I have transmigrated into this toxic romance novel for three years. The system tells me that as long as Kendrick Miller's affection level for me reaches 100%, I can finally go home.

For the sake of returning home, I spend three years acting like a hopeless simp.

One day, the system suddenly tells me to catch him cheating, claiming it is just a little game couples play to strengthen their relationship.

It says, "Layla, Kendrick deliberately let you discover him at the hotel with his first love because he's trying to make you jealous! Men love seeing women fight over them!

"Quick! Rush in and join them. Become part of their little game and his affection will definitely skyrocket!

"Trust me, this is exactly what he's waiting for. He wants to see that you care!"

Listening to the system's passionate encouragement, I gather my courage and shove open the hotel room door.

But instead of gaining Kendrick's affection, I am met with his cold, disgusted gaze and a stack of cash thrown directly at me.

He sneers, "Are you trying to get my attention with this stunt again? Take the money and get lost. Stop bothering me."

To my humiliation, the security drags me out of the hotel unceremoniously. I am left crouched over in the rain, shivering from the cold.

I wipe away my tears and exclaim, "I'm such an idiot! I let that stupid system trick me again!"

The rain pelted down on me, quickly soaking through my thin dress.

I clutched my knees and huddled at the hotel entrance like a stray dog abandoned by its master.

I wanted to leave—wanted to get away from this humiliating place this very second—but the System started screaming in my head.

"Don't walk away now! Layla, this is crunch time if you want to prove your sincerity to Kendrick.

"He was just acting out in the heat of the moment. Once he's done and sees you still waiting out here in the rain, his anger will melt into pure heartbreak.

"Have you forgotten all those classic romance novels? This is the iconic 'confession in the rain' trope. Today's downpour is the perfect catalyst to take your romance to the next level!"

I looked up at the sky. The rain was coming down so hard it felt as though the heavens had burst open.

My lips were turning blue, and my teeth chattered uncontrollably.

"I… I'm so cold," I managed to mutter out, my voice trembling.

"Being cold is the whole point! The more miserable you look, the more it'll break his heart. Trust me, he's definitely tossing and turning up in that room right now, thinking only about you."

Once again, I chose to believe it. To get back home, I had no other choice.

So, I remained huddled beneath the hotel awning, watching luxury cars pull up one after another and couples leave, pressed close together beneath their umbrellas.

Not a single person spared me a second glance.

As the minutes ticked by, my consciousness began to blur. My body went from freezing cold to burning hot.

"Hang in there, Layla! Every extra minute you wait out here is another minute he'll spend feeling guilty and heartbroken over you. When he comes out and sees you sick because of him, that guilt will send his affection level straight into the stratosphere!"

The System's voice continued to echo inside my head. Leaning against the freezing wall, I felt my body slowly slide downward against my will.

Through my daze, I thought I saw Kendrick Miller—the male lead of the romance novel I'd transmigrated into—running toward me with a panicked look on his face.

I deluded myself into thinking he would pull me into his arms, wrap his warm coat around me, and take me home.

But none of that happened.

…

The pitch-black night gave way to the pale light of dawn, and the rain finally began to let up.

As the hotel's revolving door began to turn, I used every ounce of my remaining strength to lift my head.

It was Kendrick.

He looked completely refreshed, his hair styled immaculately. It was obvious he had enjoyed a very pleasant night.

And by his side stood his first love, Audrey Thompson, wearing a lightweight dress.

At that exact moment, my heart plummeted.

Kendrick's gaze swept over me without pausing for even a second. If anything, his brows knit slightly in annoyance.

Audrey shivered and complained softly, "Ken, it's kind of cold out here."

Kendrick immediately took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Then, pulling her close, he guided her into the car that had been waiting at the curb and drove off.

From beginning to end, he didn't even look me in the eye.

As the car pulled away, the tires rolled through a puddle, splashing muddy water all over me.

I couldn't hold on any longer and blacked out completely.

…

When I woke up, I found myself in a hospital bed. A kind passerby had brought me in.

The doctor said that between my high fever and being drenched in the rain for so long, I would have ended up with severe pneumonia if I'd been brought in any later.

I lay in bed, the harsh fluorescent lights illuminating my deathly pale face.

The System was finally quiet.

I pulled up the system interface. In the top right corner, Kendrick's affection level remained at a flat 5%.

In three long years, that number had never budged.

In the dead of night, burning with fever, I kept dreaming of going home. I dreamed of the home-cooked meals my parents used to make and of my own warm, cozy bed.

I woke up crying, only to find my pillow soaked through with my tears.

The System chose that exact moment to chime back in.

"Layla, I'm sorry. I underestimated how well Kendrick can suppress his emotions. He didn't show it because he had to maintain his aloof persona in front of Audrey. But my sensors detected that he barely slept a wink after he got back."

I listened in numb silence.

It continued, "But it's fine. Even though it didn't work this time, it still showed him your absolute devotion. Let's pivot to a new strategy."

What other strategy could I possibly have left?

Other than becoming an even more obedient simp, that was.

After being discharged from the hospital, I returned to the villa.

Kendrick was in the living room on a video call with Audrey, a doting smile plastered across his face.

When he saw me come in, he didn't even bother hanging up. He merely jerked his chin at me and barked an order.

"Since you've got so much free time, make yourself useful. Starting tomorrow, you're making lunch for Audrey every day and delivering it to her office yourself."

On the other end of the screen, Audrey let out a sweet, delicate laugh. "Oh, Ken, don't be like that. It's far too much trouble for Ms. Bennet."

The smile remained on Kendrick's face, his tone dismissive. "She's just loafing around anyway. Being able to serve you is her privilege."

My hands quietly clenched into fists at my sides.

Meanwhile, the System was throwing an absolute party in my head.

"Layla, this is huge news! He's asking you to deliver food to Audrey—he's practically handing you the perfect opportunity on a silver platter!

"Think about it. Showing up in front of Audrey every single day is the ultimate way to assert your place beside Kendrick.

"You're telling everyone that Kendrick's real partner—the only one with the right to play the role of his wife—is you, Layla Bennet!"

What else could I say?

I had no choice but to accept it.

The next day, I received Audrey's menu request. There was only one item on it—mango mousse.

My heart instantly sank.

The System asked in confusion, "Layla, what's wrong? This is super easy to make."

"I… I'm allergic to mangoes," I rasped.

It wasn't just a matter of eating them. Even catching a whiff of their scent or handling the fruit would trigger a severe allergic reaction.

"An allergy?"

The System fell silent for a few seconds before shrieking with excitement.

"That's even better! Layla, this is a total godsend!

"Just think about it. You're risking a severe allergic reaction just to make a mousse for his woman. What kind of devotion does that show?

"It shows ultimate, selfless devotion! Once he finds out, his heart will break for you. This will work even better than a hundred regular lunch deliveries."

And so, I put on two layers of gloves and a face mask before walking into the kitchen.

Yet the sweet, heavy scent of the mangoes still forced its way through.

My skin began to itch furiously, and my throat felt as if it were closing, sending me into a violent, chest-racking cough.

Still, I forced myself to endure it, meticulously dicing the fruit, whipping the cream, and carefully assembling each layer.

Once it was finished, I delivered the mango mousse to Audrey's office as instructed.

It was a high-end fashion company with a lavishly decorated office. Dressed in my plain, ordinary clothes, I stuck out like a sore thumb.

Along the way, I endured the receptionist's look of pure disdain and ignored the employees' hushed, mocking whispers.

When I finally stepped into Audrey's office, I found Kendrick there too.

It didn't surprise me, though. He always seemed to be there.

I placed the mousse on the desk, but Audrey didn't even spare me a glance.

She merely opened the lunchbox and let out an exaggerated gasp. "Wow, it's gorgeous! Ms. Bennet, you're such a talented baker."

Despite her dramatic performance, she merely scooped up a large piece with her fork without actually taking a bite.

Seeing this, Kendrick assumed she didn't like it, and his expression darkened instantly.

He whipped around to glare at me, his eyes filled with disgust and impatience.

"Layla, what kind of garbage is this? You can't even make a simple mousse properly!" he snapped.

"And look at the pathetic state you're in. You're coughing all over the place, and your face is covered in blotchy red patches. You look disgusting! Get out of here, and stop being such an eyesore to Audrey!"

His harsh words felt like a jagged blade stabbing straight into my heart.

Only then did Audrey smile, thoroughly satisfied by my misery.

"Ken, don't be so mean to Ms. Bennet. I've just suddenly lost my appetite," she said, feigning thoughtfulness.

Then she added sweetly, "But since Ms. Bennet went through all this trouble to make it for me, I shouldn't let it go to waste."

She leaned down and brought the fork to the snout of the Pomeranian sitting at her feet.

"Here, sweetie, have a bite. Ms. Bennet made this special treat just for you."

My heart went cold in an instant.

The Pomeranian happily licked at the mousse I had practically coughed my lungs out to make.

"Aw! Good boy, you love it, don't you?"

Audrey stroked the Pomeranian's head without sparing me so much as a glance.

I stiffened and turned to Kendrick, a trace of pleading in my eyes.

I thought that, at the very least, he would say something in my defense.

But he didn't.

He merely leaned back lazily against the couch, watching the scene with indulgent eyes, and said, "Whatever makes you happy."

Muffled snickers broke out among the staff watching nearby.

Meanwhile, the System began frantically spamming my mind.

"Layla, do you see that? He insulted you. He lashed out at you right in front of Audrey. This is a classic case of reverse favoritism!

"He's intentionally putting you down to lower Audrey's guard. In reality, his heart is absolutely bleeding for you.

"When he called you disgusting, that was actually his twisted way of expressing how much it hurts him to see your allergic reaction. Men just act all tough, but underneath they're such softies."

My voice trembled uncontrollably as I voiced my grievance. "But they… they fed the mousse I made to a dog…"

"The dog isn't the point here. The point is that Audrey is happy. Didn't you hear what Kendrick just said? He said whatever makes her happy.

