The Author And Her Protagonist

Cheryl remained silent for a long time after watching the live broadcast. Her thoughts were not on how surprising the prize would be for the contest winner, but on Eugene’s appearance; her heart was as chaotic as when she met Edgar.

Meeting them in the real world made Cheryl happy but also sad for no reason.

When confronted with Edgar, she is reminded of Edgar’s fate in the novel, who died tragically while exacting revenge for his wife.

When Cheryl saw Eugene, she couldn’t help but remember how he had saved her from the crystal chandelier that had fallen on the palace’s relaxing pavilion.

The two men, both injured for the sake of one woman.

Cheryl pondered it almost all night, staring at Edgar’s illustration on the cover of her novel.

–

Cheryl had yet another dream that night.

She wishes to meet Edgar. The man was dressed neatly in a suit, looking arrogant and dignified, just like the man she had met the day before.

The way they met in the dream was more enjoyable. “I’m glad to see you again,” Edgar said gently.

Edgar gave a soft smile. The man spread his arms and took Cheryl into his arms.

For some reason, Edgar’s simple words moved Cheryl to tears. “I’m glad to see you again,” she said between sobs.

–

Cheryl awoke the next morning with lumpy and puffy eye bags. The young lady was taken aback when she saw herself in the mirror.

“Why are my eye bags puffy like I’ve been crying…?”

She had no idea she had fallen asleep crying as a result of her dream the night before.

Cheryl’s apartment doorbell rang, pressing impatiently.

“Who came so early and with such impatience?” Cheryl pondered as she walked slowly towards the door.

The door clicked open, revealing a well-built man dressed in a familiar black suit.

Cheryl’s eyes widened and she almost backed away in reflex.

“You …”

The man pretended not to notice Cheryl’s surprised demeanor. He cast a casual glance around Cheryl’s house.

“I remember giving a check to a random girl on the side of the road yesterday. But did you know I gave you the wrong check? That’s why I came here, to exchange it for the correct check.” His gaze was drawn to Cheryl’s expression. “I hope you haven’t cashed out yet.”

His words were undeniably arrogant. Cheryl’s surprise vanished in an instant when she heard the man’s words.

“Sorry, Sir, I am a poor woman who lives on a whim, but I have never touched your money! In a check, everything is still there! I’ll go get it for you right now!”

Cheryl turned around, stomping her feet, irritated. The arrogant man followed her into the living room.

Cheryl immediately went through the checks she had left on the table the day before.

However, there was nothing on the table. Cheryl began looking for it on the table, the sofa chair, and the floor around her, but she didn’t even find the paper in question.

Cheryl became enraged.

Cheryl’s actions were, of course, observed by the man.

“You didn’t find it, did you?” the man sarcastically asked.

“To be specific, not yet,” Cheryl clarified. “I’ll look in my room for it. You’ll have to wait here!”

The young lady dashed into her room. But, even after a long search, the damned check was nowhere to be found.

So, on the verge of tears, Cheryl returned to the living room, confronted the arrogant man, and apologized for her error.

“Sorry, Sir, I can’t find the check.” The young lady’s voice was soft. With her posture, she appeared to be a child confessing her flaws in front of her parents.

“Not found?” The man narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you didn’t find it or… you already used it?”

Cheryl shook her head as hard as she could while waving her hands in denial.

“No, I don’t use them. I swear!”

“How do you explain why the checks can’t be found?”

“Because…”

“You should take accountability.”

“What?!”

“Why? You don’t want to?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“Then you must take any responsibility.”

Cheryl’s spirit was deflated. “Alright. So, what should I do to take responsibility?”

“Marry me.”

“What?!” Cheryl’s eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face. “Why should I-”Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

“Next week,” he added.

“Eh??? Next week?”

“Do you mind? So, just today.”

Cheryl struggled for a long time to find the right words to refute. Even though she tried her hardest to refute it, the young lady’s tongue was dry.

The man ordered Cheryl to collect her family’s household registration papers in a pushy manner. Because both of Cheryl’s parents are deceased, and she has no siblings, it is as it is.

Cheryl is dragged into the civil affairs bureau the same day to register this unexpected marriage.

Cheryl is still attempting to back away from this unexpected “responsibility” at the last moment.

