It was only after I’d successfully won him over that I realized I had the wrong guy. I’d managed to charm the story’s secret villain, the one who hid his darkness behind a sweet smile. Now I had to figure out how to break up with him. I tried to test the waters. “What if someone… betrayed you?” He answered without a second thought. “I’d dump them in the middle of the ocean.” Terrified, I decided my only option was to become the world’s most clingy, annoying girlfriend, hoping he’d get sick of me and dump me first. Every day, it was a constant barrage: “Do you love me? Why didn’t you text me back instantly? Are you cheating on me? Hand over your phone, I’m checking it.” I worked tirelessly to be the absolute worst, just waiting for the day he’d finally break. Instead, I overheard him complaining to a friend. “My girlfriend is so clingy because I haven’t given her enough security,” he lamented. “I’ve decided I’m going to propose to her tomorrow.” I was completely dumbfounded. 1 It had been six months since I’d been transported into this book, and I had finally captured the male lead’s heart. The private room was dimly lit. Julian Croft held a birthday cake, the candles flickering in front of me. Cheers and whispers filled the air around us. “This girl, Amelia, is so lucky. Julian gets hurt, she happens to find him, and suddenly she’s gone from a nobody to a billionaire’s girlfriend.” “Please. He’s just tired of fancy cuisine and wants to try some plain porridge for a change. I give it a month, tops.” “But he brought her into his circle. He’s made it official.” At that moment, Julian was looking down at me. As the novel’s hero, he was breathtakingly handsome, his long lashes casting soft shadows on his cheeks. He looked so sweet, so innocent. Forgetting to even make a wish, I leaned in and kissed him. Six months ago, I’d been dropped into this cliché, over-the-top CEO romance novel. Following the System’s instructions, I found the injured male lead in an alley near my house. Under my care, he recovered quickly, and we fell in love. And now, at this pivotal moment, the System, which had been offline for ages, finally came back. [Host! I’m finally back online!] [Wow, have you completed the mission already? Calculating your points now.] [Beep—Beep-beep—#￥%&*] After a burst of static, the System’s electronic voice was filled with panic. [CRITICAL ERROR DETECTED! HOST, YOU’VE BEEN DATING THE WRONG PERSON!!!] The smile froze on my face. 2 The System frantically explained the situation. When I first arrived, the System had only told me to go to the alley and find someone before it promptly crashed. I’d stumbled around in the dark all night before I finally found Julian, unconscious. He was handsome, had abs, and impossibly long legs. He had to be the male lead. After all that effort I’d put into nursing him back to health… I’d picked the wrong guy? I was devastated. [So what now?] [I’m so sorry, Host. You still have to win over the actual male lead to complete the mission. You’ll have to find a way to break up with the villain.] In this tropey novel, the villain, Julian Croft, was described as cunning, manipulative, and ruthless. To put it simply, crossing him was a fate worse than death. And I… I had to break up with him? I looked up and met Julian’s gaze. His voice was like velvet as he said, “Make a wish. Whatever you want, I’ll do everything in my power to make it come true.” A chorus of “awws” erupted around us. No one doubted the weight of a promise from the heir to the Croft fortune. With everyone’s envious eyes on me, I forced a smile. Oh, dear God, I prayed silently, I messed up. Please, just let me break up with Julian Croft! I watched with bated breath as the candles flickered and died. A second later— They all relit themselves. I… 3 After the party, Julian and I went home. He was particularly passionate tonight. We were still in the elevator when his fiery kisses started raining down on me. His lips were cool and soft, and as they moved against mine, he kissed me until I was breathless. The System was screaming in my ear. [Host! Stop enjoying it! You’re supposed to be breaking up with him!] Right, right. I clung to the last shred of my sanity. “Julian, I need to talk to you.” “Mm, go ahead.” Could you maybe stop what you’re doing while I’m trying to talk?! My brain short-circuited, and the truth slipped out. “Let’s break up.” The atmosphere instantly froze. Julian’s movements stopped, and he straightened up. He looked down at me, his dark eyes like pools of ink. For the first time, I realized just how tall he was. His shadow completely enveloped me, making me feel like trapped prey. “What did you say?” His voice was soft, his tone deceptively calm, but it sent my heart into a frantic rhythm. Was this the villain’s true power? System, I’m scared! I immediately tried to walk back my breakup declaration. “I—I just don’t think you really like me. So, I’m not going to like you anymore either.” The coldness in Julian’s expression softened. He leaned in and started kissing me again, his lips trailing gently across my eyelids. “Why would you think that?” “Our backgrounds are worlds apart,” I said, trying to steer the conversation. “What you feel for me is probably just gratitude. You were hurt, alone, and you mistook gratitude for love.” So just snap out of it! Julian let out a soft chuckle. “That’s not what you used to say.” “You said a drop of kindness should be repaid with a fountain, and that saving a life should be repaid by dedicating your own.” I… Yes, I did say that crap. “Because I’ve thought it through. True love is about letting go. I can’t force you.” Julian didn’t answer. He simply scooped me up into his arms with effortless strength and carried me into the master bedroom, dropping me onto the soft mattress. His chest pressed against mine, his fingers toying with my earlobe. “Amelia, love is about possession, destruction, and stopping at nothing. So please, keep forcing me.” Heat spread from my earlobe through my entire body. My oxygen was plundered, and I nearly passed out. Only one thought remained in my mind. Who was forcing whom, exactly? Afterward, I was so exhausted I couldn’t even lift a finger. Julian had to carry me to the bathtub to wash up. He kissed my sweaty forehead. “Don’t ever talk about breaking up again.” My throat was so raw I couldn’t even speak. I could only nod miserably. I remembered when I first met him, a stolen