Warm water trickled down the back of my head, making me flinch. She laughed, prompting me to look up at him.
"Oops, sorry. I thought you were a flower," she said between soft chuckles.
I smiled faintly when I heard hurried footsteps and the familiar chatter of reporters approaching. Judging by the way her expression stiffened, she clearly hadn't expected them to be here. She immediately took out his handkerchief and wiped my hair, trying to make me look presentable. The reporters froze when they caught sight of the two of us, their eyes widening with interest.
Tears began spilling down my cheeks, startling her.
"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't know I'd get the female lead! I swear I didn't mean to take it from you! Please forgive me!" I dropped to my knees in front of her and begged, making her panic instantly.
The reporters started murmuring amongst themselves.
"No! It's not what you think!" She snapped in panic. "Zemira—!"
She was about to slap me, but my manager quickly stepped in front of me.
"Miss Sabrina! That's enough! There are people watching! Have some shame!" my manager scolded.
Sabrina bit her lip in frustration, glared at me one last time, then stormed away. My manager sighed before turning to me and helping me up so we could leave the scene.
Once we were inside the car, I wiped my tears with my favorite handkerchief.
"Good thing you kept your composure," my manager muttered.
I smirked. "I've been doing this since I was a kid. This is nothing, Mrs. Lee."
Her lips curled into a shy smile, clearly flustered. She had just gotten married to that man recently. I already knew he was a walking red flag, but honestly? I didn't care. It wasn't my life.
And she knew he was a red flag too, yet she ignored every sign. I guess she enjoyed being stupid in love.
_____
"She's no longer an actress."
I smiled the moment I heard her say it.
"Oh, that's great. Please tell her congratulations," I replied sweetly.
"I don't understand you sometimes," she muttered. "Anyway, I need to go somewhere for a bit. Stay here. Don't wander around."
I nodded and turned toward the circular mirror, adjusting my makeup and admiring my reflection.
Zemira Mendoza. Thirty years old, but I looked eighteen. The most beautiful woman in the country—ranked number one. The nation's beloved actress. They called me the White Princess.
Because aside from being beautiful and talented, I was supposedly kind. An angel who fell from heaven, that's what everyone thought.
"But they don't know I'm actually a servant of darkness," I muttered with a laugh.
The door suddenly burst open. I frowned and turned toward the noise.
"And look who's here—"
My words were cut off when someone pointed a gun straight at me.
"Hey! What is the meaning of this?!"
"It's unfair!" she screamed, her voice cracking with rage. "I worked so hard to get that role! I did everything! Why did it go to you? Why is your life so perfect while mine is miserable?! Why does it have to be you?!"
I rolled my eyes. I really hated watching women throw dramatic tantrums. She looked even uglier when she cried.
"You deserve to die!"
I gasped when I felt something warm spread across my abdomen. Blood. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the floor. She laughed hysterically above me.
No… no, I don't want to die. I still want to live. Please… no—
_______
"No!"
"Shit!"
I jumped at the unfamiliar voice beside me. When I turned, a man with blue hair and blue eyes stood by my bed holding a bouquet of roses.
Ugh. I hated roses. But—who was this? He looked like a K-pop idol.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"I wanted to cheer you up," he said with a shy smile
Wait. These weren't my hands.
I bolted toward the mirror, confusion twisting in my chest. The moment my reflection came into view, I felt my stomach drop.
Dark blonde hair. Blue eyes. A delicate face with soft features.
This wasn't my body.
"Solar? What's wrong?" the blue-haired man asked, worry creasing his brows.
Solar.
Oh, great. I had landed in the body of Solar Elizalde—the soft-hearted supporting character destined to die early in the story.
The same Solar who fell helplessly in love with Xavion, the male lead.
The same Solar who fainted dramatically the moment she saw him kiss the female lead.
And the same poor girl who, eventually, would be murdered by the obsessive male lead because the female lead felt insecure around her.
Wonderful. Of all people, I ended up as the sacrificial lamb.
I turned back to the man—Leo, one of the male lead's rivals. One of the few decent men in this twisted world. A man who catches feelings for the female lead later on.
I reached out and gently cupped his cheek.
Poor guy. Such a handsome face, wasted on someone whose life would eventually be ruined by the female lead's walking disaster of a love life.
"I wish people fought over me too." I whispered to myself. He blinked, not understanding why I suddenly murmured in another language.
The role I was supposed to pick up was the female lead. And yet, here I was… stuck in the body of the woman meant to die first.
