Outsmarting The Hero's Destiny System

After Sylvias accident, the grief was a vacuum, and in a spectacular display of misplaced devotionor maybe just sheer, spectacular madnessI turned to the only thing left: her ex-boyfriend, Nathan Ronald.

Sylvia, I need to tell you something. Please, try not to be mad

Nathan and I are a thing now!

Standing by her headstone, a shy blush warming my cheeks, I confessed. I said so many awful things about him before, but I was wrong. Once we were together, I finally saw how truly good he is.

I cant stay long, though. Nathan doesnt like me to be out for too long.

Oh! Before I go, tonight, you absolutely have to send me the next Powerball numbers in a dream. That way, my sweet Nathan can save up the down payment for a house and finally marry me!

Promise youll come through! I miss you so much down here.

My best friend, Sylvia Bell, was nothing if not dependable.

1.

That very night, she broke into my dream, driving a massive semi-truck that pinned me down and proceeded to roll over meagain and again.

I didnt see you, my bad, she muttered. Thought it was a speed bump.

You are so clingy, Lucy Moore. Try sticking to my tires one more time, I dare you.

Why are you using your face to collide with my axle?

If you ask me, someone else deserved to die. Someone is being shady as hell, and youre being incredibly obtuse.

She sounded furious, but I didn't feel any pain.

When she finally paused, exhausted from the metaphysical vehicular manslaughter, I wriggled out from underneath, grabbed her hand, and squealed with delight. Sylvia, Sylvia, its really you! God, I missed you!

She let me rush her in a clumsy hug. Her perfect, winged brows were slightly furrowed, but she didnt pull away, letting me clutch at her like a frantic puppy.

Sylvia, Sylvia, pop quiz! Guess who showed up right after your crash? I rushed the answer before she could speak. It was Nathan, your ex! He came straight to my company building and waited for me. He wouldnt leave until I saw himthree whole days he stood there!

Sylvias face darkened. He had the audacity to seek you out?

Why wouldnt he? I said, confused.

He did more than that. He proposed! He told me he was one of the people who missed you the most, and one of the only people who truly understood me. He said he was willing to inherit the legacy you left behind in this world, and that legacy is me!

He promised to be devoted to me for life, to take care of me in your place, and never, ever stray. Where do you find a man with that kind of old-school loyalty these days? I said yes!

Sylvias composure finally snapped.

She slapped my hand away, her beautiful eyes wide and blazing, exactly the way mine used to be.

Lucy Moore! Do you know that some things that look dirty actually require a certain status? If a man is chased by thousands and stays faithful, thats character. If a nobody is ignored by everyone and stays faithful, thats just incompetence!

If the field is empty, does the goalkeeper still get credit for a shutout?

Hes nearly forty and not married. Does that tell you hes got no ambition, or something else is structurally unsound?

She rattled off a complex, winding argument. I blinked at her.

But I thought it was incredibly romantic. It felt fated.

Besides, in ancient times, didnt women in prominent families share husbands? Its practically a time-honored tradition

Im talking to a wall, Sylvia hissed, placing her hands on her hips. Did it ever occur to you how a poor guy with average looks, no money, no power, and no college degree climbed his way up to be a hotel general manager?

She pointed to herself, then jabbed a finger at my forehead. It was because of what?!

I thought for a long moment, then whispered, Because of love?

I spit on that!

It was because of scheming! He is obviously manipulating us, manipulating our friendship, Lucy!

But why would he only manipulate us? I wasn't buying it. I leaned in, serious. Out of all the people in the world, why did he pick me from the crowd?

It means I am the most suitable partner for him! We are a match made in heaven, Sylvia. Why cant you just be happy for me?

Unless I narrowed my eyes. Unless youre still in love with him!

Your words still love him, your tone still loves him, and the only reason youre stopping us is because you still love him!

My eyes welled up. I felt like I had uncovered a heartbreaking truth.

Oh, Sylvia, if only you were still here, the three of us could have made it work. That would have been better than anything

I could throttle you right now!

Sylvia roared, jumping up to furiously pinch the soft flesh on my side.

You idiot! You moron! Youd be sold into slavery and still thank the auctioneer! Nathan is not a good guy! My accident was because he

Her eyes were burning red with fury.

But the words caught in her throat, as if a spectral hand had clamped down on her windpipe. Her pretty face flushed scarlet, and she couldn't complete the sentence.

I was instantly scared. I reached out to soothe her.

I know, I know. You were going to say your accident happened when you were rushing out to meet him after he suddenly broke up with you, right?

But you cant blame him for that. That semi blew a red light, and the driver tried to swerve but couldnt avoid it

Forget it. Dream time is short. Do you have anything you want me to tell your parents? Hurry up and tell me.

The alarm clock blared, shattering the dream.

Fearing I would forget, I grabbed a notepad and a pen to write down everything Sylvia had said. Halfway through, I slapped my forehead. That deadbeat didnt give me the Powerball numbers!

As I scribbled furiously, a stream of floating text began refreshing rapidly above my head, a constant, ugly intrusion on my reality. This was the Scrolling Commentary.

[LOL the Second Female Lead finally bites it. Serves her right for looking down on the hero and trying to force him to be a live-in husband. She deserves to die!]

[Exactly. So what if her family owns a hotel? Does that give her the right to look down on a man? Forcing a man to move in is like rubbing our male dignity in the dirt!]

[The car crash was a soft death, honestly. At least he let her keep a whole corpse.]

[Heh heh, how else is the New Female Lead going to move up? Speaking of which, the New Female Leads body is fire. Big tits, tiny waist, plump ass. Perfect for a launchpad.]

