My mission failed. Right before the System erased me, I asked it one last question. "Can I tell him who I really am now?" "You may." I slowly peeled off my shirt, standing in front of Liam Blackwood. "I'm sorry I lied to you, Liam. The truth is... I'm a girl." His eyes went wide. The poor guy. He’d spent years fighting me, his sworn enemy, only to find out I wasn't a guy at all. As shock washed over his face, I closed my eyes, ready for the end. But I didn't die. I woke up, back in this world. The System's voice was apologetic in my head. "After you died, your mission progress bar suddenly shot to one hundred percent. As compensation, we're giving you a second chance." "Your new identity is a trophy wife in a powerful family. The kind whose husband is never home and whose credit card has no limit." I nodded. "Sounds good. My dream life, actually. So, what's the name of this husband who's never home?" "Liam Blackwood." 1 I froze. "Who?!" "Ahem," the System cleared its throat, sounding guilty as hell. "Anyway, we hope the host enjoys her new life. Goodbye!" It unbound itself and vanished faster than a startled cat. "Ma'am, please, you have to calm down! Don't do anything rash!" a voice beside me pleaded, pulling me back to reality. That's when I saw the chaos. I was in a massive house, the kind of place you see in magazines, easily worth millions. But right now, you could barely walk through it. Everything from dinner plates to priceless-looking artifacts from display cabinets was shattered on the floor. "You were upset, I get it. Smash a few bowls, sure, but did you have to go this far? What if you'd cut your hand?" my assistant said, his voice laced with anguish. He wasn't worried about my hand, though. He was worried about the expensive collection. A housekeeper knelt down to start cleaning. She paused, her eyes fixed on a pile of clay shards. "Oh no." "What is it?" "I think... I think this was Mr. Cole's." The assistant sucked in a sharp breath. The seven or eight people in the room fell into a dead silence. "Quick, clean it up! Forget everything else, get Cole's stuff out of sight! Don't let the boss see this!" The assistant's voice was trembling. "We're so screwed. Mr. Cole's things are absolutely off-limits. Nobody touches them! Ma'am, of all the things to smash, why this?" I raised an eyebrow. "Cole?" "Shh! Don't say his full name! The boss will lose it if he hears!" The words had barely left his mouth when a tall, lean figure stepped into the foyer. "Whose name?" Liam Blackwood's voice, deep and resonant, echoed in my ears. 2 I was eighteen when I died as Cole. Liam was only seventeen. Now, ten years had passed. At twenty-seven, Liam was taller, his features sharpened into a look of commanding authority. His gaze swept across the floor and landed on the pile of clay fragments. His eyes turned terrifyingly cold. The assistant’s legs went wobbly; he looked like he was about to drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness. "Cole's stuff, right?" I spoke first. "I broke it. It has nothing to do with them. The guy's been dead for ten years. Keeping his junk around is just morbid. If you've got a problem, take it up with me. Leave the hired help alone." Everyone bowed their heads, not daring to breathe. Liam's gaze slowly drifted to my face. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?" he asked, a faint smile playing on his lips. It wasn't a warm smile. I threw my hands up. "Cole. Yeah, I know. Cole. Your step-brother you weren't actually related to. Wait, don't tell me you actually miss him? That's hilarious. Everyone knew you two hated each other's guts. You practically wanted to kill each other." "That's true," Liam mused, his smile widening, becoming even more unsettling. "So, you won't be mad that I broke his stuff, right?" I asked, though my confidence was wavering. The body's original owner, Sophia, had died of a sudden brain hemorrhage and heart attack during her tantrum. I'd been dropped into her body at that exact moment. I didn't break the stuff, but it was my mess to clean up. "Mad? Of course not. You're right. He's been dead for a decade. It's bad luck to keep it around." I was surprised. The Liam I knew wasn't this reasonable. The housekeepers quickly cleaned up the mess and scurried away. Just as I thought I was in the clear, Liam's hand shot out and clamped around my neck. "Sophia, I told you," he hissed, his eyes like chips of ice. "You can throw any tantrum you want, but you will *never* touch anything of Cole's." His grip tightened, and a wave