Chapter 2: Fandom Barrages and Unraveling Realities

2

I spent the whole afternoon sorting things out.

Finally, I realized the world I lived in was actually a wish-fulfillment, counterattack novel.

Tessa was the male lead, and I was the vicious supporting character doomed to do evil and end up imprisoned to death by the second female lead.

No wonder everyone who got close to Tessa was drawn to her, like the whole world revolved around her.

There was just too much to process today.

Rain hammered the windows, turning the cityscape outside into a smear of neon and headlights. Somewhere nearby, the El train rumbled by, its metallic screech mixing with the city’s heartbeat. I sat at the kitchen island, cradling a chipped Cubs mug, the coffee inside long since gone cold, my mind reeling.

After a shower that night, I checked my phone to relax—only to find a flood of hate comments.

Almost all my social media was bombarded; everyone was siding with male lead Tessa.

Even my LinkedIn got roasted—old business contacts posting memes about my "villain era."

My childhood sweetheart, Shelby Fields, messaged me on Facebook Messenger:

[Alex, don’t think I don’t know—you’re using dirty tricks just to force me to leave Tessa and come back to you.]

[Heh, all this fuss just to see me. Fine, you win. Friday afternoon, same place.]

The old coffee shop by Lincoln Park. She knew I'd get the reference, but this time it made my skin crawl.

I didn’t reply, just blocked her and locked my phone.

The barrage exploded:

[I’m not excusing him, but the male supporting character’s viciousness isn’t totally baseless. He’s a proud, privileged kid, and overnight, his parents, lover, and friends all ignore him for another girl. I’d lose it too.]

[He’s good-looking and rich—why should he always lose to the male lead who can’t even tell Word from Google Docs? This novel makes no sense...]

[If I were the author, I’d slap the crazy female lead once, the crazy male lead twice, then lock the vicious male supporting character and the yandere second female lead together. No leaving the basement, and they have to have eight kids. How about that?]

Was I losing it? Was someone pranking me? Or was this just how rock bottom felt?

After calming down, I was about to sleep—just took off my boxers—when the bedroom door suddenly opened.

Rachel’s gaze swept from my head to... lower.

I fumbled for my bathrobe, face burning, wishing the floor would swallow me.

“Sorry, you forgot to lock the door.”

Rachel stared at me, her skin shimmering, almost like CGI, scales flickering under the hallway light.

She stood in the doorway, the hallway nightlight casting odd shadows across her features. She looked a little like something out of a horror movie, if horror movies were full of tired, overworked executives.

When a succubus gets aroused, she can’t help but reveal her true form...

I was about to say, “Get out,” but then I saw the barrage:

[I bet the male supporting character is about to sneer ‘get out’—just asking for trouble. The second female lead’s love is worn down little by little like this.]

[Alex, be a little nicer to your wife, Rachel! If you mouth off now, you’ll regret it in the basement later—your mouth won’t get a break.]

Reminded by the barrage, I quickly changed my tone and gave Rachel a weak smile.

“It’s fine, hon—”

Rachel, who had been about to leave, stopped, her eyes dark and fixed on me, waiting for my next word.

Tsk, that’s what I get for reading all those ‘wife’ comments in the barrage. Now I’ve slipped up too...

[You’re killing me! Just say ‘wife’—she’d give you her life. Who cares about the male lead?]

[Can we stop making the second female lead so pitiful? After three years of coldness, she must hate the male supporting character more than she loves him. And don’t forget, to protect the male lead, she ends up imprisoning the supporting character to death.]

The barrage split into two camps, arguing.

I raised my eyebrows, wanting to test what was true, so I played along and coaxed her:

“Rachel, do you think I have a good body?”

“Average,” she replied coolly, eyes lowered so I couldn’t read her thoughts.

She crossed her arms, but I could tell she was holding her breath. Maybe she was waiting for a punchline.

[Second female lead is putting on a front! No wonder after all these years, the male supporting character still pines for his childhood sweetheart.]

[Did I wake up too early? Why does it seem like the male supporting character isn’t annoyed by the second female lead today? Our villain couple CP fans are eating well today >>>]

Not giving up, I stepped closer and teased, “You didn’t even look. How would you know?”

“No need to look.” Rachel’s tone was cold, but her fingertips curled. She wouldn’t meet my eyes, like a kid caught sneaking cookies before dinner.

How did I never notice? She actually looks pretty cute when she’s shy.

I noticed her collar was rumpled and reached out to fix it.

“Don’t touch.” Her voice was cold, but there was a hint of shyness in it.

Still fierce, though.

I froze, remembering the barrage’s argument.

Right. In three years, I’d never been kind to Rachel, while Tessa was always warm and encouraging, like a little sun, helping her come out of her shell.

No wonder Rachel hates me.

I laughed at myself, withdrawing my hand mid-air. “Close the door on your way out. I’m going to sleep.”

She closed the door, but instead of leaving, she walked toward me, step by step.

Her breath was hot, her eyes red from holding back.

I finally realized something was off. “You feeling okay? You look kinda... out of it.”

Barrage:

[Technically, she’s in heat... No, second female lead, don’t fall so hard! The male supporting character is just teasing you out of boredom, and you’re so excited you triggered your heat early.]

“In heat?” I muttered.

We’d been married three years—how did I never know Rachel had a heat cycle?

Barrage:

[The male supporting character is clueless, always thought the second female lead was ascetic. Please, she’s a succubus, and your body is top-tier—number one in the whole novel.]

[In previous heats, Rachel would always steal your boxers and hide away, never letting you see.]

[Now that you mention it, those poor clothes—nearly soaked through by the lovesick second female lead...]

I stared blankly at the barrage, like watching a screen full of censors.

Could it be she didn’t want me touching her just now because she was in heat?

Unable to take it anymore, Rachel rubbed her face against my neck.

Her pale skin was flushed, her eyes dazed with desire, her usual aloofness softened.

She shivered, breathing in the clean scent of my skin. The air between us felt thick, electric.

I’d been so focused on fighting Tessa and winning back Shelby that I’d never really looked at Rachel.

I never realized she could be so beautiful—features more delicate than any celebrity on TV.

There was something almost childlike in the way she clung to me, desperate and ashamed at the same time.