Who Says the Target Has to Be the Male Lead"

In the fifth year of my mission to win over the male lead, William Donovan forgot my birthday. Again.

Instead, it was the designated villainess, Stella Rhodes, who sent a message right on time.

Your birthday? So what? I snap my fingers, and he still comes running, doesn't he?

This time, I didn't follow the System's recommendation to break down in tears.

Instead, I replied to her:

"Thanks. You're the only one who remembered my birthday today."

She replied instantly with a: ?

Then my phone started buzzing nonstop.

"Wait, did you send that to the wrong person?"

"Seriously? Are you for real? That's pathetic."

"So, what do you want for your birthday then?"

"Ugh, fine, I'll come find you. You're allergic to mangoes, so I'll order a strawberry cake, okay?"

"Honestly, you're such a pain!"

The moment the doorbell rang, I gave the System a small smile.

"You only said I had to win over the main character of this world. You never specified it had to be the male lead, did you?"

The usually chatty System went quiet for a moment.

Then it stammered, trying to explain, "What what do you mean? The target is obviously the male lead! You and William are destined to be happy together!"

I couldn't help but laugh, a bitter, self-mocking sound.

Ever since I arrived at the Donovan estate five years ago, the System had been selling me a fantasy, insisting that the current neglect and grievances were just tests of love, that William and I were fated for a happily-ever-after.

Too bad. Now, I wasnt so sure I wanted that ending anymore.

I ignored the System and got up to answer the door.

But the face that greeted me was Williams, etched with impatience.

He shot me a cold glare.

"Even if I forgot our arrangement, you didn't have to pull a stunt like this, using Stella to force me to see you. Ava, I never knew you were so manipulative."

I froze.

To get him to spend this one birthday with me, I had worked almost nonstop for three months, finally achieving a breakthrough in Donovan Corp's chip development.

William had been ecstatic. He asked me what reward I wanted.

I had timidly asked if he could spare one evening for me.

He agreed readily, and I was overjoyed, thinking our relationship was finally about to take a step forward.

I never expected to be left waiting for nothing, only to be met with his breezy, "I forgot."

The click of high heels sounded from behind him.

Stella, holding a massive cake box, was panting as she reached the sixth floor.

She stood awkwardly between William and me, a strange expression on her face.

"So, you didn't stand me up to be with her you just completely forgot it's Ava's birthday today?"

William frowned, his tone dripping with entitlement.

"Why would I need to remember her birthday?"

Stella turned to look at me again, her expression complicated.

After a moment of tense silence, William looked down at me, his voice condescending as if granting charity.

"Considering your dedication to Donovan Corp, if you have a wish, just say it."

I looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Any wish?"

William paused, unconsciously rubbing his nose and looking away.

"Of course."

The System screamed in my head.

OMG! OMG! He's blushing, did you see that? Quick, tell him you don't want anything, just for him to spend one day with you! An amusement park! Fireworks! The affection points will skyrocket! Aaaah!

But I just looked at him quietly for two seconds and took a deep breath.

"Then could you give me some money?"

Williams smile froze. "What?"

I lifted my eyes calmly. "Give me some money. I need to pay my rent."

His face instantly darkened. He ground his teeth.

"So your true colors are finally showing. And you claimed you weren't after my money."

William's fists clenched, cracking audibly. He sneered.

"Too late, Ava. You want to be Mrs. Donovan, don't you? Then you'll spend the rest of your life slaving away for Donovan Corp."

He turned and stormed off, leaving Stella to awkwardly hand me the cake.

"Um Happy birthday."

I managed a weak smile. "I know you only came to laugh at me, but thank you anyway."

I closed the door, and the System started wailing again.

Oh my god, what were you just doing? He forgot your birthday, he was clearly feeling guilty! Why didn't you use that to your advantage instead of saying something like that?

I glanced down at the overdue rent notice from my landlady.

"What else was I supposed to do? A girl's got to live."

For all these years, William had despised me. I was the chief engineer at Donovan Corp, yet my salary was lower than the cleaning staff's.

