The nemesis and her billionaire

The night at the banquet was a blur. Crystal chandeliers and polite laughter filled the air, but she felt dizzy. Her legs were unsteady; the champagne she toasted with burned warmly as it slid down her throat. She really needed some fresh air—her throat felt like it was tightening. Swaying toward the hallway, gripping the railing, she found the hallways quieter and dimmer. That's when she passed by doors slightly open. She was about to ignore them when she heard a familiar voice. It felt too familiar. Ningning paused; she thought this might all be a dream. What was she doing now, in a novel character's body? “Shit.” Ningning murmured; her voice was hoarse. She staggered and tried to catch what they were saying. "Are you sure this drug is strong enough?" That familiar voice... Ningning's heart pounded. Wasn't that... that bitchy stepsister's voice? "Of course, are you doubting my skills?" the man replied. "By tomorrow morning, she'll be completely ruined," the man continued. Ningning's head throbbed; she couldn't even process what she was hearing. The drug was hitting her hard. "Make sure you handle everything right. He is in room seventy-three." Ningning's eyes widened; her legs felt weak. So they actually planned to drug her and... let her be r***d? Ningning immediately jolted forward with whatever strength she had left... unfortunately, only her mind was working. Her legs and body didn't respond. Instead of running, she staggered into a door, drawing attention from the two inside. Her heart sank. She'd tried to slip away unnoticed. Unfortunately, a voice called out from behind her... The voice called, "Ningning." Without looking back, and somehow finding strength she didn't know she had, her legs finally responded. With every bit of strength she could muster, she ran forward, her body still subtly swaying from the drug. Her bloodshot eyes saw a waiter approaching; she was about to call out to him when a strong hand clamped over her arm. "Let me go! Let me go!" she gasped, twisting. Someone she couldn't see clearly was dragging her into another room. The crowd, the music—everything became a distant echo. Panic flooded her; the more she screamed, the hoarser her voice became. She tried to push free. "No, let me go!" It was all useless. The figure was so strong... her voice eventually died in a strangled gasp. Everything went black. —---- The sunlight filtered through the curtains, warm yet piercing. Her head throbbed; her body was stiff and sore in ways she didn't want to understand. She slowly opened her eyes; the room felt unfamiliar. The faint scent of someone else lingered, making her stomach twist. Memories flooded back: the hallway, the sounds she heard, and how she ran away. A horrifying realization sank in. Her hands trembled, but as she touched herself, trying to confirm what her hazy memory was hinting at, a dull ache in her body told her it wasn't just fear. The unthinkable had happened. Her chest tightened; anger and shame seeped in. She reached for her phone. Luckily, there were no photos released. She had clearly heard them talking about releasing her photos that night. She could hear faint footsteps; she pressed herself against the bed frame, her heart pounding. She clenched the sheets tighter. Her face, once worried and devastated, was now marked by bloodshot eyes. "How unlucky this person is," she thought. Her heart sank; she had gotten into a fatal crash in the real world and suddenly woke up in this body. She realized how foolish this female lead character was..how could she be such a pushover? Now she couldn't believe she had actually been r***d and drugged. If she remembered clearly, she had stopped reading the novel at the part where she was getting ready to attend the banquet. She had no memory of what was going to happen next. Now she was stuck in this body, unsure of how to navigate this new life—or whether to cry. Still, this was her character... Ningning didn't remember how she got out of the hotel, but she was grateful she managed to leave unnoticed. She had quickly stopped by a*****e, changed her clothes, and bought a face mask. The pharmacy’s bell chimed softly as she stepped inside. Ningning hesitated for half a second before walking up to the counter. The pharmacist barely looked up. "Yes?" Ningning swallowed hesitantly. "Ehm... emergency contraceptive." Her eyes darted around. The pharmacist finally looked up, studying her. Too bad he couldn't see her face because of the mask. He asked blankly, "Within twenty-four hours?" Ningning replied, "Yes." He turned without further words, grabbed a small box, and placed it on the counter. "That will be..." Ningning reached into her bag to pay when her fingers brushed something cold. She slowly pulled it out..behold, it was a bracelet. Her brows furrowed slightly. She remembered finding this on the sheet this morning. It immediately made her tense. The pharmacist called out, "Hey, miss." Ningning blinked, snapping back. "Yes, sorry." She put the bracelet down. She reached for her purse. Two women passed behind her, their voices low but clear. "I heard someone from that family attended last night." "Seriously, me too... I'm so shocked, they don't just show up anywhere..." They giggled softly. "Whoever caught his attention must be so lucky..." Their voices faded as they moved further away. Ningning's fingers tightened slightly. She slid some money on the counter. "Keep the change," she said and walked out briskly. Outside, the air felt heavy. She clutched the small paper bag and the bracelet tightly in her hand. She didn't even realize she was still holding the bracelet. A black car with the engine running was parked across the street, unnaturally still. Her eyes lingered on it for no reason, with a feeling like it had been there even before she noticed,like it was watching and waiting for her. Ningning tensed. Was someone watching her?