you."

Chapter 2

I froze completely. The crowd of onlookers around us froze, too.

Everyone's mouths hung open wide enough to fit an egg inside.

My mind raced with questions I couldn't voice. Five minutes to buy out a car dealership? Transfer a department store into my name?

Wasn't he supposed to be a broke college student? Where did all this money come from? Did he somehow transmigrate into this story with a billionaire cheat code?

My thoughts screamed in chaos, but my face remained blank and unresponsive.

Julian seemed satisfied with my stunned reaction. The obsessive fog in his eyes cleared slightly, and a barely visible smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He settled back into his seat and pushed the bank card toward me again.

Julian said calmly, "You gave me 300 thousand dollars."

He paused deliberately and continued, "So that makes it my money."

His logic was terrifyingly clear and precise as he added, "I'm using my money to buy things you like, so it's perfectly reasonable."

My internal voice protested loudly. That wasn't reasonable at all. This was emotional blackmail disguised as generosity!

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words would come out.

Right then, a cold mechanical voice cut through my mind.

"Warning! Plot deviation at 10%. The host must correct immediately, or first-level electric shock will be activated!"

A sharp jolt of electricity shot through my body, and I jerked hard.

It was coming. The damn death sentence was here.

My face went white instantly.

This cursed transmigration system had trapped me in a cannon fodder storyline, and it set up endless punishment mechanisms to keep me there.

Anytime I strayed from the original character's actions or personality, it shocked me.

Julian noticed something was wrong. He leaned forward and reached for my forehead. "What's wrong? You feeling okay?"

I flinched back like a scalded cat before he could touch me.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped.

My reaction was too sharp, and my voice came out shrill.

Julian's hand froze in midair.

The coffee shop had just started to get noisy again, but now it fell utterly silent.

His eyes went cold in an instant.

The look he gave me was a mix of hurt, confusion, and the warning signs of real anger.

"Warning! Plot deviation at 20%. The host must distance themselves from the target character immediately and deliver humiliating dialogue!"

Damn it. The electric current surged harder, and I broke out in a cold sweat. My lips started trembling from the pain.

I couldn't keep this going. I had to get away from him now.

I shot to my feet, and the chair scraped loudly across the floor.

I forced myself to sound as cruel as possible and said, "Julian, do you not understand my word?

I grabbed my bag and bolted out of the coffee shop without looking back.

I didn't dare turn around.

I was terrified I'd see his eyes turn cold and merciless, exactly like they did in the original story.

I ran to the corner and leaned against the wall, gasping for air.

The voice in my head announced that the deviation from the story had dropped to 5% and that the punishment had been lifted.

Relief flooded through me, and my body felt completely drained, so I slumped against the wall.

God, staying alive was exhausting.

I was about to call a cab and get the hell out of there, but a black Maybach glided up silently in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing Julian's ice-cold face.

He wasn't alone.

A driver in a black suit and white gloves sat behind the wheel.

What happened to the poor college student? A freaking Maybach?

Julian said flatly, "Get in."

I shot back, "No!"

He looked at me calmly and said, "Sophia, I'd rather not make a scene on the street to get you into this car."

His voice was quiet, but the threat was crystal clear.

I had no doubt that if I refused again, he would drag me into the car right here in broad daylight.

I gritted my teeth in humiliation, yanked open the door, and climbed in.

The interior was spacious, and it smelled like him.

I pressed myself against the door and tried to keep as much distance from him as possible.

"Skyline Estate, Mansion One," Julian told the driver.

The car pulled away smoothly, and my stomach dropped.

Skyline Estate was the city's most exclusive gated community, and security was so tight that not even a fly could get through.

In the original story, this was where he locked me up after he went dark.

It was moving way too fast. We weren't supposed to be at this part of the story yet.

"Why are you taking me there?" I asked, immediately wary.

Julian didn't look at me and kept his eyes on the scenery flying past the window outside.

He said coolly, "Didn't you say I was boring?" He turned to face me, and a strange smile curved his lips. "I'm taking you to see something interesting. Like the new cage I prepared for you."