My younger brother, the heir to a billionaire empire, fell madly in love with our maid's daughter. At a high-society gala, wearing an obscenely expensive haute couture gown, she whined to me with practiced innocence: "Sister, a woman's ultimate goal is finding a good husband. If a woman is too aggressive and ambitious with her career, no man will ever love her." I just gave her a calm, empty smile. That very night, I ordered my secretary to freeze every single one of my brother's credit cards. 1 Everyone in our elite circle knew that Ashton Kensington, the crown prince of the Kensington empire, was hopelessly obsessed with the maid's daughter. Rumor had it that for her, the billionaire heir had street-raced, gotten into brutal fistfights, and ruthlessly crushed his rivals. At Sotheby's auctions, he would drop millions without blinking just to make her smile. He even secretly bought her and her mother a luxury penthouse and a fleet of sports cars. Later, he completely changed his ways. He stopped partying at exclusive nightclubs and avoided the city's wealthy heiresses like the plague. In private, he catered to her every whim, treating her like absolute royalty. Everyone was dying to know what kind of bewitching, otherworldly beauty this woman possessed to make the Kensington heir so blindly devoted. But I knew the truth. Because right now, this very woman was wearing the custom gown I had pre-ordered six months ago, strutting gracefully toward me at my own birthday gala. "Sister, I am so sorry. If I knew this was your dress, I never would have worn it. Now I've stolen your spotlight, it's all Ashton's fault." Chloe's voice was sickeningly sweet, her eyes welling up with tears as if she had been deeply wronged. Meanwhile, the ill-fitting, plunging sweetheart neckline of the gown was clearly struggling to contain her spilling 36E cleavage. The moment she entered the ballroom, she drew countless stares, especially from the men. Naturally, Chloe reveled in the sensation of being the center of the universe. "Sister, you won't blame me, right?" Look at that. The maid's daughter, feigning guilt while attempting to publicly humiliate the legitimate heiress. Does this make any logical sense? Yes, it does. Because the world we inhabit is actually the setting of a cheesy, billionaire romance novel. A story where my brother, Ashton, and Chloe are the star-crossed, destined lovers. And I? I am just the villainous, cannon-fodder supporting character. A perfect tool meant to be used and discarded to highlight their beautiful, flawless love story. When Chloe wanted to break into Hollywood, Ashton forced me to drain our corporate resources to hand her an Oscar on a silver platter. When she got pregnant, my mother ordered me to personally cook and serve her meals. When my own fiancé fell in love with her, he threatened to break our engagement unless I took good care of her. And my ultimate fate? I would be bankrupted after her three-year-old "genius hacker" son breached my company's mainframe, tanking our stock overnight. I would die utterly penniless. At that exact moment, Chloe would be nestled in Ashton's arms, giggling, "Ashton, isn't our son just amazing?" And then the two of them would live happily ever after in shameless bliss. Does any of this make sense? Obviously not. As the proud, aristocratic eldest daughter of the Kensington family, would I ever willingly play the sacrificial lamb just to end up in a ditch? Absolutely not. I am the main character of my own life, and the things they want? I will make sure they never, ever get them. 2 "Victoria, you're crossing the line. It's just a dress. There's no need to make such a huge scene." The man speaking was my fiancé, Declan Vance. He was also the deeply devoted second male lead of this absurd novel. In the storyline, when Chloe faked her own death upon hearing of Ashton's arranged marriage, it was this handsome, wealthy fiancé of mine who hid her away and warmly comforted her for two years. But now that the female lead had been "found" by Ashton, Declan was reduced to guarding her under the guise of an "older brother figure." As for me, his actual fiancée? He had never once truly looked at me. After graduating college, Chloe got a job at Declan's company. Because of her "clumsy and scatterbrained" personality, she constantly spilled coffee on Declan's custom suits, messed up financial spreadsheets, and brought the wrong documents to board meetings. Whenever she made a mistake, she would look up with tear-filled, misty eyes, her voice trembling as she apologized to him. After being forgiven, she would