🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 02
The phenomenon of being possessed, which I had only read about in novels, had happened to me too. And of course, it followed the cliché: I ended up in the body of the villainess!
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I slowly thought back over what had happened. I had been hit by a truck on my way home and had become Harna from the novel.
“Does that mean I’m dead… or alive?”
I fidgeted with the unfamiliar hands—clearly mine, yet feeling strange and foreign.
“Is this a curse… or an opportunity?”
But no question had an answer. Frustrated, I flopped onto the bed.
“Is Dongsu okay?”
Acknowledging that I had possessed Harna made me think of Dongsu, who had been in the van with me. Dongsu was my manager when I was an actress, like a little brother who had been with me for five years.
I briefly prayed that he had miraculously survived in Korea and pictured the people who would mourn my death. The images of the agency president, the stylist, and the makeup director who had helped me closely flickered and vanished. Soon after, my longtime fan club friends waved and then dispersed.
Tears welled up at the thought that I could no longer return to those I cherished. I cried for a long time in silence, unable to make a sound.
How long had I cried?
I caught my breath and stopped the sobbing, then wiped my tears off with my sleeve and called out resolutely:
“It’s okay! Let’s live again.”
Perhaps the heavens had pitied me, who had lost my parents and younger sibling in a car accident, and gifted me a new life.
I had no idea why I had ended up in Harna’s body or where her soul had gone, but one thing was certain: I had become Harna, and like all possession novels, I had to live as her.
“I can’t just lie here helplessly.”
I got up and went to the mirror. Seeing the unfamiliar face of a woman I couldn’t adapt to made me feel dazed again, and I bit my lip.
“Focus.”
From now on, I was Harna Jurne, the ill-tempered villainess with orange juice-colored hair.
‘You are me now.’
I clenched my fists and steeled myself.
“I’m an actress. There’s no performance I can’t handle—I’ve won Best Actress five times.”
The mirror reflected a confident, sparkling face, no trace of the trembling gaze that had been there moments ago.
Acknowledging that I was Harna made me feel calmer.
I decided to perfectly act as Harna, recalling her personality and habits from the book. Thankfully, after years of portraying countless characters, remembering a character from a novel was not difficult.
I slowly input Harna’s traits into my mind.
Harna Jurne was twenty-one years old. She was mean-spirited and impatient, treating anyone of lower status than herself as less than human.
The only person she hid her cruel nature from was the male protagonist, her current fiancé, Cardin Lertorno.
“Sad, even though I know it.”
I usually played protagonists who didn’t cry even if lonely or sad, so becoming a vile villainess felt surreal.
I recalled Harna’s malicious actions. I even felt dizzy remembering how she had stomped a maid who stepped on her dress.
“Wait… I have to act this out?”
If I had been possessed into a minor character, I could have lived freely, ignoring the original novel’s story. But now that I was in Harna’s body, that was impossible.
I stared at the cat-like, haughty face in the mirror. Acting out her annoyed expressions, hysterical voice, and arrogant gaze was manageable.
“But can I harm others?”
Being in Harna’s body meant I had to act perfectly to avoid suspicion. This wasn’t a drama or film where cameras could reshoot if I messed up.
Although anxiety loomed, I clenched my fists.
“I can do this—I’m a great actress.”
Nodding firmly, I recalled Harna’s traits and muttered the lines I always recited before acting:
“I am now Harna Jurne, the villainess from The Beautiful Countess and the Cold Duke.”
As soon as I opened my eyes, the hesitant actress within me vanished. Only Harna Jurne, annoyed at being unconscious earlier, stared back from the mirror.
Harna’s maid, Arin, shivered as she stood outside her lady’s room.
Two days ago, while mopping the hallway, Harna had slipped on water and fallen. Furious, she had threatened Arin, warning that there would be consequences later. The next day, Harna hadn’t fully regained her senses.
Arin had been confined to the quarters, punished for preventing Harna from fully waking. Hearing that Harna was awake, she trembled with relief and fear.
Harna could not tolerate even a speck of dirt on her body. Since she had fallen, she would certainly be summoned and punished.
Arin had to beg for her life, thinking of her sick mother. Tears blurred her vision as a fellow maid came by, sympathy in her expression.
“Come. The lady is calling.”
It was time. Wiping her tears, Arin steeled herself and approached the door.
“Lady, it’s Arin.”
“Enter.”
Hearing the cold, emotionless voice, Arin swallowed hard and prepared herself. She hid her trembling hands, opened the door, and entered.
She immediately knelt before Harna, who was seated, staring at her. Harna, gazing mockingly, spoke:
“You remember I fell because of you, don’t you?”
“I’m sorry. I will accept any punishment. But please spare my life, as there’s no one to care for my sick mother.”
Arin bowed her head, desperate. She knew Harna increased punishments if one cried, yet tears flowed uncontrollably.
Soon, Harna would start throwing things. Arin braced herself, thinking through every step a servant at the Jurne Marquis household would know.
‘I have to endure! If I survive here, I can endure anything.’
Time passed, yet no object flew.
‘Is she planning something new?’
Arin peeked. Her lady had picked up something, examined it carefully, then threw it at her with full force.
Arin, shocked, ducked, biting her lip to stifle a scream. The object brushed her shoulder—it was a quill, with its sharp tip removed.
“You think just admitting fault makes it over? If you want forgiveness, you must pay the price.”
‘As expected.’
Arin shrank back.
“Do you think kneeling fixes everything?”
Arin pressed herself closer to the floor.
‘I must endure. I have to survive.’
Bang!
The object touched her backside lightly—it felt almost playful, like patting a chubby baby’s bottom.
“You disgust me! Mind your sick mother or not, it’s none of my business. Don’t be noisy, now leave.”
Harna placed a small blue gem before Arin’s forehead.
Arin, stunned, picked it up. Harna’s sharp voice cut through:
“Am I funny? Get out now!”
“Yes, Lady! Th-thank you!”
Arin clutched the gem, trembling with gratitude and disbelief.
“I will care for my mother properly. I will never forget this favor. Thank you… truly… huff, thank you.”
“G-go now.”
Arin, wiping her tears roughly, bowed repeatedly before leaving.
Outside, other servants watched, fearing Arin wouldn’t survive the encounter.
But Arin walked out unharmed, clutching the gem. It was a miracle.
She sobbed slightly, unable to believe her eyes.
“Lady has… changed!”