[Ah, another day of wishing I could possess the hero!]

[But her nails are so long and bedazzled. She looks like a high-maintenance gold-digger.]

[Who cares? Once the hero gets power, hell tell her to cut them, and she will. Its just one sentence!]

My hand froze. I put the pen down, pulled on a robe, and checked my phone. A string of missed calls, all from Nathan, all around midnight.

He stopped calling after that, but two hours later, at 2 AM, he sent a text: Baby, I love you the most, boo hoo hoo.

Then at 4 AM: Sweetheart, you know I love you, right? Muah muah muah!

What was that about? I frowned in confusion.

The Feed scrolled past at lightning speed:

[Idiot. Shouldve kept your sound on. The hero was drugged by a rival at a dinner party last night. He was burning up. He wanted you to save him, but you didnt come through!]

[This New Female Lead is totally dropping the ball. Our hero, in his semi-conscious state, stumbled right into the suite of Victor Kane, the City Titan! The Titan liked the taste, apparently. Nailed him seven times in one night.]

[Eh, it was a blessing in disguise. Now the Titan cant forget him. Hell find him again later and use his connections to boost the heros career.]

[You have to pay the cost to succeed. Who understands the tragedy of us working-class men!]

[Say no more, brothers. It's all in the wine!]

I texted Nathan, but he didnt reply. He finally picked up around noon.

His voice was rough, weak, and thick with congestion.

Im fine, baby, I just drank too much last night No, no need to pick me up. Im already out of the hotelI mean, out of the house. On my way to work.

By the way, baby, tonight is a major gala. Damon Shaw, the City Scion, is hosting it himself. Come with me, you might even be able to drum up some new investors for your familys business.

I happily agreed.

Nathan might have been from a small town, but he had an uncanny social antennae for elite events, a sharp sense of which rooms held opportunity. His decisions were usually sound, which was why Sylvias father had trusted him with the hotel business.

Except he got one thing wrong.

It wasnt him bringing me to the party; it was me bringing him.

The Feed flashed:

[Here we go! This is the party! The New Female Lead gets drugged, meant to be sent to some fat cat CEO, but she accidentally ends up in the Scions room! The Scion has a good time and, in return, throws a huge chunk of investment money at her familys company!]

[HAHAHA, the New Female Lead, meanwhile, still thinks she slept with the hero, and stays loyal, giving him everything he wants. Before she dies, she writes him into her will, leaving him all her shares, massively expanding his empire!]

[I love the leverage. Let all those snobs look down on the herohe used her family to lift himself up anyway!]

[But seriously, brothers, shes so hot, is it a waste to pass her around?]

[My brother, you cant be so short-sighted. When the hero is rich, he can have any woman! A man must endure what others cannot and tolerate what others will not! He has to sacrifice even himself to succeed, let alone a woman! The New Female Lead is the best stepping stone for the hero to enter the A-list circle!]

Before the gala, Nathan repeatedly instructed me not to reveal our relationship.

When I asked why, he put on a thoughtful expression. Baby, people will think youre too consumed by love and your professional ability is lacking. We dont want that.

Sounded reasonable. I nodded.

Night fell.

The party was held at the Shaw family estatea place of opulence, shimmering with chandeliers and clinking glasses.

I wore a black-and-gold velvet sheath dress and stiletto sparkle heels, elegant but body-hugging. I drew plenty of attention the moment I walked in.

A flicker of resentment crossed Nathans eyes.

But it was instantly replaced by a gentlemanly smile. He confidently took my arm, waiting at my side for me to introduce him. Seeing his practiced composure, the look of a confident social climber, I couldnt help but think...

It must have been the same before. Nathan was always this gentle and harmless, a deadly vine silently climbing onto warm, living flesh.

The only difference was that the woman standing beside him wasnt me.

It was Sylvia.

Ms. Moore, and who is this gentleman?

Everyone in the inner circle knew I never brought dates to these events. The sight of a grown man at my side naturally sparked curiosity.

I offered a polite nod and explained, This is Nathan Ronald, my personal assistant.

The guests, all social veterans, read the ambiguity in my tone and offered a noncommittal hello. The warm greetings Nathan expected died in the air. He cleared his throat and smoothly retracted the hand he'd offered, replacing it with a gentle, attentive touch as he draped a shawl over my shoulders. He whispered that he was going to fetch me a drink, and then gracefully walked away.

The Feed was less composed. They were absolutely livid, shouting obscenities:

[New Female Lead, I advise you to be kind! Dont push your luck!]

[The most important thing for a man is his face! If you dont respect him now, hell make your life a living hell later!]

[The husband is the lord of the wife! How dare she speak to her heavenly protector like that! Shes going to start a revolt!]

[Hmph. Im exactly like this. I can joke around most of the time, but if you disrespect me, I will show you true darkness! I wanted to be a saint to everyone, but some people force me to unleash the demon inside. I ask you: can you control a demon once it is set loose?!]

[Women always get wild once they see the outside world. She needs to be taught a lesson. Slap her twice, first!]

[Dont worry, everyone. The hero has already slipped the drug. He was going to take it easy on her since it was her first time, but now, hes putting the whole thing in!]

[To destroy her, one must first make her insane. Be arrogant while you can, New Female Lead. You'll be begging for mercy soon enough!]

While Nathan was gone, I slipped out onto the balcony.

The deep winter night was cold and severe. The sky was a heavy, lightless canvas, hiding the moon.

A moment later, the cold air beside me shifted, and I caught the scent of warm gardenia.

And who are you, sister? I havent seen you around.

The voice was laced with easy mockery. I rolled my eyes.

Damon Shaw, what is your deal this time?