of pure dread washed over me. I couldn't breathe. "Today," he said softly, "you and I are going to settle this." 3 I thought he was going to kill me. He didn't. Tears of suffocation welled in my eyes. I managed to choke out a single word, drawing it out. "Ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch!" Liam's hand flew back as if he'd been burned. He stared at me, frowning. "Who taught you to say it like that?" I coughed, gasping for air. "Who taught me what?" "Saying 'ouch' exactly seven times, no more, no less... when did you pick up that habit?" "What kind of habit is that? Doesn't everyone do that?" "Besides Cole," he said, his voice low, "I've never met a single person who does." "Then you need to get out more." Liam studied my face, searching for something. Finally, confirming I was still just Sophia, a look of pure exhaustion and disgust washed over him. "This marriage of convenience is over," he said, his voice flat. "I'll have my assistant draft the divorce papers and send them to you." With that, he turned and left without a second glance. Ten years, and Liam Blackwood hadn't changed one bit. I cursed the System a thousand times in my head. I always knew it was a piece of junk. Back then, it accidentally bound itself to me, a girl, when it was looking for a "villainous male side character." It forced me to live as a boy for six years. Even going to the bathroom felt like a covert op. Its missions were ridiculous, too. "The male lead has strayed from his path. Your job is to get him back on track to becoming the brilliant, successful man he's supposed to be, but you must do it while maintaining your identity as his evil step-brother." See what I mean? No wonder it was just a low-level System. But I had an advantage. After Liam's parents divorced, his dad remarried a gold-digger. This new stepmom was terrified of Liam inheriting everything, so she'd secretly abuse him when his dad wasn't looking. And I was her "son," the evil older brother. To make my backstory seamless, the System concocted a story: my mom was obsessed with having a son and couldn't accept having a daughter, so she raised me as a boy named Cole. Fine. Whatever. So I worked my ass off. Liam skipped school? I'd sneer, "Can't even handle school? You're going to be a total loser." He improved his grades? I'd mock him, "Is that the best you can do? No wonder your parents don't give a damn about you. You're pathetic." He rode his bike to school? I'd slash his tires. "What are you riding for? Run! You're skinny as a twig!" Liam hated me. Of course, he hated me. Who wouldn't after six years of that? One time, a group of bullies cornered me in an alley, trying to shake me down for cash. Liam saw it happen. He walked right by without even blinking. When I got home, I confronted him. "Why did you just pretend you didn't know me and walk away?" He looked at me with those dark, empty eyes. "Isn't that what you told me to do? To never admit we were related in public? *Bro*." He rarely called me that. Only when he was dripping with sarcasm. But in the end, I still failed. At the end of the six-year deadline, Liam suddenly dropped out of high school. He gave up, said he wasn't going to college. I panicked and went to confront him. It turned into a full-blown fistfight. Liam won, of course. No matter how much I acted like a guy, I was still a girl, and I couldn't match his strength. The System's voice was already announcing my failure in my head, but I had to know. "Why did you quit?" "Because of you." "What the hell does that have to do with me?" "My dad said you're a genius," Liam said, a bitter smile on his face. "He said that after you get into a good college, I have to go to the same one the next year. And if I don't, he'll beat the crap out of me." He scoffed. "But he doesn't know that I hate you more than anyone on this planet. I'd rather not go to college at all than go to the same one as you." I sighed. It was over. With the System's permission, I showed him the truth. The bruises on my skin. Fresh, from the fight we just had. As he stared, stunned and confused, I managed a small smile. "Liam, you get to be yourself again. That's pretty great, isn't it?" The next day, I left that world. The System faked a car accident. I never expected that after I died, my mission progress would skyrocket. Liam went into beast mode, studied like a maniac, and got into the very university I'd dreamed of—the one he was originally supposed to attend. Because of that, I got to come back to life and enjoy the freedom I'd earned. Except I almost died again the second I got here. Damn you, Liam Blackwood. Being a trophy wife isn't as easy as it looks. Divorce is definitely the safest option. 