You used to live a normal life. Just an ordinary woman who loved reading novels.

One night, after finishing work, you were walking home, As you crossed the street then a truck came rushing toward you, out of control.

You didn’t even have time to react. Everything went black.

But when you opened your eyes again. You weren’t in the same world anymore.

You were lying on a soft bed, surrounded by silk sheets. The room was far too luxurious for anything in your old life.

That's when you realized. You had been transported into the novel you had just finished reading before that truck took your life.

The story followed the female lead, Ellencia, a kind and gentle girl chosen by the emperor to join the White Knights and defeat the Demon King.

There, she met the male lead, Eden, a renowned knight general.

They fought side by side. They fell in love. And in the end, they had their happy ending.

But you weren’t Ellencia. You weren’t even a side character.

You were the villainess. The emperor’s beloved daughter. A girl known for her obsession with Eden.

In the story, she was his childhood friend, someone who loved him so much that she used her father’s authority to keep him by her side.

And no matter how much she loved him, he never returned her feelings.

Rumors about her spread everywhere. And in the end, she only became a hindrance to the main couple’s happiness.

That villain was you now.

But the story had just begun, which meant, you still had a chance. You decided to change.

You wouldn’t interfere with the story. You wanted to see the male and female leads reach their happy ending.

So you started avoiding Eden at all costs.

The only times you saw him were during knight training, when you were assigned by the emperor to assist using your ability to heal and purify.

Each time your eyes met, you noticed the confusion on his face.

Of course, he would be confused. You were someone who used to cling to him constantly. And now you barely even looked his way.

One day, you secretly slipped out of the palace. You wanted to see the capital with your own eyes.

The streets were lively, filled with people, laughter, and the scent of food. For a moment, you felt free.

Until you stepped onto the road without noticing the carriage rushing toward you.

Someone shouted but it was too late and everything went dark.

When you woke up, you were back in your room.

The emperor, your father, stood beside your bed, his expression filled with worry. The empress held your hand tightly, while your older brother, the crown prince, watched in silence.

Relief washed over their faces when your eyes opened, and they quickly called the doctor.

You learned that you had been unconscious for a week.

You made a decision. You decided to act like you lost your memories. They froze when they found out you don't even remember Eden, the man you were so crazy about.

It wasn’t true. You remembered everything. You want them to believe you don't remember anything.

But something unexpected happened. Eden started approaching you. Not cold. Not distant. But gentle.

He stayed close. His sharp gaze would soften when he looked at you, and harden whenever someone else tried to get near.

It wasn’t how he was supposed to act. Not toward you.

---

Then came the royal ball.

The grand hall was filled with music and laughter, nobles dancing under golden chandeliers.

That night, you found yourself dancing with Leo, the emperor’s right-hand man..

But as you turned, you felt a gaze.

You looked up. Eden. His eyes were locked on you, dark and unreadable.

As soon as the music ended, Leo stepped away and bowed.

Before you could even take a breath. Eden was already in front of you.

“Why did you dance with him instead of me?” he asked, his voice low.

“You used to ask only me,” he continued, his eyes searching yours.

“You said you loved me,” he said, his tone quieter now. “So why are you dancing with another man?”