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1059words
"For seven years, I’ve followed your demands, shaping myself bit by bit into the person he would like, loving him as you instructed. He’s the male lead, and I’m still the female lead! Now the male lead wants to marry the one he truly loves—if the female lead stepping aside to let him be happy is also a perfect ending!"
Exactly!
I had been brainwashed by the system all along, believing that because Sebastian was the male lead, so I should devote myself entirely to loving him, winning him over, making him marry me.
But now I was also the female lead in this world!
I don’t have to revolve around him and have my own life too!
The system seemed to encounter this logic for the first time. It crackled with static and then went offline.
Accepting this realization, I felt a strange tremor in my heart.
I rushed back to my room and dialed a number, "Ryan, did you find that war correspondent position? If not, I can go."
From the other end of the phone came Ryan’s delighted voice . His easygoing nature didn’t pick up on the edge of excitement in my tone.
"I’ve searched everywhere; no one was willing. It’s great if you can go! But..."
His tone shifted, suddenly concerned,"Sophie, what about Mr. Cole? A war zone is so dangerous. Will he really let you go? I don’t want us both getting dragged back!"
I laughed lightly, "Don’t worry, he won’t. Besides, since when does the young master of theWalters, known for his rebelliousness, have someone to fear?
Ryan yelped dramatically on the other end, "Oh, come on! Last time you said we'd go horseback riding on the plains, remember? Mr. Cole thought I kidnapped you! My dad nearly whipped my butt raw!"
He was talking about what happened after that chaotic night with Sebastian.
Sebastian was a man of strong principle.
After what happened between us, I was so scared I ran away.
Naively, I thought if he liked me, he’d come looking for me first thing the moment he woke up.
But as it turned out, he acted like he had amnesia, never mentioning it.
Only then did the system belatedly realized that after I ran away that night, someone else had taken my place.
The system freaked out in my head, "See! See! I told you not to run away that day! Now look—this woman took your place!"
Frustrated and upset, I turned off my phone on purpose and asked Ryan to accompany me to the grasslands to clear my head.
It wasn’t until I saw my photo on TV – on national media, even on every advertising screen in shopping mall–that I realized how much commotion Sebastian had stirred up to find me.
At that moment, the entire country knew I was the treasured darling of Cole Group's CEO, my status unshakeable.
Now, the facts have proven that even this treasured darling had to make way for that woman.
Ryan sent me details about a country nearly destroyed by war.
He’d arranged to join a medical support team heading there and told me to pack, ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
Filled with this hope for the future, I eventually fell asleep without realizing it.
I don’t know how much time passed before a violent gust of wind burst into the bedroom.
The furniture in the room creaked and groaned under the pressure.
I tried to fight against the wind to close the window but I couldn't move forward.
Just then, the door was struck with urgent knocking.
"Sophie, open the door!"
Immense pressure built inside the room.
If this continued and the window shattered completely, I’d be sucked out and fall to my death!
At that moment, I couldn’t ponder why Sebastian was here. I was just desperate for help. Whoever it was, I’d thank them.
The bedroom door seemed suctioned to the wall. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t open it.
Thudding sounds came from outside the door, and then I saw a disheveled, wind-blown Sebastian appear before me.
He slammed the window shut, blocking out the howling wind outside, then turned and yelled at me,"I’ve called you dozens of times! Why didn’t you answer? When will you stop throwing these tantrums!"
I picked up my phone, seeing nearly 99+ missed calls.
Simultaneously, a news alert popped up,
[The typhoon predicted to make landfall in neighboring province takes sudden turn and is now hitting our city! Residents are advised to secure windows and doors and avoid going out unless necessary!]
The notification had come an hour ago.
Outside, the wind was still raged.
I apologized sincerely. "I’m sorry, I had my phone on silent while sleeping. That's why I didn't hear."
"You expect me to believe that? This kind of wind would wake even an idiot! How could you sleep through it?!"
My dad had gone out in a typhoon that day because he was driving to pick me up from school.
Guilt and regret made it impossible for me to sleep during strong winds ever since.
Even if I did manage to sleep, I’d wake up terrified.
It just so happens that we live in a coastal city, so during typhoon season, Sebastian would cancel all his plans to stay home with me. Sometimes, he’d even sleep on the floor outside my bedroom door, just to ease my fear.
I relied on him, and slowly, I stopped paying attention to the weather myself.
After all, he’d always arrange time off days in advance and tell me to stay home.
But this typhoon—I hadn’t paid attention, and he hadn’t reminded me.
So, Sebastian had risked his life driving dozens of miles on mountain roads to come find me?
The strong scent of perfume on him, so thick even the wind couldn’t blow it away, reminded me that an hour ago, he had been with someone else, doing who knows what.
He’d left that woman behind to find me?
I touched my chest. I should be touched, right?
Why did I feel nothing?
