Tessa POV
I can't believe this! She actually gets to be the villain. I've been shipping them for years. I've read their story since they were children. And now I find out… she's not even the female lead? That Ophelia—what a snake!
"The second male lead is way smarter than the male lead!" I shouted, throwing the book across the room. Of course, it didn't survive the impact.
My brother froze mid-step as he opened the door and saw the book lying in pieces on the floor—a book worth 1,876 pesos. He literally dropped his jaw. Of course, he'd be shocked; He had saved up for it, so it wasn't like he had just bought some random paperback.
"TESSA!" he yelled, rushing forward, his surprise tinged with anger. "What did you do to my book?!"
I looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Uh… nothing. Just expressing my opinion," I replied, trying my hardest to keep my excitement from bubbling over into full-blown frustration.
He crouched down and gently picked up the scattered pages. "This… it's worth 1,876 pesos! How did you manage this?!"
"Easy," I said, a hint of sarcasm in my tone. "I just told the book the second male lead is smarter than the male lead. And, well… the male lead's obviously clueless. Not my fault; the book is wrong."
He sighed heavily. "Tessa… you know this has sentimental value, right? I saved up for it!"
I nodded, but the fire inside me didn't die down. "I know… but if I were living in that story, I should be the heroine, right? Not her! Ophelia… perfect little box of a girl, no flaws, annoying as hell. No challenge! All favoritism!"
He glanced at me and sighed, trying to hide a small smile. "You know, sometimes… you're way too absorbed in your books."
"Exactly! Absorbed!" I said, grabbing more torn pages. "Because they deserve my attention! But seriously, why is it that all the perfect characters in stories are so irritating?"
He came over to help me pick up the pieces. "Tessa… maybe you need a break from reading. You're obsessing way too much over these male leads and female leads."
But inside, I knew this wasn't the end. I wasn't going to stop just because some book—or some perfect female lead—was in the way. If I were reborn into that story, I would change everything.
"Ugh! Replace that idiot male lead! Seriously, he's ruining my life!" I yelled, storming out.
I could still feel my irritation simmering, as if I were actually inside the story. My brother followed, scratching the back of his head in exasperation. You can't change the male lead, huh? Fine. I'll change him.
"Why are you staring at your brother like that, child? Did you two fight again?" Mama's voice broke through my thoughts.
"This one! He just creates ugly characters!" I shouted, pointing at him.
"Hey, FYI!" he snapped, suddenly defensive. "My story is ranked number one. You're the only one saying it's ugly!"
"Number one?!" I laughed, incredulous. "Number one for you! Not me! If I were the author, your male lead would be dead by Chapter Five!"
"You're crazy," he said, crossing his arms. "You're the only reader who wants to replace the main character just because you're emotional."
"Emotional?! Of course I'm emotional! He's stupid!" I screamed. "Imagine—a girl ready to give everything, and he doesn't even develop as a character! Brain? Zero!"
Mama sighed, stepping gently between us. "Tessa… that's enough. You'll just fight all morning."
"But Ma—" my brother and I spoke at the same time.
"That's enough," Mama said firmly, looking at me. "You go buy the ingredients for your father's lunch box. He's still asleep, and I want everything ready when he wakes up."
I sighed, nodding. "Fine. Just so this nonsense story doesn't escalate further."
I stepped out with my eco-bag, still fuming. If I were actually in that story, I thought, I'd never let that happen. I'd replace the male lead. I'd ruin the story if I had to.
I tightened my grip on the bag.
I didn't realize I had stepped onto the street.
I didn't hear the horn.
I didn't see the lights.
A loud, terrifying sound pierced the air—
I looked up—
A massive truck was barreling toward me, fast, brakes nonexistent.
My eyes went wide.
Ah… so this is it. The last thing on my mind.
If there's a next life… I hoped it would be me who could change the story.
A blinding light.
A sudden weight.
And—
Darkness.
I slowly opened my eyes. My vision cleared, and I froze. I was somewhere lavish, magnificent… Where the hell am I? Did I just… get reincarnated into a rich family?
"You're such a beautiful child, My lady."
I blinked at the nurse and a roomful of maids staring at me.
Child? What? They act like I'm an infant? Like, duh! I'm sixteen years old! Where's the justice in that?!
I looked at my hands. Are these… my hands? Why are they so small? Then a beautiful woman I didn't know hugged me tightly.
