BLURB Saving a stranger from a robbery wasn't exactly how I planned to die. Not in battle. Not in glory. Just one reckless decision that ended with me waking up... Inside my favorite romance novel. Now I'm Seraphina Everhart-the villain's forgotten fiancée, a disposable side character whose only purpose is to die before the story even reaches its halfway point. My mission? Survive the death flags. Avoid the bad endings. And don't ruin the original plot. Easy... right? Fortunately, I'm not completely alone. I have a System. His name is Caelum. He's supposed to guide me through this world, keep me alive, and make sure the story stays on track. There's just one tiny problem. He's... Too strict. Too overprotective. Too efficient. And possibly... jealous of my engagement. SERAPHINA: "Caelum, are you upset I'm getting married?" SYSTEM: "That is irrelevant to your survival." "...So that's a yes." SYSTEM: "System is incapable of jealousy." Right. Then why does he interfere every time someone gets too close to me? Why does he keep warning me whenever another man smiles in my direction? SYSTEM: Warning. Probability of death has increased. And why does it feel like he misses me whenever I stop talking to him? He insists he's only following his programming. I insist emotionally unavailable voices are my type. Somewhere between dodging assassins, surviving noble politics, accidentally destroying the original plot, and teasing a System that doesn't understand human emotions... I somehow fell in love with the only person no one else in the world can see. The worst part? I don't think Caelum realizes he's slowly falling in love with me too. After all... How is a System supposed to understand what it means to have a heart? TRIGGER WARNINGS Mild violence (romance novel death flags / assassination attempts) Noble politics and manipulation Existential/system identity themes Comedy misunderstandings No explicit gore or extreme content

He hates everyone. I just happen to be the exception... and the problem. He's the cold, untouchable boy everyone fears - and I'm the only one he ever talks to. No one knows why. They whisper about it in the hallways, staring when he walks by and doesn't bother looking at anyone-except me. He hates everyone. Teachers, classmates, the cafeteria lady-everyone. Except me. Some say I'm brave for not being scared of him. Others think I'm crazy. Honestly? They're both probably right. Maybe he talks to me because I once told him his death stare needed work. Or maybe it's because I'm the only one who argues back when he's being impossible. Now everyone's asking the same question: Why does the monster only listen to the girl who teases him? And if I'm being honest... I'm not sure if I've tamed him- or if I've just become his favorite person to ruin the world for. Tropes: grumpy x sunshine · sarcastic banter · protective love · misunderstood bad boy © COPYRIGHT NOTICE © 2025 Aria Rae. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be copied, shared, or translated without the author's written permission. This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people, events, or situations is purely coincidental.