“Sir, please wait… You don’t want your bank check? I… I’m willing to put in the effort to collect the money and return it to you! Please don’t be this way. That marriage… It can’t be played this way.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure you’ll ever get that money back,” the man replied. He cast a glance at Cheryl, gauging her reaction.

Cheryl couldn’t argue with the memory of the row of numbers written on the checkpaper.

Cheryl was still dazed when the bureau clerk asked her to sign. The young woman only came to when she saw the haughty man who forced her to sign his name on the paper. Edgar Baldwin is written beneath the pen.

Cheryl was still not recovering when they returned, and she was sitting in the black car with the man.

She was only able to voice what she wanted to ask after a long time.

“There are many ways to return the money, but why did you… choose to marry me instead?”

The arrogant man in the black suit, also named Edgar, looked at Cheryl with an unknown look in his eyes.

“Because I want to,” he replied.

Cheryl was stunned. Her emotions exploded a split second later. “You don’t have to force me just because you want to, right? You sly rogue! Man with no shame!”

Edgar’s expression immediately changed, as if he had made a new discovery in his life.

“I just found out you can rebuke other people like that.”

Cheryl glared, defiant. “Yes, I’m skilled at rebuking. The real me is a rude woman. So what? Do you regret dragging me to the civil affairs bureau? Then let’s divorce right now!”

“Divorce? No way.” Edgar shook his head casually.

Cheryl was irritated by the way he spoke to her and looked at her. Especially the response that the man did not want to divorce her. Cheryl felt like hitting him right now.

“What? Why isn’t that possible?” She enquired vehemently.

Edgar paid no attention to the enraged young lady. Instead, he leaned forward, closing the gap between them to the point where they were almost touching.

Cheryl was concerned by Edgar’s actions. Her face became hot.

“Wait-what are you trying to accomplish?”

“Is it wrong for me to want to be near my wife?”

Edgar spoke right next to Cheryl’s ear. Cheryl found the man’s hot breath amusing. For some reason, this familiar scene flashed through her mind. Edgar, who was a Marquess at the time, also did this to her.

Cheryl raised her hands, intending to push Edgar away. However, the man first grabbed the woman’s delicate wrist.

Cheryl, of course, tried to rebel. Unfortunately, the power disparity between men and women is enormous. Despite her best efforts to distance herself, Cheryl found herself in the man’s warm embrace.

“Allow me to go! Get rid of-”

“You must not move.” Edgar spoke quietly, his face buried in the crook of Cheryl’s neck. “Please allow me to let go of this longing…”

“Uh …”

Cheryl didn’t fully grasp the significance of Edgar’s words. Her heart had a rough guess, but she didn’t dare to suspect that this Edgar was the same Edgar as the Marquess of Northland from the novel world.

It took her a while to let go of the man’s grip. Cheryl inquired, gathering courage.

“What do you mean by “letting go of longing”? Who are you pining for?”

A muffled response came from the crook of the woman’s neck. “To you, my wife, Marchioness of Northland.”

Cheryl’s eyes widened and her body shook. “What did you say?”

Edgar let go of his arms, his gaze fixed on the woman in front of him. “What is the problem?”

“I asked, what did you say earlier?”

The man seemed to understand what the woman in front of him was concerned about. With a gentle smile, he reached out his hand and gently caressed Cheryl’s cheek.

“I’m glad to see you again.”

Cheryl’s heart felt as if it were being yanked. She couldn’t take it any longer and burst into tears. Two clear streams of tears ran down her cheeks.

Edgar embraced Cheryl right away. “It’s all right, don’t cry.” Cheryl’s back was patted by his large hand.

Cheryl was still in tears. She smacked Edgar in the chest with annoyance.

“You’re vexing! You just admitted to being the Marquess of Northland? Why were you so conceited yesterday? When you knocked on my door this morning, you said, “You want to take your money!””

Edgar’s lips twitched slightly. “Please accept my apologies. I just… I can’t help but notice your annoyed expression.”

“What? So you did it on purpose?!”

“Well… That…”

“You’re a jerk!”

Cheryl moped along the way.

–

The car they were in entered the elite villa area, turning into one of the beautiful villa’s large courtyards. As soon as the car came to a stop, Edgar extended his large hand to Cheryl, saying, “Come on, we’re home.”