This Round Is Mine

1 My best friend, an expert at playing the damsel in distress, transmigrated into a novel only to be bullied by her fiancé’s possessive “female bestie.” She called for backup. A system prompt offered me a role: transmigrate as the male lead’s mother or his grandmother. I glanced at my short, boyish hair in the mirror and grinned. “I choose C. I’m going in as myself.” A flash of light later, I stood outside a private karaoke room. Inside, the male lead Declan was kissing his “bestie” Stella while friends cheered. When they pulled apart, Stella shot a smug look at my friend Reina. “Your turn, Reina. If you lose… which of Declan’s friends will you kiss?” Declan smirked silently. As the dice rattled again, I pushed the door open. Reina’s face lit up; she hugged me tightly. Declan slammed his glass down. “Reina, who is this guy?” For years, I’d styled myself as a charming rogue in men’s clothes—the legendary fake playboy to my best friend’s calculated innocence. Keeping an arm around Reina, I smiled faintly. “Same as your little friend here,” I said, nodding at Stella. “I’m her guy best friend.” Stella froze. Declan’s face darkened. Reina, ever the diplomat, smoothed things over and pulled me down to sit with her. For the next round, I guided Reina’s hand, and we easily won. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. I turned my gaze to Declan. “You and your ‘bro’ already had your turn,” I said, putting a deliberate emphasis on the word bro. “So now it’s our turn. A little kiss between sisters shouldn’t be a problem, right?” … “No!” Declan’s hand tightened on his glass, looking like he was about to crush it. He shot to his feet, his voice a furious roar. Reina immediately put her skills to use, her eyes welling up with perfectly formed tears. “But… you and Stella were just kissing… Why is it different when it’s us?” Stella rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on Declan’s arm. “How can you even compare? Declan and I grew up together! We were thick as thieves. What’s a little kiss between us?” I fought the urge to roll my own eyes and ran a hand through my short hair. “What a coincidence. Reina and I grew up together too. Wore the same dresses and everything. So what’s a little kiss between us?” Without waiting for an answer, I pulled Reina into my arms and angled my head for a stage kiss. The room fell dead silent. Declan’s friends stared, their mouths hanging open, but no one dared to make a sound. After a moment, I let Reina go. “Well? Applaud,” I said, raising an eyebrow at the stunned group of guys. “You were all so excited a minute ago. What’s the matter? Only like watching the boys kiss? Don’t appreciate a little sisterly love?” No one dared to breathe. Declan’s eyes were fixed on me, blazing and bloodshot. The glass in his hand finally gave way, shattering with a sharp crack. He whirled on Stella. “This is all your fault! It was your stupid idea!” After all, it was Stella who had insisted on the winner-kisses-winner rule. Declan stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Stella, momentarily stunned, shot me a look of pure hatred before scrambling to run after him. The next morning, Reina was scrolling through her phone when she suddenly shrieked. “Alex! You have to see this!” Stella had posted a nine-photo collage to her Instagram. In the pictures, she and Declan were on a yacht, clinking champagne glasses in a luxurious stateroom. Clothes and empty wine bottles were strewn artfully across the floor, creating an atmosphere so intimate it was impossible not to draw conclusions. The caption read: “When I’m the only one still by your side.” Reina let out a laugh that was pure, bitter disbelief. I nudged her shoulder. Our eyes met, and a silent, perfect understanding passed between us. Thirty minutes later, Reina’s Instagram was also updated with a nine-photo collage. The composition was just as intimate. Several dresses were scattered on the floor of a beautifully decorated room. Reina and I were leaning against the bed, wrapped in each other’s arms, feeding each other pieces of fruit. Her caption: “When you’re the only one still by my side.” Less than half an hour after she posted, a frantic knocking echoed through the apartment. On the video intercom, Declan stood outside, his eyes red-rimmed and his chest heaving.

2 The second Reina opened the door, Declan stormed in and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Why?” he rasped, his voice raw with exhaustion. “Reina, why would you betray me?” Reina knew exactly what he was talking about. The tears of a master performer welled up instantly, spilling delicately down her cheeks. “What are you thinking? There was a thunderstorm last night, and I was terrified. I tried calling you until three in the morning, but your phone was off!” Her shoulders trembled as she sobbed. “I had no choice… I had to ask Alex to come and stay with me…” Each word was broken by a sob, yet perfectly clear. Declan froze. He pulled out his phone. The screen was black. Someone had deliberately turned it off. His expression shifted from confusion to dawning fury. “Stella…” he muttered through gritted teeth. When he looked back at Reina, his gaze had softened. “Even so, you can’t post pictures like that online.” His voice was low, laced with frustration. “Reina, I’m a man. I’m possessive of you. Do you understand?” Reina looked up, her eyes swimming with tears. “I’m possessive too!” she cried. “When you and Stella are like that… do you think it doesn’t hurt me?” Her words hit him like a physical blow. He froze, then pulled her into his arms. “Okay, baby, don’t cry. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault,” he murmured, stroking her back gently. Then, his gaze lifted over Reina’s shoulder and landed on me, sitting on the sofa and enjoying the show. His expression turned to ice. “You,” he said, pointing a finger at me, his voice cold. “Get out. Right now.” I shrugged, stood up, and sauntered over. I reached out, gently disentangled Reina from his embrace, and pulled her back into mine. “Why are you mad at me, Mr. Monroe?” I asked with a challenging smirk. “Reina told me that the last time she was at your place, she found Stella sleeping in your bed. Are you two really that close?” Declan’s face grew even darker. “Let her go,” he commanded, his eyes fixed on the hand I had wrapped around Reina’s waist. “She’s my fiancée. Don’t you dare cross the line under the guise of being her ‘guy best friend.’” “Cross the line?” I raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t your ‘female bestie’ doing the exact same thing?” “Stella would never!” Declan blurted out. The words had barely left his mouth when the click of high heels sounded from the doorway. “Declan, I couldn’t find you this morning. I should have known you’d be here with your little wifey.” Stella swept into the room, giving Reina a look of pure contempt. She walked straight to Declan and wrapped her arm around his waist. I raised an eyebrow at him. See? Declan looked deeply uncomfortable. He was about to tell Stella to let go when she suddenly reached down and gave his crotch a casual pat. “Good, it went down.” Her voice was completely nonchalant. “You drank so much last night it stood up. I was worried you’d walk around like that all morning and embarrass yourself.” She then patted his cheek. “See? I’m always looking out for you, aren’t I?” Reina and I both gasped. We exchanged a wide-eyed look. What kind of master-level move was that? Stella shot Reina a triumphant smirk. I just smiled. I pulled Reina closer, my hand moving to cup her breast. “Wow, they really have gotten bigger,” I remarked thoughtfully. “Good thing I was here to help you massage them last night, baby.”