"This proves that as long as you can keep Audrey pleased, Kendrick will be happy too. And once he's happy, raising his affection level will be a walk in the park.

"Layla, this is a total shortcut to winning the game. You aren't just sucking up to Audrey—you're using her as a stepping stone to break through Kendrick's defenses and win his affection!"

I was utterly speechless.

When Kendrick noticed my dazed expression, impatience flashed across his eyes.

"Why are you still standing there? Are you waiting to make even more of a fool of yourself?"

Numbly, I stood up and walked out of the office.

I had no idea how I managed to leave that building. All I remembered from the journey back was clawing at my arms until they bled, yet the deep, agonizing itch refused to fade.

When I caught my reflection in a mirror, I saw massive patches of red hives covering my face and neck. I looked absolutely miserable.

Kendrick's cruel words—"You look disgusting"—echoed endlessly in my mind, intertwined with the image of his tender kisses, Audrey's triumphant smile, and that Pomeranian devouring my hard work.

On my way back, it started raining again.

The heavy downpour finally drowned out my uncontrollable sobs.

Meanwhile, on the system interface, the affection level remained pinned at a flat 5%—stagnant and completely unmoved.

The days dragged by in a blur of numbness and humiliation.

Before long, a date deeply significant to me arrived—the anniversary of Grandma's death, which also happened to be the exact day I had been mysteriously dragged into this novel world.

Grandma had been my only family. It was only after she passed away that the System chose me and dumped me into this living hell.

The only possession I had managed to bring with me was a simple vintage cherrywood side comb she had left behind.

For the past three years, it had been my greatest source of comfort.

Every year on this day, I would take it out and talk to it, pretending she was still here with me.

But this year, I couldn't even protect this final piece of her memory.

Kendrick wanted to throw a massive birthday party for Audrey, and on a whim, he decided to organize a scavenger hunt throughout the villa.

He ordered the house manager to scour the entire place for interesting trinkets to use as prizes.

Then he spotted the small wooden box sitting on my nightstand.

He flipped it open, pulled out Grandma's side comb, and twirled it carelessly between his fingers, blatant disgust written all over his face. "What the hell is this junk? Some cheap piece of scrap wood?"

I lunged forward, trying to snatch it back from him.

"Give it back! That was my grandma's!" I snapped.

Kendrick was momentarily caught off guard, but his shock immediately twisted into a dark scowl.

In three long years, this was the first time I had ever raised my voice at him.

Feeling his authority challenged, he shoved me to the floor. Then he pinched the side comb between two fingers and held it up to the light.

"An heirloom? Perfect. Since it's so precious, it'll make the ideal thing to hunt for."

He smirked and announced loudly to the room, "Whoever finds it first during the hunt gets a favor from me."

"No! Please! You can't do this!"

I fell to my knees, breaking down in tears in front of him for the first time as I begged him desperately.

But he ignored me completely, turning to hand the side comb to the assistant standing behind him.

I watched the last remaining piece of Grandma being reduced to nothing more than a party prop for strangers—a bargaining chip for their personal gain.

In that exact moment, the dam I had built to hold back all the humiliation, resentment, and helpless agony of the past three years completely collapsed.

My mind went blank.

Yet the System was still shrieking in my head.

"Layla, this is a golden opportunity to break into Kendrick's inner social circle. It's just an old side comb. Trading it for a chance to debut in front of his friends is an absolute bargain. Hurry up and tell him you're okay with it!"

I tuned it out completely. Scrambling to my feet, I fixed my glare on Kendrick.

The moment he turned to hand the side comb to his assistant, I slapped him across the face with all my strength.

The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the cavernous living room.

The entire room fell deathly silent.

Kendrick's head snapped to the side, a vivid red handprint rapidly blooming across his cheek.

He had been pampered like royalty his whole life and had never faced a single setback. This was the first time anyone had ever laid a hand on him.

In utter disbelief, he slowly turned back to look at me.

"Layla, how dare you hit me?"

The next second, his hand clamped around my throat. He slammed me violently against the wall, his eyes bloodshot with fury.

"I've been far too lenient with you!" he barked.

Stars exploded across my vision from the impact. His grip cut off my air, and tears spilled uncontrollably down my cheeks.

The System completely broke down inside my head, triggering a frantic alarm unlike anything before.

"WARNING! WARNING! S-CLASS VIOLATION DETECTED! LAYLA HAS ATTACKED THE PRIMARY TARGET! TERMINATION PROTOCOL INITIATED!"

I closed my eyes and waited for death to take me.

Three years of torture were more than enough.

Whether I never made it home or simply vanished from existence altogether, anything was better than continuing to live in this hell.

Yet the agonizing end I had braced myself for never came. Instead, a completely unfamiliar notification rang out.

"Ding! Unprecedented emotional volatility detected from the primary target!

"Congratulations, Layla! You have successfully triggered the hidden main storyline—'The Groveling Ex'.

"Kendrick's affection level has increased by 20%. His current affection level is 25%."