Amazing. Even fate had a dark sense of humor.
Leo stepped closer and touched his forehead to mine. "You don't have a fever," he murmured, confused. "Are you… acting like this because you're heartbroken?"
"Heartbroken? Me?"
"Yes," he said carefully. "Ever since you saw Xavion kiss Charlotte, you fainted right away."
The original Solar really was dramatic. But who cared? I had been reborn. Given a second life.
And this body wasn't bad at all—cute, pretty, soft. A perfect disguise.
I smiled, and Leo froze as if he'd been struck by lightning. Amused, I let out a soft chuckle.
"Leo," I asked sweetly, "am I pretty?"
"Y-yes," he replied quickly, startled by the question. At least he answered honestly.
"Then why would I suffer?" I pouted. "Why would I let my life fall apart over a man? My beauty deserves to be appreciated, not wasted."
I grabbed him by the wrist and nudged him toward the door.
"You can go home now. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" he asked, still concerned. Always playing the caring gentleman. The same kindness that convinced Solar he genuinely liked her—before betraying her later.
"Yes," I said firmly and shut the door before he could say anything else.
I flopped onto the soft bed, my heart fluttering in relief.
Freedom.
When I was Zemira, my life was perfect to the world—and suffocating behind the scenes. Parents who didn't care. Rules so strict I couldn't breathe. Every smile carefully rehearsed. Every move scrutinized. I could never even step outside without approval. Everything I did—everything I was—existed for my fans.
But now?
Now I was free.
"Hayst… who needs a man when I have money?" I muttered, a mischievous smile curling my lips.
I headed for the wardrobe.
Solar's fashion sense was atrocious. The clothes looked like a mix of donated items and discount-rack disasters.
Shopping was a must.
But just as I was about to step out, I felt it—someone staring.
A cold, unsettling presence.
Slowly, I turned my head toward the window.
My breath instantly caught in my throat.
A man sat perched on the highest branch of a tree outside, arms crossed casually over his chest. As if the height didn't concern him at all. As if watching me through the window was a normal pastime. His black hair swayed slightly in the breeze, and his piercing gray eyes locked onto mine with chilling intensity.
He did not blink.
He did not smile.
He just stared—with the same kind of gaze predators reserve for prey.
A shiver ran down my spine, but I forced myself to lift my chin.
Of course. Who else could it be?
The male lead.
Xavion.
The future murderer of Solar Elizalde.
And the man who, in the story, loved the female lead so obsessively that he eliminated anyone she felt jealous of.
Including the body I now inhabited.
"Wonderful," I whispered with a humorless laugh. "Just my luck."
His gaze hardened, as if he had heard me. As if he could read my mind.
Oh no.
No way was I dying in this world.
Not again. Not for a man. Not for a story that wasn't even mine.
I smoothed my hair, forced a dazzling smile, and glared right back at him as if I weren't intimidated at all.
"This body might be yours to kill in the novel," I whispered under my breath, "but not in my version."
Outside, Xavion's lips curled slowly—not into a smile, but something darker. A silent acknowledgment. A warning.
The game had begun.
And I had no intention of losing.
He had violet hair and striking pink eyes.
Oh—I knew this man.
Lake Bautista.
The cute psychopath who stalked whichever girl he became obsessed with. The same man who once cut off the female lead's legs just to keep her from escaping.
Yes. That guy.
He gave me a small, almost innocent smile before disappearing into the shadows.
"Lake Bautista," I whispered under my breath, "don't you dare look at me again."
_____
As expected, Solar Elizalde was the angel of the Elizalde family. Her parents adored her so much they practically treated her like a fragile porcelain doll—whatever she wanted, she got.
Too bad she fell in love with someone absurdly handsome but rotten to the core.
"And this one."
I picked up the last dress and handed it to the saleslady. She smiled politely and nodded.
I walked ahead, letting the maids handle the bags. Wow. Solar really lived a beautiful life.
She only looked depressed because she was too focused on Xavion. And honestly? That female lead was something else.
Ten handsome men fell for her.
Ten.
Where was my harem when I needed one?
I sighed.
Back when I was still Zemira, plenty of men wanted me—but dating was forbidden. My parents were strict, my image had to stay pure, and my manager would have killed me if I even held hands with someone.
I was lost in thought when I bumped into a tall man. He looked down at me, completely expressionless.
White hair. Gray eyes. Skin so pale he looked like he hadn't seen sunlight in years.
Oh.
