Morning light filters through the thin curtains, warm and soft against my face.
I blink slowly, staring up at the cracked ceiling of my apartment as my alarm screams beside me.
Ugh… already?
I grope for my phone on the tiny bedside table.
One glance at the time—
"Shit. I'm late."
I jolt upright, the sudden movement knocking the book resting on my chest.
Right… I fell asleep last night thinking about the ending.
Especially that villain.
Zyren Kael.
Just remembering him makes me want to punch someone.
No time for that now.
I jump out of bed and rush to wash up, skipping breakfast like always. Who has time—or money—for that?
My uniform tie is crooked but whatever. I shove my schoolbooks into my worn-out bag, grab the novel from my study table, and hold it for a moment.
Angel in Hell.
I stroke the cover with a sigh.
"I don't wanna give you back…"
But I have to. Alina paid good money for this.
I lock my apartment and step outside. The morning air is cool, fresh, and annoyingly energetic. I stretch my stiff back and start walking when my phone vibrates.
I balance the small milk box in my hand, take a sip, and check the message.
Alina: Hey Neon, where are you?
I quickly type: On the way.
Her reply comes instantly.
Alina: I'm waiting in front of Choco Café. I brought my car today. I'll give you a ride.
A smile tugs at my lips.
She always spoils me.
Okay, I reply.
Two minutes!
I shove my phone back into my pocket and run.
The street is already alive with loud engines and morning traffic.
I spot Alina on the other side of the road—waving, smiling brightly.
I wave back and step toward the crosswalk.
The traffic light turns green.
Cars begin to slow.
Good, I can cross.
Still smiling, I keep my eyes on her.
Her expression suddenly shifts—confusion, then fear.
I don't even get to turn.
A deafening BAM explodes through the air.
Something slams into me—hard.
My body spins, weightless for a heartbeat, before crashing onto the cold road.
Everything turns blurry.
Voices fade.
My bag lies a few steps away.
Blood pools beneath me—warm, thick, running like water.
I can't move.
I can't even breathe properly.
God… it hurts.
It hurts so much.
Alina's scream cuts through the ringing in my ears.
She drops to her knees beside me, trembling uncontrollably.
"Neon! Neon, don't close your eyes! Please—please stay awake!"
"Someone help....."
"Call the ambulance."
"Neon.....neo.. open your eyes."
I try.
I swear I try.
But my eyelids grow heavier and heavier.
Is this really how my life ends?
After all those struggles…
After all those nights starving and working and surviving…
I didn't even get to eat one perfect meal.
My vision darkens.
So this is it…
And everything fades to black.
Light presses against my eyelids—warm, bright, too soft to be my usual morning.
I groan and blink slowly.
For a second, my foggy mind whispers:
It was all a dream… the accident… the blood…
I wiggle my fingers.
My legs.
My arms.
I'm… fine?
A shaky laugh escapes me—relief flooding my chest.
But then I freeze.
The ceiling above me—
that's not my cheap, stained apartment ceiling.
This one is tall.
Glossy.
Decorated with golden carvings and a massive chandelier that sparkles like it was made just to show off.
"…What the hell?"
I jolt upright.
This room—
It's huge.
Luxurious.
The bed beneath me is so soft I could sink into it forever, draped with silk sheets that look more expensive than my entire existence.
This isn't mine.
This is—this is never mine.
"Am I… dreaming?" I whisper.
I pinch my arm. Hard.
Nothing.
I laugh weakly.
"A luxurious life… in my dreams. Of course."
I fall back against the pillows, squeezing my eyes shut.
"Okay, Neon… just relax. Sleep. You'll wake up in your trash apartment any second."
But no matter how hard I try, sleep refuses to come.
My heart beats too fast.
Something feels… off.
A knock interrupts my spiraling.
Tok tok.
"Master Zyren, please wake up. You're getting late for the board meeting."
My blood runs cold.
Master… what?
Zyren?
Those words…
That line…
Why does it sound familiar?
Wait.
Wait.
My eyes fly open.
I sit up again, faster than I ever have in my life.
"Wh—what did she say…?"
Another knock.
Calm, polite.
"Master Zyren, please get up. You'll be late."
No. No no no.
I know these lines.
I read them.
In Angel in Hell—
These were the exact opening lines when the villain wakes up.
My mind races, heart pounding painfully.
"Am I… dreaming about the book? Did I pass out reading again?"
I flop back down, covering my face with my hands.
"Neon… wake up. Just wake up."
I try to force myself back to sleep.
But I can't.
Images flash in my mind—
the road,
Alina's scream,
the blood pooling around me.
The knock comes again.
"Master Zyren, please wake up."
I push myself out of the bed, legs trembling. My bare feet sink into the plush rug, the marble cold beneath. My hands shake as I reach the door and slowly pull it open.
An elderly woman stands there, bowed respectfully, dressed in a traditional servant uniform.
"I'm sorry to disturb your rest, Master," she says, voice trembling, "but today's board meeting is extremely important. You must prepare."
I stare at her as the world tilts.
Master. She called me Master.
She bows again. "Please freshen up. Breakfast is already prepared."
And then she walks away, leaving me alone with a truth I don't want.
I blink, and my knees give out. I sink to the floor, palms flat against the cold marble.
These are the same lines. The same scene.
This is the exact opening of the book—
the introduction of the villain.
Zyren Kael.
My throat tightens.
"I… became him?" The words barely leave my lips.
Why him?
Why the villain I hated the most?
Why the character doomed to fall?
I stare at my trembling hands, breath shaking.
"I died in an accident… and woke up in the novel," I whisper.
As the villain.
As Zyren Kael.