📕I Realized I Was Just a Stepping Stone for the ML—So I Quit Early, and Even the Plot Panicked

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]I was born a rich heir, supposed to inherit the family business and live a life of glory. Who would have thought my own father would turn his back on me, favoring my cousin Makoto like he was his own son, treating him better than me, his actual flesh and blood. If Makoto so much as scraped his knee, my father would summon the nation's top doctors to develop a custom cure. But if I suffered a comminuted fracture, he'd toss me a stick and tell me to walk it off. Why? Because the world I live in is actually a cheap loser turns winner redemption novel. And I'm just the doomed villainous supporting male lead faded to die miserably. The male lead Makoto, tragic background, meek personality, but overflowing with a sense of justice. Moral blackmail is his weapon of mass destruction.

[00:00:44]The female lead Willow, an aloof CEO in public, but secretly a slave to love.

[00:00:50]And the worst part, there's a higher force controlling everything, the will of the world named Sophia. She'll use plot armor in reverse to force the story forward, pushing me step by step toward destruction. But none of them know, I've decided to flip the table. If I can't win, no one gets to. Mutual destruction beats solo victory. None of you are getting your happy ending. Cold water splashed across my face. That's when I woke up, surrounded by the all too familiar voices of judgment, my loving parents and my oh so elegant ex-fiancée Willow. And of course, there's the unavoidable justice demon, my dear cousin Makoto. What's the accusation this time? That I bullied Makoto after he provoked me or that I stole the birthday gift he planned to give Willow?

[00:01:36]Doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that I suddenly inherited memories that didn't belong to me. Turns out this world is straight out of a novel where a beautiful CEO falls in love with a broke guy. And I'm George, the classic villain meant to oppose Makoto at every turn. My only role is to highlight his greatness and righteousness. My suffering exists to make his romance with Willow more touching. My fate is to be hated by everyone, to have my reputation ruined, and eventually die in despair. And Makoto, he'll walk over my corpse and inherit the entire Wong family fortune.

[00:02:11]He'll live happily ever after with Willow, becoming the golden couple everyone envies. Why? Just because he's the main character. My parents treat Makoto like their own son. Because back then, he fought his older brother for power and ended up inheriting the family business. His brother, crushed by the loss, passed away in sorrow. That guilt has haunted him ever since. And now he's trying everything he can to make it up to Makoto. So, in our household, Makoto is practically royalty. The moment he frowns, someone else must be at fault.

[00:02:43]And if I try to explain myself, suddenly I'm the rebellious son with no respect for authority. Willow, she's blind and foolish. Every time Makoto lies and I expose him, she jumps in to defend him, then turns around and yells at me. The face I once loved now only looks stupid and pitiful. I finally realized I'm living in a preset script. My pain feeds his growth. My misfortune is the foundation of his happiness. Struggle, resistance, all meaningless. Any attempt to deviate is corrected by an invisible hand. Fight back and you only die faster. I rubbed my temples and calmly glanced around the room. Their scolding droned on like flies buzzing in my ears.

[00:03:26]I stood up, said nothing, and turned to leave. Behind me, my mother screamed, "George, what kind of attitude is that?"

[00:03:32]I locked my bedroom door. From the depths of my closet, I dragged out the suitcase I'd secretly packed. ID, bank cards, some cash, a few changes of clothes. In the novel, George always tries to explain himself after being framed. He tries to fix things, only to end up deeper in misunderstanding. I'm not interested in that. If I'm doomed to be cannon fodder, I'd rather exit early.

[00:03:57]I opened the window and checked that no one was outside. Second floor. I tossed my suitcase down and climbed out after it. My knees stung when I landed, but I didn't stop. I picked up the suitcase and disappeared into the night. No note.

[00:04:13]No goodbye. As if I'd never existed. I could already picture the chaos that would follow my disappearance, especially for Makoto. He must be freaking out. Ha, how could his precious villainous prop suddenly go off script without my evil deeds? Who's he going to perform his justice for without my schemes? How will his love with Willow be tested? But unfortunately for you, I'm done playing your game. I took temporary refuge in a small inn far from the city. The first thing I did was swap out my SIM card, cutting off all ties to the past. Within a couple of days, I spotted a missing person notice tucked in the corners of local news. Between the lines, it implied I was irresponsible, squandered the family fortune, and ran off after scamming them, possibly manipulated by someone.

