A Miraculous and Thrilling Awakening with Unimagined Delights

I realized I was in a book, cast as the malicious supporting character.

The good news was that I'd awakened before I was doomed to be punished for sabotaging the relationship between the hero and heroine of the story.

The bad news was that I'd been entangled with the hero for years.

To save my life and secure my future wealth and glory, I decided to steer clear of the hero, abandon the original plot, and carve my own path!

1

Grey Ferguson and I grew up in the same neighborhood, attended the same schools for twelve years, and even went to the same university.

Given this setup, you might assume we grew up constantly compared to our families.

However, Grey and I were equals in every sense.

Whenever someone mentioned us, it was only with praise—never favoring one over the other.

This made both of us a bit prideful.

As a result, despite my years of secret love for him, I never confessed my feelings.

Yet, I always believed that Grey and I were destined to be together.

After all, for all these years, I was his only close female friend.

Moreover, we were engaged to be married.

He never objected to the engagement and often took care of me, making me think I was special to him.

That was until Dora Zimmerman entered the picture.

2

Dora was the star of the university's art department—sunny, outgoing, confident, beautiful, and emotional.

She was the complete opposite of Grey and me.

Perhaps people are drawn to what they lack.

I realized something was off when Grey brought her to one of our exclusive gatherings.

Typically, these events were reserved for close friends or, at most, significant others.

Yet, Grey insisted she was just a friend and invited her along for dinner.

The moment he said that, the room's atmosphere shifted as everyone's gaze turned to her.

Though we didn't outright exclude outsiders, our group had a habit of sizing up newcomers with a critical eye.

Dora's slight unease didn't go unnoticed, the others soon understood something. And the conversation quickly shifted as if to ease the tension.

A group of second and third-generation elites like us rarely strayed from familiar topics.

The gathering wrapped up soon after.

As usual, I stayed back to walk with Grey, but now there was Dora beside him.

Half-joking, she said to Grey, "Next time, I won't come with you. It feels like they don't like me, and it's so boring."

"You were the one who insisted on coming," Grey responded, his tone slightly indulgent.

At least, that's how it sounded to me. Grey rarely showed emotion, but in that moment, I detected something beyond impatience in his voice.

Only then did Grey seem to remember I was there, turning to introduce Dora as a student from the art department.

I nodded at her, acknowledging the introduction.

"Are you heading home or back to campus?" I asked, wanting to steer the conversation away from Dora.

"I'll drop Dora off at school first, then head home. What about you?"

"Drop me off too—I didn't drive."

"Sure."

Grey and I chatted as if no one else was around, giving me a small sense of satisfaction.

Dora, just as I expected, looked on thoughtfully.

Once we had dropped Dora off, it was just the two of us in the car.

"When did you and Dora become so close?" I couldn't hold back any longer and asked.

"Are we that close?" Grey seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Do you know who Walter and the others usually bring to these gatherings?"

Walter was one of our childhood friends.

This time, Grey fell silent, and I said nothing more.

"Sorry, I didn't think of that. We're just friends—nothing more," Grey finally offered as an explanation before I got out of the car.

Nothing more? So, you do realize there's something between you two, I thought to myself.

Without replying, I opened the door and headed home.

3

However, the rumors about Grey and Dora at school grew increasingly intense.

For instance, after Dora's ballet performance, Grey presented her with a passionate bouquet of red roses.

Or how they were often seen together on campus, feeding stray kittens on the lawn.

Even I was starting to ship them.

Grey and I were both finance majors, so we often worked together on group projects or prepared for debate competitions.

During one of these group assignments, the two of them finally appeared in front of me.

Dora walked in carrying a bag of coffee just as Grey and I were in the middle of a heated argument about a particular point.

Both of us were too proud to back down, so the argument escalated a bit.

But the moment Grey saw Dora, his mood visibly calmed.

"Why are you here?"

"I brought you some coffee."

She had brought several cups but claimed they were all for him.

Alright, fine. No big deal.

But when it came time to hand out the drinks, there wasn't one left for me.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you'd be here. You can have mine," Dora said, awkwardly smiling with an apology that didn't reach her eyes.

I shrugged, pretending not to care.

It all seemed so trivial, these little mind games.

What bothered me more was Grey's sudden change in demeanor when Dora appeared and the undeniable closeness between them.

4

With Dora's arrival, no one felt like continuing the discussion, so after a bit of small talk, we all went our separate ways.

In the past, I would have walked beside Grey, but now, without even realizing it, I found myself trailing behind him.

Up ahead, Grey was lightly angry with Dora for overworking herself with her part-time job, telling her there was no need to bring us coffee.