The System was taken aback.

But that's just the male lead giving you a hard time! He loves you but doesn't know it yet! Once you're married, everything he has will be yours, won't it?

The doorbell rang again. A delivery guy holding a cake box peeked in. "An order from a Mr. Donovan."

The System grew smug. See? I told you he has you in his heart! Look, he even ordered you a cake. You're the one who pushed him away. Aren't you going to call him and coax him back?

I stared at the cake, which was completely covered in sliced mangoes, and fell silent.

Then I looked up at the System.

"Do you remember five years ago, the day I first arrived?"

I arranged to meet Stella at the coffee shop downstairs from her company.

The System was spinning in circles in my head.

[Host, are you absolutely sure about this? Are you really going to Rhodes Industries? Stella is only taking you in now to keep you away from the male lead. Later, when your feelings for him deepen, she will come after you even more viciously!]

I pulled on my coat, replying casually, "But at least she'll treat me fairly. I won't starve to death in a strange city. Besides, for Stella to beat out all her siblings to inherit the company, she can't be some brainless socialite. And also"

I didn't finish the thought.

Five years ago, I came to the capital alone to find my relatives. The security guard at the mansion looked down his nose at me and shamelessly kicked me out.

It was William who appeared like a savior, scolding the guard and bringing a terrified me back to the Donovan estate.

That's why for five years, no matter how coldly he treated me, I always craved that first glimmer of light.

Of course, I had also never forgotten that five years ago, the person walking beside William, who held an umbrella over my head and draped a coat over my shoulders, was Stella.

Perhaps without that absurd decision five years ago, the three of us wouldn't be in this situation.

Stella sat across from me, slowly stirring her coffee.

"You really want to come to Rhodes Industries? Why? Isn't Donovan Corp your life? For the past few years, you've practically chained yourself to that lab. You come whenever William calls, more obedient than his family dog."

I took a sip of my coffee.

"Because I don't want to be a dog anymore."

Stella paused.

After a long moment, she handed me a contract with a complex expression.

"Ava, I genuinely dislike you. But sometimes, I also admire you."

"I've always kept business and personal matters separate. As a woman, I won't make things difficult for you at work. But emotionally, we are still rivals."

She stood up and extended her hand. "Welcome to Rhodes Industries."

I looked up, smiled softly, and took her hand.

Before I appeared, Stella and William were the undisputed main characters of this world.

Childhood sweethearts, a perfect match from powerful families.

Until five years ago, when the old Mr. Donovan was targeted in an attack. It was his driver who took the fatal blow for him.

With his dying breath, the driver asked the Donovan family to take care of his only daughter.

And so, in front of everyone, Mr. Donovan announced that William was to marry me and take care of me for the rest of my life.

William's face turned ashen. The man who had been gently comforting me the night before now looked at me with nothing but disgust.

Back at the company, my assistant Paige started making frantic faces at me the moment she saw me.

Confused, I pushed open my office door to find William sitting there, his face a cold mask.

"Leaving your post during work hours, Ava. Is this your professional attitude? You won't be getting paid this month."

I pursed my lips but said nothing. He continued with a sarcastic sneer.

"Oh, I forgot. Without a salary, you can't pay your rent. What, are you planning to shamelessly move back into the Donovan estate?"

The System suddenly piped up.

[He never comes to the R&D department! He's giving you an out! And he's talking about rent, he obviously wants you to move back in! It's just an excuse from a prideful male lead!]

But I suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion. Five years. I didn't want to live like this anymore.

"Let's just forget it."

Both the System and William froze.

"Forget it. Since I violated company policy, I'll resign."

William shot to his feet, grinding his teeth.

"Do you think playing hard-to-get will soften me? Who do you think you are? You want to resign? Fine. Get out and don't ever think about coming back."

He swept everything off his desk in a sudden rage and slammed the door on his way out.

I silently bent down to pick up the scattered documents. My phone buzzed with a message from Stella.

