Ficorpio
Chapter 1
I transmigrated into a multi-suitor boys’ love novel as a disposable villainous suitor.
Plotkeeper told me, [Your job is to take advantage of the novel’s hero, then wait for the other two love interests to swoop in and save him!]
So I did exactly as I was told.
Except the revenge never came.
Instead, the way all three of them looked at me grew stranger by the day.
Then, one winter night, the original storyline required me to dive into a freezing pool and retrieve the hero’s bracelet.
Julian Whitmore finally dropped his fragile innocent facade. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me.
“So you really do care about me.”
Adrian Cross, the domineering CEO, draped his overcoat around my shoulders.
“Just who are you trying to seduce, looking like this?”
Luca Monroe, the chart-topping singer, caught my chin between his fingers and threatened softly, “I see you’ve decided you don’t want an easy night.”
Julian Whitmore was living in a private estate on the outskirts of Northbridge, courtesy of Adrian Cross.
Today, Julian was sick.
Adrian couldn’t get away from work, so he sent me, his assistant, to check on him.
What Adrian didn’t know was that this arrangement gave a disposable villain like me the perfect opportunity to strike.
In the original storyline, the man whose body I now inhabited had been captivated by Julian’s beauty. He secretly took compromising photos of him, used them as blackmail, and forced all kinds of unwanted attention on him.
Of course, once the truth came out, the other two love interests would make me pay dearly.
But that was the whole point.
I had been assigned the disposable villain role.
Plotkeeper spoke inside my head.
[According to the storyline, Julian should have passed out from his illness by now. Carry him to the bedroom, then take advantage of the opportunity.]
Guilt twisted in my stomach. [Who takes advantage of someone the first time they meet? That’s disgusting.]
Plotkeeper fell silent.
Right.
My character was disgusting.
Plotkeeper resumed its brainwashing.
[Think of the generous bonus you’ll receive when you complete the mission.]
When I entered the estate, Julian was curled up on the couch. His two long legs were drawn in awkwardly, and an unnatural flush stained his pale skin.
I bent down, lifted him into my arms, and carried him to the bedroom.
After setting him on the bed, I paused to catch my breath.
“You’re heavier than you look.”
[Take off his clothes. Kiss him.]
I offered a silent prayer for forgiveness and placed my hands on his waist.
Before I could so much as tug at his clothes, two hands locked around my wrists.
Julian was awake.
Wariness filled his beautiful eyes. “What are you doing?”
I froze. “I… I’m Mr. Cross’s assistant. He sent me here to take care of you.”
Chapter 2
This was still early in the original storyline, when Adrian’s feelings for Julian were entirely one-sided.
Sure enough, the moment Julian heard Adrian’s name, his expression cooled. He lowered his gaze.
“Bring me the first-aid kit.”
I obeyed.
Then, to my surprise, Julian took off his shirt.
Several deep, bloody welts marred his otherwise strong, straight back.
Wasn’t he supposed to be sick?
Where had those injuries come from?
Still, villains had been talking themselves into early graves since the dawn of time, so I kept my mouth shut.
I spread ointment over my fingertips. When my cool hand touched his fever-warm skin, Julian lowered his lashes, hiding whatever was in his eyes.
“Don’t tell Adrian about this.”
I hesitated.
Adrian had eyes and ears everywhere. If he found out I had deliberately concealed something from him…
A threatening edge entered Julian’s gaze.
“If you tell him, I’ll tell him you tried to kiss me.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
This wasn’t remotely consistent with the original storyline.
What happened to the meek, long-suffering innocent who never fought back?
I was still applying the ointment when Julian turned around.
His bare abs appeared directly in front of my face.
Heat rushed into my cheeks before I could stop it.
Amusement flickered across Julian’s face. He pinched my cheek.
“You’re this timid, yet you still wanted to take advantage of me?”
I stumbled back a step. “I-I didn’t actually kiss you, did I?”
Julian slid an arm around my waist.
Then he kissed me.
The soft warmth of his lips sent such a sharp tingle through me that my knees nearly gave out.
“There,” he said. “Now you have.”
