I suffered from severe skin hunger syndrome.

Every waking moment, I wanted to cling to Charles Hansen. At night, I craved his touch even more obsessively.

In Oakhaven's social circle, everyone knew me as the clingy, brainless rich wife.

When I once again insisted on tagging along on Charles's business trip, a series of floating comments suddenly appeared before my eyes.

[The cannon-fodder wife is at it again. She just has to follow him and ruin this client meeting too. The moment the male lead comes back, he finally files for divorce.]

[She's unloved by both parents, emotionally unstable, and suffers from skin hunger syndrome. In the end, she develops depression and dies alone beneath a bridge.]

[Good thing our heroine saves the deal and helps the male lead secure the client. This is also when he starts falling for her.]

[I can't wait for the romance arc! Cold CEO x secretary is such a perfect pairing. Can this annoying side character disappear already?]

I slowly looked toward Daisy Allen, the secretary waiting by the door to leave on the trip with Charles.

Then, for the first time, my arms loosened from around him.

The comments floating across the screen claimed that my clinginess would eventually drive Charles Hansen away. That we would end up divorced, and I'd spiral into depression before freezing to death under some bridge.

Above me, Charles's low, velvety voice was still trying to coax me.

"Amanda Koss, it's only a two-day business trip. This client's different. Just stay home and wait for me, okay..."

Before he could finish, I had already rolled off him at lightning speed.

"Mhm, I get it. Go ahead."

The smile at the corner of Charles's lips froze.

"Amanda, are you sure you don't want to come with..."

What an actor.

He was obviously already sick of me, yet he still insisted on pretending to be the perfect husband.

Wasn't this exactly what he wanted? For me to leave on my own?

Fine. I would go along with it.

I covered my ears. "Mhm, mhm, just go by yourself. I'm going to sleep."

Then I sprinted back to the bedroom.

[Why isn't the side character causing trouble anymore? If she doesn't interfere, how are the male and female leads supposed to deepen their relationship?]

[What a scheming woman. Now she's trying the whole 'playing hard to get' act. Too bad the male lead isn't some idiot she can fool easily.]

[Exactly. The main couple is destined to be together no matter what. The side character's only ending is freezing to death under a bridge.]

Daisy Allen's sweet voice drifted faintly from outside.

"Mr. Hansen, the driver's waiting downstairs. Is Amanda not coming?"

A moment later, Charles gave a quiet "Mm."

Then my phone buzzed.

Five million dollars had just been deposited into my account. The transfer was from Charles.

The sound of the front door closing echoed through the apartment.

I nearly exploded with anger.

The comments were right. Charles really was tired of me.

Even if I said I wasn't going, couldn't he at least insist on taking me with him?

He clearly knew I had severe skin hunger syndrome, yet he still left me behind without hesitation.

[I'm dying laughing at the side character punching the bed in anger. If she knew the male and female leads almost slept together on this trip, she'd probably smash her head into a wall.]

[First time reading this novel. Why 'almost'?]

[Because of the side character, obviously. She's been clinging to the male lead every single day for two years straight. His body's already familiar with her scent. Even drunk, he could tell the female lead wasn't her. His body automatically pushed the female lead away.]

Bitterness spread through my chest.

In two years of marriage, I had always been the one taking the initiative before I ever got to see Charles lose control.

And Daisy?

She had only been his secretary for a short time, yet they were already one step away from sleeping together.

A text message from Charles popped up on my phone.

[Amanda, stop ordering takeout when you're home alone. I hired someone to take care of you. Be good and wait for me to come back.]

I did not reply.

The violent emotional swing had triggered my skin hunger syndrome again.

My entire body felt unbearably itchy, as though thousands of ants were crawling beneath my skin. It was the kind of itch that seeped straight out of your bones.

I dragged several of Charles's shirts out of the closet and piled them onto the bed like a little mountain before burying myself inside them.

The itching eased slightly. But it was not enough.

Clothes, after all, did not have the warmth of a living person.

Then I heard the unmistakable click of the smart lock opening.

Wasn't Charles supposed to be leaving on a business trip with Daisy? Why was he back?