[Monday is good for your first day, right? I bought you some clothes and had them sent to your place. Dress professionally when you come to work. Don't embarrass me!]

I looked at the message and suddenly, I smiled.

On Monday morning, I stood before the Rhodes Industries tower. The System was still chattering away.

[Host, are you absolutely sure? This is Stella's territory. According to the original plot, she will]

I walked into the building and asked casually, "She'll what?"

[On your first day, she'll provide you with a full set of office supplies, arrange your workstation, and have her assistant buy you breakfast wait? Now that I think about it, she doesn't seem that villainous]

I couldn't help but chuckle.

I knew five years ago that Stella was never some spoiled, cruel socialite.

If the System hadn't set us up in these inherently opposing roles, perhaps things would have been different.

The elevator doors opened. Before I could step out, Stella was already waiting.

She looked me up and down, her brow furrowing. "Didn't I buy you clothes? Why are you still wearing that?"

I looked down at my own white blouse. "Those clothes were too expensive, I"

She cut me off. "I told you to wear them, so wear them. Stop making excuses. Come with me, your office is on the eighteenth floor."

I was stunned. "An office? I'm just an engineer, I don't need"

Stella didn't even turn around.

"I say you need one. Rhodes Industries is not Donovan Corp. We don't make our chief engineer sit in a cubicle. Also, your salary card"

She turned and handed me a bank card. "A three-month advance to pay your rent. I don't want you getting evicted and embarrassing me."

I stared down at the card, my fingers trembling slightly.

The System whispered, [Host, something feels off. Aren't those supposed to be the male lead's lines?]

I sat at my new desk in a daze. An assistant, Chris, poked his head in.

"Ms. Stone, Ms. Rhodes wanted me to tell you that you'll be having lunch together. The chef in our company cafeteria makes amazing Cajun food."

My head snapped up.

The Donovans preferred bland food, and William had serious stomach issues.

I was from Louisiana, but in the last five years, it felt like I'd never once tasted the food from home.

At lunch, Stella and I sat across from each other. Chris came over, cheerfully carrying a steaming bowl of jambalaya.

Stella frowned. "I forgot to say, no cilantro."

I was taken aback. "How did you know I don't eat cilantro?"

She gave me a look like I'd asked the dumbest question in the world. "What kind of question is that? I have eyes. I've seen it."

A bitter smile touched my lips.

My phone suddenly buzzed with a call from William. I let it ring until it stopped.

A moment later, Stella's phone rang.

She chuckled and declined the call. "He probably just saw our company's announcement about the new chief engineer. I never thought after all these years of William's pride, I'd get to see him so flustered."

I chewed on my fork in silence. "I thought you really liked him."

She raised an eyebrow. "In our circle, he's a decent match. At first, I was just unwilling to be upstaged by someone like you. But being able to crush Donovan Corp in business? That brings me more joy than I can say."

William's call came again. I still didn't answer.

The System asked meekly, [Host, are you really not going to answer? He's starting to panic now that you're really gone.]

I stared at my phone, thinking of the countless nights I had waited over the past five years.

Waiting for his call, for his message, for even a single glance.

I waited for five years. He never knew where I lived.

He didn't know what time I went to sleep, or that I went to the hospital alone for my appendectomy.

He didn't know I worried about rent every month.

He didn't know I hated cilantro, that I was allergic to mangoes.

He didn't know I was afraid of the dark and had to sleep with a nightlight on.

There was so much he didn't know.

But Stella knew all of it.

I let out a long breath, popped the tab on a can of soda, and raised it to her.

"To a successful partnership, Ms. Rhodes."

Then, I blocked William's number.

In the three months I worked at Rhodes Industries, William didn't contact me again.

Stella gave me the best team and the highest level of authority.

I threw myself into my work, forgetting to eat or sleep.

Any news I heard of William was through other people's social media posts.

When someone deliberately brought him up in front of me, I would just smile it off.

Gradually, even the System seemed to give up and stopped bothering me.