Tanya Aubert’s face burned like fire, her head buzzing so loud she could barely think.

She could feel the ropes cutting into her wrists, and beside her, Scarlett Austin was still unconscious. Tanya forced her eyes open, but the world in front of her was already a blur—just the vague outline of an abandoned warehouse.

Great. Her face probably looked swollen enough to pass for a small hill right now.

“Tanya Aubert, what do you think? When Yves arrives, will he save you… or her?”

A woman’s mocking voice slithered into her ears.

“Sylvia Austin, does that even matter at this point?” Tanya glanced sideways at her, her voice calm despite the dull throb in her skull.

“Oh? No meaning? I bet he’ll save her, obviously.” Sylvia stepped right up to Tanya, grabbed a handful of her hair, and yanked her head upward so she’d be forced to look straight at her.

Her fingers pinched hard into Tanya’s cheek, long nails digging mercilessly into flesh. Warm blood slid down the curve of Tanya’s face.

Only then, staring at Sylvia up close, did Tanya notice how far gone she was—her once‑delicate face ruined, and her eyes filled with a hate so thick it felt poisonous.

“Tanya Aubert,” Sylvia hissed, her voice trembling with madness, “you and Yves grew up together, you fawned over him your whole life, and what came of it? He still doesn’t remember you. In the end, you’re nothing but a joke. Everything you’ve done only helped someone else.”

Her grip tightened, nails biting deeper, her expression twisting even more.

“You and Yves dragged me into this hell. Fine. Then let’s all go down together.”

She flung Tanya’s head aside and stalked to a nearby chair, throwing herself onto it like she owned the place.

“Host, host, hang in there! The male lead will arrive soon. Once he chooses the female lead and you take the bullet for her, we’re done! Mission complete!”

No. 12’s voice chimed brightly in Tanya’s mind.

Tanya took a shaky breath. “Got it.”

This world was your typical overbearing‑CEO‑falls‑for‑sweet‑girl setup. Yves Black played the cold CEO, Scarlett the innocent little bunny he adored… and Tanya? She was the childhood friend who chased after him without using her brain.

She’d helped push the two together more times than she could count, and now it was finally time to take her last bow.

A thunderous crash exploded through the warehouse.

Light cut into her eyes like a blade.

“Host, the male lead’s here!”

Tanya squinted toward the entrance. A tall figure stood against the blazing backlight.

Yves Black stepped into the abandoned warehouse, his expression unreadable, every line of his face carved in ice. He walked forward slowly and spoke, voice low and steady.

“Sylvia Austin. Let them go.”

“Sung—Yves, you finally came.”

Sylvia Austin stepped up to Tanya Aubert, pulling a small handgun from behind her back. The muzzle swayed between Tanya and the unconscious Scarlett Austin, as if she were deciding who to aim at first.

"Thing is… she’s not that easy to take away."

"Say it. What do you want?" Yves Black’s gaze swept over the three of them, finally settling on Scarlett’s face.

Seeing this, Sylvia’s expression twisted. It was like someone had ripped open an old wound. She slapped Tanya hard, then kicked Scarlett in the stomach. The blow jolted Scarlett awake, her lashes trembling as she sucked in a sharp breath.

"Yves, listen to me!" Sylvia shrieked. "I know I’m not getting out of here alive today, but one of them is coming with me! Someone’s dying with me!"

She laughed in a broken, manic way.

"So? Who’s it gonna be? Your little childhood sweetheart, or your precious lover?"

Yves’s eyes dimmed a shade. His left hand moved behind him, making a subtle gesture.

"Host, the male lead arranged snipers outside."

Tanya glanced at the man who seemed lost in some dark train of thought. She opened her mouth to speak, but beside her, Scarlett suddenly fell apart.

"Y-Yves!" Scarlett sobbed, her voice thin and shaky.

"Why am I here? Yves, save me, please! Hurry!"

She looked at Sylvia with pain and disbelief.

"Sylvia, why are you doing this? I’ve treated you well—why are you doing this to us?"

Everything hurt—her arms, her legs, even her breath. And Sylvia… Sylvia wasn’t just angry; she was unhinged.

"My dear sister," Sylvia hissed, gripping Scarlett’s chin so hard her knuckles whitened.

"Do you know? Every time I looked at that innocent little face of yours growing up—"

She slapped her. Hard.

"—I wanted to scream!"

"Yves! President Yves Black!" Sylvia lifted the gun and pressed it to Scarlett’s head, grinning like a demon dragged up from the abyss.

"Make your choice already!"

"If you don’t…" Her laugh was razor-sharp.

"I’ll just take your darling girl to hell with me!"

"I’m warning you, don’t even think about killing me. I’m wired to a bio-bomb. The second my heart stops, they both die."

"Yves Black… Yves, save me!" Scarlett Austin’s panicked cries echoed through the deserted warehouse.

Yves’s eyes, dark as ink, swept over the chaotic scene. Ever since he stepped inside, Tanya Aubert hadn’t said a single word to him. Even her gaze—she’d only looked at him once when he walked in, then avoided him completely. A faint, inexplicable tightness pressed against his chest, but he forced it down, weighing his options.

"Let Scarlett go."

Sylvia Austin let out a shrill laugh. "I knew it! I knew you'd pick her! But why should I let you get what you want? I want you to watch her die with your own eyes—feel what it’s like to lose the one you love!"

She instantly swung the gun toward Scarlett.

Tanya, summoning every ounce of strength left in her body, slammed into Scarlett with all her might. Scarlett once asked her why she didn’t try tackling Sylvia instead. Tanya had told her—because she wanted her body to stay whole. Blown to pieces… it just sounded too miserable.

Two gunshots cracked through the echoing warehouse. Scarlett was knocked far away; Tanya planted herself firmly between her and danger. The bullet tore through her chest, blood blooming across her clothes like a red rose opening in fast‑forward.

Behind her, Sylvia’s head snapped back as a sniper’s bullet struck. The bio-bomb detonated on impact. Heat and fire ripped through the air, filling the warehouse with the stench of scorched flesh. The blast slammed into Tanya’s back, leaving angry red welts across her skin.

Her consciousness flickered. Someone caught her—held her as though afraid she’d shatter if they pressed a little harder. But her whole body was already beyond pain.

She forced her head to turn. The one holding her… was Yves.

Yves felt his entire body trembling, though he couldn’t even tell why. His head throbbed as if something inside was clawing to break free. His chest tightened, pulling him in two directions at once. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He didn’t know why seeing Tanya Aubert like this—broken, bloodied—left him completely undone.

Then he heard her voice, faint as a dying ember.

"Song… no. You’re not Song anymore."

Tanya looked up at him. Her eyes held something he couldn’t read, something that made his breath catch.

"You’re Yves… Yves Black. I’m sorry…"

With trembling fingers, she brushed his cheek, barely touching him.

"I won’t hold onto you anymore. You’re free now… You and Scarlett must take care of each other."

Her voice cracked, a laugh and a sob tangled together.

"I’m sorry. Goodbye…"

Her cooling touch slipped from his face. Yves stared at her as her eyes softly closed, her expression peaceful.

In that instant, his world went blank.

"Beep—beep—beep. Mission detected: Sub‑world No.10 ‘CEO Deep in Love’—support task completed. Support executor Tanya Aubert returning to the Task Center."