Alexander woke up and immediately knew something was wrong.
First—
The ceiling was too fancy.
Second—
His bed was way too soft. Like "if I roll once more I might disappear into it" soft.
Third—
He definitely did not own a chandelier.
"…This isn't my apartment," Alexander muttered.
He sat up slowly, scanning the room. The place screamed rich. Polished marble floors. Curtains that probably cost more than his old car. A mirror stood near the wardrobe, tall and spotless.
A bad feeling crept up his spine.
Alexander walked to the mirror.
Then he froze.
Staring back at him was not his face.
The boy in the mirror looked about 18 years old, with platinum-silver hair that looked like it belonged in a shampoo commercial and blue diamond-like eyes so sharp they felt unreal.
Alexander blinked.
The boy blinked back.
"…Yeah," Alexander said calmly, "this is definitely not normal."
The face felt familiar. Too familiar.
His head suddenly throbbed.
A sharp pain exploded behind his eyes.
"Ah—!" He grabbed the edge of the mirror as memories flooded in like a broken dam.
Names. Faces. Scenes.
A novel.
A damn novel.
Rise of the Urban Pokémon Champion
Alexander remembered it clearly now. He had read it last night, lying on his couch, half-asleep, scrolling through chapters.
And this face—
"…Alexander Argus Runcandel," he whispered.
The villain.
The spoiled, arrogant heir who existed for one purpose only—
—to get crushed by the protagonist.
His head pounded harder.
More memories surfaced. Not from the novel.
From this body.
A childhood filled with absurd amounts of love.
A father who was a Dragon-type Pokémon Elite and treated him like the center of the universe.
A mother who ran a global business empire and somehow still made time just for him.
Grandparents who were basically walking legends and spoiled him shamelessly.
Then—
A hospital room.
White walls. Beeping machines.
And a scene burned painfully clear into his mind.
Lunaria Valencrest.
His fiancée.
In another man's arms.
Leon Ashford.
The protagonist.
The "poor but righteous" hero.
The memory ended with a crushing pain in his chest… and darkness.
"So that's how I went down," Alexander muttered, rubbing his temples.
He took a deep breath and整理 his thoughts.
According to the novel—
He had twelve months.
Twelve months before everything fell apart.
His reputation.
His engagement.
His family's trust.
His wealth.
His power.
All of it handed over neatly to Leon Ashford, like a gift-wrapped happy ending.
Alexander laughed softly.
"…What an idiot."
The original Alexander had given everything for Lunaria Valencrest.
Resources. Influence. Protection.
Even propping up her entire family despite their weak background.
And what did he get in return?
A two-faced woman who hugged another man behind his back and a family that happily rode the Runcandel name while stabbing him later.
Alexander straightened up.
His reflection no longer looked confused.
It looked cold.
"The family loves me," he said quietly. "They'll stand on my side."
That was his biggest advantage.
And for Lunaria Valencrest?
For the Valencrest family?
For Leon Ashford?
Alexander's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile.
"If canon wants me to fall," he murmured,
"then I'll just flip the script."
"This time—"
"You all are the ones who will pay."