Ficorpio
Chapter 1
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First Edition
Transmigrated: Dumping the Male Lead for a Better Man
1
I was sleeping soundly and contentedly in my own big bed.
Bang! It sounded like a piece of paper was slammed onto a table. The loud noise startled me awake immediately.
The man in front of me was rapping his knuckles against the black coffee table. A sheet of white paper covered in dense writing lay starkly against the dark surface.
I was stunned, suddenly finding myself in a completely unfamiliar environment.
Where I had been lying wasn’t my bed with its cartoon-print sheets, but a black, Nordic-style loveseat.
My mind, still foggy with sleep, was in chaos, and a faint sense of panic began to grow.
Looking around, this unfamiliar house was all black and white, a minimalist, cool Nordic design. This floor alone looked to be around 200 square meters, not to mention the staircase leading upstairs…
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I turned, remembering the man I’d ignored.
Perhaps to remind me of his presence, he rapped his knuckles sharply on the table three times in rapid succession.
It was undeniable that the man before me possessed a truly exceptional appearance, his phoenix eyes brimming with coldness, cruelty, and indifference. The faint glint of anger between his brows caused a slight frown, making his already fierce demeanor even more oppressive.
He pushed the small piece of white paper toward me with slender fingers. He pursed his thin lips slightly before speaking:
“Claire Grace, are you going to sign this divorce agreement or not?”
2
Claire……? Claire……!
It was eleven minutes and eight seconds after the man left that I realized what was happening.
Isn’t Claire the heroine in that series of dramatic, angsty billionaire romance novels I read a few days ago out of boredom?
I usually only like quick-transmigration stories, but because of a question on Reddit that day, I went to read this super popular billionaire romance. Who knew I’d actually travel into this novel?
God knows I don’t want to get involved in some cheesy love story full of “I love you but you don’t love me” and “I don’t love you but you love me instead.”
I picked up the divorce agreement. The contents were already filled in. The only blank space was for the wife’s signature.
I looked at the man’s signature, written in a flamboyant style: Carter Vanderbilt. Knowing the plot and examining it carefully, I was completely certain I’d somehow stumbled into this novel. Since I was already here, I decided to make the best of it. I already had a plan in mind: “Carter Vanderbilt, I’m definitely getting a divorce. But getting a divorce from a CEO isn’t that easy, hahahahaha.”
Chapter 2
I thought about what Carter said fifteen minutes ago before he left.
“I have another meeting to attend. I hope to see a satisfactory answer when I return in an hour.”
I slowly opened a bottle of champagne and poured some into two tall glasses.
“How much would you pay for a satisfactory answer?”
3
“Shh, Mr. Vanderbilt, don’t be so angry. How about a drink first?”
Carter knocked the goblet I poured for him onto the floor. “Claire, don’t forget what I told you before. I’ve never had any feelings for you. The only person I’ve loved from the beginning was Lily. This marriage was your own doing from the start.”
If it was the original owner, she would probably be heartbroken hearing this.
I took a sip of the fine champagne. I’m not good at drinking, and the unique taste of alcohol irritates my entire mouth. But at such an important moment, I couldn’t ruin my calm expression. After all, if I was pretending, I had to do it well.
I placed my glass on the table and leaned slightly toward him. “Mr. Vanderbilt, what good will a divorce do me?”
Carter was clearly furious, a vein throbbing in his forehead. “Five million.”
Seeing that I raised my eyebrows without saying a word, Carter said in a deep voice: “Eight million.”
“Fifteen million, plus the Hamptons house.” I leaned back in my chair with my arms folded.
Heh, Carter sneered. “I didn’t expect your appetite to be so big.“I got Carter another goblet, filled it, and gently clinked my glass against his. “I think this is a drop in the bucket for the CEO of Vanderbilt Holdings. —Cheers.”
“Fine. As long as you’re willing to get a divorce and stop bothering me and Lily, deal.” Carter’s anger gradually subsided, and he seemed to be observing my reaction.
“Deal. Please transfer it to my PayPal. Venmo charges a fee. Thanks, Mr. Vanderbilt.” I quickly signed the name Claire Grace and pushed the paper toward Carter. “Who should leave first, Mr. Vanderbilt?”