[00:04:56]They were trying to ruin my reputation to make life impossible for me. Willow was probably leveraging her connections, too. After all, her male lead Makoto must be wringing his hands over this.

[00:05:08]Makoto's acting skills have always been solid. Unfortunately for them, my foresight plot is my best shield. The situation is different, but in the story, I also disappeared once. That's why I've always managed to stay one step ahead. While hiding, I wasn't idle. I started gathering evidence to protect myself. The financial trickery in Wong Corporation, over the years my father's shady business deals, my mother's secret transfers of assets. And Makoto, is he really as noble, radiant, and righteous as he appears to be? I don't buy it. Not a single thread or clue will escape me.

[00:05:45]It felt like I was creeping through darkness alone with danger lurking in every shadow. But every clue I uncovered, every tracker I dodged brought me one step closer to true freedom. During my time in hiding, I crossed paths with a man named Victor.

[00:06:00]He was sent by my father to find me. I happened to be sick with a cold at the time, drained and careless, and that's how he tracked me down. But instead of reporting me immediately, he urged me to escape far away. He said, "Mr. Wong, he's not someone who values old ties."

[00:06:17]He lowered his head and continued, "Last time, when my daughter was sick and urgently needed a specialist, he told me to get lost. It was you, young master.

[00:06:26]You gave me that doctor's contact." So, that had happened. I barely remembered.

[00:06:31]Probably just something I did in passing. But for Victor, it became the reason he was risking himself now. He said, "Young master, you have to go get far away." His voice was anxious. "They don't just want to bring you back. I I overheard Mr. Wong telling madam that the Mu family son has a terminal illness and your tissue match is perfect. So, this time they're bringing you back to trade you for a partnership with the Mus to save the company." Expected, but hearing it confirmed by someone else chilled me to the bone. They said, "If you don't agree, they'll lock you up and force you to sign." Victor's voice was shaking. I listened in silence. So, this is what my loving parents had in mind.

[00:07:12]To them, their own son was nothing but a pawn to be sacrificed for profit. I said, "Got it." My voice was calm.

[00:07:19]"Thank you for telling me this, Victor."

[00:07:22]Victor was taken aback, probably not expecting me to be so composed. But I shifted the tone. My dad is suspicious by nature. "If you show up empty-handed, he won't let you off." Victor turned pale. I handed him a piece of paper.

[00:07:37]"This is where I'm staying now, but I'll be gone soon," I said. "Once he sends people, they'll confirm I was indeed here. At most, he'll scold you for being inefficient.

[00:07:48]He won't suspect you, at least not for now." Victor accepted the note, gave me a grateful look, and said, "Young master, please be careful." "I will," I replied, looking him in the eye. "You, too." Victor nodded and hurried off, disappearing into the rain. I curled my lips into a cold smile. At first, I'd wanted to disappear completely, to be done with it all. But now I've changed my mind. This debt needs to be settled thoroughly. Just as I was preparing to return to the city, the unexpected happened. I was stopped at the long-distance bus station. Several men blocked my way, and leading them was my father himself. His face was grim. "Come home with me." I stared at him coldly.

[00:08:32]"And if I say no," he lowered his voice and threatened, "George, don't make me use force." I laughed. "Use force here?"

[00:08:38]I raised an eyebrow, voice just loud enough. "You want everyone here to witness how the chairman of Wong Group kidnaps his own son in broad daylight?"

[00:08:46]People around us were already starting to look. My father's face darkened further. He knew making a scene here would only damage the Wong family's reputation. He quickly changed his tone and said, "Why are you being so stubborn? I know.

[00:09:00]Maybe I haven't done everything right, but we're family. Can't we just go home and talk things out?" I knew exactly what he was trying to do, trick me into going back, then lock me up and plan his next move. Still, since he was handing me a perfectly reasonable excuse to return, why not take it? Perfect timing.