joyfully stick her tongue out and promise never to do it again. This kind of bubbly, erratic girl was something the strict, methodical CEO Declan had never encountered in his life. Falling willingly into her trap was inevitable. He started bringing Chloe to high-society events, introducing her to elite networks, and eating lunch with her alone in his office. They would stand inches apart, accidentally brush hands, and share lingering, meaningful smiles. When I caught them, Declan's face would flash with panic before he quickly masked it with self-righteous anger. To cover up his own budding feelings, he would aggressively yell at me. "Victoria, why is your mind so filthy? Chloe is just an innocent girl fresh out of college. What's wrong with me looking out for her?" "What exactly are you throwing a tantrum about? Do you just want to force me to admit I'm sleeping with her?!" "Fine. I admit it. Are you happy now?" "Victoria, can you stop being so unreasonable and hysterical? You're being incredibly annoying." ... At those moments, Chloe would stare at me stubbornly, tears threatening to spill: "Victoria, Mr. Vance and I are completely innocent. You can't falsely accuse me like this." Then, she would cry. Just like she was doing right now. Wearing the haute couture gown I had waited months for, standing in front of my fiancé, her eyes rimmed red, looking fragile and sparkling. I methodically cut a piece of cake, lifted it, and took a bite. "Did I say a single word? Hmm?" I raised my eyes and looked at Chloe. I knew she was waiting for me to throw a vicious, aristocratic temper tantrum, which would perfectly compliment her pure, innocent victim act. "You wore the dress. You got the pity of the men in the room." "What? Do you expect me to apologize to you on top of it?" The cake plate in my hand was suddenly and violently smacked to the floor, splattering sticky frosting everywhere. "Victoria, watch your tone!" Declan roared at me, his chest heaving with anger. The commotion quickly drew a crowd, including my biological brother, Ashton, who had been socializing nearby. He marched swiftly to Chloe's side, wrapped an arm around her to comfort her, and glared at me with deep dissatisfaction. "Apologize." Look at that. This is the protagonist's halo. Whenever she suffers even a perceived slight, someone will always leap out to champion her cause. Like Declan. Like Ashton. My silence only made the hidden gleam of triumph in Chloe's eyes shine brighter. She seemed to really enjoy watching me fall from grace into the mud. "Sister, a woman really shouldn't be so aggressive and overbearing. It's not a good look." Chloe spoke up, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as she lectured me: "A woman's ultimate goal is finding a good husband. If a woman is too ambitious and career-driven, no man will ever love her." Having delivered her speech, she obediently rested her head against Ashton's chest, a picture of flawless domestic bliss. Standing off to the side, Declan watched this display, his eyes dark and unreadable. He was clearly jealous. I gave a faint smile and walked straight toward the elevated stage in the center of the ballroom. They wanted an apology? Fine. Let's play for real. 3 I stood on the stage and turned on the microphone I had prepared in advance. Meeting the gazes of the hundreds of guests, I smiled and spoke: "Today, I want to thank all my friends who came to celebrate my birthday. Your presence makes me very happy. Now, I have some official business to announce." "First, my engagement to Mr. Declan Vance is hereby permanently annulled." Declan's face changed instantly. He stared at me, eyes wide with utter shock. "Second, I know you are all incredibly curious about the identity of the true love my brother, Ashton, has pledged his life to. Yes, it is the delicate, fragile Miss Chloe standing right beside him." "However, the doors of the Kensington family will never, ever open for Miss Chloe." In the crowd, Chloe's face turned deathly pale. She looked like she couldn't even stand steady. It was hilarious. She had been so blinded by her own smugness that she forgot who actually held the power in the Kensington family. It was fine. I didn't mind reminding her. I am Victoria Kensington. Tutored by industry titans since childhood, I entered an Ivy League university at sixteen, graduated with top honors in business, and took over the family empire at twenty. I have successfully driven our corporate dominance to its absolute peak. As for an alliance with the Vance family? Given our respective corporate influence, Declan marrying me was