FMLDM 01

 Chapter 01 

If My Favorite Becomes My Daughter

The day I reached the peak of my career as a makeup artist, I died of overwork.
To die from working myself to death—what a bitter end.
Perhaps the gods took pity on me, because they offered me three choices:

1. Return to a point in the past.

2. Possess a character from my favorite book.

3. Reincarnate into a completely different life.

I didn’t want to return to my old life, and reincarnation was too uncertain—who knew what kind of life I’d end up with? So, I chose the second option, where I at least knew how things would turn out.

As a result… I ended up inside the hottest best-selling novel, La Vie en Rose.

La Vie en Rose was a romance-fantasy novel about Coral, a girl who suffered under an evil stepmother and a terrible father but eventually bloomed into her talents and succeeded by opening a magical boutique.
Despite her low status, Coral entered the prestigious Academy at a young age and met the male lead, Kai. He fell for her at first sight, and they gradually grew closer.
But then, Coral was sent to an orphanage, and they were tragically separated.
Their lives were filled with hardship and adversity, but Kai never stopped looking for her, even after becoming emperor. After years apart, they reunited and shared a passionate love.

The novel’s popularity stemmed not only from the heartfelt romance but also from its unique worldbuilding:

1. A society where beauty is valued to the point that even men wore makeup regularly.

2. The existence of a divine-level flower-boy trio called F3.

3. An overdose of adorable fluff between the male and female leads.

The empire’s flower boys—the F3—had a huge fan following.
But honestly, I couldn’t care less about them.

‘Is it because I used to work with good-looking people every day in my job?’

They were said to outshine even top-tier celebrities, so I was a little curious, but…
My attention was focused entirely on Coral, the irresistibly cute female lead.

‘Our Coral, you see—’

‘She’s beautiful, adorable, lovely… she’s got it all.’

‘And on top of that, she’s a genius who’ll one day change the world.’

To think I was now breathing the same air under the same sky as my favorite character.
Screw Earth! Screw the universe! Screw my house! Even my heart… was broken.
But the character I possessed was none other than Coral’s stepmother.

The beautiful woman with silver hair and mysterious violet eyes in the mirror—
That was clearly the villainess, Calypse Patouan.

They should’ve let me choose which character I possessed too!

In the original story, Calypse neglected and abused Coral.
After all, Coral was the child her husband brought home from another woman.

‘Isn’t the real piece of trash that bastard of a husband?’

He always had money for drinking and gambling, but left his daughter freezing through winter in a cold room.
That was my husband.

The day I first met Coral was a bitter winter.
Searching for her, I found the child hidden away in a storage room.
Silver hair peeking out from under a lone blanket.
As I cautiously approached, Coral peeked out her red, rabbit-like eyes.

‘I’m seeing my favorite character in real life!’

Words couldn’t describe the joy of meeting Coral.
But as soon as she saw me, she trembled in fear.
Of course—Calypse, in her eyes, was a terrifying stepmother.

“You don’t have to be afraid.”

At those words, she shrank back further, trying to hide inside the blanket.
She had survived the winter in that dark room with nothing but that one blanket.

‘What did this poor child ever do to deserve this…?’

Just remembering it brings tears to my eyes.
I barely managed to coax Coral into the house.

The first thing I did was buy her a bed and a vanity to decorate her own room.

“From now on, this is your room. I’ll knock before I come in.”

It wasn’t meant to say “Don’t come out of this room ever again,” but…
Except for going to the Academy, Coral never stepped outside.

‘Forcing open a closed door will only push her further away.’

After everything her stepmother had done, it would be hard for her to trust me right away.
Coral needed time to accept me.

‘I may be a first-time mom… but I’ll try my best.’

If it’s for Coral, I was ready to pluck stars from the sky.

Six months later, Coral had slowly begun to avoid me less and less.
The fact that she now ate the snacks I gave her was a huge improvement.

‘Today’s treat is white chocolate cookies—her favorite. She’ll probably like it.’

I wished I could watch her eat them in front of me, but I was happy with even this.

‘At least she doesn’t run away from me anymore.’

When I entered her room, as always, Coral was curled up in the corner under a blanket.
She must’ve heard my footsteps.
Fortunately, she no longer trembled at the sight of me.
Maybe the sweet smell of cookies lured her—
the blanket twitched, and a bit of silver hair peeked out.

But she didn’t come closer.

There was still an invisible wall between us.

‘Hold it in. Don’t scare her.’