[00:09:18]I was heading back anyway, to face the banquet of betrayal that had long been set for me. Setting foot in the Wong family villa again felt like stepping into a different lifetime. My parents, Makoto, and Willow were all seated on the sofa, each with a different expression. I walked in calmly and sat down on the single armchair across from them. "George, you're finally back. We were so worried about you." My mother jumped in first, playing the family emotion card. She said, "Do you know how much trouble the company is in? We're family. You should be helping us through this." I looked at her fake concerned face and replied with a flat tone, "Get to the point." Her expression froze.

[00:09:56]Willow immediately chimed in with a scoff. George uncle and auntie raised you. It wasn't easy. No one's saying you owe them your whole life, but don't be such an ungrateful brat. The family's in trouble now and you're running away.

[00:10:10]There's a chance to fix everything.

[00:10:12]Young Master Mu is sick and needs a kidney. You're a match. Stepping up would be good for you and the Wong family. I turned to her gaze icy.

[00:10:21]Willow, who do you think you are to butt into my business? Her face flushed crimson. She bit her lip and said, "I'm Makoto's girlfriend." "That doesn't make me an outsider. Of course, I care about the Wong family." I chuckled. "Being a girlfriend makes you not an outsider." I looked at her with biting sarcasm.

[00:10:39]"Well, isn't that wonderful? Since Miss Liu is so concerned about the Wong family, where's the Liu family's helping hand? Or is your concern just empty words?" Willow was stunned into silence.

[00:10:49]Makoto stepped in to smooth things over.

[00:10:52]"George, how can you say that? Willow cares that's from the heart. But this is ultimately our Wong family's issue. How could we trouble the Liu family over it?" My father followed up. "Makoto's right. George, how can you be so ungrateful?" He glared at me and said the Wong family is the Wong family. "The Liu family is the Liu family. We handle our own problems. As the son of the Wong family, it's your responsibility. Don't try to dodge it putting on a brave front with nothing to back it up. Refusing to swallow her pride and suffer through hardship, she'd rather save face and suffer for it than ask the Liu family for help. All because she was terrified of losing face and even more afraid of jeopardizing Makoto's ties with the Lius. So instead they came to me, their own son, to be exploited like a patch for their sinking ship. I nodded.

[00:11:39]"You're right. We should handle our own problems. I agree completely." I paused clearly catching the flash of relief on their faces. Then I slowly twisted the knife. "But to me you're no different from outsiders. So don't trouble an outsider like me with the Wong family's mess, okay?" My words were like an invisible slap hitting the three of them square in the face. My father's lips trembled in rage stammering, "You you."

[00:12:06]Makoto spoke heavily, "George, I first know you're angry, but you can't say that to your parents. Everything they've done has been for the good of the Wong family." He sighed wearing that self-righteous noble expression. "Forget it. If George really won't do it, I'll donate instead."

[00:12:22]I cut him off. "Stop pretending to be some selfless hero. Who are you performing for? You think you can just say, 'I'll donate' without even being tested for compatibility? Anyone with half a brain knows that's a load of crap." Makoto was completely silenced, jaw clenched in frustration. My mother having failed at the gentle approach finally lost her patience. She jabbed her finger at my face yelling, "George, you ungrateful selfish brat. How did I give birth to something like you?" With that, she raised her hand to slap me.

[00:12:51]That scene had played out countless times in this house. I used to just take it silently or dodge it. But this time was different. I shot to my feet, spun around, and strode toward the redwood display shelf. I grabbed my mother's most cherished antique vase without hesitation and stormed to the door. With a powerful swing, I hurled it. Thud. The vase landed in the communal trash can smashing into shards among the filth.

[00:13:17]The living room fell into stunned silence. All four of them, including the servants, stared at me like they were seeing a monster. I turned back expressionless. I smiled. "Try laying a hand on me again," I said, my voice ringing clear in every ear. "Next time I won't be so gentle with what I throw."

[00:13:37]My mother trembled all over her face shifting from red to green to ghostly white. She pointed at me sputtering, but no words came out. Clearly the fate of that vase had both frightened and pained her. For the first time she realized her son had really snapped. I was ready to do anything. She didn't dare take another step forward. After that brief moment of shock, she swallowed her rage and gave a vicious signal to the two bodyguards nearby.