him climbing the social ladder, not the other way around. And as for Ashton? Wealth rarely survives past the third generation. With a useless, love-struck parasite like him in the bloodline, the downfall of the Kensington family would be practically guaranteed if I weren't here. Ignoring the collective gasps and shocked whispers echoing through the ballroom. I stepped down from the stage, stopped in front of the three of them, lifted my chin slightly, and turned sideways: "Are you satisfied with this apology?" Chloe was absolutely dumbfounded. She had never imagined the story would take this turn. In her fantasies, I was supposed to throw a hysterical, jealous fit, after which I would be publicly humiliated and condemned by her protectors, earning her the crowd's awe and sympathy. Not this. I hadn't played along. I had dropped a nuclear bomb on her head from the very start. She wasn't the only one stunned. Declan was too. He seemed unable to process that the woman who had supposedly chased him for years and desperately wanted to marry him was now publicly dumping him. Declan's usual icy, composed demeanor completely shattered. He exploded, demanding to know why I was canceling the engagement. "Why are you being so insanely petty?! Chloe and I have a completely innocent dynamic! There is nothing shady going on!" Seeing my eyes mockingly staring him down, Declan doubled down, raising his chin as if he were bestowing an act of charity upon me. "Take it back! You just want to get married, don't you? Fine, I'll marry you!" I shook my head, genuinely speechless. I couldn't comprehend where he got his sheer, unadulterated audacity. "Declan, your narcissistic delusions are genuinely repulsive." Declan's face turned an even paler shade of white. I ignored him and prepared to walk away. But suddenly, Chloe reached out and gripped my wrist like a vice. Chloe was undeniably beautiful. Her face was vibrant and delicate. But right now, it was twisted with fury and a sliver of deeply hidden terror. "Victoria, I respect you as Ashton's biological sister, so I'll call you 'Sister' for now. Ashton and I love each other. Our relationship is none of your business, and we certainly don't need you dictating our lives." "Yes, I'm the maid's daughter. I know I'm not high-class enough for the Kensington family, but you have no right to humiliate me like this!" She lifted her chin, letting a single, flawless tear trace down her cheek. She looked the picture of tragic, stubborn beauty. What a pity. "Miss Chloe." "What?" Chloe froze, looking confused. I patiently peeled her vice-like fingers off my wrist. "Please call me Ms. Kensington. I don't believe any sisterhood exists between us. And naturally, there won't be any 'in-law' relationships in the future either." I shot Ashton a pointed, side-long glance. Chloe stood frozen for a moment. "You can't treat me like this! If it wasn't for me that year..." She choked back a sob, ultimately burying her face in Ashton's chest, crying with an air of absolute superiority. Ashton comforted her, his eyes glaring at me with dark, venomous hostility. "Victoria, don't think too highly of yourself. You don't get to call the shots in the Kensington family." Honestly, having a love-sick idiot for a brother was a massive failure on my part. He couldn't even address me with basic respect anymore. What a rude, ungrateful brat. Whether I call the shots in the Kensington family or not, he was about to find out very soon. As for the sentence Chloe didn't finish. My eyes darkened. She wanted to say that if she hadn't dragged Ashton out of that roaring fire years ago, he would be dead, and the Kensington family owed her a lifelong debt of gratitude. Oh, I definitely plan on repaying her for the rest of her life. 4 Shortly before I returned to take over the company, the old Kensington estate caught fire. Chloe was eight years old when she moved into our house with her mother. When Ashton was a little boy, he was kidnapped. No one knew how he managed to escape, but after a terrifying run, he was taken in and hidden by Chloe and her mother. My father, out of immense gratitude, gave them a large sum of money. To secure a better future, Chloe's mother begged my father. She said Chloe's father was a violent gambling addict who beat them whenever he drank. She pleaded for a job so she could take Chloe away from that nightmare. Chloe and Ashton were the same age. My father, seeing how well-behaved and polite Chloe was, felt pity and enrolled her in the same elite private school Ashton attended. They practically grew up together as childhood sweethearts. At