I almost jumped out of my skin. “Y-you…”
This was completely backward!
Julian regarded me calmly. “We’re in the same boat now. If you go back and tell Adrian anything, I’ll say you forced yourself on me.”
He leaned closer, his voice quiet.
“You know how ruthless Adrian can be.”
I was so furious I nearly swore aloud.
What kind of pathetic love interest had I become?
Julian escorted me to the door.
Then he gave my ass a light pat.
My face went scarlet, much to his obvious delight.
“Goodbye, little rabbit.”
“Plotkeeper, I think there’s something off about Julian!”
Sitting in the car, I touched the corner of my mouth where Julian had kissed me.
“Wasn’t he supposed to be a fragile innocent I could push around?”
An image of Julian’s beautifully defined abs flashed through my mind.
I cleared my throat.
Sure, he was pale enough.
But fragile? Not even close!
Plotkeeper replied, “The original storyline is still on track. Just answer one question: Did he kiss you or not?”
“I mean, yes, but—”
“That settles it. Now stop bothering me. I’m watching The Tudors.”
I fell silent.
What a useless damn system!
By the time I returned to Cross Holdings Headquarters, Adrian Cross was seated behind his desk in an immaculate suit.
The neon glow beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows outlined his straight back, making him look even colder and more imposing.
Chapter 3
“Mr. Cross, Mr. Whitmore is fine now. His injury isn’t serious.”
When Adrian’s sharp, dark eyes settled on me, I had the unsettling feeling that he could see straight through me.
He couldn’t possibly know Julian had kissed me, could he?
“Thank you for handling it,” Adrian said.
I had barely begun to relax when his next words nearly made me choke.
“Weren’t you planning to tell me he was injured?”
My heart lurched.
Adrian rose and came toward me. He stood half a head taller, and at this distance, his presence was suffocating.
“Wondering how I found out?”
I rushed to flatter him. “Nothing escapes you, Mr. Cross. You know everything that happens in Northbridge.”
He clearly wasn’t buying it.
“Did you put the ointment on him?”
I shook my head at once. “Mr. Whitmore treated the injury himself.”
Adrian’s piercing gaze remained fixed on me. “I didn’t realize you were so coldhearted, Mr. Bennett.”
“But according to what I heard, you not only treated his back—you carried him to his bedroom.”
I asked tentatively, “You didn’t hear anything else?”
“What else would there be?”
On the surface, Adrian was a businessman. In reality, the Cross family had first built its power through underworld connections.
And Adrian was fiercely possessive of Julian.
If he discovered that Julian had kissed me, he might actually have me cut into pieces.
“What did I tell you before you went to the estate?” Adrian asked.
Staring into those bottomless eyes, I struggled to remember. “To deliver medicine to Mr. Whitmore.”
He moved even closer. I could smell the cool cedar scent clinging to him.
“And what did you do instead?”
“You touched him.”
I stared at him.
Technically, he wasn’t wrong—but why did he make it sound so indecent?
“His injury was on his back,” I explained. “That’s why he asked me to help.”
Adrian gave a quiet scoff. “He certainly has plenty of tricks.”
“What?”
Adrian sighed. “You’re my assistant.”
“Next time, don’t do anything unnecessary.”
I nodded repeatedly. “Of course, Mr. Cross. Whatever you say.”
All I lacked was a wagging tail to complete the display of loyalty.
Maybe it was my imagination, but Adrian’s mood seemed to improve considerably.
He studied me for a long moment before finally looking away.
“Good.”
The Whitmore family had invited Northbridge’s rich and powerful to celebrate the coming of age of their youngest son, Nolan Whitmore.
Nolan was Julian’s younger half brother.
In the original storyline, after Julian’s mother died, Richard Whitmore had ignored his family’s objections and brought home the illegitimate son he’d been raising in secret.
Julian had only been ten at the time.
His stepmother framed him, and he was sent away to Riverside Children’s Home.
Nolan then became the undisputed heir to the Whitmore Group.
And now, he’d fallen for his older brother’s man.
The whole thing had enough twists for a prime-time soap opera.
I stayed close to Adrian’s side throughout the gala.