[00:14:04]If brute force didn't work, they'd try something shady. Drugging me, locking me up was the novel script finally about to play out. I sneered pulling a small recorder from my pocket and waving it.

[00:14:15]"I'd suggest you think twice," I said staring at my mother enunciating clearly. "If I don't leave here safely and on time tonight, or if I lose contact with the outside world afterward, my friend will call the cops immediately. And all the lovely evidence I've collected on the Wong Corporation and the two of you will be sent straight to the media." Her face twisted with shock and rage. "You're threatening me."

[00:14:37]I answered coolly. "You forced me to."

[00:14:40]Calmly I continued, "So here's the choice. Either let me go now or we all go down together. Pick one." She was so furious her chest heaved violently, but she didn't dare act. Her plan to control me had failed again. All she had left was powerless rage. They had no choice but to let me go for now. But I wasn't allowed to disappear from their radar. I had to remain within their line of sight. And so the stalemate dragged on for 2 days. On the third day, my mother's attitude abruptly shifted. She had someone bring me back home and told me the Mu family had already found a suitable donor. Then she suddenly changed the subject even managing to squeeze out a gentle smile. She said, "George, recently I've been helping you find a nice girl." I raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue. She said, "She's a good friend of Makoto's, the heiress of the Kim family. Her name is Sophia Kim." Her tone was unusually warm, clearly forced. "She's well-educated, respectful to her parents, and has a great impression of you." My mother smiled again and added, "And the Kim family said if you two hit it off, they'd be more than happy to help us through our current difficulties." The moment the name Sophia came out of her mouth, alarm bells rang in my mind. That name, I vaguely remembered it. She'd often been around Makoto at family events, in karaoke rooms, at group dinners, always off to the side, quiet, easy to overlook. Back then I hadn't thought much of it. But looking back now, whenever Makoto finished playing basketball, she'd be the first to hand him a water bottle. When he was hungry, she just happened to have packed an extra lunch. When he was sick, she'd conveniently be passing by with medicine. Her care for Makoto had always been timely, yet never blatant. It all seemed like coincidence. Too many coincidences.

[00:16:39]And now she shows up at this moment as Makoto's friend, way too convenient.

[00:16:44]Like a trap carefully laid. My suspicion toward Sophia's identity and motives flared almost instantly. But I couldn't let any of it show. I said, "Oh." I feigned calm. "Since she's Makoto's friend, sure. No harm in meeting and getting to know her." I needed to keep them at ease while I secretly investigated. Who was this Sophia? What was her connection to Makoto? And to this world that was increasingly off-script? I had to find out. I started spending time with Sophia. And everything about her felt too perfect to be real. She was stunningly beautiful, tall, graceful, polite, and impossibly kind. Flawless in every way. Her attitude toward me was perfectly balanced. Not too cold, not overly eager. Just the right level of interest and sincerity to make someone believe she genuinely liked them. If I hadn't been on high alert already, I probably would have fallen for it. I began digging into her background using every resource I could access. And what I uncovered was deeply disturbing.

[00:17:44]Everything about her life was so pristine it felt manufactured. She came from a wealthy family, but the Kim Corporation was only founded a year before she was born. Even stranger, despite being so young, the company had grown at an unnatural pace. Every project, every investment it touched was backed by an uncanny streak of luck and coincidence that defied logic. And her personal history scrubbed clean. It was like someone had polished her past until there wasn't a single flaw left or any useful information for that matter. What confirmed my suspicions was what happened every time I tried to break a key plot node. For example, I once reached out to a journalist who could expose the Wong family's financial scandals. He suddenly fell ill and flew abroad. I found a company interested in buying evidence I held against the Wong family. The night before the signing, the CEO was injured in a freak car accident. Behind every one of these setbacks, I kept sensing Sophia's shadow. It was as if she knew the direction the story should take. And at every crucial moment she would act, subtly disrupting my plans or dragging me back onto the correct narrative track just when I was about to break free. And that's when the horrifying truth began to crystallize in my mind. Sophia was most likely the human embodiment of this world's will. Her mission was to preserve the stability of the original plot line, to ensure Makoto remained the protagonist and reached his happy ending. And I, the vile supporting male, who had awakened and dared to stray from the script, was her prime target for suppression and correction. I wasn't fighting a person. I was fighting the architect of the rules themselves. That realization sent a chill down my spine, but it also fueled an even fiercer determination. Sophia's interference was growing more blatant and forceful. She no longer settled for subtle guidance.

