Two or three more days passed, filled with same chaotic blur. And now, it's Tuesday morning.
The grand dining room was basking in the soft morning light filtering through tall, lace-curtained windows. The long table was neatly set, adorned with elegant porcelain dishes and a variety of breakfast items that looked straight out of a five-star hotel buffet. The clinking of cutlery and soft murmurs of the staff created a calm, refined atmosphere, until she walked in.
Cherry dragged herself in like a war-weary soldier, her hair a mess of tangled waves, her robe slightly askew, and her expression screaming one thing: defeat. Dark circles had formed under her eyes from too many sleepless nights plotting her return to her world, none of which had worked.
She plopped down on the table, ignoring the polite greetings of the staff. Her eyes scanned the lavish breakfast, fresh croissants, perfectly sliced fruit, fluffy scrambled eggs, but she had the appetite of a ghost.
Sitting halfway down the table, straight-backed and poised like a young noble, is him, the boy with those icy blue eyes. He is in a perfectly pressed school uniform, black blazer, white shirt, striped tie, he quietly ate his breakfast, not sparing Cherry a single glance.
He lifted his teacup, sipped like a seasoned aristocrat, and calmly cut into his eggs.
Damn! Even this little madman's school uniform looks like it costs more than my entire wardrobe combined, including the clothes I got on sale, during a clearance, with a coupon!
Ugh! Why am I stuck thinking about money right now?! Priorities, Cherry, priorities!
What am I even supposed to do?! My brain's officially given up. These past few days have felt like I've been trapped in some luxury five-star hotel against my will.
AGHHHHH!
Even though Cherry desperately wanted to escape this place, her human body had other plans, like needing food to survive.
So, with a heavy sigh and the grace of someone being dragged to their own execution, she reluctantly began eating.
Honestly, over the past few days, she had been so preoccupied with finding a way back home that everything else had become a blur. She hadn't eaten properly, hadn't changed proper clothes, hadn't even thought about taking a shower. Her mind was in survival mode, but emotionally? She was completely tapped out.
As she forced down a few bites, her tired eyes drifted to the boy sipping his tea. And then, without warning, the words just came flying out of her mouth:
"You know kids your age aren't supposed to drink tea, right?"
The words echoed slightly in the silence.
The boy paused mid-sip and looked at her, expressionless. His icy gaze clearly said, 'And You Are?'
Fair point. What business did she have lecturing him? But the truth was, Cherry was barely holding it together. After spending days shouting into the void of her unfamiliar room and getting no answers from the universe, her frustration had reached a boiling point. She is angry at everything. She is frustrated. Confused. Exhausted.
It wasn't about the tea. It wasn't even about him. It was about everything. The confusion, the stress, the not knowing how she'd landed in this bizarre world, and the growing fear that she might never leave it.
And so, unfortunately for the boy, he just happened to be in the blast radius.
Of course, completely unaware, or more likely, entirely uninterested, in the emotional tornado that Cherry was living through, he casually slung his designer school bag over his shoulder and began making his way to the door.
But for some mysterious reason, as Cherry watched him walk away, a wicked little spark lit up in her brain. An evil, petty, completely immature idea. Just as Theo reached the threshold, Cherry sat up straighter, cleared her throat dramatically, and called out in a sickly sweet voice dripping with mock affection,
"Have a good day, Theo~!"
That alone might've been forgivable.
But she didn't stop there.
With the theatrical flair of a seasoned stage actress and the chaotic energy of someone who had clearly lost all hope of returning to her own reality, she added with exaggerated warmth,
"My lovely son, Mama loves you!"
And then, for the finishing touch, she puckered her lips loudly and tossed a huge, air-blown kiss in his direction.
"MWAH!"
" ... "
Instant silence.
All the staff paused mid-step, mid-breath, mid-life. Even the boy, Theo halted like someone had hit the brakes on his very soul.
He didn't turn around. Didn't say a word.
Just stood there… for a second too long.
Then, he continued walking, same straight back, same perfect stride, only this time, his footsteps were noticeably faster.
Cherry leaned back in her chair, a devilish smile spreading across her face.
Was it immature? Definitely.
Did it solve any of her problems? Not at all.
Was it extremely satisfying? Absolutely.