kiss would make him blush. Now… It was all my fault for not being able to control myself and luring him into my bed. The only thing to do now was run. 4 In the middle of the night, Julian got up to take a call. I tiptoed out of the room. I could hear voices from the stairwell. “Mr. Croft, we’ve caught the traitor. What are your orders?” It was one of Julian’s loyal underlings. Julian was leaning against the railing, the red glow of his cigarette flaring in the dark. “Dump him in the ocean,” he said casually. “When you betray me, there’s nowhere to run.” I was in a cliché romance novel. The villain’s influence was global. He was untouchable, unstoppable. I… Was he talking about me? If I dumped him now, what would happen to me? I scrambled back into bed. No, no, I have to find a way to break up with him peacefully! Preferably, in a way that made him dump me. I called out to the System: [What do women do that men hate the most?] [Men hate gold diggers.] I nodded, then shook my head. [No, only poor men hate gold diggers. Julian has too much money. That won’t work on him.] But, I decided to give it a try anyway. After all, I’d read countless online forums where men said, “I’m willing to give, but she can’t just ask for it.” So, maybe Julian hated being asked, too? My thoughts were a jumbled mess when he came back into the room. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulled me against him, and tilted my chin up for a kiss. “Still awake? What are you thinking about?” My gaze was full of despair. “I was just thinking about how I can’t swim, and how much I hate the ocean.” 5 Operation Gold Digger commenced. “I want to buy a bag.” “Okay,” Julian agreed. But he didn’t give me any money, nor did he offer to go with me. Heh, the internet was right! I was about to use this as an excuse to launch into a tirade about how he didn’t love me and wouldn’t spend money on me. But the next second, the butler led the manager of a luxury brand into the living room. Behind her were more than a dozen sales associates in sharp suits, each carrying a different handbag. The manager smiled sweetly. “Miss Miller, which ones have caught your eye?” I… “I don’t like this brand,” I said stubbornly. The manager bowed and left with a smile. Immediately, another manager walked in. “Don’t worry, Miss Miller,” the butler explained. “They are all lined up outside. Whatever you wish to see is available.” I… Was luxury fashion just too cheap for him? Was that why he didn’t care? I had to up the ante. I needed diamonds! I needed real estate! After I’d nervously spent over a hundred million dollars and Julian’s expression still hadn’t changed, Operation Gold Digger was officially a failure. I asked him, my last hope dwindling, “I spent so much money. Don’t you care? Don’t you think I only like you for your money?” “I’m usually too busy with work to spend money,” he said lightly. “It’s a good thing I have you.” I… I was panicking. [What do I do? What else can I do?] The System popped up. [Host, I’ve found it! A safe and painless breakup method.] [It’s called ‘love bombing,’ but in reverse. You smother the other person with constant attention until they can’t take it anymore and break up with you. This way, they’ll just think your love is suffocating. They won’t feel betrayed; they’ll just want to get as far away from you as possible.] My eyes lit up. 6 For the next few days, I devoured every online tutorial on how to use this reverse love bombing technique. Then, full of confidence, I began step one. Sabotage the CEO’s work. I insisted on going to the office with Julian. “I’m so bored at home all day. I miss you so much I can’t eat. I’m getting so thin.” I put on my best baby voice and practically contorted myself into a puddle of neediness. Ugh, I’m so annoying! Julian, however, was not disgusted. He just pinched my increasingly chubby chin. “Bored? You come home later than I do every day.” It was true. I had been treating my shopping sprees like a full-time job, and every night, it was Julian who would pick me up after he was done with work. Reverse Love Bombing Tactic #2: Be completely unreasonable and throw tantrums at any time, for any reason. “It’s because you never spend time with me! I have to shop to console myself,” I declared. “I don’t want your stupid money! I want your time! Your attention! Your love! If you don’t spend time with me, I’ll never spend another dime of your money for the rest of my life!” Julian just stared at me. Since my tantrum was completely baseless, his silence made my heart pound with fear. I immediately started second-guessing myself. Was that too much? What if he skips the breakup and sends me straight to the ocean? My bravado instantly deflated. “I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry.” We both spoke at the same time. “I’ve been too busy,” Julian said. “I should be spending more time with you.” I froze. When I finally spoke, I was stuttering from guilt. “I was so mean just now, so inconsiderate. Don’t you want to break up with me and find a more obedient girlfriend?” Julian frowned, his expression turning cold and heavy. “Why are you talking about breaking up again?” The word “breakup” was his trigger. The second I said it, his face fell, and I was instantly reminded of his true identity as the story’s ultimate villain. “Hmph, I was testing you! Can’t you tell?” I bluffed. “If you dare to break up with me, I’ll go to your company with a giant banner, write a tell-all post online, and curse you, you scumbag!” See? This is my twisted, obsessive love! Aren’t you terrified? But instead— Julian let out a short, pleased laugh. His features relaxed, and he looked both happy and satisfied. “Good. I’ll be waiting.” What??? Maybe he didn’t realize how serious I was. I decided to escalate the threats. “In that case, let me make things clear. I hate men who aren’t completely devoted. If you dare to cheat, I’ll break up with you! When I text you, you have to reply within two minutes. When I call, you have to answer within three rings. You have to report your whereabouts to me every hour, and I can check your phone at any time. You have to tell me about every woman you know. Can you do that?” Ha! Scared now, aren’t you? Anyone hearing those demands would run for the hills. But Julian didn’t hesitate for a second. “Done.”
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "394441", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel