Charlotte Kim was in her room, as usual, a small cramped space lit only by a flashlight since her parents couldn't pay the electricity bill. She was engrossed in her favorite manhua comics, "The Perfect Modern Fairytale." It was a modern Cinderella story with a hint of gore, where the villains met tragic ends. This kind of story fascinated Charlotte, providing an escape from her troubled life and transporting her to another world.
Sighing, Charlotte muttered to herself, "If only I could jump through the screen and enter this world… How perfect would that be… If only I could be Serena Sutherland… born into wealth... Sure, she suffered for a little while, but then she gets married to a handsome alpha… If only I had my own Cato to save me… hmmp."
"If there is an ABO system in this world, would I be an Alpha? Hmm… Omega? I guess I'll just be a Beta, a normal one…" she pondered aloud.
The manhua she was reading featured an ABO system: Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. In addition to the two genders, people were also divided into these three attributes.
Alphas were dominant individuals with strong leadership qualities, assertiveness, and often physical strength. They typically held positions of power in society and were known for their protective instincts, drawn to omega individuals due to their pheromones.
Omegas were submissive individuals who emitted pheromones that attracted alphas. They were nurturing, empathetic, and often had a calming presence, serving as caregivers in society and playing a crucial role in reproduction.
Betas fell between alphas and omegas in terms of dominance and submission. They lacked the strong pheromones of alphas or omegas and often constituted the majority of the population in the omegaverse, holding various roles in society.
After finishing the last chapter, Charlotte put her phone down, shedding tears not out of pity for the female villain's ending, but because she felt the villain deserved a slow and painful death at the hands of the heroine. It was tears of joy.
As the dark night enveloped Charlotte, she was abruptly awakened.
"Miss Vanderbilt, wake up, ma'am. You have to get ready for school," a maid's voice pierced through the darkness.
Sunlight flooded Charlotte's face as the curtain was drawn open.
Charlotte squinted, trying to comprehend her surroundings.
"Is it time for school already? But who would open my curtain? Mom doesn't care about me and never wakes me up."
She got up and looked around.
She saw three strange ladies in maid uniforms around her. Two were standing on her bedside, smiling, while the other, who looked a little older, stood near the window holding the curtain.
She looked around some more and noticed that she wasn't in her room at all. Her small room, where only a single bed could fit, had strangely turned into a luxury presidential suite... or so it seemed. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"Am I dreaming? Is this a dream? Please, Lord, don't wake me up," she said, smiling like an idiot.
This girl actually thinks she's dreaming.
"Miss… you look extra happy today? And you're thinking about a dream? Did you dream of a new way to torture that Serena Sutherland?" the lady in Maid Uniform 1 asked.
Ehh? Huh?
Did she just say Serena Sutherland?
Charlotte's eyes went from this ^.^ to this 0.0 real quick.
"H-huh? W-what did you say? Can you say that name again?" Charlotte said, confused.
"Huh? Serena Sutherland, Miss… you like it when she's suffering, right?" the maid replied, laughing.
But it rang in Charlotte's ears.
The hell she likes it when Serena is suffering. Serena is more like an idol or role model to her. How many times she wanted to kill Charlie, the female villain, to avenge Serena.
She suddenly remembered the ending of the manhua she's reading… and she smiled again... Hehe, serves you right, Charlie Vanderbilt. You deserve a slow painful death, you evil bitch.
"But Miss Vanderbilt… you have to get ready now. Or you'll be late for your first day in school," the Senior maid asked Charlotte politely.
"Okay…. wh-whaaaaatt?! Hold on… wait a minute… let me think." Charlotte's face was full of confusion.
She slapped her face multiple times to see if this was a dream. Her slaps were getting more painful, and her cheeks were burning red now. But no matter how hard the slap was, she still wasn't waking up from the dream.
The maids looked at her dumbfounded, wondering why the young miss was slapping herself.
"M-miss, your face…. Why are you doing that?" the Senior maid asked with concern.
But Charlotte didn't mind the question and asked another question.
"Excuse me, but what did you just call me?" Charlotte asked.
"M-miss Vanderbilt?" The maid hesitantly answered.
"O-ohhh right.. I'm Charlie Vanderbilt… r-right? The heiress to the Santech Group?" she asked hesitantly.
"Y-yes. Of course… our young miss is the heiress of Santech! So, miss, you have to get ready now for school," the maid said as she escorted Charlotte to the bathroom.
Charlotte was in awe when she saw how big her bathroom was, like ten times bigger than her own room. While taking a shower, Charlotte started connecting the dots. It seemed like she really did transmigrate into the manhua she was reading. Although she was happy that she was transmigrated as a rich lady, she realized she would have a tragic ending.
"How can I be so happy about Charlie's death…. Now I'm about to suffer her fate!" she cried.
"Unless…. I could try and change the ending, right? There's no harm in trying! I know the ending and what will happen in the future, so I think I can definitely make the ending favorable to me!" she murmured.
"I can even help Serena, and maybe she'll spare my life! Yes! That's right! That's what I'm gonna do!" she said to herself with determination.
After showering, Charlotte went down to have breakfast.