3 The air in the room turned to ice. Declan’s eyes went completely red. He shoved Stella away and lunged at me, yanking me away from Reina. “What else do you have to say for yourself, Reina? What the hell is going on between you and this… this friend of yours?” he roared, his voice trembling with rage. Reina covered her face and began to cry, her small fists beating against his chest. “How can you ask me that? When I couldn’t reach you last night, I called your friends! They told me you were with Stella in a stateroom on a yacht…” Her voice broke with sobs. “I was so angry and stressed my chest felt tight, I could barely breathe!” She hiccupped, her shoulders shaking. “Alex was the one who helped me calm down, who massaged the tension away! Where were you when I needed you?” Declan was stunned into silence. That was my cue. “I only said that to provoke you,” I said calmly, then turned my gaze to Stella. “So, was what she said true? Did he really have an erection while you two were alone last night, or was that just to provoke Reina?” Stella opened her mouth, but no words came out. Declan’s lips thinned into a hard line. He turned to Stella. “Stella,” he said, his voice low and serious. “From now on, you need to watch your boundaries.” Stella’s face went pale. Finally, she managed a tight, reluctant, “Fine.” That evening, Stella invited Reina and me to a party on the yacht. She claimed it was to apologize for the morning’s events. We decided to go. As soon as we boarded, Stella greeted us with a brilliant smile. “Reina, you’re here!” she chirped, taking Reina’s hand affectionately. “I was completely out of line this morning. I’ll drink three shots as punishment.” With Declan watching, Reina had no choice but to play the part of the gracious and forgiving fiancée. Halfway through the party, Stella suggested they go to the top deck for some fresh air, pulling Reina along with her. I saw them go and immediately followed. The wind was strong on the top deck. Stella led Reina to the railing. “Alright, Reina, let’s stop playing games,” she said, her smile vanishing. “Declan and I have known each other for twenty-three years. We were playing together before we could even walk. How long have you known him?” Reina remained silent. Stella took a confident step closer. “Do you really think he’s going to marry you? The Monroe family needs a daughter-in-law from an equal standing, not some green-tea bitch who pretends to be helpless. If you’re smart, you’ll break off the engagement yourself and leave with a little dignity.” “And if I don’t?” Reina asked quietly. “Then you’ll find out,” Stella sneered. “I can make him spend all night drinking with me. I can make him sleep in the same bed as me. Do you really think there’s anything I can’t do?” I was hidden in the shadows. Reina glanced toward me, and I gave a subtle nod. I slipped back downstairs and found Declan. Just as he stepped onto the top deck, Reina suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Tears streamed down her face instantly. “Reina!” Declan shouted, rushing toward her. But I got there first, scooping her into my arms. “Let me—” Declan started, reaching for her. But Reina just clung to my shirt, shaking her head and crying. “No… I don’t want you to hold me!” Her voice was a broken whisper. “I never knew you and Stella had that kind of relationship… I thought… I thought it was innocent, like what Alex and I have…” Declan froze. “What kind of relationship?” he demanded, turning to glare at Stella. “What did you say to her?” Stella’s face was white. “I-I didn’t…” Declan tried to comfort Reina, but she just kept crying, refusing to say what happened, like a delicate flower determined to swallow all its pain. This only made Declan more frantic and heartbroken. That’s when I took out my phone and hit play on the recording. Stella’s voice, sharp and clear, cut through the night wind: “…Declan and I have known each other for twenty-three years… Do you really think he’s going to marry you?” “…I can make him spend all night drinking with me. I can make him sleep in the same bed as me. Do you really think there’s anything I can’t do?” The recording ended. Reina’s sobs grew louder. Declan’s face was a mask of cold fury. “Stella,” he said, each word squeezed out from between clenched teeth. “I have never, ever thought of you that way. The only person I will ever marry in my life is Reina.” He bent down and decisively lifted Reina from my arms. He turned and walked away without giving Stella a second glance. With the main characters gone, it was just me and Stella on the deck. I dusted off my hands and stood up, the sea breeze ruffling my hair. Stella walked over to me, her eyes glinting with a venomous hatred. “You win this round, Alex.” she hissed. “But just wait. At Declan’s engagement party in three days, I’ll make sure you and your precious Reina are both ruined for good.” Her threat was vicious. But I just gave her my signature nonchalant shrug. “Oh? Can’t wait to see you try.”

