I failed my exams and ended up trapped in a novel.

I've become the villainous stepmother who bullied the male lead during his childhood.

Looking down, I saw a young boy kneeling on the floor. I had a hanger in my hand, as if I was about to hit him.

This boy was the male lead, Xavier Gomez. I was his cruel stepmother, Ariella Marshall.

The novel's title was Madly Loving the Sickly Young Master. In it, the original Ariella married Xavier's 60-year-old father right after turning 18, hoping to inherit his billion-dollar fortune. However, on their wedding night, the old man had a stroke from the excitement and died.

Ariella thought she would inherit everything immediately, but she soon discovered that her late husband had left a will.

She had to raise Xavier until he came of age to receive just 10% of the fortune.

Furious, Ariella had no choice but to care for Xavier. She took her anger out on him, abusing him whenever she could. She beat him, locking him in dark rooms, and denying him food.

Under her abuse, Xavier became mentally twisted. He endured it quietly but tried to kill her multiple times. Ariella always caught him. After one failed attempt, she broke his leg. Crippled, Xavier became even more withdrawn, silently waiting for the right moment.

Once Xavier became an adult, he used his father's resources to rise to power. Then he began his revenge, paying Ariella back a hundredfold for her cruelty. In the end, she was sent to a mental hospital, where she suddenly died.

As the title suggests, during this revenge plot, Xavier and the heroine, Chloe Tucker, go through rounds of love and hate. She ran, he chased, and they eventually ended up happily together.

"Mother, I shouldn't be eating at the table. Please punish me," he said, addressing me formally.

The 10-year-old Xavier knelt on the ground, his dirty little face showing delicate features beneath the grime. He wore thin, ragged clothes and stretched out his hands, palms up.

His father must have just passed away, and this was probably when I started tormenting him...

I didn't remember all the details from the novel, so I had to rely on Ariella's memories.

Without my god-like perspective, would Xavier still try to kill me?

Either way, I'd better be careful. My plan: survive until Xavier turns 18, then claim the 10% of the billion-dollar inheritance and retire in style. Maybe with a cute boytoy.

I had my survival strategy mapped out.

"Stand up, Xavier. I didn't let you eat at the table because your hands are dirty. It's not right to eat without washing them first. Go wash up, and then you can eat," I said, keeping a calm expression.

Xavier stood up slowly, keeping his head down. His long hair covered his eyes, and his silence was almost oppressive.

"Mother, are you thinking of a new way to torture me?"

Xavier was almost looking forward to it.

I sat down and saw the dishes on the table. What kind of horror show is this?

Worm spaghetti, blood pudding, and Coca-Cola beef?

From Ariella's memories, it seemed she had supposedly given the butler and the servants a month off to help young Xavier "build life skills."

In reality, it was just an excuse to make Xavier cook and clean for her as punishment.

This meal must've been Xavier's doing. No wonder he was such a mess.

"Mother," Xavier said, now wearing a change of clothes. They were still old, with sleeves too short for him. He stood in front of me, head bowed.

Oh, that's right. Ariella had donated all his new clothes to an orphanage, leaving him with only old ones, under the pretext of mourning his father and not wearing anything too nice.

I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the poor kid.

"Xavier, sit."

Xavier snapped his head up, staring at me with his blue eyes.

"Why is Mother acting differently than in my dreams?

Or is she planning to make me kneel all night if I dare sit down or forbid me from eating and using the bathroom?"

I looked at him, unsure of what he was thinking. He seemed wary of me like he didn't trust my intentions.

According to Ariella's memories, this was just the beginning of her torment.

I had just arrived in this world and hadn't done anything yet.

"Ahem. Domestic violence is never okay. I should strive to be a model citizen."

"I said, Xavier, sit down."

"Yes, Mother."

Xavier quietly pulled out a chair and sat next to me.

I put some of the beef on his plate and smiled at him.

"Come on, eat up. This is your first big meal, Xavier."

Xavier took a bite and immediately frowned. The taste was bizarre.

It was his first time cooking, and he figured I wouldn't eat any of it anyway. She'd probably just throw it away and mock him.

So, he had thrown together whatever he could find...

I understood now. This food must taste awful. Time to make my escape!