Dora playfully pouted, insisting that it was no trouble, and the two of them chatted happily as if I didn't exist.

Yes, Dora was just like the countless delicate heroines in those romance novels—studying an expensive art major despite her impoverished background, working multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Perhaps it was this tough background that highlighted her resilience and drew out Grey's sympathy.

I thought bitterly to myself.

Lost in my thoughts, I was caught off guard when Dora suddenly turned to me, apologizing again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to forget yours."

I blinked, slightly stunned, while Grey frowned.

So protective of her, huh?

"It's fine. It's just a drink—I don't usually care for coffee anyway."

"I'll get you one tomorrow," Grey added in a calm tone.

Then he turned to Dora, asking, "How much for these coffee? I'll transfer the money to you."

Dora quickly waved it off, insisting it wasn't necessary, but Grey didn't waste any time. He sent her two hundred dollars and then grabbed my wrist, saying, "I have to take her home, so we'll head out now."

I was surprised—we were going home?

Before Dora could respond, Grey pulled me away.

As soon as Dora was out of sight, I asked, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

When he didn't respond right away, I added, "She just wanted an excuse to see you. You didn't even talk to her before leaving."

I hadn't noticed the hint of jealousy in my own voice.

"I have nothing going on with her," he said after a few seconds. Then, after another pause, he added, "If you're not going home, I'll take you back to your dorm."

I shrugged.

My emotions were in turmoil. If Grey liked Dora, why didn't he stay and spend more time with her? If he didn't, then why were the rumors at school so persistent?

As we neared my dorm, I hesitated before finally asking, "Are you in love with Dora?"

"No, of course not. Why would you ask that?"

Grey sounded genuinely puzzled.

"Because you treat her differently," I said, kicking a small pebble on the path, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"She's a scholarship student my mom is sponsoring. My mom asked me to look out for her," Grey replied, then quickly added, "Besides, don't I treat you the same way?"

So, you have no feelings for me either, I thought bitterly.

Without another word, I dashed up the steps to my dorm, leaving Grey standing there, confused.

5

I poured out everything that happened tonight—Dora's little tricks and my conversation with Grey—to Lindsay Fowler, my bestfriend.

I asked her, "What do you think Grey's deal is? Does he really not have any feelings for me at all?"

"I wouldn't say he has no feelings for you," Lindsay mused. "You two grew up together, and you've been the only girl around him for so many years. I can't believe he's never had any thoughts about you. But you—why are you getting so insecure? You didn't used to be like this."

"Am I?"

"Absolutely. You never used to worry about things like this. Could it be that this girl's appearance has made you feel threatened?"

"Could be..." I murmured.

"Oh, come on, stop stressing about it. So, have you given any more thought to studying abroad?"

"I'm still considering it."

"You're not hesitating because you're afraid that if you leave now, Grey will start dating her, are you?" Lindsay teased.

"Let's stop here. I'm going to take a shower," I said, hanging up before she could respond.

As the warm water flowed over my head in the shower, I tried to clear my mind.

Instead, I found myself reflecting on whether I had let Grey's actions affect me too much lately, making me more emotionally volatile than usual.

I'd always liked him, but I'd never felt so out of control.

I prided myself on my independence and had never been the type to chase after someone. I wasn't the kind of girl who let her feelings rule her life.

For years, I had been confident that Grey had feelings for me, too, and that being in a romantic relationship was only a matter of time.

But now, I wasn't so sure anymore, because I was no longer his only choice.

If Grey truly liked me, he wouldn't be getting close to other girls.

If he liked me, he would choose me, without hesitation.

I shook my head, trying to push these thoughts away before they drained me any further.

For people in our circle, romance was just a side dish. The main course was always about interests and advantages.

What's gotten into you, Arlene Lattimore?

6

Lindsay's talk about going abroad wasn't a sudden whim. Her current school wasn't great, and she had always planned to study abroad.

As for my major, studying overseas would indeed offer better learning opportunities and a more prestigious degree.

Plus, our school allowed students to apply for exchange programs with foreign universities.

So, Lindsay had been pushing me to go abroad with her.

I was still on the fence and hadn't discussed it with anyone yet, but I did send applications to a few potential schools.

On one hand, all my friends were here, and I wasn't keen on adjusting to a new environment and social circle. On the other hand, there was also the reason Lindsay mentioned.

Some schools had already started sending me emails, inviting me to interviews, so I casually mentioned the idea of going abroad to my parents, and they were supportive.

However, what finally made me decide to go was something else entirely.