Chapter 6: The Heroine Awakens

But as I read, my whole world turned upside down. Natalie wasn’t the heroine—I was!

And it wasn’t waking up inside a book; I was originally the heroine of this story! Everything inside was written by me, in case I forgot. —Mind. Blown.

It all started a year ago. At that time, I was the top debutante in Manhattan, a model of grace and etiquette, and had no interaction with Natalie.

At a holiday gala, Natalie was bullied in the garden, and I saved her, all wet like a drowned kitten. Her hair clung to her face, and she shivered in the cold. —Sad sight.

But when she went to change clothes, she left a book and a notebook. Just a casual glance, and I saw my name inside. —Curiosity piqued.

Curious, I opened it and found that everything written was what I had experienced. But Natalie had crossed out the original content and made notes on the side—

Alexis Carter is arrogant and domineering, jealous of Senator Jennings’s daughter, Natalie, repeatedly bullying and teasing her. The senator’s daughter refuses to be humiliated, but her low status means she can only grow slowly.

Ethan Jennings discovers her excellence and gradually falls in love with her. My upright, patriotic dad is turned into a crooked politician in her notes. The President, who is my dad’s friend and trusts him deeply, becomes moody and suspicious. —Total rewrite.

...

The cover read, “Dropped-Into-A-Book Survival Guide: Modern Weapons for a New World!” —What the...

It recorded how to make gunpowder and various weapons. Before I could read more, I heard Natalie’s footsteps, so I quickly put the book back and covered it with her wet clothes. —Close call.

Now, Natalie looked like a monster to me, but I still asked with concern, “Are you alright? If you catch a cold, remember to see the family doctor.”

Natalie didn’t reply immediately. She quickly checked her things before answering, “I’m fine.” She turned to smile at me. “Thank you for today, Alexis.”

I shook my head, followed Natalie out of the room, my eyes glued to her back. I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling settling in my gut. —Something was off.

After returning home, I immediately told my parents everything. They were shocked at first, but subconsciously didn’t believe such a bizarre story. —Who would?

My mom comforted me. “Lexie, Natalie has no grudge against us. She’s had it rough; maybe she just wrote it for fun.”

My dad nodded. “Yeah, Lexie, you don’t need to be afraid. We’re here for you.”

Seeing them like this, I didn’t mention it again. But I still wasn’t at ease, afraid I’d really become the person Natalie rewrote me as, so I wrote down everything I had experienced. —Insurance policy.

From that day on, I seemed to become a different person. I became a notorious villainess in Manhattan, and the one I bullied was Natalie.

I used to be good at everything, and suddenly I was clueless. If I tried to do anything, my head would feel like it was going to explode. —Total glitch.

I, who was polite and dignified, caused trouble every day, taking pleasure in bullying Natalie at school. In my messed-up head, even Ethan—my childhood friend—suddenly felt like he belonged to Natalie.

Everyone who knew me noticed something was wrong. My parents remembered what I told them before. They had no choice but to tell the President. —Time to escalate.

Strangely, except for me, no one else changed. So when my behavior got more and more outrageous, they would show me what I had written down.

Over the past year, my memory was chaotic. No matter how much I remembered, at most I could be normal for two days before turning back into the Alexis Carter that Natalie wrote.

But after discussion, the President and my parents decided it wasn’t a big problem. Because the one who suffered was Natalie, not me. —Yikes.

Moreover, after careful discussion, the President and my dad set their sights on the weapons in Natalie’s hands. But they couldn’t alert her, since no one knew where she hid them or how to use them. —Complicated.

Remembering everything, I was dazed. I even felt my brain was about to fall apart. —Overload.

Thinking of the stupid things I did this year and everyone’s efforts, before falling asleep again, I muttered, “Without me, this family would fall apart.” —Facts.

But I, Alexis Carter, won’t just take this lying down. I balled my fists, determined to take back my story. —No more victim.