[00:19:31]At times she would outright manipulate reality with supernatural power to twist the situation in her favor. All of my evasion and resistance now seemed like temporary wins. As long as I remained within the story, I was bound to be dragged back to the tragic ending written for me.

[00:19:48]I couldn't let this go on. I forced myself to calm down and carefully analyze the current situation. According to the book's plot, I die a humiliating death after a complete downfall. Makoto, by contrast, becomes even more noble and righteous through my disgrace, ultimately marrying Willow and inheriting the Wong family's empire. My timely exit is a crucial part of his perfect ending. So, what if this key prop, me, disappeared entirely before the final act of Dangerous Idea took shape in my mind? If my death would jeopardize Makoto's happy ever after, would that be a bug in the world will's code? Would she, Sophia, be willing to see that happen? It was a crazy gamble, but I had to try. I took the initiative to invite Sophia out, choosing the rooftop of a tall building as our meeting spot. The moment she arrived, I acted. I pretended to break down, rushing toward the edge of the rooftop, making it look like I was ready to jump.

[00:20:42]I clenched my jaw and shouted, "I know who you are!" I screamed at her, half performance, half raw emotion bursting free. "If you're so hell bent on forcing me back into that damned ending, then I'd rather destroy everything right now.

[00:20:54]Destroy your precious perfect story."

[00:20:56]The wind whipped my hair, my clothes flapping wildly. And I saw it, a change in Sophia's expression. That face, which always carried calm grace, now showed unmistakable panic and a clear desire to stop me. She even instinctively stepped forward to grab me. Her voice, usually composed, trembled. "George, calm down."

[00:21:16]That single moment confirmed everything.

[00:21:18]My presence and my timely exit was absolutely essential to this story. I didn't jump. I just stood on the edge, staring her down with icy defiance. Now, for the first time, I held something fragile but real that could threaten her. And it was finally my turn to negotiate. Sophia quickly regained her composure. She looked at me, her eyes unreadable. "All right, George," she said. "I admit it. Your role is critical to the integrity of this narrative." For the first time, she spoke to me like a controller behind the curtain. Then she made an offer. She said, "If you cooperate with me and complete the remaining key plot points, ensuring that Makoto reaches his destined happy ending, then when all of this is over, I can arrange a brand new life for you, one free from the original tragedy, one that could even be truly happy." The future she painted was tempting.

[00:22:12]Freedom, a fresh start, maybe even peace. But could I trust a force that saw me as nothing more than a tool, as a pawn to be scripted and discarded? Not for a second. Still, I had no better option. I wasn't strong enough to fight her head-on. I hesitated on purpose, then finally nodded like I'd made a hard decision. "Fine. I'll cooperate, but you have to keep your word." "Of course," she said with a soft smile. I was safe for now. At least until I completed the rest of the story, she wouldn't risk eliminating me. But that didn't mean I could let my guard down. If anything, I watched her more closely than ever. And I soon noticed she was accelerating the plot. She pushed the romance between Makoto and Willow hard and fast, scripting coincidence after coincidence, heroic rescues, romantic encounters. At the same time, she intensified her pressure on me. Rumors and schemes that weren't supposed to surface until later in the plot began appearing early. It was like she was racing against the clock. But why? That question gnawed at me. Until one day, I returned early to the safe house she designed me, a location designed for her to monitor me easily. Through the door, I heard her voice, low and anxious, muttering to herself. She grumbled, "That damn author went away ages ago. The power is fading.

[00:23:36]Makoto's ending was never finalized, but I have to take the gamble. I need to push him toward some kind of happiness, fast, or else." In that moment, I understood everything. So, that's it, Sophia. The so-called embodiment of the world will was never some omnipotent god. Her power came from the source material, a story that had already been abandoned midway by its author. The writer ghosted the project, left the ending unfinished, and as a result, Sophia's strength had been steadily weakening. Her obsession with ensuring Makoto's happy ending wasn't about him at all. It was just a desperate attempt to preserve her crumbling existence.