Hahahah! Gotcha, you little madman! Ever since I set foot in this mansion, he's been sitting there with that frosty little face, acting like the mini-boss of a five-star haunted hotel! Hmph!Always strutting around with that attitude!
Well… why wouldn't he? According to the novel, he is the future boss madman, the future trillionaire CEO or whatever else the story claimed. These novels always turn everyone into some kind of multi-millionaire or everyone ends up owning five companies, three private islands, and an emotional trauma arc for flavor.
Sigh.
In the novel, the madman was portrayed as a mysterious hidden final final boss, so obviously, there wasn't much written about his childhood or family life. I don't really know much about it. But thanks to some top-secret intel from the gossip-loving staff here, I've pieced a few things together.
Apparently, the original Charlotte Moore, aka the woman whose shoes (and extremely expensive body lotion) I now occupy, was your textbook rich woman. Raised in luxury, lived in luxury, probably even cried in luxury.
She grew up as a spoiled high-society rich pampered girl with a custom-made gold spoon in her mouth, married into another filthy-rich family through an arranged match, and voilà! Along came Theo, the little madman. Who, by the way, was born via IVF even before the wedding. Yep.
This six-year-old heir-apparent, this mini-billionaire-in-training, already walks and talks like he's the next big thing on Wall Street. Everyone treats him like royalty, acts like he's already at the top of the food chain!
As for me? Well, clearly he doesn't get along with his stepmom, a.k.a. me, very well!
As for my sudden, out-of-nowhere novel husband… thank goodness he's one of those classic workaholic types. Seriously, the guy is either jet-setting around the world or chained to his office desk, stuck in endless business trips and meetings. Honestly, bless his busy schedule! The last thing I need in this crazy hotel, alongside a little madman and a bunch of unfamiliar 24/7 staff, is dealing with an extra full-time husband on top of it all!
Around noon, Cherry was back in her room, finally indulging in a long, relaxing bath. Sinking into the warm water of the bathtub, she let out a tired sigh as her mind buzzed with countless thoughts.
How do she get out of here? She tried to recall every detail of the novel, every chapter, every character, every possible clue. Her brows furrowed as she sifted through her memories, determined to find something, anything that could help.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed aside the panic and forced herself to think rationally , calmly, logically.
And then, just like that, something clicked.
Wait a minute...
Even if this is one of those cheesy, overused romance novel plots, with misty stares, forced proximity, and tragic pasts, I know for a fact that the little madman's company was a tech empire, right?
YES!
It was totally mentioned! Theo wasn't just your average cold-faced, sharp-tongued future CEO, he was a full-blown tech prodigy! Like, computer-coding, equation-solving, algorithm-munching, silicon-chip-hugging genius. In one chapter, the male lead was at some swanky party practically drooling while telling someone how he's been trying to partner with Theo's company for years. YEARS!
And out of all the people in the novel world… I ended up in his house?! Any connection...? What if, what if, this kid has something to do with all this?!
Like... what if he's not just a madman, but a mad scientist too?! Did he build a portal? Did he hack reality? Did he reprogram fate?!
Could he… he help me somehow?
Uhhh…
Suddenly, it felt as though a fresh wave of energy had washed over Cherry. With a newfound sense of purpose, she finally stepped out of her slump, freshened up, got dressed, and headed straight to Charlotte's lavish walk-in wardrobe. After a bit of browsing, she picked out her favorite red cherry dress, the one that always made her feel a little more like herself.
She styled her hair with care, spritzed on a light touch of perfume, and slipped into a pair of elegant yet comfortable heels. Then, standing before the full-length mirror, she gave herself a long, thoughtful look.
A small smirk tugged at her lips.
"Not bad, Cherry. You've still got it."
She turned slightly, then struck a pose.
"Cherry, is this really what Mom and Dad taught you?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with a mixture of frustration and resolve.
"To crumble and fall apart at the first sign of trouble? To hide away, scared and broken? No. That's not who I am. Be strong! Even if, for some reason, I've been separated from my family and friends... that doesn't mean I'm helpless. It doesn't mean I'm powerless."
"No," she repeated firmly. "I have to find a way to escape this place. No matter what obstacles lie ahead. No matter how hard it gets. I will find a solution to my problems, by any means necessary. "
" I will get out of here ?!!!"
She will take control of her life again, no matter what it takes. It felt like, at last, Cherry was truly ready, determined and prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.