The urge to run over and hug her came up at least a million times—but I held back.

I placed the cookies on the table and turned to leave.
Just then, a small hand gently tugged at the hem of my dress.

“…Mom.”

Did I just hear… Mom?

For the first time in six months, I heard that word and turned my head in disbelief.
Coral’s pink eyes were staring up at me.
They blinked, then rolled downward.

“Thank you.”

“…?”

“The cookies are delicious.”

Her fluffy silver hair disappeared back under the blanket.

‘She called me Mom…! And she said my cookies were delicious…!’

That day, I nearly went out and bought every white chocolate cookie in the world.

‘If only that bastard of a husband would disappear, life would be perfect.’

Ever since I possessed this body, I’d been planning to divorce my husband, Shuville.
To live happily with Coral, I had to get rid of the trash.

Thanks to the fact that Shuville hardly came home, the divorce prep went smoothly.

‘I want people to say this was the best divorce ever.’

In other stories, they walk away with a fortune or some land…
But this guy? He was worthless to the very end.

‘How much gambling did he do to end up with nothing but debt?’

Of course, I’d make sure none of that debt came to me.
But I knew I’d be left penniless after the divorce.
Maybe the gods pitied me again—because I had one “possession buff.”

The original Calypse was a genius at crafting magical tools.

Her ability transferred to me as well.
I could formulate and algorithmically design magic tools.

‘If this were my old world, I’d be a gifted engineer.’

However, she had the worst aesthetic sense.
Everything she made looked so terrible, people called it junk—even if it worked perfectly.

‘This world doesn’t know the concept of division of labor.’

But who am I?
I was once a top-tier makeup artist with impeccable taste.
And this world of La Vie en Rose valued beauty so highly that even men wore makeup.

‘If I combine magical tools with makeup items…’

A magical tool that lets anyone do their makeup however they want!
Now that was a goldmine.

I developed a diverse business plan and launched straight into production.

‘If it’ll pave a rosy road for Coral, I’ll do anything.’

If this business succeeded, I could live comfortably post-divorce and give Coral everything she deserved.

With the divorce date approaching, I started carrying out my plans.

I accomplished many things, but nothing compared to the joy of Coral changing.

After calling me “Mom,” she acted very differently toward me.

I started writing a journal 100 days before the divorce, and it was filled with Coral.

D-100
Today, Coral said something strange.
“I’ll do better, Mom.”
You’re already doing great just by existing.
I wanted to say I’ll try harder, but my throat tightened.
I hope she didn’t notice me crying.

D-70
Coral no longer avoids eye contact.
So instead, I ended up avoiding her gaze.
Hope she didn’t catch that.
Who could understand what it’s like when your daughter is also your favorite?

D-50
She grabbed my sleeve and said,
“Let’s… eat together, Mom.”
Starting today, we’re eating at the same table.
I’m so happy I might go crazy.
How can I sleep like this?

D-30
While eating, Coral smiled for the first time.
When I asked what her ideal type was, she said, “Mom.”
Male lead, you better watch out. Are you listening?

D-10
During snack time, I casually asked Coral out on a “date.”
When I held out my hand, she hesitated for a moment… then gently placed her little hand in mine.

“Mom… you look like a princess.”

I had turned on a “Snow White Beauty Cam” because I thought Coral might like it…
Coral, if it makes you happy, Mom can make anything in the world.

And now, the day before D-Day.

I had gathered every bit of evidence over the past 100 days.

I opened the locked box in the corner and pulled out a tracking magic device.

Click—
The glass orb projected video after video of Shuville gambling.

If this were the real Calypse, it might’ve broken her heart.
But me? I couldn’t help but smile.

‘Goodbye, Shuville. Let’s never see each other again.’

Shuville came home at sunrise.

As always, he reeked of another woman’s perfume.

With his deep-set eyes, strong jawline, and tall build, he wasn’t bad-looking.
Though he didn’t quite make it onto the F3 list.

‘So what? He’s still a trash pile in a handsome shell.’

He’d spent so little time with Calypse, he didn’t even realize his wife had changed.

I dragged him to a nearby gallery.
It was the perfect place for something as significant as a divorce—quiet and out of the way.

Looking exhausted from whatever he’d been doing all night, Shuville slumped in a chair.

“I’m tired. What is it? Just spit it out.”

The more I learned, the more I realized how tragic Calypse’s life had been.
She’d begged even this man for love because she’d never received any.

But now, Shuville, I am not the Calypse you once knew.

“I want a divorce.”