A voice sounded beside my ear. Different from Charles's, but just as pleasant.

"Amanda, did my brother really leave you home alone?"

The comments section exploded.

[This scene wasn't in the original novel! Wasn't the 'corrected plot' supposed to be the villainess getting desperate, chasing after the male lead, ruining the contract, and making him hate her?]

[No wonder he's the male lead's little brother. He's so handsome.]

So when Charles said he had arranged for someone to take care of me, he meant his younger brother, Jack Hansen?

The thought of someone outside the family seeing my skin hunger episode made me deeply embarrassed.

However, Jack simply wrapped his arms gently around me from behind.

"No one comforted you when it flared up? That's kind of heartbreaking."

The heat of his body felt unbelievably soothing.

Still, the last scraps of my rationality made me push him away.

There was no way I was going to become the cheating wife who got thrown out with nothing in the divorce.

For all I knew, this could be a setup between Charles and his brother, some elaborate act to get rid of me faster.

I shoved Jack out the door and slammed it shut. No matter how long he knocked outside, I refused to open it.

Eventually, I fell into a heavy sleep. By the time I woke up, it was already the next morning.

When I checked my phone, Charles had sent over a dozen messages.

I ignored all of them.

In the past, even being separated from him for two hours would have driven me crazy enough to bombard him with calls.

But things were different now.

I valued my life more.

Yesterday, I had managed to survive the episode by clinging to Charles's clothes.

But today, the rebound felt even worse.

I bit down hard on my lower lip, trying to use pain to suppress the unbearable itch crawling beneath my skin, trying to force myself to stay clear-headed.

A few hours later, I was crying.

In the two years we had been married, I had never suffered like this before.

During the day, I would cling to Charles, feeling up his abs and chest whenever I wanted. At night, no matter what I asked for, he indulged me every single time.

For two whole years, he had spoiled me until my appetite only grew bigger and bigger.

I turned on the TV.

Oakhaven News was broadcasting live coverage of Hansen Group president Charles securing a partnership with a major corporation from Stanton City.

His custom-tailored suit made him look impossibly refined. Beside him, Daisy followed closely in a pink business suit, her smile elegant and composed.

The livestream comments completely lost their minds.

['My wife isn't my weakness, she's my armor.' AHHHH this power-couple energy is EVERYTHING.]

[The height difference is killing me.]

Jealousy bubbled sourly in my chest.

I quickly forced the feeling back down.

I was just a disposable side character. If I wanted to stay alive, the only option was to stay far away from the male and female leads.

I tossed and turned miserably across the bed, soft whimpers escaping my throat.

Maybe I had accidentally pressed something on my phone, because suddenly Charles's voice came through the speaker.

"Amanda, why did it take you so long to call me back?"

I felt so awful I couldn't even speak. All I could do was continue making weak, breathless sounds that were easy to misunderstand.

The line went silent for two seconds.

Then he hung up.

A moment later, the news anchor announced that Hansen Group president Charles had abruptly boarded a flight back to Oakhaven.

Right then, the front door opened again.

Jack knocked lightly on my bedroom door.

"Hey, Amanda, it's me."

I was going insane.

The skin hunger was driving me out of my mind.

Jack was wearing a silk v-neck shirt so thin I could almost see the smooth skin hidden beneath the fabric.

I snapped.

I lunged at him and buried my face against his solid chest, clinging to him like someone cuddling a cat, unable to stop.

The corner of Jack's lips lifted slightly. He did not move, just let me hold him like that.

Tears streamed down my face.

After more than twenty hours of torment, I had finally found my 'cure.'

Just as I was sinking into the relief of skin contact, the smart lock at the front door clicked open again.

The comments flashing before my eyes went wild.

[Holy sh*t! The showdown is here. This is insane.]

[How does a throwaway villainess deserve this kind of love triangle? Our heroine hasn't even gotten anything yet!]

[This brother drama is way too entertaining.]

[Everyone trying to break up the official couple can get lost. This is obviously the male lead's plan to dump the annoying villainess faster.]

At the same moment, my phone lit up with a message from Charles.

[Amanda, I'm home.]