After putting down her phone, Sophie Quinn sat quietly in the backseat of her car, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.
She wasn't sure why, but her heart felt unusually light.
She had just spent a few minutes texting with Rayden Wolfe, and it left her inexplicably cheerful. It wasn't just his humor—it was how relaxed and natural he was. There was no air of arrogance, no pompous display of his elite upbringing. He could make jokes at his own expense, flirt without being pushy, and still maintain a strange sort of gentlemanly charm.
Chatting with him felt… easy. Comfortable.
Almost like they were already a couple.
Is this… what flirting is supposed to feel like? she wondered, cheeks slightly warm. For the first time in a long while, she found herself genuinely looking forward to dinner with someone.
Meanwhile, across town, Rayden tossed his phone onto the bed and let out a small laugh.
"My wife is chasing me again," he said with satisfaction, rolling onto his back.
Even though they'd already been married once in a previous life, this second round of courtship had its own charm. In that timeline, Sophie had been the one to take initiative, reaching out to Rayden time and again while he, preoccupied with schemes and strength-building, kept her at a distance.
But time had worn down his icy heart, and eventually they fought side by side.
Now, though? Now, they were going both ways.
This time, he'd let the relationship blossom properly.
After a leisurely morning routine, Rayden finally left the house. Time to focus on his "actual job"—which, for a villain like him, meant targeting the protagonist.
His life was so simple. So predictable.
So enjoyable.
Outside the hospital gates, Rayden purchased a bouquet of white carnations. Holding them solemnly, he strolled into the hospital ward with a face full of grief and concern.
He stopped in front of a heavily bandaged patient.
The protagonist.
Caleb Chen, now lying like a mummy, barely able to move.
Rayden presented the bouquet with mock seriousness. "Please accept my condolences…"
Caleb's eyes twitched. "…What?"
Rayden blinked. "Ah, sorry, wrong script. I meant—please keep a cheerful spirit. Don't frown."
Caleb wanted to scream.
Of all the people to see upon waking up, it just had to be him.
Enemy. Nemesis. Green-hat giver.
His day couldn't get any worse.
Rayden sat beside the bed, speaking cheerfully. "The doctors say it's just a few broken ribs—nothing too serious! You're still young, so you'll recover quickly. With a bit of rest, you'll be walking again in two months!"
Two months?!
Caleb's eyes widened.
Two entire months lying down?! In that time, Rayden and Sophie could already be on a honeymoon, or worse—raising a child!
He was the protagonist! He was supposed to rise to greatness, win over the girl, slap villains, and ascend like a king!
But now he was strapped to a bed like an overcooked sausage roll.
In his past life, things were tough but not humiliating. At least he never had to lie in a hospital watching his fiancée fall for another man in real-time.
Now, it was like the world was mocking him.
Grinding his teeth through the pain, Caleb rasped, "Thank you… I really, really… appreciate your concern…"
Rayden gave him a thumbs-up. "You're welcome! Helping others is our Wolfe family motto. Just call me a modern-day Good Samaritan."
Inside, he was chuckling.
I love the look on your face—furious, helpless, but completely unable to kill me. That's the best part. Seeing you stew in your own misery while I enjoy life? Priceless.
Rayden stood up. "Well, I'll stop bothering you now. I need to get going—my girlfriend's waiting."
Caleb's breath caught.
"…Girlfriend?"
Rayden nodded proudly. "The woman who brought you here yesterday. You know, the beautiful, kind, elegant, brilliant one? That's her. We're having dinner again tonight."
Caleb turned pale. Again?!
Yesterday was just one dinner! In the last timeline, it took them weeks to warm up to each other. Now you're going out again already?!
At this pace, they'd be married by next Tuesday.
Caleb couldn't let this continue. He had to do something—anything—to stop this fast-forwarded romance from unfolding.
"Wait… wait a minute," he croaked.
Rayden paused, turning back. "Hm? Something else?"
Caleb forced a smile despite the pain. "Could you… help me contact my senior brother?"
Rayden's expression sharpened slightly. Dr. Simon Zhao.
He knew the name well.
In the original novel, Simon Zhao was Caleb's senior in the Ghost Valley Medical Sect. Now in his thirties, Simon was an accomplished doctor working at Quinn Medical. In the original timeline, it was Simon who brought Caleb into the hospital as an intern, giving him the platform to shine.
From there, Caleb quickly rose to fame for his miraculous medical skills, saved the hospital from financial ruin, and—naturally—won Sophie's heart.
He had exposed his identity as a descendant of the Ghost Doctors and, conveniently, Sophie's childhood fiancé.
The typical soap opera plot.
But Rayden had already destroyed that storyline once.
In the previous life, he had gotten Simon Zhao fired and blocked Caleb from entering the hospital entirely. The protagonist ended up exiled from the entire city's medical network.
Rayden smiled inwardly. And now you want to repeat history? Let's see how far you get.
"Sure thing," Rayden said casually. "I'll make the call."
Half an hour later, the ward doors opened.
A tall man in his mid-thirties walked in. He wore a white coat over a buttoned shirt, carried a medical file under one arm, and had the scholarly, reserved air of a seasoned doctor.
When he saw Caleb wrapped in bandages, he stopped in shock.
"Junior Brother!" he gasped. "What… what happened to you?! Who did this?!"
Caleb managed a weak smile. "Senior Brother… it's a long story."
Simon Zhao rushed to his side. "You shouldn't be moving. Let me examine your injuries first!"
Rayden stepped aside, silently observing the scene.
Let's see what you do now, Caleb.
The chessboard was set.
And Rayden Wolfe had already moved his first piece.
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