"Where's Serena?" she asked meekly.
"Miss, you instructed that Miss Serena shall never eat at the dining table because her ugly face ruins your mood," the maid replied to Charlotte.
Charlotte choked on her food.
"Please refrain from saying things like that again…" Charlotte calmly said.
"M-miss?"
"Didn't you hear me? I don't want to hear any Serena Sutherland slander in this house, got it?" Charlotte said firmly.
Charlotte was not used to scolding people; she was a kind person in the original world. Some may even call her a pushover, but that's just how she is. A kind and pure soul, but these maids were testing her kindness. Although she somehow understood them because it was the original Charlotte who made them hostile towards Serena.
"Y-yes, Miss…"
From what Charlotte remembered, Serena was living with the Vanderbilts.
"Aunt Carol…" she called.
She remembered Aunt Carol as the senior maid in the manhua that raised Charlie.
"Yes, Miss?"
"C-can you call Serena, please?" Charlotte asked Aunt Carol hesitantly.
I have to meet her and test the waters on how much effort I have to give to soften Serena's heart towards me. 😭
Aside from testing the waters, Charlotte doesn't know why her heart is beating fast… she might meet her role model now.
Aunt Carol went up and knocked on Serena's door… Serena's room is a small maid's room.
"Yes?" Serena asked Aunt Carol politely.
Serena is pissed off but she doesn't want to give Charlie any more reason to torment and torture her.
"Miss Sutherland… Miss Charlie asked you to come down and have breakfast," Aunt Carol said.
Aunt Carol is the only maid in the household who doesn't treat Serena badly, but she also doesn't do anything to help her. Which makes Serena feel like she's as evil as those who torment her. But she can't do anything but control herself and remind herself that all of these people are going to regret what they did to her.
"I'm not hungry… and I'll have to go to school now," Serena replied.
"B-but Miss… I think you'd like to have breakfast with Miss Charlie… I'm afraid… she'll–" Aunt Carol didn't finish her sentence when Serena replied.
"Okay… I'll have breakfast with her," Serena said.
She thought that it's just one meal. Declining it may give Charlie another reason to torture her. Her leg that was paddled was just finished healing.
"Miss Charlie, Miss Sutherland is here…" Aunt Carol said.
Charlotte turned her head…
Wow… what a stunning sight. Her blonde hair emanates a radiant glow, complemented by her mesmerizing ocean blue eyes that draw you in like the depths of the sea. Her long legs, emphasized by the skirt of the uniform, are nothing short of breathtaking—the epitome of elegance and grace. They captivate the beholder's gaze, exuding a beauty that rivals that of a goddess.
She couldn't stop blinking while staring at Serena.
While Serena looked at her in disgust but still trying her best to maintain an emotionless look because she's afraid that Charlie might notice her disgust and torture her.
Serena silently sat down at the far end table… she didn't want to sit next to Charlie.
They sat there quietly eating breakfast.
It's an A W K W A R D breakfast.
"So.. ah… S-serena…" Charlotte uttered.
She still couldn't believe her favorite heroine was in front of her and casually eating with her.
Pleaseee don't make this a dream!
"Yes?" Serena replied.
"Would you like to–" Before Charlotte could answer back, a maid slapped Serena on the face.
Serena and Charlie were stunned…
"How dare you show no respect to Miss Charlie?! Casually talking to her like a friend?! You're not the great Miss Sutherland anymore! You should learn how to address Miss Charlie right!"
Serena's face was burning red from how hard the slap was. She didn't want to cry because she didn't want them to feel any satisfaction. She tried her best not to cry… but she felt an immense pain inside of her… she didn't know if it was because of the pain of the slap or because of the humiliation…
Charlotte saw Serena trying to hold back herself from crying.
Serena is indeed strong… she doesn't want them to see her cry… what a perfect heroine…
She didn't know, but her heart felt like it was being pinched. She was aware that Serena was just a character from the books… but she couldn't help but sympathize with her. Although she knew that Serena's suffering was needed as conflict in the story… still, it pained her to see her being treated like this.
Charlotte bit her lip. She was fuming mad.
She stood up from her seat and walked towards the maid.
"Miss, did I do good in disciplining this wench?!" The maid arrogantly asked.
Instead of smiling like Charlie usually does… She looked at the maid like she was about to devour her. The aura of the strength of an S-Class Alpha was surging through Charlotte's body and everyone in the room could feel it.
It was like an Alpha becoming hostile after her Omega was hurt by someone.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Charlotte asked, her voice filled with anger.
"I-I was just—"
*Slap!*
Charlotte slapped the maid harder than the slap given to Serena.
"M-miss?" The maid said dumbfoundedly with tears running down her eyes.
Everyone in the dining room was shocked by what had happened.
It seemed like Charlie was protecting Serena.
Serena… who she tormented daily… without any amount of sympathy.
Charlotte looked at the girl beside her… She couldn't help but look at her pitifully. She knelt down and put her hands on the girl's cheeks like examining the red cheeks caused by getting slapped.
"Are you okay?… everything will be fine now…" She said sincerely and calmly.
"I won't let anyone hurt you again…" She whispered into Serena's ears.