4 My marriage to Liam was fake, anyway. A contract. Both Sophia and Liam had their reasons. They signed a prenup, but Sophia, lacking any integrity, tried to change the terms. I can't blame her. A face and body like Liam's? Most people wouldn't be able to resist. She wanted a real marriage. Liam wouldn't even look at her. He even staged a scandal with another woman just to piss her off. The day I arrived, Sophia had been throwing her epic tantrum because she saw a picture of Liam looking cozy with another woman. None of this was my problem. But that afternoon, my assistant burst in, frantic. "Ma'am, it's terrible! Mr. Blackwood is...!" "Dead?" "Well, no." "Then why are you yelling?" I grumbled, rolling over on the couch. "He's been set up! Ma'am, you wanted to make this marriage real, right? This is your chance!" He practically dragged me out of the house and into a car. On the way, he filled me in. A few days ago, to get a rise out of "me," Liam had paid a D-list actress to pose for some photos with him. The deal was that after the photoshoot, she'd "leak" the pictures to "me" in a taunting way. The plan worked perfectly. But today, the actress had backstabbed him. She was crying to the media, claiming Liam had an affair with her and then ghosted her. When I got to the scene, it was a media circus. Reporters were swarming Liam. "There are rumors you cheated on your wife and have multiple partners!" "Mr. Blackwood, can you please comment?" Liam's face was a mask of cold fury. "If you believe lies this pathetic, you should all get your heads checked." Classic Liam. Snark level at maximum. But that attitude was just throwing gasoline on the fire. Camera flashes exploded around him. He stood there alone, an island in a sea of sharks. Damn it. I couldn't just stand here and watch. My inner big brother was screaming. I pushed my way to the front of the crowd. Before Liam could say another word, I curled my finger and flicked him hard on the forehead. "Watch your mouth! Stop acting like a spoiled brat!" 5 Liam froze. The noisy reporters fell silent, staring at us. I put a hand on Liam's back and forced him into a small bow. "I'm sorry, what Liam just said was out of line, and I apologize on his behalf," I announced. "But we will not accept baseless slander. The burden of proof is on the accuser. If you have questions, go find the person who made these claims and ask them for evidence! If you're going to condemn him without proof, then you don't need to get your heads checked... you need to see a proctologist! Did you lose your brains somewhere up your own asses?" I stood there, hands on my hips, in front of Liam, and tore into them for a solid five minutes. The reporters, out-argued and frankly a little scared, finally retreated. When I turned around to get my well-deserved praise, I found Liam just staring at me, a strange look on his face. "Co—" "What?" "Nothing," he said, looking down. His expression was a mess of confusion. The woman in front of him was Sophia. Not anyone else. I clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright, I know you want to thank me. I'll give you the chance. Buy me dinner." He didn't refuse. He asked if I wanted lobster or caviar. "BBQ," I said without hesitation. I gave the driver an address. It was my old favorite BBQ spot. Ten years had passed. The roadside stand had become a proper restaurant, but the smoky, delicious smell was exactly the same. The moment we walked in, the owner recognized Liam. "Hey! Long time no see, man." I was surprised. "He comes here often?" As far as I could remember, Liam hated the smell of BBQ. He hated everything I loved. The owner nodded. "For a few years after his brother passed, he used to come all the time. Wouldn't eat anything. Just sat at that table by the window for hours. He'd leave five hundred bucks on the table before he left, said it was to cover the space..." "Let's go in," Liam cut him off. The owner slapped his own forehead. "Listen to me rambling. This way, please." When we ordered, I rattled off all my old favorites from memory, but I skipped the super-chewy beef ribs. "Their beef ribs are supposed to be amazing," Liam commented. "Nah, too tough on the teeth." He looked up at me, studied my face for a second, then said nothing. I'd been dreaming of this. BBQ and a cold beer—pure happiness. Liam still barely ate. Dressed in his immaculate suit, he