Chapter 1

"..."

PS: The stepson is not biologically related.

Chapter 1

It was early morning, and the sky outside was somewhat overcast today. Beyond the luxurious villa's floor-to-ceiling windows, a light rain began to patter down.

Su Wanqiao lay on the ornate bed in the bedroom, wearing pale pink lace pajamas. Her pink eyes were slightly lowered, her expression languid. Her fair, delicate features were as exquisite as a porcelain doll's, and her long, thick lashes made her beauty all the more stunning.

Having just awakened from a dream, the woman's fragrant shoulders were half bare, making her exceptionally beautiful and captivating. She rolled over, her slender waist twisting, and stretched contentedly. She nimbly climbed out of bed, revealing her slim, snowy-white calves. The full-length mirror reflected her breathtaking face, a perfect blend of sensuality and innocence.

Looking at the incomparably lavish bedroom around her and the surroundings she now found herself in, she still felt as though it was not quite real.

Su Wanqiao had originally worked as a novelist. She also read webnovels to broaden her reading and knew all the familiar webnovel tropes. But she had never imagined that merely reading a wealthy-family romance called "Young Master Gu's Beloved Wife" and staying up too late would lead to her waking up transmigrated into the body of the villain's cannon-fodder wife, who shared her name.

Fu Huaiyan, the richest man in South City, was the novel's greatest villain. He had repeatedly opposed the male and female leads, the chosen children of destiny, and was their greatest business rival. If he had not been schemed against and died in an accident, the Fu Family's ending might truly have been rewritten.

The villain's wife, however, received only a few brief descriptions in the novel. Her endless troublemaking had made the Fu Family despise her, and they decided to send her abroad, never to return. In the end, she died in misery.

Since the original owner was a cannon-fodder character, the book had not provided much detailed information about her. However, the endings of Fu Huaiyan's younger brothers and sisters were described in great detail. Essentially, some died and others were crippled; not one escaped, and none met a good end. This once-glorious wealthy family vanished completely from high society, while the family established by the novel's chosen male and female leads gradually grew into the new richest family.

After going through the original owner's memories, Su Wanqiao thought things over carefully and felt anxious for only a moment before quickly settling down. No matter how the plot developed, the Fu Family had not yet gone bankrupt when her character exited the story, so their later storyline would not affect her at all.

Besides, although the original owner had been sent abroad and forbidden from ever returning, she would receive a substantial breakup payout, enough to live freely for the rest of her life. As the Su Family's daughter, she already had countless assets in her name. For now, she only needed to lie flat, wait for the plot to arrive, take the money, and leave the Fu Family. Everything else had nothing much to do with her.

She remembered that when she transmigrated, the original owner had attempted suicide and been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

By the time she regained consciousness in the Fu Family's high-end hospital room, the soul in this body had already become hers. After this incident, not only had she failed to win Fu Huaiyan's affection, but everyone in the Fu Family despised her even more.

Not long afterward, several important plot events happened to occur, and the original owner, this vicious

supporting female character,

repeatedly made things difficult for the female lead. Her severe mental health problems were exposed online, and the Fu Family threw her out. Her father, disgusted by the disgrace she brought, sent her abroad, and before long, she died of depression.

The original owner was nothing more than a cannon-fodder plot device in the book, written from the outset with an obsession for Fu Huaiyan. The plot required her to stir up endless trouble and walk step by step into the abyss. Really, those who knew, knew: this sort of trope in CEO romances had long since gone out of fashion.

But now that Su Wanqiao had transmigrated into this body, she absolutely would not follow the plot. She had to break away from the Fu Family as soon as possible.

Her awareness returned to the present because a servant respectfully interrupted her thoughts from outside the bedroom door.

"Madam, breakfast is ready. Would you like to eat now?"

Su Wanqiao nodded lightly, draped a thin jacket over herself, and gracefully rose and went downstairs.

In the spacious, luxurious dining room, several maids arranged exquisite plates one after another. Before long, the table was covered with a sumptuous spread made from expensive ingredients.

Once again, she experienced the benefits of being a wealthy man's wife. Even when she ate, dedicated servants served her food and attentively provided excellent service. She liked this feeling very much.

The woman ate slowly and elegantly, and before she knew it, there were already empty plates on the table. Uncle Chen, the Fu Family's butler, noticed that Madam had been in a very good mood lately, and her appetite had improved as well. Her formerly sorrowful expression was completely gone.

In the past, Madam had been gloomy every day because the master was away and had had no appetite at all. He wondered whether he was imagining things, but Madam seemed rather different lately.

Su Wanqiao enjoyed this meal immensely. In the past, the original owner had spent every day wallowing in self-pity and melancholy. In truth, she had an exalted status and financial freedom; her life could hardly have been more comfortable. Just thinking about such a life was enough to make her happy.

Just then, the sound of a car driving through the entrance came from outside the villa. The butler suddenly came in and said, "Madam, Mr. Fu is back."

Su Wanqiao froze slightly. The original owner's villain husband was usually busy with work, and since there was little affection between the couple, they rarely saw each other. Hearing that he had returned still surprised her.

Moreover, his coming home this early in the morning was something that had never happened before.

As she was thinking, a sound came from downstairs, and footsteps drew closer. The man wore a black suit, his figure tall and lean. His thin, long black hair gave him a stern look, and a faint dampness still clung to his clothes, making his entire presence seem even more unapproachable.

The man had impeccable features. With his every movement, the look in his eyes as he regarded others carried an emperor's oppressive authority. His presence was imposing, and his cold, arrogant expression made him look as though he considered himself above everyone else.

Su Wanqiao's first thought upon seeing Fu Huaiyan was that he truly lived up to being the novel's greatest villain. His presence was formidable indeed.

From downstairs, Fu Huaiyan saw Su Wanqiao's lovely figure leaning against the stair railing. His face remained expressionless, but remembering how she had deliberately staged a hunger strike and suicide attempt earlier, he frowned again, the thoughts in his eyes unreadable.

His resonant voice held little emotion as he asked the servant beside him a question.

"How is Madam's recovery coming along?"