: Awakening

I awakened as Adrian Corvus was kissing me senseless.

I am The Side Character in this novel, and soon, I will be pregnant.

Adrian Corvus will abandon his family for the book's Female Lead—a newly minted Top Starlet. If I don't run now, when will I ever get the chance!

「Five years later.」

I stared in silence at Adrian Corvus, who was blocking my door with a wronged look in his eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot. "You've been good at hiding these past five years. Do you have any idea what I've been through?"

I: "..."

My daughter, from behind me, asked in her sweet, childish voice, "Mister, did you get here by car, on foot, or by plane?"

Me???

1

Adrian Corvus pulled me into a tight embrace and said gently, "Be good and wait for me to come back from my business trip."

He pressed a soft kiss to my lips, and a wave of tenderness filled the room...

But as he held me in his embrace, I felt numb, as if I couldn't connect with the emotion of the moment.

The next moment, a strange memory surfaced in my mind.

No, to be more precise, it was a plot.

As Adrian Corvus's Golden Canary, I am The Side Character in this Sweet Romance Novel. Soon, I will discover I'm pregnant.

Adrian Corvus will abandon his family for the book's Female Lead, a newly minted Top Starlet.

After being cruelly abandoned, I would desperately beg him to take me back, like a dog. Overwhelmed with grief, a sharp pain would suddenly seize my abdomen, and blood would gush out from between my legs.

The final image in my mind was of me, desperately crying and clutching Adrian Corvus's pant leg.

Watching me collapse in a pool of blood, Adrian Corvus would only pull the woman in his arms tighter, soothing her fear...

End of the plot.

I snapped back to my senses, feeling numb. Adrian Corvus, who had been kissing me passionately, finally pulled away.

He stroked my head again, as if reluctant to leave, then turned and walked out the door.

I watched his retreating figure, my brow slowly knitting together.

It wasn't until I heard the roar of Adrian Corvus's car engine outside the villa that I finally snapped out of my chaotic emotional state.

In a hoarse voice, I said a single word in the direction he'd gone, "Goodbye."

'Good riddance.'

'You didn't see that coming, did you? This girl has awakened.'

'Whoever wants to be with a Deadbeat Dad like him can have at it. As for me, I'm done waiting on him.'

'The right thing to do with a man like that is to run as far away as you can.'

'And what better time to run than now!'

Once I had a clear plan, I started sizing up the house. I sold off everything of value at a discount to secondhand dealers, converting it all into cash.

'After all, I have another one on the way. Cash is king.'

'Men? To hell with them!'

After a few days of frantic work, I had finally settled everything.

When I was done, I collapsed onto the sofa, panting with exhaustion. But looking at the long string of zeros in my bank account, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of security.

After a short rest, I quickly packed my bags, and with my baby on the way and cash in hand, I made a run for it.

Any longer and Adrian Corvus would be back from his trip.

I was at the airport waiting for my flight when I got a message from Adrian Corvus. "I'm about to land. And I got you a present!"

I, also at an airport, gave his message a cool glance and promptly turned off my phone.

A polite voice came over the PA system, "Attention passengers, flight GR658 is now boarding at Gate D3..."

I decisively grabbed my luggage, ready to go.

'Finally, I'm getting away from that scumbag.'

'So long.'

2

「Five years later.」

I received an excellent offer from back home, and it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

I decided to take my darling daughter and return home.

I told my five-year-old daughter about my decision.

The little one asked me in her sweet, childish voice, "Mommy, why are we going back home?"

Looking at her little face, my heart just about melted. "Because it's time for Minnie to start school. Do you want to go to school?"

I wanted my daughter to be educated back home, rather than abroad.

"I do!" my daughter exclaimed, jumping up and down happily.

Seeing her so happy made me genuinely happy too, but at the same time, a part of my heart felt incredibly heavy.

'When I go back this time, I have to avoid Adrian Corvus and his Female Lead as much as possible.'

'Then again, he... he's probably been living happily ever after with his Female Lead for a long time now. He must have forgotten all about a side character like me.'

'Also, there's something very important I must accomplish on this trip back... It's time to start planning.'

3

Finally on the plane back home, breathing in the air of my homeland, it felt like my mood had completely changed.

Having just arrived, my daughter was also incredibly excited.

I was struggling to arrange the luggage I had just retrieved when my daughter suddenly tugged excitedly at the hem of my clothes.

"Mommy, look! That man over there is so handsome!"

My first thought was,

'So what if he's handsome? It's not like I've never seen a good-looking guy before.'

But the next second, I glanced over instinctively.

That one glance sent a chill straight through me.

The man my daughter was pointing at was none other than her own father, Adrian Corvus!

'How can the world be this small?'

I knew he was in this city, but I never expected to run into him the moment I stepped off the plane.

Seeing Adrian Corvus start to walk in our direction, I didn't dare hesitate. Scooping up my daughter with one arm and grabbing my suitcase with the other, I practically flew out of there.

Before coming back, I had already booked an apartment and made all the necessary arrangements.

Back at the apartment, I started unpacking. After I was done with everything, I collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion, hoping to rest for a bit.

My daughter, who had been watching TV, saw that I had finished unpacking and called out excitedly, "Mommy, look! The man on TV is the handsome man we just saw at the airport!"

I instinctively glanced at the TV screen, which was showing an entertainment news report.

"Top Starlet Jia Vance returns to China after attending a fashion show, affectionately greeted at the airport by her wealthy boyfriend..."

The camera was currently focused on Adrian Corvus and Jia Vance. Facing the press, Adrian kept Jia Vance tucked tightly by his side, even using one hand to shield her from the cameras.

A huge crowd of entertainment reporters was desperately shoving their microphones forward. "Jia Vance, do you have any new insights to share from the fashion show?"

"You two seem so close. Are there any wedding plans you can share with us?"

"Could you two please look at the camera together? Your fans are dying to see a picture of you as a couple."

...

Through all these questions, Adrian Corvus remained perfectly calm.

Finally, when he couldn't take it anymore, he spoke up. "No comment."

I calmly looked away from the TV screen. It was just like how every Sweet Romance Novel was supposed to go.

The male lead and The Female Lead had become the Power Couple everyone envied.

Watching the news report, I felt more certain than ever that running away with my child all those years ago was the right decision.

If I hadn't left, my fate as The Side Character would have been a miserable one, and I never would have had such an adorable daughter.

I stroked my daughter's head. "You're too young to be watching this kind of junk."

My daughter pouted. "I had my eye on that man at the airport. I was going to ask him to be my daddy, but I guess he already has another lady with him..."

Hearing her adorable words, I nearly choked on my own spit.

'Could this be the legendary Bloodline Connection?'

My daughter had no idea that Adrian Corvus was her biological father, yet she'd taken a liking to him the moment she saw him.