One of the male lead candidates.
He was someone who felt absolutely nothing—until he met the female lead. She was the reason he learned what emotions were.
He turned around without saying sorry.
I rolled my eyes. Rude.
_______
"Yes, Mom. I'm heading home now. Thank you for everything. Today was fun," I told Solar's mother gently.
And it was fun. Shopping as a rich teenager was practically therapy.
"I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart."
After she bid me goodbye, the call ended.
I froze when I saw Sparrow getting beaten up by a group of obviously high, deranged-looking men. I checked my wristwatch.
The female lead would arrive soon anyway.
Should I buy five orders of French fries while waiting? Oh my god, fries sounded amazing—
I turned to leave, but our eyes met.
Great.
If I didn't help him, he would notice Solar's personality changed. Then he'd tell the female lead. Then the female lead would tell Xavion.
Then Xavion would think I was possessed.
Then—
They'd call an exorcist.
Then I'd die for real.
I slapped my forehead.
He was still staring at me even while the men punched him.
Seriously?!
Why weren't you fighting back?! Even here, do I really need to pretend to be a good person?
I ran toward them and blocked their path. I could practically feel Sparrow's shock even without looking at him.
"Y-you're—"
"Stop this now! Or I'll report all of you to the police!" I snapped.
The men laughed, clearly not believing me.
I smirked.
Did they really think I was stupid?
"Try us, lady—"
I lifted my phone for them to see.
"You know who I am, right? Solar Elizalde. The Elizalde family's most protected daughter. If I post this on my page, you know exactly what will happen to your lives."
I straightened my posture and stared them down coldly.
"If I were you, I'd back off."
They froze. Then, like the cowards they were, ran away immediately.
Tsk.
Scaredy cats.
As expected—I really was a genius.
Nothing could ruin my—
Oh right. Sparrow was still here.
I turned slowly.
He stared at me blankly. No emotion at all.
Creepy.
"Omg, that was scary! Are you okay?" I asked with exaggerated concern.
Truthfully, I didn't care whether he lived or died. Honestly, it might have been better if he disappeared—then I wouldn't have to deal with him later.
I still remembered how cruel he was to Solar in the original story.
"You… what was your name again?" I asked.
He removed one side of his headset. "I'm—"
"Sparrow! Where are you?! Sparrow!"
The female lead's voice echoed from a distance.
I smiled at him sweetly.
He froze for a moment, confused.
"See you next time, Sparrow."
Then I ran away.
______
After fixing my hair and makeup, I went downstairs. Solar's mother stood up instantly and clapped her hands in delight.
"You look even more beautiful, sweetheart."
I approached her and kissed her cheek.
"Where did you learn to fix yourself like that?" she asked.
"Mom, please. I just watched YouTube tutorials," I replied with a bright smile.
Solar's father crossed his arms proudly. "Study hard, okay? Don't be like those bullies."
I nodded obediently.
Actually?
Solar was really lucky. She had parents who truly loved her.
She just didn't notice because all her attention was on Xavion.
_______
Everyone turned their heads when I walked past.
Of course. I was the owner of this body now—it deserved to shine.
Even if Solar was only fourteen, she had the beauty of an idol.
"Is that Solar?"
"She's getting prettier every day."
"I'm jealous…"
I flashed them a playful smile at their whispers.
When I entered the school gates, the shrieks of girls filled the air.
Of course.
They were fangirling over the ten boys again.
All handsome.
All dangerous.
None of them my type.
Even if they didn't like me, I didn't like them.
But I remembered all their roles clearly.
Sparrow Bautista—white hair, gray eyes. Emotionless until the female lead awakened something in him.
August Bautista—the one who winked charmingly at the crowd. His beauty was unique—he could look both masculine and feminine. He wasn't a playboy; he simply adored beautiful things. And when he fell for Charlotte, he treated her like a delicate doll.
Levi and Luke Bautista—the yin and yang twins.
Levi, the so-called green flag. Black hair, yellow eyes.
Luke, the red flag. Black hair, pink eyes.
Green flag? Not really. But compared to the others, Levi was practically a saint.
Luke, on the other hand…
Let's not talk about him. Yet.
Keon Bautista—black hair with blue streaks at the ends, dark blue eyes, childish personality.
Lake Bautista—violet hair, red eyes.
Mysterious, unpredictable, and dangerous.
And that wasn't even all of them.
This world was full of handsome walking red flags.
And unfortunately…
I was stuck right in the middle of them.