1. 4. I am the Evil Fiancé
For the following year, their relationship remained unchanged, except that they lived together in one apartment and enjoyed frequent dates and intimate moments. Everyone in the university recognized them as the golden couple of their department, and they were regarded as one of the most prominent couples in the university.
"What is this melodramatic Korean drama I am seeing?"
Leaf complained to Zero in her mind while a frown formed on her brows.
+++++
"I understand that the female and male leads loved each other deeply, but what is my role in their story?" Leaf impatiently inquired, her distaste for tear-jerker novels evident.
"Get to the point," Leaf subtly ordered.
Ignoring Leaf's irritation, Zero began, "The male lead's father was the owner of a massive company worth almost hundreds of millions of USD, specializing in the sale of digital watches."
Leaf recounted the tale of the male and female leads while Zero narrated one of the story's pivotal moments.
Continuing, Zero explained, "His father fathered numerous illegitimate children due to his legitimate wife's infertility. However, he couldn't divorce his wife, as her family had played a crucial role in elevating his company to its current stature, in exchange for accepting their infertile daughter."
Unbeknownst to the male lead's mother, all the achievements of these illegitimate children were meticulously monitored. Despite this, the male lead's resilience and determination distinguished him from his siblings. Just one year before his university graduation, his father extended a single opportunity to him. He was one of three children his father chose to pit against each other in a competition to determine his successor as heir.
The male lead accepted the challenge to secure a better future for himself, his girlfriend, and their future children. However, he failed to anticipate the extent to which his half-siblings would go to eliminate their competition. The female lead nearly lost her life in an orchestrated bar fight instigated by one of the male lead's half-siblings.
In an attempt to protect the female lead, the male lead tried to waive his inheritance rights. Yet, his half-siblings remained unconvinced. They preferred to see both him and the female lead dead rather than relinquish their pursuit for their peace of mind.
The male lead steeled himself and transferred to a school abroad without discussing it with the female lead, severing all ties between them. He approached his father, requesting assistance in arranging a suitable engagement that would aid him in his conflict with his siblings. Given his father's favoritism toward him over his other illegitimate children, he wasted no time in securing the most suitable fiancée for him.
"Host, your role in this story is the male lead's fiancée, Liu Leah," Zero announced.
Upon hearing this, Leaf cursed under her breath. "F*ck your m*m," she muttered bitterly. She has some ideas about where this role is going.
Feeling disoriented, Leaf inquired, "Am I in a hospital?"
"Yes," Zero confirmed, "the male lead threw an ashtray and accidentally struck your head. You have a mild concussion, but with three to one week of rest, you will recover."
"Wait, wait, wait," Leaf interjected, attempting to quell the throbbing headache that threatened to overwhelm her senses, a sensation more troublesome than her current injury.
"Give me access to this body's memories and provide a clear explanation of the current point in the story," Leaf added, her tone resolute as she sought to clarify her confusion.
Leaf let Zero finish the answer to her inquiry before digesting the body's memory and the wholeness of the story.
Zero responded, "We're in the middle of the story. The male protagonist, Wang Haoran, currently oversees a small company, a subsidiary of his father's main corporation, much like his half-brothers. The female lead, Li Mei, initially part of the sales department, now serves as a member of Wang Haoran's secretarial staff."
According to Zero, Wang Haoran returned from studying abroad and assumed leadership of the small company, achieving commendable results within one year. Upon his return, his engagement to Liu Leah was promptly announced, making it common knowledge among social circles that the heiress of the Liu conglomerate, which owns a wide array of companies from smartphones to tablets, is betrothed to the promising scion of Wang Fit Inc.
Two months ago, Wang Haoran encountered the female lead, Li Mei, in the company's parking lot. Tearful and in distress, Li Mei confronted Wang Haoran, but he remained speechless, unable to respond. As they locked eyes, their shared longing for each other became palpable, evident in the melancholic gaze they exchanged.
Wang Haoran, overwhelmed by emotions, could no longer resist and impulsively pulled Li Mei into his car, where they engaged in passionate makeup sex. Unbeknownst to them, Wang Haoran's fiancée, Liu Leah, witnessed and overheard everything from afar until they departed from the parking lot.
Liu Leah fell in love with Wang Haoran at first sight, much like the female lead did. From the moment of his birth, she was aware of his background, including his girlfriend. Despite her parents' objections to the engagement because of this, Liu Leah remained steadfast in her decision. She held onto the belief that she could win over Wang Haoran's heart and that he would come to love her in return.
She embarked on culinary endeavors despite her lack of prior experience in the kitchen, preparing meals for Wang Haoran. Moreover, she contributed to his company's major projects, yielding positive outcomes, as her level of education matched his own. Not only did she shield Wang Haoran from his half-brother's schemes, but she also provided support during company crises, leveraging her parents' connections as she simultaneously assisted them in managing their empire.
However, witnessing the events in the parking lot felt like a profound betrayal to Liu Leah. She felt utterly crushed and violated to her core. Unable to come to terms with this betrayal, she made the female lead's life unbearable. Upon learning of Liu Leah's actions, Wang Haoran took decisive steps to protect Li Mei. He transferred her from the sales department to his secretarial staff, ensuring her safety from his fiancee's vindictiveness.
Tragically, while running an errand in the head office, the female lead fell a flight of stairs, resulting in a miscarriage that nearly claimed her life. As news of the incident spread among the employees, accusing fingers were pointed squarely at Wang Haoran's fiancee. Upon receiving a call from his assistant informing him of the accident, Wang Haoran's patience snapped. He summoned Liu Leah to his office and, overwhelmed with anger and grief, hurled an ashtray in her direction.
"Your assistant arranges for you to be taken directly to the hospital, where a private ward is reserved for your care. Given that the hospital is owned by the Liu family, access to the entire floor where you're located is restricted to only your parents, your main assistant, and your parents' chief aide. Every entrance and exit is closely guarded by the most highly trained security personnel employed by your family," Zero revealed inadvertently.
"The middle-aged woman standing beside your bed is your mother, and the man seated nearby is your father, accompanied by his assistant," Zero added, providing further context.
"When will my part in this story be finished?" Leaf inquired further, seeking clarity on their role.
"Your role will conclude in two months, upon your death. Half of your role has been done by another host but due to reaching negative Pbucks, her soul was vanquished. You only need to act in half of it. Consider it a part of your beginner's package," Zero replied mechanically. "You have half an hour to prepare yourself before I begin issuing quests."
Without showing any facial expression, Leaf digested everything she needed to know about this book world.
Half an hour later, a commotion erupted outside Liu Leah's hospital room, catching Leaf's attention.
[System announcement: 1st quest!
Ask forgiveness from the male lead
Reward: 10 Pbucks
Penalty: - 10 Pbucks]
[System announcement: 2nd quest!
Ask Liu Leah's father to stop putting pressure on the male lead's company
Reward: 10 Pbucks
Penalty: - 10 Pbucks]
Leaf: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