Aisha, a 24-year-old software engineer, often found herself drained from overwork at the company. Her only solace came from indulging in comics and novels, her escape from a world that offered her little joy. As an orphan, she had no one to rely on, no family or close friends to turn to. The monotony of her life weighed heavily on her, and some days, she questioned whether there was anything left to live for.

One evening, after a particularly exhausting day, Aisha returned home feeling more hollow than ever. She wondered aloud why she was even alive—there seemed to be nothing left for her. In an effort to distract herself, she reached for a novel from her bookshelf, My Life With You, a popular fantasy she had been meaning to read. The story quickly pulled her in, so much so that she couldn’t put it down, despite her overwhelming fatigue. Sleep tugged at her, but the desire to continue reading was stronger.

Morning came, and by the time she reached the end of the first volume, there were only two hours left before she had to report to work. Exhausted, she finally surrendered to sleep, the book still clutched in her hands.

 __

A voice echoed in the darkness, pulling Aisha from her sleep. A dull headache accompanied her as she opened her eyes, her vision still hazy. Before her stood an unfamiliar woman, her face etched with concern. The woman sobbed softly before saying, “Miss, you’ve finally regained consciousness.”

Panic seized Aisha’s body as she forced herself to sit up. Everything felt wrong. She took a deep breath, gathering the courage to speak. “What’s going on here?” she asked, her voice trembling.

The woman’s relief was evident as she quickly called out, “Miss is awake! We need a physician at once!”

Aisha’s mind raced. “Who are you? Is this some kind of play or drama? Where am I?”

“Are you alright, miss?” the woman asked gently, her voice filled with sincerity.

Aisha scanned her expression, desperately searching for answers. It didn’t seem like a prank, but fear gripped her heart. *Have I been kidnapped by some lunatics?* Panic surged, urging her to escape before it was too late.

Without hesitation, Aisha leapt from the bed and bolted for the door, her only thought to find an exit. But her body, weak and strained, forced her to stop. As she looked around in disbelief, it became clear she was in a castle. *How on earth did I end up here?*

Her mind began to reel as fragmented memories slowly surfaced. She remembered having a tiring day at work, then coming home to read the novel…

“What happened after that? Did I die while reading the book and end up here?” she whispered, fear gnawing at her.

Lost and confused, Aisha wandered aimlessly through the castle for hours, like a ghost searching for purpose. Eventually, she stumbled upon a pond and sat down by its edge. As she gazed at her reflection in the water, shock gripped her. The face staring back wasn’t hers. The reflection showed a young woman with pale skin, long black hair, and striking blue eyes.

*Did I somehow possess this body? * She thought in horror. But then a more chilling question arose—*What happened to the original owner? *

Her thoughts were interrupted by distant voices calling out, “We found the young lady!” The words snapped her back to reality, and she turned to see a group of castle guards approaching. Among them was the same woman who had attended to her earlier.

The woman knelt before her, her voice filled with worry. “Miss, I was startled to see you running like that. Did I do something wrong?”

Aisha froze, unsure how to respond. Then, a terrifying thought crossed her mind: *Did I transmigrate into the novel I was reading? Am I the main character of My Life With You?*

But something felt off. In every transmigration story she had read, the protagonist would inherit the memories of the body they had taken over. But she remembered nothing. She was a blank slate, devoid of any knowledge of the life she now inhabited. Desperation clawed at her as she turned to the woman and asked, “My memory has been hazy since I woke up. Can you tell me who you are?”

Tears welled in the woman’s eyes as she replied, “Miss, it seems you don’t recall me either. My name is Rose. I am your personal maid.”

With a sorrowful expression, Rose continued, “You were bedridden for a month with a fever from an unknown illness.”

Aisha confessed that she didn’t remember anything about her life and asked Rose to help her piece together the fragments. As Rose recounted the details, Aisha’s suspicions were confirmed—she wasn’t the main character of My Life With You. Instead, she had possessed the body of Ariana Rencise, the infamous villainess of the novel, known for torturing the female lead. A villainess who was doomed to die a miserable death.

When Rose left, Aisha sat alone in the room, tears streaming down her face. Her heart ached as she realized the cruel irony of her situation. In her previous life as Aisha, she had endured so much pain, isolation, and hardship. Now, in this new world, she had been thrust into the role of a woman hated by everyone, a villain destined for a tragic end.

*My life as Aisha was already so difficult, and now I’m Ariana Rencise, the Duke’s eldest daughter, notorious for her cruelty. What did I do to deserve this? *

No matter what, Aisha knew one thing—she couldn’t risk dying again. Returning to her old life held no appeal; there was nothing left for her there, no family, no friends. But in this new world, as Ariana, she was determined to survive. She didn’t know how Ariana had died or how she had come to possess her body, but she silently promised herself and the girl whose life she had taken: *I will change your fate. I will survive, no matter what. *

And with that resolve, Aisha—now Ariana—began to plot her path in this unfamiliar world, determined to rewrite the villainess’s story and carve out a future for herself.