Alex was just an ordinary 20-year-old college dropout stuck in the monotony of a dead-end job. His life was far from glamorous, working long shifts at a convenience store to make ends meet, living in a cramped apartment with peeling wallpaper, and spending his free time reading novels and gaming.
Novels had become his lifeline, a temporary escape from his mundane reality. He devoured countless stories of overpowered protagonists, magical worlds, and cunning villains. It wasn't just entertainment; it was a way to forget about the stack of unpaid bills on his kitchen counter and the calls from his landlord demanding overdue rent.
One of the novels he was reading kow was A Cheesy Novel of bashing and villains getting faceslapping. It was cliché, filled with stereotypical characters, a cold-hearted heroine, an arrogant plot armor protagonist, and green tea heroines.
But it was Alex's guilty pleasure. He loved hating the overbearing antagonist, a spineless simp who threw away his company and everything for the affections of the manipulative heroine, only to meet a tragic end.
"What an idiot," Alex often muttered to himself while reading. "If it were me, I'd never fall for a woman like that. Who sacrifices everything for someone so fake?"
But in truth, he envied the drama and excitement of those fictional worlds. His real life was devoid of meaning or ambition. He had no close family, no friends to rely on, and no dreams to chase.
One particularly exhausting evening, after finishing a double shift at the convenience store, Alex stumbled back to his apartment. He collapsed onto his worn-out couch with a groan, his head pounding from lack of sleep.
Turning on his old laptop, he opened the latest chapter of the already mentioned cheesy and cliché novel.
"Seriously, how do you mess up a life this good?" he muttered, shaking his head. "The guy had money, power, everything. If I were him, I'd be unstoppable."
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling. A thought struck him, one he'd had countless times before.
"If only life were like a novel… maybe I'd get a second chance to do things right."
Little did he know, the universe, or fate, had heard his wish.
That night, as Alex drifted off to sleep, an intense wave of dizziness washed over him. His chest tightened, and his breathing grew shallow. Panic set in, but before he could fully process what was happening, everything went black.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in his tiny apartment.
The stale smell of instant noodles and the hum of the city were gone, replaced by the leather interior of an expensive car and the faint scent of cologne.
Looking down, Alex noticed his hands, clean, manicured, and unfamiliar. A sleek black card rested between his fingers.
His reflection in the rearview mirror wasn't his own. It was someone else entirely, a handsome, polished face he'd only ever seen in the pages like in those drama's.
"Alex," Rose Winters said, her tone sharp and dismissive, "listen closely…" Rose's voice was as cold as the winter wind cutting through the luxury shopping mall's parking lot. Her sharp tone carried an air of disdain that made Alex's grip on the steering wheel tighten slightly.
"It was because you begged my parents… that's the only reason I agreed to come out with you." Her piercing gaze lingered on him for a moment, as if daring him to contradict her words.
Alex sat in silence, his lips pressing into a thin line, but she didn't seem to care. She crossed her arms, her next words even sharper.
"I hope you won't use my parents to threaten me ever again…" Her tone was scathing, making her stance crystal clear. "We're just ordinary friends, not what you think!"
Alex flinched inwardly, but he forced himself to remain composed. Rose wasn't done. Her expression softened briefly, though it felt more like pity than anything sincere.
"I'm heading up to shop," she added curtly. "You can stay here in the parking lot and wait for me."
Before Alex could muster a reply, Rose turned on her heel, her high heels clicking against the pavement as she walked away. She didn't spare him a single glance, leaving behind a tense, suffocating silence.
Just as Alex thought she was gone, she abruptly stopped a few steps away, as though struck by a sudden thought. She turned back, her cold expression unchanged, and marched toward the car again.
Without a word, she leaned in through the car window. Her hand darted into Alex's coat pocket with practiced ease, pulling out a sleek black credit card. Her movements were deliberate, confident, as if she'd done this countless times before.
"A million dollars as a monthly allowance, that was your promise to me," she said, her voice dripping with entitlement. She held the card between her fingers, inspecting it briefly before continuing. "So, the money in this card? You gave it willingly…"
Her gaze flickered toward Alex, daring him to challenge her. "I didn't force you to do anything!"
With that, she straightened up, slammed the car door shut with unnecessary force, and walked away without looking back. Her figure disappeared into the bustling entrance of the luxury mall, leaving Alex alone in the car, the sound of the door's echo still ringing in his ears.
Alex sat motionless in the driver's seat, his face unreadable. His fingers drummed lightly against the steering wheel, but his mind was racing. His brows furrowed deeply, and a strange thought crept into his consciousness.
"Did I… transmigrate?" The realization hit him like a freight train.
Memories that weren't his began to flood his mind, filling in the blanks of his current situation. He quickly pieced together the fragments of the life he now found himself living.
"I've… transmigrated into a cheesy web novel?" His voice was barely above a whisper, yet the words carried an incredulous tone. It all made sense now, the extravagant setting, the ridiculous dynamics, and his overly dramatic interaction with Rose.
"Wait… I'm the CEO of the Reid Industries now?" he muttered, leaning back in the leather seat as the memories gets settled.