"Forgive your mother, child. May God guide you."
Freeze. My whole body went stiff.
Mama?
Child?
Hello??? Who are you, and why are you crying on my shoulder?!
I wanted to speak, to ask if this was some kind of prank—but instead, only a tiny whimper escaped my lips.
"…uh?"
What the hell. That's all I could say?!
No. No. No. No.
This can't be happening.
I did not reincarnate as a baby.
This is not part of the deal with anyone.
A cautious voice came from the side. "The baby is still weak, Duchess. But she is safe. It is a miracle she survived her first night."
Duchess?
Duchess?!
My eyes went wide—or at least, it felt like they did, even if I couldn't control my expression.
The woman gently pulled back her face, and then I saw her.
Beautiful. Not just normal beautiful—noble-level beautiful. Long hair, trembling eyelashes, eyes full of fear and love.
"Seraphina…" she whispered, almost like a prayer. "Seraphina Valecrest…"
Something exploded in my mind.
Seraphina.
Valecrest.
The name.
The story.
The girl—
Dead.
Suddenly, memories flooded back: a little girl always following the prince, a quiet life in the sidelines of the story, a death nobody cared about.
And in the middle of it all—
Me.
So this is it. I laughed quietly in my mind, though my soul was shaking.
I'm not just a reader.
I've stepped into the very page itself.
The queen hugged me tighter, more desperate than before.
If I had a voice, I would have said—
Mama, don't worry.
Because now, in this life…
I will not follow the story.
And at that moment, with the first cry of my new life—
Fate itself began to stumble.
Calenthe POV
I glanced down at my child, peacefully asleep, and a single tear escaped my eye. I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, though my heart felt unbearably heavy. Soon… I would be gone. My sister, Catherine, had done the unthinkable—she had told lies, painting me as a traitor, claiming I had a husband beyond the duke, that I had betrayed him.
I could not believe he would fall for such a tale so easily. My husband never truly loved me, yet I had loved him with every ounce of my heart.
"Forgive me, my child," I whispered, my voice trembling, thick with sorrow. "If I cannot stay by your side to protect you… remember always… that I love you beyond words."
My hand rose slowly to caress her cheek. It was warm. Alive. A miracle, cruelly slipping through my fingers even as destiny dragged me toward its inevitable conclusion.
"If only I could take on all the sins of this world for you…" I murmured, barely audible, my voice almost swallowed by the quiet of the room.
Outside, the sounds of boots echoed through the hallway—heavy, relentless. I knew what they meant. The day I would face judgment was coming, and it was not my sins that were at stake.
It was Catherine.
The sister who once called me her blood, who once shared my name with pride, had now turned it into an accusation. A single whisper, a lie draped in tears, had condemned me.
No one had questioned it.
No one had asked for the truth.
I let out a bitter, hollow laugh.
So this was the value of my love.
Slowly, I withdrew a small necklace from my chest—a delicate silver charm shaped like a star, encircled by intricate engravings. A family heirloom. A forbidden secret.
Carefully, I fastened it around my child's neck.
"Seraphina," I whispered, my words a prayer. "If ever the world rises against you… this star will find you."
I looked at her face.
For a fleeting moment, her eyes fluttered open.
Just for a second. But it was enough. Enough to see a light there—far too mature for an infant.
My body went cold.
God…
There was knowledge in her gaze, a soul older than the kingdom itself.
I knelt beside her bed, hands trembling, heart breaking.
"Whether you are sent… or cursed," I murmured, "I hope that my love will be enough to protect you."
The door opened.
I rose immediately, dabbing at my tears and straightening my back as the guards entered.
"Lady Calanthe Valecrest," the captain spoke, his voice icy, formal. "The Duke requests your presence."
I knew what that meant.
This was it.
I turned to my daughter one last time.
"You will always live in my heart," I whispered. "Even if history erases me."
As the door closed behind me, I carved a promise into my very soul:
Even in death, I will watch over you, Seraphina.
When I arrived at the Emperor's chamber, my gaze was steady, unwavering. I had just given birth, yet it seemed he did not care. How infuriating.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he said, his voice clipped and serious. Behind him, Catherine clutched the duke as though she could stake a claim on him. I felt nothing—no pain, only bitter disappointment. "Do you have nothing to say?"
His tone betrayed his irritation, yet I remained calm, measured, deliberate.
