Three days later.

Olivia Young deliberately chose a form-fitting dress for her own welcome party.

“Our Miss Young is finally back home!”

“You and Young Master Gu must be close—after all, he's the one hosting your welcome dinner!”

“So, Gu Shao, is that little stand-in of yours finally stepping down?”

“If not, let her come work at my company. I'm desperately in need of a beautiful and perceptive secretary.”

“Get lost!” Grace Gordon's face darkened instantly.

With that reaction, this idiot male lead still thinks he's in love with his white moonlight and not the stand-in?

How does a guy this dumb even become a male lead?

Honestly, Plot God, you’re way too unfair.

A waiter opened the private suite's door.

Olivia Young, her left hand subconsciously cradling her slightly rounded belly, waved cheerfully with her right and beamed, “Hi, it’s been a while!”

Everyone in the room stared at her belly, then looked up at her face in disbelief. Someone turned on every light in the room, as if trying to make sure they weren’t hallucinating.

Olivia Young squinted. “Anyone got sunglasses?”

The lights were far too harsh.

Someone dimmed the glaring overheads.

“Miss Young, are you... pregnant?”

“That’s right.” Olivia Young replied gently. “Which is why I won’t be drinking tonight.”

She raised a glass of orange juice. “The baby and I both feel very welcomed by everyone.”

The crowd was dumbfounded.

Just what was going on?

Their goddess, their white moonlight, had actually come back home pregnant!

Grace Gordon—did you know about this?

Grace Gordon’s pupils trembled with shock. He stared hard at Olivia Young, his face clouded and gloomy.

Ohhh... So even Grace Gordon didn’t know.

If even the childhood sweethearts were this out of the loop, then those of them secretly nursing crushes had even less right to know.

Somehow, that made everything feel more balanced.

Grace Gordon clenched his wine glass tightly. “If you’re pregnant, where’s the father? How could he just let you come here alone?”

He... He didn’t even know about the kid yet!

That night had been the masked ball. She and Frederick Fairfax had both worn masks into the room—and only lost them to a kiss, the lights never turned on afterward.

Frederick Fairfax insisted that darkness made things more exciting.

It wasn’t until the next morning that she'd really seen Frederick Fairfax’s drop-dead gorgeous face for the first time.

Of course, unlike in some novels, she didn’t leave him a wad of cash as a “payment”; she just got dressed and left right away, didn’t even leave the stray mask on the floor.

Her signature move: vanish without a trace.

Olivia Young took a light sip of orange juice and said softly, “He’s working! I’ll introduce him to you all another time.”

She couldn’t say he’d disappeared or anything—she knew these people would start plotting if she did.

Especially Grace Gordon.

She just wanted Grace Gordon and Annabelle Winters to hurry up and follow the plot—get together and have their big happy ending.

Crash!

The wine glass shattered.

Deep scarlet liquid splattered across Grace Gordon's shirt and suit pants.

His face thunderous, Grace Gordon wordlessly grabbed his phone and started texting.

What the hell are you losing your mind for, you dog of a man? When you bankrupted my family and broke my brother’s leg, you didn’t look this upset, did you?

Olivia Young only spared him a quick sidelong glance before taking her seat and catching up with the others.

If it weren't written in the original novel, she genuinely never would have guessed that all her childhood friends had seen her as their eternal crush.

Here she was, holding the all-powerful leading lady script, and she still managed to end up ruined—her reputation in tatters, dead by suicide. The author had to be jealous of her beauty, long legs, and family background.

For now, everyone seemed normal. No falling out with Grace Gordon, the hero with his special “male lead aura.”

“Lily, how far along are you?”

“Is he treating you well?”

“What kind of work could possibly be so important that he wouldn't come with you? I don't think he sounds very reliable.”

“I agree—nothing’s more important than Lily, especially when she’s carrying a baby.”

“Lily, can I be the godfather?”

“When are you holding the wedding?”

“My family just bought an island—beautiful scenery, fresh air. If you ever want a honeymoon or just a peaceful place to rest during your pregnancy, it's all yours for as long as you want.”

No wonder this was one of those old-school “Mary Sue romance” novels! Apparently, being love-crazed wasn’t just a quirk of the female lead—their “simps” all had it too!

Man, “lovelorn brain” must be available wholesale somewhere! Someone needs to burn the whole warehouse down.

That’s a serious disease, and no one should have it.

With every question, Grace Gordon—sulking in the corner—grew more and more shadowy. His handsome face was all but consumed by gloom, as if he’d become a resentful ghost desperate to tear everyone apart.

Olivia Young sipped her orange juice, grinning on the outside—inside, she was screaming: Help, help, somebody please save me!

She didn’t even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband or plans for a honeymoon.

She knew they meant well, but this was too much. Of course she’d keep lying to them.

Olivia Young forced a laugh. “No rush on the wedding. I'm pregnant—bridal gowns don’t look good with a baby bump. After the baby comes, we’ll celebrate, so you all have to come!”

“We'll definitely be there!”

“Can I be the best man?”

“I want to be the MC!”

“I’ll be the flower girl!”

“I'll sing at the wedding!”

Olivia Young couldn’t help but laugh. They really were a bunch of good eggs.

And somehow, she wasn’t nearly as nervous anymore.

“Let’s pause the questions. Lily should eat something first—a pregnant woman shouldn’t go hungry,” Zachary Shaw reminded everyone, just as the private suite door opened and the waiters brought in the food.

They hadn’t known she was pregnant when ordering, so most dishes were spicy. They’d added some milder ones just to be safe.

Honestly, her tastes had changed; she actually preferred spicy food these days.

Then, behind the waiters, a graceful figure in white appeared.

Annabelle Winters, holding a perfectly pressed set of clothes, walked toward Grace Gordon, who lingered in the corner.

“Mr. Gu, your clean clothes.”

Annabelle Winters nearly blocked out all the light as she stood before him.

He’d been so happy waiting for Olivia Young to return. He’d thought that, naturally, they’d get together, get engaged, get married. But now—she was pregnant!

He’d waited faithfully for five years. What did it all mean? What was he to her?

Furious, Grace Gordon had already smashed one wine glass. He couldn’t lose control again now.

With a deep breath, he forced himself into calm and got up to change.

“Grace Gordon, what kind of man are you? It’s late at night—how is it safe for a girl to be out running errands for you? Get a male assistant to bring your clothes next time.” Olivia Young looked right at the pair. “Little stand-in, did he always keep you by his side? Obviously his real intentions have nothing to do with work! Now that I’m back, though, you might get fired. Or, want me to recommend a job for you instead?”

The sky is falling!

Damn it, what am I even saying?

Heroine, I swear I didn’t mean it!

Olivia Young wanted to explain, but couldn’t force the words out.

Plot God, you again? Do you just follow the heroine around?

“Miss Young, I’m just doing my job. Mr. Gu hasn’t treated me badly, please don’t target me—I can’t afford to lose this job.” Head down and fidgeting, Annabelle Winters stood awkwardly by.

Grace Gordon snapped at her, “Out!”

Way to go, Mr. ‘Desperate Pursuer’—could you be any ruder to your future wife? Why are you yelling at her? Idiot.

Annabelle Winters ran out in tears.

Grace Gordon muttered in a low voice, “Lily, she’s just an employee, not any sort of stand-in. Don’t misunderstand.”

“There’s no misunderstanding. I didn’t mean what I just said. Even though we’re childhood friends and both families would love to see us together—look at me, I’m pregnant now. There’s no way we could ever be a thing.” Olivia Young’s expression was serious. “Not now. Not ever!”