first, Ashton always bullied her and ignored her when she spoke. They bickered constantly until they turned sixteen. Until that night, when a massive fire engulfed the old estate. My father died in that fire. Yet Ashton, whose room was the furthest from Chloe's, was the one she managed to save. From that moment on, Chloe was permanently branded onto Ashton's heart. The most dramatic, angsty plot point in the novel happens later, when Ashton discovers that the fire was actually started by Chloe's mother. Torn between intense hatred and uncontrollable love, his treatment of Chloe becomes erratic and toxic. He even uses his engagement to another woman to mask his true feelings for her. On the day of Ashton's engagement, Chloe fakes her own death. Hidden by Declan for two years, the plot reaches its climax. For her sake, Ashton did countless insane things during those two years. He violently broke off his engagement, spiraled into alcoholism, and even attempted suicide. The agony of losing her made Ashton realize he was irreversibly in love with Chloe. He completely forgot about his father's tragic death, only remembering that Chloe risked her life to save him. Look at that. What a grand, deeply moving love story. All it required was the sacrifice of his father's and sister's lives to highlight its beauty. We only lost our lives; they almost lost their love! But now, my father is still dead, and I intend to walk a path that completely annihilates the logic of this fictional universe. Chloe stood her ground, looking defiant as tears streamed down her flushed face. She gripped Ashton's lapels tightly, hiccuping through her sobs: "Let's go! We're never coming back! Your family doesn't welcome us anyway!" She shot me a triumphant, provocative glare. Ashton gently wiped her tears, his heart breaking for her: "Okay, we'll leave. We'll never come back." That is absolutely fantastic news. I wanted nothing more than for them to stay as far away from me as possible, to spare me their toxic stench. If they wanted to play hard-to-get with me, I would gladly grant their wish. I pulled out my phone and dialed my secretary. "Ms. Hayes, freeze all credit cards under Ashton's name. Confiscate all his vehicles and real estate properties." "Yes, all of them." Ashton: "..." Chloe: "..." I thoroughly enjoyed watching the color drain from their faces, shifting through a spectrum of panic and shock. I hung up the phone, walked up to Ashton, and patted his shoulder: "My dear brother, you'd better hurry back home right now. Yes, the luxury penthouse where you've been hiding your little princess. If you're too late, you won't even have a place to sleep tonight." Ashton gritted his teeth: "Victoria, you are ruthless." I shrugged, entirely unbothered. I was incredibly thankful that, upon awakening to the reality of this world, Ashton was still just a useless trust fund baby who relied entirely on our ancestors' wealth and spent his days chasing women. I wanted to see how he planned to support his precious princess without my money. I smiled, turned, and walked away. Behind me, Chloe screamed that she didn't love Ashton's money, she loved him, and even if he had nothing, she would still love him forever. So moving. I practically applauded her. 5 As soon as I got home, my mother intercepted me. She was wearing an elegant, custom silk dress, her face flushed with anger. She demanded to know why I froze Ashton's cards, screaming about how he was supposed to survive without money. Looking at this pampered, sheltered trophy wife who had never known a day of struggle in her life, I suddenly felt a twinge of envy. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, raised like a delicate flower, and smoothly married my father, living a life of absolute ease and luxury. When the company was in crisis after my father's death, she was vacationing in the Maldives with her socialite friends. My father was dead, and the corporation was in chaos. Other than crying and pulling at my sleeve to wail about my father's death, she and the young Ashton were entirely useless. I ignored her and dove straight into saving the company. Once the company stabilized, she dried her tears and went right back to shopping, getting facials, playing cards, and having high tea with her friends. Happily returning to her life as a gilded canary. She used to rely on my father. Now, she relied on me. And even now, she still hadn't figured out who truly held up her sky. "Sure," I said. "How about I freeze your cards too and give them to him?" My mother choked, tears instantly spilling from her eyes. "I knew