Chapter 1Back In My Own Body

I’ve been married to Nick for six years. For four of those, a "sunshine girl" system host hijacked my body.

She used my flesh and blood to melt the heart of this ruthless billionaire. Then, today, I suddenly snatched the steering wheel back.

Rows of glowing text drifted through the air right in front of my eyes.

"The mission is almost complete. Why the hell is this loser side-character back to ruin everything?"

"Relax. There is no way the male lead will ever fall for a pathetic doormat like her."

Right on cue, Nick walked into the room carrying a glass of mango juice, a drink that literally made my stomach churn. He stared a hole right through my face.

Suppressing my gag reflex, I downed it in one gulp. I mimicked that sunshine girl, flashing him a bright, empty-headed smile.

The light in Nick’s eyes died instantly. He turned around like a puppet with cut strings, his footsteps heavy as lead.

* * *

Four years. I had no idea what Nick had been through, but he looked like a completely different person.

His face was gaunt, stripped down to sharp angles and bone. His eyes were sunken hollows, his jaw wired tight with tension. He carried a suffocating aura of death around him, completely stripped of the arrogant, high-flying heir I used to know. I almost didn't recognize him.

I dragged my gaze away from his face and looked at the empty glass of mango juice.

Judging by his intense focus, he had poured it specifically for me. I sucked in a sharp breath. My stomach immediately twisted into violent knots, and my first instinct was to wave it away in disgust.

The glowing comments popped up again.

[LMAO. The female lead drinks a glass of mango juice every single night before bed.]

[But this useless side-character saw a maid spit in her mango juice when she was a kid. She gags just looking at the stuff now.]

[Oh snap. Is the male lead about to realize the original trash wife is back?]

[Grab the popcorn! Once he figures it out, he’ll do whatever it takes to drag our Sunshine Girl back.]

[Wait, is he already suspicious? Was this juice a test?]

As the text floated by, the hand I had raised to push the glass away froze mid-air.

Nick seemed to catch that micro-hesitation. His pitch-black eyes locked onto mine. He stubbornly pushed the glass an inch closer, his voice betraying a sliver of desperate hope.

"Why aren't you taking it? Do you not want it?"

I ground my teeth together, forced my hand forward, and took the glass. Under his piercing scrutiny, I tipped my head back and chugged the thick liquid down. I swallowed the rising bile in my throat and forced out a bright, carefree giggle.

The chat was right. Down to my marrow, I was a coward. I had spent my entire life hiding in my shell, too terrified to even breathe too loudly. There was no way I could naturally pull off a smile this radiant. The only person who could laugh with such brazen confidence was the female lead who stole my life. Luckily, I still retained her memories.

The juice was gone. Now it was time to lean in and act sweet.

"I'm fine! The juice is super sweet. Thanks, hubby."

Before the words even fully left my mouth, the fragile hope in Nick’s eyes shattered into dust. He reverted back to that lifeless, hollow shell. Turning his back to me, he walked away, his posture radiating a freezing distance.

As he reached the doorway, his foot slipped. He slammed his hand against the doorframe, his knuckles turning white as he violently caught his balance. He nearly collapsed to the floor.

My heart skipped a beat. I scrambled out of bed barefoot to catch him. "Are you okay?"

Before my fingers could even graze his shirt, Nick flinched violently away. He didn't spare me a single glance as he strode out of the room.

My hand hung in the air. I stared blankly at the empty hallway, nervously biting my lower lip until I tasted iron.

Ever since I could remember, I had lived under the shadow of cold violence. The feeling of being treated like invisible dirt was carved into my bones. My body always reacted faster than my brain. The second I sensed hostility, my shoulders began to shake uncontrollably.