Chapter 1

Falling into the water was an accident, but what I discovered after was a nightmare.

I was the toxic villainess in a classic, soul-crushing corporate romance novel!

“Sienna, you will never leave me!”

“Damon, did you ever love me, or was I just a pawn in your sick games?”

Recalling the melodramatic and brain-dead plot from my memories, my mouth twitched in annoyance.

What a trashy story!

Get out of my way, everyone!

1

“Miss, it’s getting windy. You haven’t fully recovered yet. Why don’t you head back inside?”

My nanny stood behind me, asking with genuine concern.

I just stared at the vast, azure sky, lost in my thoughts.

A week ago, I attended the wedding banquet of the Sterling family as the heiress of the Montgomery estate.

At the banquet, I saw a girl being bullied and pushed into the pool.

It had nothing to do with me, but someone, jealous of my beauty, seized the chaos to shove me in as well.

I couldn’t swim, and with everyone focused on that girl, I swallowed too much water and passed out.

While unconscious, I dreamt of something bizarre!

The world we lived in was actually just a book, a dark, abusive romance where everything revolved around the lead couple.

It was a story about an incredibly wealthy and powerful CEO taking a poor girl by force, only for them to somehow end up together.

Luckily, that miserable heroine wasn’t me; it was the girl who fell into the water first.

The overbearing CEO was none other than the heir of the Sterling family, Damon Sterling.

And I, Elara Montgomery, the pride of the city, was the legendary villainess.

According to the book, I was supposed to fall for the male lead after he saved me from the pool, then scheme against the heroine out of jealousy until I nearly killed her.

Ultimately, my villainous deeds would be exposed, and Damon would retaliate by bankrupting the Montgomery family and having my limbs severed before drowning me in the sea!

I woke up from the dream, seething with pure rage.

When I recovered in the hospital, I thought it was just a strange nightmare.

But then, I ran into the heroine and the male lead, who was visiting her, right there in the same ward.

“It was their fault! They pushed me! Don’t they owe me an apology?”

“They are my friends, prominent socialites of this city. Who are you to demand an apology from them? I’ve already compensated you, Sienna. Don’t push your luck!”

Standing in the distance, I watched the scene with a blank expression, hearing the same nauseating, cliché dialogue from my dream.

The realization hit me hard―my hope of this being just a dream was shattered.

Hah!

I glared at the arrogant male lead and sneered.

Whoever wants this brainless idiot can have him!

Whoever wants to play the role of the stupid villainess can do it!

I quit!