All Chapters of They Called Me a Side Character Until I Opened That Door: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"Potatoes," I said, still dazed.Perry Clayton glanced at the kitchen counter. A potato lay there, chopped into a mess.He rubbed the top of my head, his voice a little helpless."Sit down."He took off his suit jacket, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and went into the kitchen.Soon, I heard the quick, steady sound of him cutting potatoes.Comments flooded my vision:[Help, the male lead is giving devoted husband vibes.][He's swamped with work, but he still rushed home to cut potatoes for his wife. I'm starting to envy that whiny side character.][Please. Isn't she just relying on the fact that her family helped him financially years ago? Without that debt, she wouldn't even be fit to shine his shoes.]My nails dug deep into my palms.Why wasn't I, Susan Warren, good enough for Perry?Seven years ago, someone set Perry up. His investors pulled out at the last minute, and suppliers gathered outside his company demanding payment.The bank refused to give him a loan.He shut himself in his

During our hardest years, Perry ran the company by day and worked as a designated driver at night to support me.I couldn't bear to watch him get barely two or three hours of sleep a day, so I put my dream aside, swallowed my pride, and helped him find clients.By the time the company went public, I was past the best age to compete as an esports player.I opened WhatsApp and found my chat with Shane Young.I typed, "Does K&K still need a team manager?"Shane founded K&K.He was the first player in the country to win a world championship.Now he was a legend in esports.He was also my former teammate.I felt uneasy after I sent the message.Three years ago, Shane invited me to join K&K.I gave him a bitter smile. "I'm too old to compete now. I guess a world championship just isn't in the cards for me."He answered with quiet conviction, "You could be our team manager. You might not win a world championship yourself, but your team could."For a moment, the passion I'd buried flared to li

I thought it would hurt, but I felt strangely calm.Over the next few weeks, I spent most of my time in K&K's training room.The comments kept gushing over Perry and Lynn. From them, I learned bits and pieces about the movies they saw, their trip to Universal Studios, a ride on a Ferris wheel, and the trendy food they tried together.Earlier that week, Perry told me he had a business trip in the southwest.According to the comments, he actually went to Lynn's hometown with her to visit her seriously ill grandmother and pretended to be Lynn's boyfriend.Lately, Perry had been taking Lynn to George's to work on her competition entry. He came home at one or two in the morning every day.We saw and spoke to each other less and less.But I had no time to dwell on it. My mind was full of match reviews and tactics. The national qualifiers were coming up.Keyboards clattered throughout the training room, interrupted now and then by someone swearing.After spending time with me, the young play

We held our victory dinner at a restaurant in Seaview City.Aroma filled the private dining room.Perry still hadn't replied.Shane handed me a cup of hot tea. "It gets cold here at night."I wrapped my hands around the cup, letting its warmth seep into my fingers."Thank you."The comments still scrolled above me:[The side character actually asked for a divorce! Whatever happens, our girl can finally be happy.][The male lead put the necklace on our girl himself at her victory dinner. Meanwhile, the side character is eating dinner with a bunch of kids. I'm dying.][Wait, did you see her at the coaching station? Is that really the same woman who went, "Honey, I cut my finger, boo-hoo"?]Platters of hot food filled the table, and steam curled toward the ceiling.Quinn leaned over. "Susan, if you don't smile soon, the rest of us won't dare celebrate.""I am smiling.""Your mouth is turned up. That doesn't count." He pulled a face.I pinched his cheek. It was surprisingly soft."You're

"Who are you messaging?"His eyes flicked to my screen. The moment he saw Shane's name, his face twisted."Are you divorcing me because of him?"I looked up without pulling my hand away."Perry, when you went to Lynn's hometown with her, when you pretended to be her boyfriend in front of her grandmother, and when you put that necklace around her neck, did you ever stop to ask who you were doing it for?"His fingers released me as if he'd been burned.He breathed hard, his chest rising and falling. His eyes were alarmingly red."I didn't pretend to be her boyfriend. That was...""That was what?"He opened his mouth, but couldn't finish."There's nothing between Shane and me." I tucked my phone back into my bag. "But whether there is or not, it's none of your business anymore."At some point, Shane appeared at the hotel entrance.He wore a black windbreaker and held a thermos. He made no move to come over.I looked toward him.He gave me a small nod, as if to say:“I'm here. Take your ti