looked completely out of place. I didn't realize how low this body's alcohol tolerance was. Soon, my head was swimming. Liam frowned, a look of distaste on his face. "We should go." "Nooo, I can still drink." "Sophia, you wreak of booze." "Tsk, why do you always call me by my full name? It's rude, you know." "Then what should I call you?" he asked coolly. I grinned, completely oblivious. "Be good now," I slurred. "Call me bro." 6 The next morning, I woke up with a pounding hangover. Liam was sitting in a chair by my bed. "You're awake?" He closed the book he was reading and looked at me. "I have a few questions for you." He was still wearing yesterday's shirt and slacks, which meant I probably hadn't done anything stupidly inappropriate while drunk. I relaxed a little. "Go ahead." "What's your relationship with Cole?" "...Huh?" My brain nearly short-circuited. "W-what did you say?" "What is your relationship with Cole?" he repeated. "What relationship could I possibly have with him? He was *your* brother, not mine." "Have you ever met him?" "He died so young. How could I have met him?" I put on my most bewildered expression. "Liam, are you still drunk? You're talking nonsense." Liam didn't press. He just changed the subject. "I had the maid make some hangover soup. You should have some." "Thanks." "Don't mention it... *bro*." I froze mid-motion. I could feel his gaze on me, sharp and intense, like a hawk watching its prey. He was testing my reaction. He really hadn't changed at all. Once he got suspicious, he wouldn't let it go. I looked up at him and forced a light, breezy tone. "You called me bro? Nice. I'll take you on as my little brother, then." 7 Denying it outright would only make me look more guilty. I knew Liam was testing me. I had no idea what I'd done last night to make him this suspicious, but I knew exactly how to throw him off the scent. And I was right. After I jokingly offered to make him my "little brother," Liam stopped questioning me and just left. I have no intention of telling Liam the truth. Our relationship back then was toxic. If he found out Cole was back, there's no telling how he'd freak out. After that incident, I started planning for the divorce. Sophia was a shopaholic with almost no savings. Now, not only did I need to save up for living expenses, but I also had to pay back the cost of all those smashed artifacts. Liam hadn't mentioned it again, but I didn't want to owe him anything. To raise some cash, I decided to visit an old friend. I went to a high-end law firm. "Hi, I'm looking for Noah Chen," I told the receptionist. "Do you have an appointment?" she asked. "No." "I'm sorry, Mr. Chen doesn't see anyone without an appointment." "Could you please just let him know an old friend is here?" "I can't, ma'am. That's his rule." "Then tell him," I leaned in, lowering my voice, not willing to give up. "It's Cole." 8 I waited in the lobby. Ten years. I wondered what Noah was like now. I'd found him online; he was a senior partner at this firm. I was genuinely happy for him. I remember our sophomore year, sitting on the bleachers. He wanted to go to law school, become a lawyer. I wanted to go to film school, become a director. "Cole," he'd said with total seriousness, "when you make it big, I'll be your legal counsel. I'll even give you a 20% discount." "Only 20%?" "That's the friends-and-family rate, man." He actually did it. He made his dream come true. That was amazing. The elevator doors behind me dinged open. A man in a sharp suit practically sprinted out, almost slipping on the polished marble floor but not slowing down for a second. "Mr. Chen..." the receptionist stammered, her jaw on the floor. She'd never seen the always-composed Noah Chen in such a panic. Noah didn't care who was watching. He rushed right up to me and just stared, his eyes wide. "Co—" "It's me," I said, making a small gesture with my hand—the secret handshake we always did after winning a basketball game. Noah's eyes instantly turned red. He led me back to his office. "When my assistant told me your name, I thought I was being haunted," he said, having regained his composure, a teasing note in his voice. "Never thought I'd see you again in the flesh." "Never thought I'd be facing you in a dress," I shot back. We both laughed. "Hey, listen, did I give you a debit card way back when? It had a bunch of my savings in it. Any chance I could get that back?" Noah went silent. "Did you... spend it all?" "Cole, it's been ten years. You can't just give someone something and then ask for it back