NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: The original story (part 1)
Micah recalled the novel he had seen in his dream.
'Oops! The foolish real young master had run away!'
The novel's title was a blatant indication of its theme, you could easily guess what the main story was about.
It was a constant struggle and entanglement, the pulling and pushing between the protagonist, a soft-hearted yet resilient shou, and his relentless suiters. It was the type of melodrama designed to stir the hearts of readers who enjoyed tension, power played, and an unhealthy dose of obsession disguised as love.
At the centre of all was Darcy Edwood, the real young master, who had been switched at birth. Growing up in a middle-class family until the age of thirteen, he had at least somewhat of an ordinary life.
Then things went south. His father, the pillar of their family, died in an accident, sending them into financial distress. His mother was soon diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic illness that required expensive treatments. As the distance of never-ending MS relapses became shorter, their situation worsened.
The protagonist, shouldering the weight of familial responsibility, had to work and study throughout his teenage years. Using his sharp intellect, he excelled in academic competitions, received winning prizes, tutored his classmates, and earned scholarships. By sheer determination, he managed to keep his mother's treatment ongoing and support his younger sister.
Typically, the story was filled with the tragic life and hardship of the main character until the switch incident became public.
News of the baby swap spread like wildfire. Overnight, Darcy's name was on every media gossip channel. Not only did he have a striking good look and a charismatic personality, but he was also a brilliant student with a bright future. Becoming the rightful heir of the Ramsy Empire, a family whose wealth and influence dominated multiple industries, only added fuel to the fire.
All of that made him shine in the spotlight, attracting attention like bees to a flower as he became a sensational figure.
"First Gong, The movie emperor:"
The first man to approach Darcy was someone from his past, his older brother, a childhood neighbour.
He was now a famous actor and owned a multimedia company. At first, his intentions seemed pure, a simple reunion between two people who had once been close.
He began to linger nearly, luring the protagonist into his house. Darcy, being naive, had relied on the man like a brother, seeking warmth and comfort. But everything changed when Darcy stumbles on hidden cameras, realising he was being secretly monitored all the time, in the shower, on the toilet, or even while sleeping.
The worst part was that the ML had a fetish, those recordings were not just about controlling the protagonist but indulging in his own fantasies while watching him on the screen…
Imagining filthy scenarios and then jerking off …
Darcy, who had been beginning to have feelings for this childhood neighbour suddenly realised the lack of intimacy and touch between them was because of Ml's addiction to watching those yellow videos…. which was a heavy blow to the protagonist. Without hesitation, he cut the actor out of his life and blocked him.
Micah cringed at the memory. For what reason did the author make this pathetic man, who was worth less than shit, the male lead?!
"The second Gong, the Esport captain:"
Next came the second suitor, an IT university student and captain of an eSports team. Their encounter happened by chance, Darcy had saved him from an ambush. The thugs were hired by a rival group wanting to crush his hands, hinder his career, and prevent him from participating in the next match. Grateful and fascinated, the captain became obsessed with the protagonist.
Unlike the actor, his scumminess manifested differently. He sought to monopolize the protagonist, isolating him from friends by spearing rumours about Darcy being aloof and unapproachable, making sure no one else could get close. He even badmouthed others in front of Darcy to dishearten and hinder his approach to others.
It was all carefully calculated. He used the fake young master as a pawn, feeding him fabricated scandals, making him the scapegoat for his scheme, and fanning the rumours.
When he noticed Darcy's coding skills, the captain changed his strategy. He exposed the fake heir as the mastermind, tarnishing his reputation and gaining the credit and trust of the protagonist because of his revelation and emotional support during that time. He exploited the protagonist's skill shamelessly and opened a gaming company, becoming rich in just a few months.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly between them until Darcy's mother's condition worsened. The protagonist was caught up in the hospital, caring for his mother, and did not have time to do free work for the second Ml. Hence, feeling neglected, the eSports caption lashed out. A petty argument turned into the distance. The second Ml never imagined that brief separation would open the door for another male lead to have his way with the protagonist.
"The third Gong, the doctor:"
His mother's attentive doctor was the third Ml. The doctor had been captivated since their very first meeting. Not by Darcy himself, but the eerie resemblance he bore to the young man who had been once his white moonlight.
However, at that time, the age difference was not appropriate for him to show his interest. Instead, he had tried to gain Darcy's trust by helping them with the hospital fee and rare medicine, always making sure Darcy felt indebted to him.
His family owned a pharmaceutical company and held many shares in famous hospitals, allowing him to easily manipulate the situation to deny the protagonist access to the rare medicine with just money.
He had laid a trap for the protagonist, waiting for him to be caught in a web of moral guilt and come forward to be a substitute voluntarily. He had hinted subtly about his first love and how he had lost him in an accident, even though this was fabricated.
His first love had left a deep wound. A boy who voluntarily had chosen to change his gender by surgery, shattering the doctor's dreams of their future together. The doctor was gay and had a deep aversion to females. His love twisted into hate, and resentment flooded him due to his unfulfilled desire for his first love.
Thus, the messy relationship of wanting to punish the protagonist while also loving him came to fruition.