I nodded. “Yeah.”

She sighed in disappointment. “With your looks, why cling to some guy who works in a factory? There are plenty of richer men out there.”

I shook my head. “My boyfriend is really sweet. Our relationship is solid.”

Aside from Shawn’s habit of saying one thing and meaning another, everything was… perfect.

By the time evening rolled around, I was still buried in a stack of accounting ledgers, pretending to work while waiting to clock out.

That was when the factory supervisor walked in with a girl and cheerfully announced, “Everyone, meet your new coworker. Her name is Wendi Norman.”

“We’ll be working together starting tomorrow.”

For a second, I thought I misheard. “…What did you say her name was?”

“Wendi. Wendi with an I.”

She had bright eyes and a soft, friendly energy that made people like her instantly. In minutes, she had the whole room chatting with her.

I watched my coworkers swarm her, watched the supervisor’s rare warmth—and realization finally hit me like a brick.

This was the real heroine of this novel.

The real heroine looked at me with a polite smile. “Hi there, what’s your name?”

I forced a laugh. “Wendy Norman. Wendy with a Y.”

Her eyes widened. “Wow, our names sound so alike! What a coincidence.”

Yeah. What a coincidence.

Especially since I’d spent the past two years thinking I was you.

---

I was done. Absolutely finished.

I stumbled home in a daze, my stomach in knots as I waited for Shawn to return.

When I first listened to the audiobook, it never mentioned exactly how the heroine’s name was written. I just heard the pronunciation and assumed we matched. Who would’ve thought mine was only a near-homophone?

I really believed I’d finally landed the role of protagonist… but no. I was just another forgettable side character.

And what had I done these past two years?

Acted like I had heroine privilege.

Ordered the male lead around like he was my personal servant.

Made him pour my tea and run my errands.

Even forced him into a whole list of ridiculous couple rules—like good-morning kisses, goodbye kisses, and calling me humiliating pet names like baby, honey, and sweetheart.

I wasn’t the heroine. I’d turned myself into the textbook villainess.

No wonder, back when we first met, Shawn looked at me with red-rimmed eyes and told me he hated me.

He… actually meant it.

And villainesses never end well. I didn’t even want to imagine my ending.

---

The lock clicked. Shawn stepped inside, shrugging off his dusty jacket. Underneath, he wore nothing but a black work tank top—broad shoulders, narrow waist, sculpted arms, solid back. All muscle.

He noticed my stare and glanced down, his dark eyes cooling.

I looked at those arms and thought bleakly:

Forget future revenge. With that build, he could flatten me right now.

A fresh wave of clean soap mixed with his warm masculine scent washed over me as he stopped in front of me. He hooked a hand behind my neck and pulled me into a kiss.

It was deep and rough. For a few seconds, I was too stunned to react.

His other hand tightened on my waist, about to pull me closer when I finally snapped out of it and shoved him away, stumbling back in panic.

The entire mood shattered.

Shawn slowly lifted his eyes, his voice still hoarse from kissing. “Why are you dodging? Didn’t you say I’m supposed to kiss you first thing when I come home?”

His tone dipped into low coaxing. “Come here. We’re not done.”

My palms were sweaty. I stammered, “N-not tonight.”

His expression darkened. “Not tonight?”

He let out a cold laugh. “So you can kiss me whenever you want, toss me aside whenever you want—am I your pet now?”

I scrambled for an excuse. “I—I got a mouth ulcer. It hurts. So no kissing—”

Before I could finish, he leaned in and grabbed my face, fingers prying my lips open.

“Where?” he demanded. “Let me see.”

I hadn’t expected him to just… check. I jerked my head away in shock.

His hand froze. His face iced over completely, jaw tight.

“Wow,” he bit out. “You even lie now. Wendy, you’re unbelievable.”

He was supposed to be gentle in the book. A soft, patient husband.

But when I looked into his eyes now and saw the anger simmering there, everything finally made sense.

His tenderness had never been meant for me.

It was meant for the real heroine of this novel.

I was just an imposter who took her place.

—

I am, admittedly, both petty and cowardly.

From the moment I inexplicably landed inside this novel, my only goal was to stay alive.

So when it hit me that the male lead might actually take revenge on me, my first instinct was simple.

Run.

If I escaped far enough, he might never find me again. And once he met the real heroine, he would probably forget all about dealing with me.

I immediately began planning my escape.

“What are you spacing out for? Come eat.”

Shawn still hadn’t cooled off. His expression was cold as he set three dishes and a soup on the table, waiting for me to join him.

Say what you want, but his cooking really was amazing.

I swallowed my drool and quietly edged over.

Normally, I would order him to serve me, blow on my food, and make it just right before I ate.

This time, I did not dare. I picked up my fork and spoon and ate like a model citizen.

As I chewed, I wondered why my past self had insisted on being so ridiculous.

Halfway through dinner, the atmosphere grew even heavier.

Why did he look even angrier?

Panic set in. Before running away, maybe I should at least leave him with a decent impression.

So I scooted closer and poked his arm.

“The food is really good today. Thank you for cooking.”

He ignored me. I poked him again.

“I shouldn’t have lied earlier. Please don’t stay mad.”

Look at this reversal. He used to coax me all the time. When had I ever lowered myself like this?

The tension finally softened. His brows eased as he shot me a sideways look.

“You are suddenly very obedient.”

He paused. “Say it. What do you want to buy this time?”

What.