4 Three days later, the entire five-star hotel was booked for the engagement party of Declan Monroe, heir to the Monroe fortune. Crystal chandeliers cast a brilliant glow, and a red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the main stage. The hall was filled with guests, the air alive with the constant flash of cameras. Reina, stunning in a white gown, walked the red carpet on Declan’s arm. They were the perfect couple, met with thunderous applause. I sat at the head table reserved for close friends and family, my eyes scanning the room. Stella was nowhere to be seen. Strange. After all that talk of ruining me, how could she miss the party? The evening went smoothly. Declan was doting on Reina, his eyes full of adoration. It wasn’t until the party was winding down, and Declan had taken Reina to greet some other guests, that my phone vibrated. A text from Reina: “Alex, come to the second-floor lounge. Urgent!” I frowned and excused myself. The second-floor hallway was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the celebration downstairs. The door to the lounge was slightly ajar. I pushed it open. “Reina?” Before I could say another word, something moved behind me. A cloth, smelling cloyingly sweet, was pressed over my nose and mouth. Ether. My consciousness blurred in an instant… I awoke to a piercing scream. My head was pounding, feeling like it was about to split open. I forced my eyes open and found myself lying on a bed, my jacket gone. A group of people were crowding into the room. Reina stood at the front, her eyes wide with horror as she pointed behind me. “Alex, behind you…” I struggled to turn my head. Stella was huddled at the edge of the bed, wrapped in a blanket, her hair a mess, her shoulders bare. Her face was stained with tears, her eyes wide with terror. The moment she saw I was awake, she lunged at me— SLAP! The blow was so hard my head snapped to the side. “You animal!” she shrieked, her voice splitting the air. “You raped me!” She deliberately let the blanket slip further, revealing a shocking splash of bright red on the white sheets. Declan pushed his way into the room. When he saw the scene, his eyes turned blood-red. “Alex!” he roared, charging forward. He grabbed me by the collar and slammed his fist into my face. “You bastard! What did you do to Stella?!” Reina rushed over, trying to shield me. “Wait! There has to be a misunderstanding! Alex would never do something like this!” Stella, sobbing, snatched my phone from the bedside table. “It was a setup! This was all planned!” The screen lit up. She opened the messaging app, found my chat with Reina, and shoved the phone in Declan’s face. The chat log was damning: Reina: Alex, that fox Stella is getting in the way. Alex: What do you want to do about it, baby? Reina: The engagement party is our chance. Get her to the lounge on the second floor. I’ve prepared some drugs. Alex: Are you saying you want me to have a taste? Reina: A little treat for you at my engagement party ;) Once it’s done, she won’t have the face to cling to Declan anymore! Declan stared at the screen. His face went from furious to pale, then to a dead, ashen gray. He looked up at Reina, his eyes shattered. “Reina…” His voice trembled. “Was it all an act? Your sweetness, your innocence… was it all fake?” The room erupted in shocked murmurs, all eyes and whispers directed at us. Reina shook her head frantically. “No! I didn’t send those messages!” “Liar!” Stella screamed. “Reina, I know you hate me, but I can’t believe you’d use such a disgusting way to ruin me! Are you even human?” Declan looked at Reina, his eyes filled with pain and crushing disappointment. “Reina, I really… I was so wrong about you.” Reina was on the verge of tears. “Declan, you have to believe me! Alex couldn’t have raped Stella! Because she’s a—” “AHHHH!” Stella shrieked again, cutting her off as she scrolled through my phone. “You two have been… Declan, look at this!” She showed him another part of the chat: Alex: I did it. Reina: Ooh, was she better than me? Did you get a video? I want to see. Alex: Of course. I’ll send it to you later. But honestly, she wasn’t as good as you. The room fell completely silent. Declan looked at Reina, the last shred of trust in his eyes crumbling to dust. “You and him,” he said, his voice a horrifying rasp. “You and this so-called ‘guy best friend’ of yours…” “You’ve been sleeping together all this time?” Reina tried desperately to explain. “No! We haven’t—” “Enough!” Declan grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently. “Answer me! Have you been sleeping together?!” I tried to get up. “Declan! Don’t you touch her!” But the ether was still in my system. My limbs were weak, and I stumbled. As I tried to get off the bed, Stella launched herself at me from behind, grabbing a handful of my hair. “Don’t even think about it,” she hissed in my ear, before starting to wail again, screaming that I was an animal, her grip on my hair tightening. I struggled to break free. Feeling me resist, Stella yanked with all her might— With a soft rip, my wig came off. The stylish men’s short-cut wig landed on the bed. And in the next second, my real hair cascaded down, a waterfall of black silk tumbling over my shoulders and all the way to my waist.