"Do you… truly love me, Duke?" I asked, my voice stripped of emotion. I knelt before him, forcing his eyes to meet mine, and his shock was evident.
"Before I die," I continued, my stare sharp and unwavering, "I need one final promise from you. Promise me… do not harm my daughter."
Silence hung between us, heavy and suffocating. The weight of my love, my fear, and my final plea pressed down like the inevitability of fate itself.
And though the world was poised to tear me from it, I would leave this one request—my daughter's safety—etched into the conscience of the man who held her future in his hands.
Seraphina POV
I couldn't believe it.
Just moments ago, I was Tessa.
I squeezed my cheeks with my tiny hands, pinching as hard as I could manage with fingers that barely obeyed me. The sting was real.
So this wasn't a dream.
Of all the possible bodies I could have possessed, of all the characters I could have reincarnated as… it had to be this one? A side character? Seriously? Fate had a sick sense of humor.
Still… after a second of bitter reflection, I sighed internally.
Well. At least I wasn't reincarnated as the villainess.
That would've been worse. Much worse. Being hated by default, doomed by narrative bias, hunted by fate itself. No thanks.
So maybe this was the lesser evil.
"Don't worry, my lady," a woman whispered softly. "I will take care of you as if you were my own."
Her voice cracked.
Tears fell freely down her cheeks as she looked at me, dressed in a simple maid's uniform, hands trembling as she cradled my small body. "I won't abandon you. I swear I'll love you with my whole heart."
I froze.
My own?
As in… mother?
Hello??? Ma'am???
Do you realize I'm a sixteen-year-old girl trapped inside the body of a newborn?!
I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell her she didn't need to cry, that I was fine, that none of this was her fault. That she didn't need to shoulder something this heavy.
But my body refused to cooperate.
No words.
No strength.
Only a weak, pitiful cry escaped my lips.
"Shhh… shhh…" she whispered immediately, rocking the cradle gently. Her voice trembled, as though she were the one in need of comfort—not me.
I looked at her closely.
Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her face was pale, clearly exhausted from sleepless nights. Her hands were rough, worn from years of labor.
Yet despite all that, there was something unmistakable in her expression.
Sincerity.
This wasn't obligation.
This wasn't duty.
This wasn't because I was royalty.
She had chosen this.
She had chosen me.
Something tightened painfully in my chest.
Damn it, I cursed silently.
Don't do this, Seraphina—no, Tessa—no, me.
Don't get used to this.
Don't let yourself rely on it.
But it was already too late.
She gently brushed her finger against my cheek, her touch careful, reverent.
"I won't leave you," she repeated. "Even now that Her Majesty is gone… even if it's just the two of us."
My breath hitched.
So… she really was dead.
Mama.
A strange heaviness settled inside me. It wasn't Tessa's grief—Tessa had never known this woman. It was Seraphina's. As if remnants of the original soul still lingered, leaving behind the echo of a love that had just been torn away.
I didn't know her.
But I could feel her absence.
Suddenly, an image flashed through my mind.
A woman with gentle eyes.
A silver necklace shaped like a star.
A kiss pressed against my forehead.
A promise she never got the chance to keep.
Calanthe.
My tiny fist clenched.
So that was your story, I thought bitterly.
You weren't just a side character.
You were a victim.
The maid stopped crying when she noticed I had calmed down.
She smiled through her tears. "See? It's like you understand me."
Yes, I answered silently.
And one day, I'll protect you too.
If I couldn't save myself yet—
I would make sure the story would never win against us again.
And in that moment, wrapped in the arms of a woman who wasn't bound to me by blood, but by choice—
my first true alliance was born.
_____
"Such a beautiful child, Seraphina," she said cheerfully later, holding me close. "You really look just like your mother. It's uncanny. That beauty—truly inherited."
She smiled fondly, her voice warm with nostalgia. "When I was young, your mother was incredibly kind to me. Never once did she look down on anyone, no matter how wealthy her family was."
I could see it in her eyes—the happiness of remembering better days.
"She lived such a good life once, Lady Seraphina," the maid continued softly. "She only made one mistake… she fell in love with the duke."
Her fingers gently pinched my cheek.
"I never thought love itself would be the thing that killed her."
Her smile faded, replaced with quiet sorrow.
"So when you grow up," she murmured, pressing her forehead lightly to mine, "choose a man who truly loves you."
I stared back at her, silent.
Don't worry, I thought.
I won't make the same mistake.