So in his mind, I had already become a shameless, materialistic woman.

At this point, maybe I should stop trying to fix my image and just focus on running away.

—

Eventually, Shawn calmed down.

Once his mood improved, he was surprisingly agreeable.

I even told him we were sleeping with the blanket between us tonight, and he nodded without arguing.

At dawn, he still gave me a good-morning kiss and made breakfast.

The moment he walked out the door, I shot out of bed and started planning my escape for real.

Even though I had been here for two years, I had never gone anywhere without him. I barely knew the outside world. So I called the only friend I trusted for advice.

Phones in this era were expensive and basically had no functions. Shawn had saved for ages just to buy this one for me.

With my friend’s help, I quickly picked a destination and started packing.

There wasn’t much to bring. A few clothes and enough money for a bus ticket.

The phone was the most valuable thing I owned, and selling it would fetch a good amount.

I hesitated, then placed it on the table along with a short farewell note.

Just like that, I walked out of the place I had lived in for two years.

Everything happened fast, not even noon yet.

Behind the rental house was a narrow, run-down alley.

To avoid attention, I didn’t take the main road. I slipped into the alley and hurried along its winding path, hoping to catch the earliest bus out of town.

Every doorway was closed. The alley was quiet and cold.

Thinking about my successful escape and the fact that I might actually survive this, my steps grew lighter.

I turned another corner.

I lifted my head, relieved and optimistic.

Then I froze.

Shawn stood at the end of the alley, tall and still, holding a half-burned cigarette between his fingers. Smoke drifted around him, softening the harsh lines of his face as he looked at me with cool indifference.

I had no idea how long he had been waiting.

—

Before I could even react, someone jumped out from behind him.

“Shawn, I told you she was planning to take the money and run!”

I stared.

It was the friend I had asked for help that morning.

The same friend I had confided in about where to live.

My vision went dark for a moment. I immediately opened my mouth to defend myself.

“I didn’t. I really didn’t.”

My friend refused to listen and kept piling on accusations.

“Shawn, I warned you ages ago. Wendy only relies on her looks. You really think she plans to build a life with you?

“People like her only want your money.”

She even tried to snatch my bag.

I may have been running away, but I absolutely did not steal anything.

Guilty conscience or not, I hugged the bag to my chest.

“I didn’t take your money. You have no proof. Stop making things up.

“Then open it and let us check.”

Shawn finally growled, “Enough.”

A chill ran through me.

So he did not even want to hear my side anymore.

My friend smirked at me.

“You heard him. Be a good girl and open your bag.”

“I was talking to you. Shut up.”

“Shawn…?”

Shawn’s expression darkened. He looked at her without the slightest politeness.

“You can leave now.”

My friend went pale with anger.

“I was trying to help you. Don’t be ungrateful.”

She wanted to say more, but one look at Shawn’s irritated face shut her up.

She left in a hurry, muttering under her breath.

Then the alley fell silent. Just the two of us remained.

All I could think about was the false accusation. I rushed to explain.

“Shawn, I swear I wasn’t trying to steal anything. You know what kind of person I am. If you don’t believe me, you can check—”

He cut me off with a cold voice.

“Why did you run?”

“…What?”

He did not even glance at the bag. He stepped forward, caged me against the wall, and repeated in a low tone.

“Why did you run.”

His breath hit my cheek. His eyes lowered.

“Are you already tired of me, baby?”

—

I had never seen Shawn this angry.

He dragged me home. The moment we stepped inside, he pinned me against the entryway and kissed me.

Except it barely counted as a kiss.

It was harsher than anything he had ever done, fueled with frustration as he gripped my jaw and bit down.

It hurt. I gasped and pushed him away.

He gave a cold, humorless smile and leaned in again, but then he caught the fear in my eyes.

He froze. The anger in him slowly drained away.

Whatever he had wanted to demand turned into something heavy he could not force out.

After a long moment, his voice finally came out tight and strained.

“Don’t leave. Please.”

Not now. If I didn’t leave now, I might not get another chance.

I covered the spot on my lip where he had bitten me and spoke with absolute certainty.

“I am leaving.”

His jaw clenched.

“Wendy, you were the one who pursued me first.”

That was it. The male lead had started bringing up past offenses.

This was my doom.

Near tears, I slid to my knees like a coward.

“It was my fault. I know it was. I shouldn’t have bothered you.

“I really regret it. Shawn, please let me go.”

He stared at me, stunned. His voice turned rough.

“You regret meeting me?”

I had lived with him for two years. I knew how dominant he was by nature.

But right now, he looked more lost than angry.

After a moment of silence, he asked quietly, “Why? Did I do something that upset you?”

Something sad flickered in his eyes, but I could not afford to think about it.

He was the male lead. He was destined to end up with the real heroine.

I was a side character. I could not keep making mistakes.

So I steeled myself and picked the only excuse I could think of.

“Because you are too poor, Shawn.”

I stared at the floor and forced the words out in one breath.

“I am still young. I don’t want to be stuck in a cramped rental with you. I want a better life.

“And I like gentle men. You are rough and impatient. We are not compatible.”

Poor. Rough.

Each word crushed his pride.

But he still pressed on.

“Then what about when you said you wanted to decorate the place and turn it into a real home? When you said you liked the food I cooked?”

A wave of guilt hit me. I could not look him in the eyes.

“I lied. I stopped liking those bland meals a long time ago.”

Silence fell over the room. Thick and suffocating.