Carter suddenly moved, pressing down on my shoulder with his left hand, so hard it seemed he was pinning me to the back of the chair. “Who are you? You are not Claire.”
Nonsense! If the heroine were here right now, she’d be crying, throwing a tantrum, maybe even threatening to harm herself, having drugged the champagne in hopes of seducing the hero. The drug would take effect, leading to a one-night stand, only for her to be slapped by the hero and imprisoned in this house as Lily’s personal organ bank. I wouldn’t be so straightforward.
But could I say that? Obviously not.
I felt the spotlight was on me; it was time to perform.
Isn’t Lily Scarlett the one who loves pretending the most? I think I can do it too.
“Of course I’m Claire.” I looked up into Carter’s eyes. Acting wasn’t the most important thing now. What was important was that my eyes couldn’t be empty. They had to be firm, absolutely firm. “Who else but Claire would be willing to sacrifice her dignity for you, shamelessly begging you to stay, begging you to look at me?”
Perhaps my determined gaze startled Mr. Vanderbilt. I felt the pressure on my shoulder lessen, and I took the opportunity to push him away. “Who else but Claire would be willing to accept that you can only be happy with another woman and then give up, choosing to make you two happy, no matter how much I hate that woman?”
Carter stammered, and after a long moment, he murmured, “Why do you hate Lily? She’s so kind…”
“Yes, she’s so kind,” I interrupted him. “In your eyes, only Lily Scarlett is kind. In your eyes, only Lily Scarlett is right. The person I love loves her so much, so much that I can never hold his gaze. Do you think I should hate her?”
Chapter 3
I sniffed, “Now I don’t hate anymore, because I don’t want to love anymore.”
“I’ve given Mr. Vanderbilt the satisfactory answer he sought. And Mr. Vanderbilt, please don’t forget the hope he owed me. From now on, the road is long, and we’ll both move on. Mr. Vanderbilt and I are no longer related. Farewell.” I opened the door, silently reminding him of my money. Then, I briskly closed it.
A crisp locking sound was heard. Now the scenes with the male lead should be over, and I will be free from now on!
I took a cab to the Hamptons villa from the marriage, to which the original owner already had the key.
When the transfer was almost due, I heard the notification tone on my phone, and I felt so elevated.
Free and easy without love, the world is mine with money in my hand.
Travel the world? I can!
4
My first plan to travel the world was ruined before it even started.
Having money makes you forgetful. I was so focused on the good life ahead that I forgot about male leads, female antagonists, and second male leads.
The second male lead is usually handsome, gentle, and considerate, but there’s no doubt he’s devoted to the female lead. Most come from wealthy families.
But he’s the second male lead; the key point is the word “second.”
He must be inferior to the male lead in some aspects, and he can’t snatch the female lead away, so he’s called the second male lead.
So when I received a call from the so-called second male lead named Theodore Sinclair, I was confused again.
To cut off all romantic entanglements and welcome my wonderful life of eating, drinking, and shopping, I went.
So now we had this scene: sitting in a coffee shop, listening to the passionate confession from the man in front of me.
Theodore was equally handsome. Like Carter, he was the kind of guy who could become the nation’s new heartthrob just by starring in a Netflix rom-com.
The difference was, Theodore’s features were less severe, his overall appearance softer and gentler.
The afternoon sun shone through the cafe windows onto his profile, like a warm April breeze gently blowing across a cool stream, making people feel comfortable from the bottom of their hearts.
Oh, looks are everything. Hehehe.
“I heard you and Carter are divorced, right? He doesn’t deserve you being so good to him,” the handsome guy said with a gentle, infatuated look. “Claire, be with me. I just returned from studying abroad and haven’t been here long. I’m just a small intern and don’t make much yet, but I promise I will work hard and provide you with a good life.”
Haha, little intern.Haha, I don’t make much.Haha, work hard.
That’s a nice thing to say! The city’s biggest hospital chain is owned by your family. If you want to be chief resident, just tell your dad.
I don’t know who is the CEO of the company that rivals the male lead’s later on, haha.
I looked up into Theodore’s eyes and nearly drowned in that ocean.