[00:24:11]This revelation gave me a sliver of real hope. She was weakening, and she was desperate. Right then, my phone buzzed.

[00:24:20]An encrypted message from David, my closest senior from university. He had started his own biotech company a few years ago. Previously, I'd secretly sent him preliminary results from some pharmaceutical research I'd done by exploiting Wong family resources. He had been incredibly interested. He'd been trying to track me down ever since. The message was brief. "George, your research is incredibly valuable. If you're willing, bring it here. We'll take care of everything else."

[00:24:49]It was the opportunity one had dreamed of. A way to escape this soap opera of a plot and truly start over on my own terms. I replied immediately, expressing my willingness to join. Then I rushed to gather all my research data and experiment logs. These were more important than my life. I had made multiple backups and hidden them in various locations. But I wasn't slick enough to escape Sophia's notice. The night before I was set to leave the city for good, she found out. To her, I was a critical plot device. Until her mission was complete, she couldn't afford to lose control of me. So, she used the last of her waning power and directly took control. I blacked out. When I opened my eyes, I found myself locked inside an abandoned warehouse. Dust and mildew filled the air. Everything I could have used to contact the outside world was gone. Sophia stood before me.

[00:25:45]She wore a pale slip dress fabric, clinging to her frame in disarray. One strap had broken off her shoulder and was slipping down. The hem was wrinkled and even torn in places. Before I could make sense of her intentions, she spoke.

[00:25:58]"George the first gave you a chance," she said as she walked toward me. "Why can't you just stay where you belong?"

[00:26:04]She wanted to use her final trick to fully subdue me. But I was no longer the George who relied on threats and evasion to survive. Over the past 6 months, I had never stopped preparing.

[00:26:15]Anticipating the possibility of physical confrontation, I had secretly taken up combat training. Not long, but maybe just long enough. Thankfully, Sophia underestimated me. Assuming I was still the pathetic version from the original plot, she had only tied my hands. I waited. Then, when her guard was down, I seized the chance. I grabbed a nearby chair and launched forward without hesitation. No fear. No holding back.

[00:26:42]Sweep kick. Left stomp. Knee to the gut.

[00:26:46]She never saw it coming, certainly not from me. She crashed to the ground with a muffled groan. I didn't hesitate. I launched a flurry of brutal kicks, leaving her bruised and motionless.

[00:26:59]Untying the rope, I looked down at Sophia collapsed on the ground. There was only one thought in my mind: end this once and for all. Just as I'd taken down Sophia and was finally catching my breath, the warehouse door creaked open.

[00:27:13]I turned, and my pupils contracted in shock. Willow. Behind her stood two unfamiliar men, their expressions hostile, each holding a camera. Clearly not here for anything good. Then I understood. This This had been Sophia's backup plan, or rather, part of her original script. She wanted them to barge in, see Sophia in that disheveled state, and record evidence of me assaulting her. She was going to destroy me with this, use it to blackmail me into playing along with her goddamn story. Willow froze briefly at the sight of Sophia on the ground, but quickly composed herself. Her expression morphed into performative outrage. "George, how could you do something like this?" she cried. She probably thought this was just another impromptu plot twist from Sophia and didn't question it. She and the two men advanced with their cameras.

[00:28:05]I was seething, but I couldn't lose my cool. It was one against three, and two of them were men. I couldn't win head-on. I scanned the room, spotted a rusted iron rod nearby, took a deep breath, then charged forward and kicked Willow straight in the stomach. She doubled over in shock and pain, and in that moment, I grabbed the iron rod and slammed it into the back of her neck. I heard groans, bodies hitting the floor.

[00:28:32]Willow, pampered rich girl that she was, had no chance of enduring a real hit.

[00:28:37]The two men stood frozen for a second.

[00:28:40]They tried to jump me, but I knocked them both down with sweeping strikes.

[00:28:44]They had no weapons, no guts, no killer instinct. I, on the other hand, was in full survival mode. Every strike was calculated, merciless. From beginning to end, I didn't give them a single chance.