it. Since your father died, you've viewed me as an inconvenience." I finally understood why she liked Chloe. Besides the fact that Chloe saved Ashton's life, they were cut from the exact same cloth. They were both parasitic vines whose only ambition was to cling to a man. They had plenty in common. In this novel's universe, men were always positioned as the ultimate authority. Especially men with vast social resources like Ashton and Declan. They were the ultimate prizes that countless women would endlessly scheme and fight to obtain. My mother, Chloe, and even the pre-awakened version of myself were all just microcosms of this pathetic reality. "Sister, a woman's ultimate goal is finding a good husband. If a woman is too aggressive and ambitious, no man will ever love her." What a toxic, brainwashing manifesto. What a perfectly rigged game. As long as a woman captured a man's heart, she was considered a "winner." Just like right now. I listened to my mother say: "Victoria, I know you've worked hard these past few years, and you've managed the company beautifully. But all of this belongs to your brother eventually. You're going to get married sooner or later. You can't treat your brother like this." I laughed. A genuine, unrestrained laugh. Regardless of whether I get married or not, I will absolutely never conquer an empire just to hand it over to someone else. I said: "Mom, does your empty-headed, useless son give you this much confidence? This mindset of yours is genuinely terrifying. Does he have the ability to let you buy out entire designer boutiques on a whim? Or do you actually believe your wealthy socialite friends invite you to their parties because you birthed a son? "You are so wrong. It is because of ME. I am the reason you have the audacity to stand in front of me and make demands!" And I am a woman. My mother froze, her expression completely blank. I knew the psychological impact my words would have on her. Because in the original storyline, I actually listened to her toxic lectures. I even went to the kitchen to brew soup for Chloe when she got pregnant. But I should have done this a long time ago. I didn't look at her again and walked straight upstairs. I knew she wouldn't just drop it, but that was fine. We had plenty of time. We could take it slow. A few days later, Declan stormed into my office and threw a stack of contracts onto my desk. "Victoria, what is the meaning of this?" I looked up at him lazily and didn't speak. "Why are you canceling all corporate partnerships with the Vance Group?" I have to say, his question was incredibly stupid. "The contracts expired. I don't want to renew them. Is there a problem?" There was no problem. I'm not an idiot. I wouldn't pay massive breach-of-contract penalties just to throw a petty tantrum. Declan was speechless. He paced back and forth in my office before glaring at me furiously. "I don't understand what you're trying to prove. Canceling the engagement, canceling the corporate partnerships. "Are you just trying to get my attention this way? Victoria, is this your way of manipulating me? Playing hard to get?" Before I could answer, he nodded to himself, answering his own delusion. "Fine, you win. We'll get married. Bring your ID, we're going to City Hall right now. Stop throwing this tantrum." I rolled my eyes and fired back: "Declan, come on. Tell me, exactly what outstanding qualities do you possess that make you think I'd be desperate to cling to you?" I scoffed, laughing at his staggering narcissism. Rich boys like him, raised in luxury, inherently believed they were flawless. They assumed it was only right for hordes of women to throw themselves at their feet. But if you actually asked him to list his redeeming qualities, he wouldn't be able to name a single one. Money? I have money. Looks? Sorry, I have those too. Intelligence and capability? I'm just as competent as he is. He doesn't have the qualifications to brag in front of me. Because I still remember clearly: when I first took over Kensington Corp, surrounded by corporate wolves ready to tear me apart, how all these men waited to watch a woman fail. They wanted to see me hit rock bottom, struggle, cry, and finally admit that as a woman, I was weak and powerless. Declan's face flushed rapidly between white and red. His mouth opened and closed, but he couldn't form a single word. Finally, driven to anger out of sheer embarrassment, he threw down a "You'll regret this" and stormed out. I picked up the contracts on my desk, flipped through them, and made a phone call.
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