The maid's knock turned into a worried tap, then silence.
I stared at the glowing timer hovering in front of me, counting down: 29 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes...
I blinked. I had thirty days to live, or not live at all.
"How do I even start?" I muttered, my voice still unfamiliar, melodious but cold.
The world outside the room was exactly like the novel's description: ornate corridors, polished marble floors, and portraits of stern-faced ancestors staring down at me as if judging my every move. The air smelled of rich wood and old secrets.
I swallowed. Evelyne Renestra was a woman known for her cunning, ruthlessness, and sharp tongue. But I was me, a twenty-five-year-old who'd spent most of her life avoiding drama, not creating it.
The novel's plot hovered in my mind like a noose.
Chapter 1: Evelyne enters the Duke's estate.
Chapter 5: Evelyne is involved in a scandal.
Chapter 9: Evelyne is betrayed by her closest ally.
Chapter 10: Evelyne dies.
I had to survive past chapter ten. But how?
My first thought was obvious: Don't antagonize the heroine.
But the heroine, Lady Seraphina, was a thorny rose in this garden of deceit—beautiful, kind, and beloved by everyone. I wasn't sure if she'd be the enemy or my only hope.
I paced my room, the corset digging painfully into my ribs, and then stopped.
"Maybe I don't have to play villain," I whispered. "Maybe I can be... something else."
The hologram blinked and displayed a warning:
"Warning: Significant deviation from original plot may result in timeline instability."
Timeline instability? That sounded like a fancy way to say "plot holes," but honestly, it felt more like a threat.
Then the door opened again, and a tall man in a powdered wig and silk waistcoat stepped inside. His sharp eyes scanned me, and his lips curled into a polite smile.
"Ah, Lady Evelyne, ready for tea? The Countess insists on meeting you immediately."
I forced a smile. The game was on.