Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

She looked like she wouldn’t back down without a clear explanation. 166 had no choice but to tell the truth. It chose its words carefully. [If, and I’m just saying if, I told you that this little cat was me, would you believe it?]

[I don’t.] Joanna Kennedy was blunt. [What kind of joke is that? Do I look like an idiot?!]

166: [.........] ’You do. Very much so. In fact, you don’t just look like one, you are one!’

said indignantly, [The situation is complicated, and I can’t explain it all right now. In short, you need to get my body to the villa, or I’m going to disappear forever!]

[.........] Joanna Kennedy ground her teeth. [You moron. You’d better not be lying to me.]

She was so angry that she actually cursed out loud.

166: [?]

Halfway to the office, Julie received a call from Joanna Kennedy telling her to turn back.

The voice on the other end was suppressing an explosive rage, so Julie didn’t dare ask any questions. She just turned the car around and headed back.

And so, less than two hours after leaving the villa, Joanna Kennedy came rushing back. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

She ran inside, clutching Mimi.

[Hurry up! Did you skip breakfast this morning? Faster, faster, faster!]

Being rushed like that, Joanna snapped, [Shut up!]

Once she finally made it inside the villa, Joanna Kennedy breathed a sigh of relief and immediately looked down nervously at Mimi in her arms.

Mimi’s ears twitched. It slowly opened its eyes and let out a "meow."

Joanna Kennedy: [.........]

’Damn it... it really is 166!!!’

Joanna Kennedy was still reeling, frozen to the spot. The housekeeper had to call her name several times before she snapped out of it. "What is it?"

"It’s nothing," the housekeeper said with a smile. "Miss Kennedy, did you forget something?"

"...Ah, yes," Joanna Kennedy replied lamely. To prove she really had come back for something, she hurried upstairs.

Her mind was in a fog, still trying to process the supernatural event of 166 turning into a cat. She hadn’t even heard what the housekeeper said.

Seeing this, the housekeeper felt a little helpless. Mr. Lockwood was also upstairs; she wondered if the two of them would run into each other.

Joanna Kennedy was still unaware that she had missed this crucial piece of information. She was busy thinking about how to ask Simon Lockwood if she could leave Mi—... 166 at the villa without being rejected.

Although she had no idea what was going on, the current situation suggested that 166 would only be safe if it stayed in the villa.

’After the unpleasantness last night, I have to ask him for a favor today.’

’Aaaaaargh!’ Joanna Kennedy was both frustrated and annoyed.

As she walked into the room, she belatedly realized the door was open. ’I’m sure I closed it when I left,’ she thought.

Joanna Kennedy found this strange. She peered inside, and the man sitting on the edge of the bed looked up just then, their eyes meeting.

"What are you doing back?"

"What are you doing back!"

They spoke at the same time, then fell silent at the same time.

You could have heard a pin drop.

After a moment, it was Simon Lockwood who spoke first. He stood up nonchalantly and asked coolly, "Didn’t you leave? Why are you back?"

The image of him sitting alone on the bed, looking lonely and silent, was still fresh in Joanna Kennedy’s mind.

Her already chaotic mind was thrown into even greater turmoil.

’Didn’t Simon Lockwood go to the office?! Why is he back? And why is he sitting here all by himself?!’

A thousand thoughts flooded her mind, but only one answer emerged—an answer Joanna Kennedy dared not even consider.

"...I forgot something." In the end, she fell back on that excuse.

Simon Lockwood nodded but didn’t move from his spot.

Joanna Kennedy waited for a moment before she couldn’t help but ask, "Aren’t you going to leave?"

"This is my house. Why should I leave?" Simon Lockwood showed no intention of doing so.

Joanna Kennedy started to panic. Forgetting something was just an excuse; where on earth was she supposed to find something to "get" now?

She pretended to look for something, turning here and there with her back to Simon Lockwood, so she didn’t see his eyes gradually darken.

A few seconds later, Joanna Kennedy noticed Simon Lockwood walking toward the door. ’Is he leaving?’ She let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.

CLICK. The crisp sound of a lock turning.

Joanna Kennedy spun around, still not comprehending what had just happened, and stared blankly as the man walked toward her.

His usual indifference was gone, replaced by a slight smile on his lips. Beneath his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were pitch-black. His steps were unhurried.

For some reason, Joanna Kennedy was reminded of a predator, elegantly about to begin its meal.

"W-what are you doing...?" As the man drew closer, Joanna Kennedy subconsciously backed away.

She retreated until her back was pressed against the cold glass of the floor-to-ceiling window.

They were very close. Joanna Kennedy could feel the scorching heat radiating from his body, and her heart began to race uncontrollably. She instinctively tried to struggle, but he grabbed her wrist in a firm grip.

"Joanna Kennedy," Simon Lockwood’s voice was low and husky. "You’re the one who came back..."

Simon Lockwood buried his face in the crook of her neck. His hot breath brushed against her ear as he spoke, carrying a forceful and undeniable intimacy.

Joanna Kennedy couldn’t escape. The heat from his breath made her neck and cheeks flush red, a warmth that spread from her ear through her entire body. She felt herself go weak.

But she also had a nagging feeling that something was very wrong with this version of Simon Lockwood. She explained nervously, "I’ll leave as soon as I get my things."

Suddenly, he bit her on the neck. Caught completely off guard, Joanna Kennedy cried out in pain.

The culprit, however, let out a soft chuckle. He sounded like he was in a very good mood. His voice was low and magnetic. "Say that again."

"...I said I’ll just get my things and... Ah!"

He bit her again in the same spot on her neck, even harder than before.

Simon Lockwood: "Say it again."

.........

How could Joanna Kennedy possibly dare to say it again?

She belatedly caught the faint scent of alcohol. Simon Lockwood had been drinking.

"Are... are you drunk?"

"No." The man’s tone was light as he casually licked the spot on her neck where he’d bitten her.

Joanna Kennedy didn’t dare let her heart flutter. She felt like a beast had her by the jugular, terrified she would be bitten again at any moment.

Luckily, this "beast" was just a drunk. Joanna Kennedy swallowed hard. "Can you let me go first?"

"No."

"You’re making me uncomfortable."

"Then be uncomfortable."

"........."

Rejected twice with no room for argument, Joanna Kennedy was left speechless again and again. She became annoyed. "Stop pretending to be crazy."

The man on top of her paused. A few seconds later, he casually straightened up, showing no sign of embarrassment at being called out. "You saw through me?"

"You only smell faintly of alcohol. There’s no way you’re drunk." Joanna Kennedy’s neck was still throbbing. She raised her head and glared at the man, her eyes red.

Simon Lockwood chuckled softly. With that cold, handsome face of an unattainable god, he slowly parted his lips. "Getting smarter..."

"How should I reward you?" Simon Lockwood’s tone was dark and ambiguous.

Joanna Kennedy: "........."

’Those were clearly words of praise, so why do I feel so insulted?!’

She stared at Simon Lockwood warily.

Simon Lockwood suddenly smiled, and his handsome face instantly became breathtakingly vibrant.

"........."

Joanna Kennedy froze, unable to stop herself from swallowing hard.