I ate two bites of rice and put down my fork. "I'm full. Take your time, Xavier, and don't forget to wash your dishes."

Xavier watched me leave, lost in thought.

In the middle of the night, I woke up starving. I went to the fridge to find something to eat, but it was completely empty.

Luckily, this world had takeout delivery.

I ordered a fried chicken combo with a large Coke. Perfect!

As I sat down, with just a small lamp on, ready to dig into my chicken...

Suddenly, I heard a click, and the entire living room lit up.

I turned around, still holding my drumstick, and saw Xavier. What was he doing up at this hour?

"I'm sorry, Mother! I thought there was a burglar," Xavier said, immediately lowering his head and getting ready to kneel.

I grabbed his hand. "What are you doing? Don't kneel to me in the middle of the night. It's bad luck. Don't do this again."

"Yes, Mother," Xavier replied, glancing at the hand I was holding.

It was warm, but the warmth from her hand was so unpleasant.

I let go of his hand.

"Xavier, want a midnight snack?" I asked out of politeness.

"Can I?" Xavier was confused but still asked.

"Uh... why not, haha..."

I was just being polite.

I tore off a chicken wing and handed it to him, not wanting to part with it.

Xavier reached for it. When I didn't let go, he smiled slightly.

"Mother, I don't have to eat it."

I shoved it into his mouth. "Eat it! You should share the good stuff!"

Xavier was stunned but soon lowered his head and began eating slowly.

This woman seems a bit foolish.

He didn't care much for such simple pleasures.

I was truly hungry and wolfed down my food. When I looked up, he was eating so elegantly. A true novel protagonist, even at this age.

Even if he was just the younger version.

After finishing my Coke, I realized I couldn't eat the rest of the burger and fries.

"Xavier, do you want more? I can't finish this."

"Sure," Xavier's eyes sparkled.

He had misjudged. Maybe indulging in a little food wasn't so bad, and maybe this woman wasn't entirely evil.

I thought, "Ten-year-olds are so easy to win over."

The next day, I called back the housekeeper, maid, and other staff.

Having people to take care of things is way better than dealing with a troublesome kid.

"Austin, help me find a boarding school for Xavier. Preferably one where he only comes home on holidays."

Sending Xavier off to school would be perfect. I'd have the whole mansion to myself without worrying about him causing trouble for me.

"Yes, Mrs. Gomez." A deep, pleasant voice responded behind me. It was so smooth and almost seductive.

I turned around to see a handsome man in a tailcoat, bowing to me.

"Wait, what? How could a butler be this handsome?

Well, it's probably because this is a novel world where things work in their own strange logic."

I found his name in the original owner's memories.

"Austin?"

"Yes, Mrs. Gomez. What can I do for you?" Austin stood up straight, lowering his head as he listened to me.

"Look up," I said, staring at the man bowing before me.

"Yes." He knelt on one knee before raising his head to look at me, then quickly lowered his gaze again.

"Ugh, those eyelashes are way too long. I'm so jealous!"

Austin one eyes was pale blue, the other emerald green. His features were flawless, and that blonde hair? I was totally in love!

"Bring me the resumes of everyone working here, including yours."

I needed to know everything about the people around me.

The original owner's memories were seriously lacking.

All she ever thought about was money and seducing men to make more of it. Everything else was a blur.

Surviving here safely was going to be tough.

Austin was quick. I had just finished my bath when there was a knock on the door.

I wanted to step out right away, but then I realized I had left my clothes outside. Turns out, trying to think while bathing makes me forgetful.

"Austin, can you ask Valeria to come in for me?" My heart was racing, and my face felt like it was on fire.

There's no way I'm going to embarrass myself in front of a handsome guy!

Luckily, I was quick-witted and thought of a third option: having Austin call a woman to help. That felt much safer.

"Huh, why isn't anything happening?"

I had been soaking in the bathtub for so long, my skin was starting to wrinkle.

"Mrs. Gomez, Valeria's daughter-in-law gave birth, so she rushed home overnight," Austin called from outside.

"Then get one of the maids."

"Mrs. Gomez, besides the chef and myself, the other staff are not allowed to stay overnight in the villa. They've already returned to the staff quarters."

