JASMINE
I sat cross-legged on the velvet stool in front of my vanity, letting the manicurist paint my nails a deep midnight blue.
The room smelled like expensive vanilla candles and fresh polish. For the first time since waking up in this body, I actually felt… rich. Like, stupidly, unfairly rich. Well after I had a good bath after that motherfucker kissed me.
I couldn't help the big, goofy grin spreading across my face.
(System, this is the first world you have dumped me in where I get full-on luxury treatment. Manicures? Private spa vibes in my bedroom? I could get used to this.)
The robotic voice pinged back, flat and unimpressed.
(Host, stick to what you are supposed to do. Enjoyment is irrelevant to mission success.)
I snorted. "Oh, come on. Let me have this one tiny win. My real life was instant noodles and leaking ceilings.."
Before the system could lecture me again, the bedroom door burst open with so much force that the hinges groaned.
(Danger. The male lead anger level is 90%. What are your thoughts? What are you going to do?)
"I should be asking why he is mad at me! Why are you directing the question at?"
The door slammed shut behind him. The sound echoed like a gunshot. I swallowed hard and slowly turned on the stool.
Stephan stood there, chest rising and falling, suit jacket gone, sleeves rolled to his elbows, dark hair slightly messy like he'd dragged his hands through it a hundred times. His eyes, those midnight eyes, burned with rage.
"Wha…"
He crossed the room in three strides and grabbed my wrist. Yanked me up from the stool and at once he kissed me. My brain short-circuited.
(Host… who… what…)
It was my first kiss with him. My actual, real-life, never-been-kissed-before first kiss well I can't call that of Henry a kiss.
But the crazy fact is that this was happening like this angry, desperate, tasting like coffee and rage. My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack them.
The original owner of this body had shared a bed with him for years. She had kissed him countless times. But me? This body felt new. Foreign. Every nerve lit up like fireworks.
I tried to push him away but caught both my wrists, pinned them above my head against the cool mirror behind me. The glass fogged up under my breath. He kissed deeper, angry, and hungry, like he was trying to prove something to both of us.
I struggled for him to let go because I could hardly breathe anymore, and frustrated I bit his bottom lip.
He jerked back with a sharp hiss, touching the tiny bead of blood with his thumb.
"A whole month…" he growled, voice rough. "A whole month I waited, hoping the accident would bring back the woman I married. But you're still the same."
"You… why would you just waltz in here and kiss me without permission?" I demanded, voice shakier than I wanted.
He smirked coldly. "Permission? So now I need permission to touch my own wife?"
He stepped closer, hands sliding to my waist, pulling me flush against him.
"Before I can even brush against you, I have to ask nicely?"
I shook my head, trying to ignore how warm his palms felt through the thin silk of my robe. "Wow. But you could kiss Henry!"
His words slipped out once making me pause (Host… that was bad. He knows this already so the points will drop.)
(You are worried about points? I am worried about how he even knew!) I thought back frantically.
Stephan let out a low, bitter laugh that didn't reach his eyes.
"Is that why you are so mad?" I asked, trying to sound tough.
"You know…" His voice cracked for just a fraction. Pain flickered behind the anger. "I kept hoping. Kept telling myself the coma would fix you. Bring back the girl who used to look at me like I mattered. But it didn't."
"Hey!" I snapped. "Don't talk to me like that!"
"Then freaking act like it!" he shouted back, voice breaking on the last word. His eyes… God, his eyes… were glassy.
A man who hadhoped too many times and been burned every single one.
"You apologized to me in front of my entire staff not even hours ago, I could not even do anything since you left and now you are kissing another man on the side of the road? How would you feel if you saw me kissing another woman?"
"I wouldn't care," I blurted out, the second the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
(−10 points. Host, I told you to mind your lips.) Stephan's face shuttered. The pain in his eyes vanished behind ice.
"You wouldn't care?" he repeated softly.
"Er… Stephan, I didn't mean…"
He raised a hand, cutting me off. "Fine. It's fine. Do whatever you want."
He turned and walked out. The door closed with a quiet click that felt louder than any slam. Guilt hit me like a truck.
I stared at the empty doorway, manicure forgotten, nails half-painted.
(System… the male lead seems to care about the female lead. But did I miss something? But why did the original owner have memories of him treating her badly?)
(You are cannon fodder now, Host. The original story has already branded you the villain.)
I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. (Now tell me what I want to know.)
(Not that easy. Complete your next task first. For now… try to appease the male lead.)
The system window vanished.
I took a deep breath. I stood up. Adjusted my silk pajama shorts and oversized button-up, hair still messy from the day.
If I were going to apologize, I might as well look… soft. Approachable. Not like the streetwear rebel who had caused half his problems today.
I padded barefoot down the hallway. Elena was waiting near the staircase, arms crossed, worry etched into every line of her face.
"Ma'am… What have you done to the young master? He's furious. Please… can you stop hurting him?"
I shook my head slowly. "Well, I am going to apologize to him now. Where's his room?"
Her entire face lit up like Christmas morning. "Really?"
"Yeah. Really."
"He's in the master suite in the private quarters, the last door on the right." I gave her a small smile.
"Thanks, Elena." I started walking, then paused and turned back.
"Um… Elena?" She raised a brow.
"Which way is that located again?"
Her brows shot up as she stared at me for a long second, like she was debating whether to call the doctor again.
"Ma'am… are you sure we don't need to.." I glared at her at once.
She snapped her mouth shut. "Right. Past the library, left at the portrait gallery, last door. You can't miss it."
"Thanks." I hurried off before she could ask more questions.
The hallway felt endless. My bare feet whispered against the cool floor. Why is our room even that far from each other? Fear curled in my stomach as I reached the door.
Slowly I raised my hand to knock but at that moment swung open before my knuckles touched wood.
Stephan stood there shirt untucked, sleeves still rolled, hair even messier. Like he'd been pacing. Like he had been waiting.
"Oh… I came here to see you. I…"
"I know," he cut in quietly. "I thought about it and I suggested we do what you wanted from the beginning."
My heart dropped at once as he looked straight into my eyes.
"Let's divorce."