[00:28:58]Minutes later, three bodies lay sprawled across the floor. I stood over them, gasping for air. That's when I noticed a small bottle sticking out of Sophia's pocket. The label read, "Potent hallucinogenic aphrodisiac." So, this was her tool for staging the evidence.

[00:29:15]Disgusting. I picked it up, walked over to each unconscious figure, and forced every last drop of the drug down their throats. Not a single drop wasted. Then I picked up Willow's phone from the floor, unlocked it using her fingerprint, opened the camera. I placed the phone at a distance, angled to capture both audio and the chaos in the corner of the warehouse. It didn't take long. Soon, the drug took effect, and the sickening sounds began. That should be enough. Amid the chaos, Sophia's discarded phone screen suddenly lit up beside me. A new message had come in. I glanced at the screen. The sender was Makoto. It read, "Sophia, how did it go?

[00:29:57]Is that useless trash taken care of yet?" So, not only was he aware, he may have been involved in the whole setup. I picked up Sophia's phone and transferred the footage I had just recorded with Willow's phone onto it. Then I set a complex password for the video file.

[00:30:12]Using Sophia's tone, I replied to Makoto.

[00:30:15]"Yes, it's done. Here's the evidence. I encrypted it so it won't leak early."

[00:30:21]I attached the file and sent it. Then I added, "Oh, and I made a few adjustments to the world's rules."

[00:30:28]"Right now, send the video and the password to all the PR accounts you've bought. Push the scandal that George assaulted the heiress of the Kim family.

[00:30:36]Once the scandal goes public, your protagonist aura will be completely locked in. Your happy ending will be secure. No more waiting for plot triggers. This is the fastest route I can give you."

[00:30:48]I knew Makoto. He was obsessed with the idea that he was the chosen one and that I was the obstacle he had to destroy.

[00:30:56]His craving for a happy ending had long overridden his ability to think rationally. Sure enough, he replied quickly. "That's amazing, Sophia. Thank you, I'll do it right away." His message reeked of eagerness and venomous delight. I stared at the screen coldly.

[00:31:12]"Makoto, this is the path you chose."

[00:31:15]Then he added, "I've already hired a ton of internet trolls. Once the video goes live, we'll bury him."

[00:31:22]I responded with a single word, "Okay."

[00:31:25]Then I deleted all messages, files, and logs from both phones and did a full factory reset on each. After confirming I'd left no fingerprints or traces, I quietly walked out of that filthy warehouse. A new show was about to begin. At dawn, it was as if someone dropped a bomb on the internet. "Rich heir George assaults Kim family heiress." The headline exploded across every major platform. Makoto's paid trolls went full force flooding the feeds with vile comments and conspiracies. The scandal surged to the top of every trending list. But then, as curious netizens rushed to find out more and clicked on the viral video being shared, everyone was stunned. The footage was dim, the camera aimed at a warehouse corner and the floor, but the audio was crystal clear and the flashes of tangled limbs were unmistakable.

[00:32:12]There were four people, two women, two men. Though the women's faces were partially obscured, they were still identifiable. One was Sophia Kim, the Kim family heiress. The other was Willow, Hay City's most famous socialite heiress of the Lou Corporation. As for the two men, though their faces were unfamiliar, internet sleuths quickly identified them, Willow's bodyguards.

[00:32:35]Not a single trace of me, George, appeared in the footage. Public opinion flipped instantly. Comments flooded in, "WTF? I thought George was the predator.

[00:32:44]Why are Willow and Sophia the ones in this video? The four of them, were they drugged? This is some freaky ass asterisk asterisk asterisk.

[00:32:51]Something's off. Who filmed this? Who spun this into a smear campaign against George? Wait, Makoto's dating Willow and Sophia is his close friend. This whole thing reeks. Rich circles are messed up." Makoto no doubt was frozen in horror the moment he saw the actual footage.

