It All Started With Hatred - Chapter 144: Tempted

I transmigrated into a webnovel as the pathetic young master villain.You know the type that bullies the protagonist, gets face-slapped repeatedly, dies embarrassingly to show the hero's growth.That villain. Yeah. I'm that idiot.Except I'm not playing along. I'm not going to! I'm not even going to try![WELCOME TO THE VILLAIN REFORMATION SYSTEM][MISSION: Don't avoid being a villain. BECOME THE BEST VILLAIN.]The hero? A manipulative hypocrite hiding behind righteousness.His harem? Heroines trapped by circumstance and narrative.The villains? Actually had legitimate reasons all along.I'm not here to be a stepping stone, I'm not here to redeem myself into a side character and I'm certainly not here to help the hero win. I'm here to show them what a REAL villain looks like.The Strategic, charismatic and magnificent that I so much likes to read about.The Academy's Worst Villain isn't the one who bullies weaklings. It's the one who steals the protagonist's fate, recruits his harem, and rewrites the story.Let's see how the hero handles a villain who knows every move he'll make.-----------------Additional tags.Drama.Harem, Beautiful Female Lead, Antihero Protagonist, Clever Protagonist, Strategic BattlesFaction Building, Romantic Subplot, Face-Slapping, Revenge...Note: This is not a dark book and it's a very fast pace book.

On the day of her wedding, Ivy Quinn vanishes, leaving behind only a note: “I’m sorry, I can't marry a blind man.”To protect her son from heartbreak, Elizabeth Winters strikes a desperate deal—Ruby, Ivy’s identical twin, must take her sister’s place at the altar. Trapped by duty and family pressure, Ruby agrees, believing it will only last until Stefan’s eyesight is restored.But from the moment they marry, Stefan senses something is different about his “wife.” The woman beside him is nothing like the shallow fiancée he once knew. She’s sharp, resilient, and understands his business in a way Ivy never did. Against all odds, he falls harder than ever for this new version of her.And Ruby? She never expected to fall in love with a man who was never meant to be hers.But just when she finds the courage to tell him the truth, Ivy returns, ready to reclaim the life she abandoned.When Stefan finally opens his eyes, will he see the woman who truly stood by him—or will he be too blind to recognize real love?****Excerpt****“By the way, did Ruby come to the wedding?” he asked, catching her off guard since she hadn't expected him to ask her that all of a sudden.Was he already suspecting that it was her and not Ivy?Ruby’s fingers froze on the door handle for just a fraction of a second.It was enough to set off alarms in Stefan's head.“I—uh…” She hesitated, but only briefly. “No. She had work. She couldn’t make it.”Was he suspecting a switch already? What must have set off the alarm in his head?Stefan hummed, tilting his head slightly. “Oh, I see. How is she, then? I hope she's coming to visit one of these days?”Her fingers tightened on the handle, though her voice remained steady. “Yeah. She would, the moment she is chanced and can come.”A slow smirk tugged at the corner of Stefan’s lips, though he kept his expression neutral.Interesting. Very interesting. His wife had just lied to him and he didn't know why.Even though he was blind, he'd find out why soon enough.

Under a twist of fate, Aurus was struck by a bolt of lightning, making him realize that he would never have the chance to play the game he poured most of his time and effort into ever again.

Fortunately, a goddess took pity on his miserable fate and gave him two choices: the first one was to reincarnate through the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and the second one…was to reincarnate as a stick. Hearing the second choice, Aurus could not help but remember...that this was exactly the starting character of the game he used to play!

Without hesitation, Aurus chose the latter, bringing a smile to the goddess’ face…which seemed to contain secrets and desires hidden to the naked eye.

And so, Aurus was reborn into a world that he was familiar with, albeit this time—he was now living a life as a stick!

Though that may be the case, witness the adventures of Aurus as he turns the expectations of everyone around him upside down as he gradually returns to his previous heights… and perhaps, far beyond it!

Witness the birth of a supreme being...from its roots!

Note: Please understand that the beginning of this novel was written at a time where I didn't know a lot about pacing and other important stuff crucial in writing. Once you get past that point (around the midpoint of Volume 2), it gets better. I hope you enjoy reading!

Until the time of him becoming the master of the lowest rank in the order of rankings, the lonely side of his life without luck was changed.