a decade later." I felt a little embarrassed. "I know, but I just got back, and I'm broke. If it's gone, it's gone. It was supposed to be for you anyway." Originally, I wanted to leave that money for Liam. But the System forbid it; the male lead had to earn his own fortune. So I gave it to Noah. He was my best friend when I was Cole. The only one who figured out I was a girl. He kept my secret for years, always covering for me whenever I was close to being found out. Six years of friendship had given us an unspoken bond. Just like now. He didn't ask how I was alive or why I looked like this. He just turned, opened a drawer, pulled out a card, and tossed it on the desk in front of me. "Pin's the same. It's yours again." He did it so smoothly, so matter-of-factly. As if he'd been waiting for this day for a very long time. 9 Liam was busy for the next few weeks, often not coming home at all. He was dealing with the fallout from the actress's betrayal. It wasn't going well, apparently. The woman had no real dirt on him. Everything she told the media was vague and suggestive—just enough to create a PR nightmare for Liam, but not enough to be sued for slander. She was playing the game too well; someone smart had to be advising her. With Liam gone, I had a lot of free time, which I often spent catching up with Noah over coffee. One day, like usual, he was driving me home. As we pulled up to the house, he asked, "Are you just going to keep Liam in the dark forever?" "Yeah, for now." "But isn't it hard on you?" Noah, ever the lawyer, analyzed the situation. "You're carrying this secret all by yourself, and you have to deal with the weirdness of your little brother now being your husband. That sounds exhausting." His words made me pause. He was right. It *should* feel weird and uncomfortable. Liam was my husband in name. But I didn't feel that way. Was six years too short a time? Did I never really see him as a brother? I laughed it off. "It's not that bad. We're getting a divorce soon anyway." "A divorce?" Noah stopped walking. "Yeah. It was a marriage of convenience. It's time to end it." I didn't look at him, so I didn't see the flicker of something new in his sharp eyes. "Need a lawyer? You're looking at one." "Sure. I'll send you the agreement when I get it. You can look it over for me." "Look over what?" Liam's voice cut through the evening air from somewhere in the shadows. My smile froze. It was already dark; I hadn't seen him standing there. How long had he been listening? What did he hear? Liam walked toward us, grabbed my arm, and pulled me flush against his side. Then, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, he asked, "Darling, when did you become friends with Noah Chen?" 10 I shot Liam a look that screamed, *Are you insane?* He ignored me, lacing his fingers through mine, our hands tightly clasped. But the look he gave Noah was pure hostility. "Long time no see, Noah. Still single?" Noah returned a polite smile of his own. "I am. Not everyone can be like you, Mr. Blackwood. One at home, and another on the side." "You know, Noah," Liam said smoothly, "just because you've been single for a while, it doesn't mean you should be seen getting cozy with another man's wife." "You're right. My mistake." Noah adjusted his thin-framed glasses, looking every bit the refined gentleman he'd become, but his words were sharp. "I hear you two are getting a divorce, Mr. Blackwood. Congratulations." Liam's arm tightened around my waist as he opened the front door. Just before we went inside, he looked back over his shoulder. "Maybe you should worry about the people in your own circle, Noah. Betraying people who trust you at such a young age... I wonder who she learned that from." Noah's smile vanished. The door clicked shut, cutting off the silent, vicious battle. I hadn't said a word. In situations like this, the less you say, the better. But I was curious. Liam and Noah barely knew each other back in the day. What happened in the last ten years to make them hate each other so much? As I was lost in thought, Liam spoke. "How do you know him?" "I was looking for a divorce lawyer and found him." "Noah Chen is a corporate lawyer. He handles divorce cases now?" "Guess he's trying to expand his business." Liam let out a low, humorless laugh. He didn't push it. Instead, he changed the subject. "Do you know why Noah is still single after all these years?" "Why?" "Besides his family, I've only ever seen him close to one woman." "Who?" "Cole."
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