[00:33:09]He tried to reach Sophia, but she'd vanished as if into thin air. He tried to get the video taken down, but it had already gone viral re-uploaded across countless platforms, unstoppable. The troll army he hired, they only helped amplify the scandal. Willow, on the other hand, woke up in the hospital and was immediately bombarded with videos of herself spreading like wildfire. The once untouchable heiress cracked instantly. She had a mental breakdown on the spot, slipping into psychosis. The Lou family, they exploded. It didn't take long for them to trace the origin of the video back to Makoto. Furious, they concluded it was either a deliberate trap set by Makoto or the Wong family. The Lou Corporation struck back with everything they had, crushing Wong family assets in a wave of ruthless retaliation. And as for Sophia, after what happened in that warehouse, her already fragile mental state collapsed entirely. A few nights later, during a storm, someone reported seeing a woman fall into the river. She was never seen again, vanished without a trace, neither alive nor dead. I didn't bother following up on what happened to the others. Instead, I reconnected with my old college senior David and brought my research results to a different city.

[00:34:23]When David saw me, he pulled me into a big hug. I threw myself wholeheartedly into work. With David's company providing state-of-the-art labs and abundant funding, my research progressed rapidly. In less than 6 months, we made a breakthrough. Our project gained major traction and the company became the talk of the industry, attracting massive venture capital. And I finally had a real career, a foundation for my independence and future. Just then, an uninvited guest appeared, my mother. She looked significantly older and more worn down. The Wong Corporation, under the dual pressure of Lou family's relentless attacks and its own mismanagement, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Somehow, she had tracked me down and found David's company. She showed up with zero guilt.

[00:35:09]Instead, she immediately put on the authoritative airs of a mother. She said, "Everyone says your research is impressive. Hurry up and transfer it to Wong Corporation for free. It's what you owe the family. As long as you help us through this crisis, I'll acknowledge you again as my son." I looked at her quietly, filled with nothing but numb indifference. "My work has nothing to do with the Wong family," I said coldly.

[00:35:31]"You still have Makoto. Let him save the Wong family." Enraged, she raised her hand to hit me again. But this time, before she could try anything, I immediately called security and had her thrown out. She left screaming obscenities, filthy venomous insults, but her voice grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared beyond the doors.

[00:35:51]While the Lou family was busy crushing the Wong family, they didn't spare the one they saw as the true culprit, Makoto. I later heard that one night, they cornered him in an alley. He lost something. Whatever it was, it broke him completely, physically and mentally. The chain of traumas finally shattered his mind. He was sent to a psychiatric facility. That male lead aura he clung to, it probably vanished the moment he hit send on that damning video.

[00:36:19]Meanwhile, I compiled evidence of the Lou family's illegal acts of revenge and handed it over to one of their rival corporations. They acted fast. Soon, the Lou family scandals exploded across the internet along with the exposure of numerous illegal business practices. The Lou Corporation's stock crashed. Their cash flow collapsed. Eventually, they declared bankruptcy. Most of the Lou family's top members now face serious legal prosecution. As for the Wong family, they fell even earlier than the Leus. My mother tried to flee with the last of the family's assets and her lover, but was caught by my father. In a fit of rage, he stabbed her to death with a fruit knife, then suffered a stroke himself due to the emotional shock, leaving him paralyzed. And Makoto, I wonder if in the rare moments of clarity he might still have he regrets the choices he made. But that has nothing to do with me anymore.

[00:37:13]Another year had passed. David's company had transformed from a startup into one of the hottest rising stars in the industry. Our pharmaceutical research had passed clinical trials and was about to enter production, bringing hope to countless patients. That evening was the company's year-end celebration banquet.

[00:37:31]As one of the core researchers and shareholders, I was naturally among the center of attention. At the climax of the banquet, David mentioned my name in particular, expressing his gratitude for the tremendous impact I had brought to the company. Amid the thunderous applause, David personally stepped down from the stage and handed me a share transfer document along with the key to a beautifully crafted apartment. It was a luxury apartment in a prime downtown location. On top of that, there was a generous year-end bonus.

[00:37:59]"Congratulations, George," David said with a smile. "You deserve this." After the banquet, I went alone to the apartment that had been awarded to me.

[00:38:08]Standing in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, I looked out over the dazzling city lights below. I had completely freed myself from the chains of that absurd soap opera of a story and cut all ties with the disgraceful past. The future had arrived, brilliant and full of light.