"Wait, what? Do they get off work this early?" I was confused. This was my first time living the life of the rich.

"Fine, then call Xavier."

"Mrs. Gomez, I can assist you. There's no need to bother Mr. Gomez."

The doorknob clicked as it turned. Austin walked in unhurriedly, wearing a perfectly polite smile, always calm and proper.

I splashed the water in frustration. The ever-gentle butler wasn't as obedient as I had expected.

"Mrs. Gomez, please forgive me for taking the initiative, but Mr. Gomez needs his rest since he's going to school tomorrow."

Austin stood at the bathroom door, his face split between light and shadow. Half of it glowed warmly under the soft light, his blonde hair seeming to radiate warmth, while the other half disappeared into the shadows, giving off a somber vibe.

"Fine, can you grab my pajamas for me?" I said slowly, "They're on my bed."

"Mrs. Gomez, please open the door."

Hiding behind the door, I stretched out my hand and felt Austin place the clothes in it.

He seemed to lightly brush my palm.

I quickly yanked my hand back.

The sensation in my palm wasn't a lie.

He was trying to seduce me.

Xavier was dreaming again.

In his dream, he cooked a terrible meal, which angered Ariella. She slapped him and forced him to kneel on the floor, forbidding him to sleep.

In the dream, he watched himself as a bystander, seeing how the woman continuously abused him from the age of ten to eighteen. He had eight long years of suffering.

He let out a cry of pain.

I woke up in the middle of the night to flashes of lightning and the sound of heavy rain outside.

Amid the rain, I could hear a faint, eerie sobbing sound. It was unsettling.

I quickly turned on the bedside lamp with a "click." Too scared to sleep, I grabbed my phone and used the flashlight to track the source of the sound.

Walking through the hallway, I realized the sound was coming from a small room in the corner.

It looked like Xavier's room.

The original owner must have forced him into this tiny room again, under the excuse of "saving space."

I knocked on the door, but there was no response.

I thought maybe he was still mourning his father, so I figured I'd leave him alone. Just as I was about to turn and leave...

I heard a heavy thud. What was that kid doing?

Growing concerned, I pushed the door, feeling some resistance. I had to use some force to get it open.

The lock was broken. No wonder he had used a chair to barricade the door.

A kid with no sense of security.

I turned on the light and saw Xavier lying on the floor. His face was flushed. The tears streamed from the corners of his eyes, and soft whimpers escaped his mouth.

He looked like a broken porcelain doll, fragile and shattered.

I rushed over and lifted him onto the bed, feeling the heat radiating from his body. He must have a fever.

I wanted to call the family doctor, but my phone had no signal. Strange.

In a flash of lightning outside, I saw... the grown-up Xavier!

His eyes were bloodshot, glaring at me with intense anger.

My heart skipped a beat. How could he be here? We hadn't even reached the part of the story where he was supposed to be an adult yet.

Another bolt of lightning struck outside.

He was gone again.

It felt like I had hallucinated his appearance.

Still shaken, I didn't want to stay in that room any longer.

I went to find Austin, hoping he could take care of Xavier, but his room was empty. Who knows where he'd gone in the middle of the night?

I couldn't just leave Xavier like that, so I nervously grabbed the first aid kit and went back to take care of him myself.

I put a cooling patch on his forehead. I wiped his sweat with a towel and decided to give him a little lecture.

"Xavier, look at how good I am to you. It's the middle of the night, and here I am taking care of you. When you grow up, you better remember to repay me," I teased.

The story's only just started, and I haven't done anything to hurt him yet. I just hope he grows up soon so I can take my inheritance and escape far away.

That way, if the plot unfolds and he tries to kill me or send me to a mental institution, he won't be able to find me, haha.

"Mom!" Xavier cried out in pain, calling for his mother.

"Missing his mom? Poor kid. No mother growing up, stuck with a deadbeat dad and a wicked stepmother."

Still, I hoped that with me here, he wouldn't turn out so crazy when he grew up. At least let me escape the main plot before he loses it.

I played a lullaby for him.

Singing wasn't an option. My voice is off-key.

He grabbed my thumb and didn't let go, slowly calming down.

In Xavier's dream, the scene shifted. A faceless older sister was protecting him, holding him, and singing a beautiful song.