Adrian Black opened his eyes to the blinding glow of chandeliers.
The scent of roses, the sound of violins, and hundreds of murmurs washed over him.
For a second, he thought he was dreaming.
Then he looked down he was wearing a white tuxedo. Beside him stood a stunning young woman in a wedding dress, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes colder than ice.
Evelyn Grace.
His mind spun. No way This is the exact scene from that trashy webnovel I read! The villain, Adrian Black, gets a contract marriage with the heroine, only to be humiliated and crushed later by the protagonist And I'm him?
A sharp laugh almost escaped his throat. So the universe dropped me into the role of a spoiled rich young master. But unlike the idiot in the story, I've got my brain, my experience, and my wealth. I won't be stepping on the same landmines.
Just as he was preparing to play along with the ceremony, a mechanical voice exploded inside his head.
" TROLL SYSTEM ONLINE "
⟪ Mission ⟫ : Kiss your contract bride passionately for 10 seconds.
⟪ Penalty ⟫ : Heart explodes instantly → You die.
⟪ Reward ⟫ : One roll of Golden Toilet Paper.
Adrian's jaw dropped.
Golden toilet paper? What the hell am I supposed to do with that?!
He turned his head slightly toward Evelyn. She was gorgeous flowing black hair, flawless skin, a figure that made the guests whisper in envy. But her eyes glared at him with absolute disgust, like he was the lowest insect alive.
Kissing her here, now, would only fuel that hatred. The Grace family was only marrying her off because their business was drowning. Evelyn had never agreed willingly.
" Countdown Initiated : 10… 9… 8… "
Adrian almost cursed aloud. You've got to be kidding me. Ten seconds?! In front of everyone?! This system's trying to bury me alive on the first day!
But as the numbers ticked down in his head, a wicked smile crept onto his lips.
The old Adrian would have panicked. He would have leaned in like a desperate fool, earning nothing but Evelyn's hatred and public ridicule.
But Adrian Black, the new Adrian, was different.
When the priest announced, "You may now kiss the bride," Adrian took a slow step forward. The crowd hushed in anticipation.
Evelyn stiffened, her hands curling into fists. Her lips moved in a whisper only he could hear.
"Don't you dare."
Adrian tilted his head, his smile deepening. "My dear wife, you don't want me to die on our wedding day, do you?"
Before she could react, he leaned down, but instead of a crude, slobbering kiss, Adrian framed her face gently, his movements precise, confident. To the crowd, it looked like a scene out of a romance drama. Their lips met, and gasps erupted in the hall.
Evelyn's eyes widened in shock, then blazed with fury. She tried to pull away, but Adrian's grip was unyielding. Ten seconds passed in agonizing slowness for her, though to the guests it seemed like a perfect kiss of love.
When he finally pulled back, Evelyn's chest was heaving, her cheeks flushed in humiliation. She wanted to slap him, to scream but not here, not in front of hundreds of witnesses.
The applause thundered. Cameras flashed. The Grace family's reputation was saved, the Black family's dominance cemented.
" Mission Complete "
⟪ Reward Obtained ⟫ : One roll of Golden Toilet Paper.
Adrian almost burst into laughter. Seriously? This system's mocking me.
But deep inside, he felt the thrill of victory. He had turned a troll mission into a public win.
He leaned closer to Evelyn, his voice a whisper only for her:
"Smile, darling. The show's just begun."
Her nails dug into his palm as she hissed back, "I will never forgive you."
Adrian's grin widened. Perfect. The story thinks I'm the villain. And maybe I am. But this time, I'll be the villain who wins.
***
The banquet hall glittered with wealth and power. Wine glasses clinked, violins sang, and the Black and Grace families basked in their alliance.
But Evelyn Grace felt nothing but humiliation.
Her lips still burned from the kiss. Her heart thundered, not with affection, but with pure rage.
Damn him. That arrogant bastard! In front of everyone, without my consent.
She clenched her fists beneath the tablecloth. For years, she had resisted countless suitors, held herself with pride and dignity. Yet one forced marriage, one shameless kiss, and suddenly she was the villain's bride.
The guests whispered, smiling as if they had witnessed a scene from a fairytale. Only Evelyn knew the truth: she had been cornered into this, her family using her like a bargaining chip to salvage their crumbling business.
Her anger swelled until her mother's hand rested gently on hers.
"Evelyn," Victoria Grace whispered, her voice calm, mature, reassuring. "Endure it. For now."
Evelyn glanced at her mother. Victoria sat poised in her deep emerald gown, her beauty mature yet radiant, stealing the attention of more than a few men in the room. Unlike Evelyn's sharp coldness, Victoria's aura was warmth and elegance itself, a woman who had weathered storms and still shone with grace.
But beneath her soft gaze, Evelyn caught the flicker of worry.
Their company truly was on the brink. Without the Black family's money, everything they had built would collapse. Evelyn gritted her teeth. She hated Adrian, but she hated powerlessness even more.
Meanwhile, Adrian himself leaned lazily against his chair, sipping wine like he owned the world. His lips curled into that damned smirk.
And then.
" TROLL SYSTEM ALERT "
⟪ Mission ⟫ : Whisper something indecent into your bride's ear right now.
⟪ Penalty ⟫ : You will lose all your money within 24 hours.
⟪ Reward ⟫ : A single left sock (slightly smelly).
Adrian nearly choked on his drink. What the hell kind of reward is that?! A sock?! And what kind of mission is this, in front of her mother and half the business world?!
He glanced at Evelyn. Her jaw was tight, her hatred simmering. And her mother sat just beside her, elegant and unreadable.
Adrian's mind raced. If he whispered something vulgar, Evelyn would want to kill him. But if he refused, he'd lose his wealth his greatest weapon.
His grin widened.
Fine. If the system wants to troll me, I'll troll it back.
He leaned closer to Evelyn. She stiffened, eyes widening, ready to recoil.
His lips brushed near her ear as he whispered, low and smooth, "Your mother looks even more stunning than you tonight. I almost regret marrying the daughter instead of the mother."
Evelyn's entire body froze. Her cheeks turned crimson not from shyness, but from sheer fury. She wanted to scream, to stab him with the dinner knife right there.
But her mother's calm gaze was upon them, and Evelyn bit down her anger, nails digging into her palm until blood almost surfaced.
" Mission Complete "
⟪ Reward Obtained ⟫ : One single left sock (slightly smelly).
Adrian felt a strange weight appear in his pocket. When he peeked discreetly, sure enough, there it was a plain cotton sock, faintly unpleasant.
He nearly laughed out loud. This system is insane. But if it thinks I'll crumble, it's dead wrong. I'll twist every one of these ridiculous missions into a weapon.
He slipped the sock back into his pocket and raised his glass in a mock toast to Evelyn. His eyes flickered briefly to Victoria, who met his gaze calmly, though a tiny, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips.
For the first time, Adrian wondered was Victoria amused?
The night had only just begun, but Adrian knew one thing for certain:
If the world saw him as a villain, then he would play the part better than anyone else.
And no matter how absurd the system became, he would make sure every mission dragged him higher, not lower.
Even if it meant crossing the line between daughter and mother.