Her Doubt VS My Resilience

I picked up the phone and staring at the locked screen.

“Seriously? A password?!” I felt frustrated for a moment before I finally looked at the calendar.

I thought, if someone’s really in love, they’d probably set the password with their partner’s birthday or some kind of special date.

The problem was—I couldn’t remember any date right now. So I closed my eyes again, letting my body move on its own. It was like Helena’s body carried a memory separate from mine. A muscle memory that acted without me needing to think.

When I opened my eyes, the password had already been typed in. I quickly scribbled it down in my paper before pressing enter. To my relief, the phone unlocked.

I was suprise, because the profile picture is Helena and Oscar kissing on their wedding day. And I was stunned because the Oscar’s legs were still standing firm, and his eyes not blind. I narrowed my gaze.

“Looks like I missed the part about why Oscar became blind and paralyzed,” I muttered.

I dove straight into W******p, scrolling through contacts, searching only for one name: Julian Joja.

I don't understand Helena's train of thought, "Why she had blocked him!" The last message he sent was still visible though. ‘Come back if you regret it.’

I smiled. “Then the next thing I’ll do… is fall at Julian’s feet, just to twist this story into a happy ending.”

Without wasting another second, I unblocked him, my fingers trembling slightly as I typed: "Julian, can we meet?"

The message was barely sent when two blue ticks appeared. My eyes widened in shock.

“He actually still cares about Helena.”

I let out a quick laugh.

In the book, Julian was the “second male lead”—the rival to the main hero in love. And of course, second leads never win. They’re destined to lose the girl.

“But this time, I’ll flip the script!”

My phone buzzed.

“He replied!” I squealed in excitement, but my body instantly dropped when I read it: ‘You’re married. A married woman doesn’t betray her husband, does she?’

I bit down hard on my lip. “Unbelievable.” Rage boiled in me, and I slammed my fist against the wall, the dull thud echoing in the cramped storage room. My head spun.

"Didn’t Julian once treat Helena like she was the most precious gem? There’s no way he’d ever hurt her."

But my head started pounding, and then Helena’s memory—slid into my mind:

‘I’ll never regret this. I will marry, and a married woman should never be alone with a single man.’

I snapped my eyes open.

“Helena, you’re such a fool!” I wanted to scream, to peel myself out of her skin. But then reality hit me—I was Helena now, inside her story.

“Damn it. I wasted so much time on nothing.”

I grabbed the phone again and typed with shaky determination: "I’ll do whatever it takes." Sent.

A new message pinged. Julian had sent me an address, followed by: ‘You must be here within two hours.’

A grin stretched across my face. “Julian… you really do still have feelings for Helena!”

I quickly replied: "Thanks."

I lifted my gaze around the dim storage room.

“This is basically a storage space. There’s no way they don’t keep clothes here.”

Closing my eyes again, I let Helena’s hand guide me. When I opened them, my hands were already holding a silky satin gown and a thick fur coat. A chuckle escaped me.

“The Padip family probably doesn’t even realize how expensive this stuff is. They're 3 idiots.”

“Good thing I showered earlier. That means I can start getting ready right away.”

If her dresses were here, then her makeup had to be, too. So once again, I let Helena’s instincts lead me. My fingers brushed against a complete set of makeup products.

My eyes went wide.

“Whoa… Dior?! Are you kidding me?” I squealed, clutching the kit to my chest. I’d only ever seen influencers flaunt products like this, and now they were literally in my hands.

Pressing a hand to my chest, I whispered,

“Helena, I’ll make you shine.”

I found a flashlight and set it on top of the cabinet, flooding the dusty storage with light. My hands moved almost automatically—moisturizer, concealer, foundation, blush, a careful stroke of eyeliner. Slowly, Helena’s pale face softened into something radiant.

“There you are. A noblewoman deserves to look like this,” I said to my reflection.

Then, a sharp sting jolted through my skull. Again, its Helena’s memory.

‘To be loved by my mother-in-law and my husband, I can’t wear makeup. If I do, I’ll only insult Oscar’s disability.’

Now I understand. That was Helena’s inner vow, after the day Magda and Deca beat her bloody for daring to wear lipstick again.

I shut my eyes, pressing a palm to my heart.

“Helena, listen. Magda’s just jealous. You’re beautiful, and she can’t stand it. But it’s fine, I’m here now. I’ll protect you.”

Rubbing my temple, I steadied myself. From everything I’d read before, I can conclude that Magda was an master of manipulator

She was selfish, obsessed with being the only beautiful one.

“With her status, she should know her place. Helena’s from wealth, born into privilege, nourished and pampered since the womb. And Magda can’t erase that.”

I caught my reflection again. My hair neatly tied with a pearl-encrusted ribbon, a white dress made of fine silk draping down my frame, and soft tan heels that looked almost too delicate to walk in.

“I’m ready to rewrite Helena’s fate.” I declared.

“But wait…”

I glanced around again. The storage had no window.

"How to get out of here?"

“Ety!” I called out to the system.

A sudden clink. A key fell onto the floor.

I bent down, smiling to myself.

“Looks like I’m on the right path. Thanks, Ety.”

Then I heard a faint voice from outside the storage room.

“We don’t need to bring that worthless Helena.”

I froze. Its Magda’s voice.

'What did she mean by that?" I mumbled.

I racked my memory. If my entry point into this world was when Deca threw water at Helena, then that put me at Chapter 9—the birthday party of Roger, the Turi family’s grandfather. That whole scene was about humiliating Helena in front of everyone.

But if Magda wasn’t planning to bring Helena… then the plot had already shifted.

I had no clue what new scheme she was hatching, but one thing was certain: I needed to prepare.

But how do I get out of here if they are still in this house?

"Argh! No matter what, I had to get out!"

But as I was about to take a step, a voice called out to me. "Helena, why are you in the storage room?"