Chapter 1: Accident or Fate
1283 Words
6:00 a.m.
The alarm rang loudly, sharp and relentless, as it did every morning. But today, it felt distant—muffled beneath a thick layer of exhaustion that wrapped around Nguyễn Khả Hân like a heavy blanket.
She frowned slightly, reaching out by instinct to silence it, then pulled the covers over her head again.
The tiny rented room fell silent once more.
Morning light slipped through the narrow window, landing on the cluttered wooden desk. Her phone screen was still on, displaying the novel she had been reading all night.
“You Are My Only One.”
A sweet, gentle title.
But the story itself—addictive, frustrating, impossible to put down.
Khả Hân had started reading at 9 p.m…
…and didn’t stop until 4 a.m.
No sleep.
No breaks.
No control.
...
7:25 a.m.
“Oh no!!!”
Khả Hân shot upright like she’d been electrocuted.
Her eyes locked onto the clock, wide with panic. Her heart pounded wildly.
“7:25?!”
She nearly screamed.
At this time, she was supposed to be crammed inside a bus, gripping a handrail, half-asleep on her way to work.
Not still lying in bed.
“I’m dead… I’m seriously dead…”
She clutched her head in despair.
If she missed the 7:00 bus, her only option was the 7:40 one.
And from her place to the bus stop—it took at least ten minutes of running.
“There’s still time… I can make it…”
She muttered, as if trying to hypnotize herself.
Without wasting another second, she jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. Everything happened in a blur.
Brush teeth.
Wash face.
Get dressed.
Tie hair.
All within minutes.
Her blouse was wrinkled, her skirt uneven, her ponytail messy with loose strands. But she didn’t have time to care.
As she shoved things into her bag, fragments of last night’s story lingered in her mind.
The female lead—gentle, intelligent, loved by everyone.
The male lead—cold, powerful, but soft only toward her.
And the villainess…
Khả Hân paused for a second.
Her brows furrowed.
The villainess—cruel, selfish, blinded by jealousy.
Willing to do anything to tear the two apart.
And her ending?
A disaster.
“Seriously hate her…”
Khả Hân muttered.
“Reading her scenes made me want to punch something.”
She grabbed her bag and rushed out the door.
“But honestly… she’s just stupid…”
...
The narrow hallway echoed with the rapid sound of footsteps.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
Her heels struck the concrete floor sharply.
“Gotta make it… gotta make it…”
She dashed down the stairs.
Her heart raced.
Her breath grew uneven.
One step.
Two steps.
Three—
“Ah!”
Her foot slipped.
Her body lost balance.
Everything happened too fast.
She felt a sudden pull, then her body crashed downward.
Bang!
Her head hit the edge of a step.
A sharp pain exploded through her skull.
Her vision went black.
Sound vanished.
All that remained…
Was darkness.
...
Time passed.
Maybe seconds.
Maybe hours.
Khả Hân felt like she was floating.
Drifting in a void.
She couldn’t feel her body.
Couldn’t hear anything.
Only fragments of memories flickered by.
Work.
Buses.
Late nights.
And… the novel.
“You Are My Only One…”
A voice echoed faintly.
Then—
Light.
...
Khả Hân opened her eyes.
The brightness made her squint.
The first thing she noticed was… softness.
Not the cold hardness of concrete.
Not rough stairs.
But a bed.
A very soft bed.
“Where am I…?”
Her voice was hoarse.
She slowly sat up, her head still spinning.
But as her vision cleared—
She froze.
The ceiling above her was high, intricately decorated.
A crystal chandelier sparkled.
Thick curtains framed large windows.
The room was enormous—her entire apartment could fit inside it three times over.
“This isn’t…”
She whispered.
“This isn’t my place…”
Her heart began to race again.
A sense of unease crept in.
She quickly got out of bed and walked to the mirror.
And then—
She stopped cold.
The person in the mirror…
Was not her.
Long, silky black hair.
Flawless pale skin.
A beautiful face—but sharp, cold, and distant.
Eyes filled with arrogance.
Khả Hân raised her trembling hand.
The reflection did the same.
“No… no way…”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
Her mind spun violently.
Then—
Memories flooded in.
Not hers.
Someone else’s.
A wealthy family.
A spoiled upbringing.
An arrogant, selfish personality.
Looking down on others.
And most importantly—
Hating the female lead.
“Nguyễn… Khả Hân…”
She whispered.
Yes.
That was the name of the villainess.
And also…
Her name.
“No…”
She stepped back, her legs shaking.
“This can’t be a coincidence…”
But the memories were too real.
Every detail.
Every event.
Every scheme.
She had… transmigrated into that novel.
And not as the heroine.
But as—
The villainess.
“Oh my god…”
She held her head.
“What kind of luck is this…”
She remembered clearly.
This character’s ending.
Exposed.
Despised.
Abandoned by her family.
Crushed by society.
A life completely ruined.
“No…”
She clenched her fists.
“I can’t live like that.”
Her eyes slowly changed.
The panic faded.
Replaced by clarity.
“I need a plan…”
“I need to avoid the plot…”
She started analyzing.
In the story, the villainess made countless stupid decisions.
All driven by jealousy.
By obsession.
“If I don’t do those things…”
“Then I won’t end up like that.”
It sounded simple.
But—
“Will the plot even let me?”
She fell silent.
This wasn’t a game.
No resets.
No saves.
Just one chance.
“Still…”
She took a deep breath.
“I have to try.”
Just then—
Knock knock.
She flinched.
“Miss, are you awake?”
A gentle female voice came from outside.
She paused.
“Miss…”
A strange title—but fitting now.
“Come in.”
She steadied her voice.
The door opened.
A maid stepped in, bowing respectfully.
“Miss, you have an early schedule at the company today. The car is ready.”
Company.
Khả Hân immediately remembered.
The villainess worked at the same company as the male lead.
And that’s where—
Everything began to fall apart.
“I understand.”
She replied shortly.
The maid didn’t notice anything unusual and quietly left.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
Khả Hân sat on the bed.
“It’s starting…”
She murmured.
“The story has officially begun.”
She looked at her reflection.
A beautiful but unfamiliar face.
A luxurious life…
But full of danger.
“Fine…”
A faint smile appeared.
“This time…”
“I’ll rewrite the story.”
She stood up and opened the wardrobe.
Rows of expensive clothes greeted her.
But she didn’t choose anything flashy like the original owner would.
Instead, she picked something simple.
Elegant.
Subtle.
“At least… don’t make enemies right away.”
She told herself.
After changing, she walked toward the door.
Each step cautious.
Yet determined.
Because she knew—
From this moment on—
She was no longer an ordinary office worker.
But a character in a story.
A character with a predetermined tragic ending.
But—
“Predetermined… doesn’t mean unchangeable.”
Khả Hân smiled faintly.
Her eyes filled with resolve.
The door opened.
A new world awaited her.
And this time—
She would not become the villainess.
No matter the cost—
She would change her fate.
- Writer
