Chapter 3: A New Plan and Father's Love

Yuri quickly realized the character she had become: Leona Von Hearth, the villainess of the story. Leona was infamous for her cruelty, particularly towards the female lead, Elena, whom she tortured mercilessly. Her ultimate fate was to be killed by the male lead, Duke Adrian Castlereagh.

Yuri, now Leona Von Hearth, decided she had to change her fate. She knew the plot of the novel too well to allow herself to be killed by Duke Adrian. She resolved to avoid the main characters, live quietly, and hopefully lead a long and peaceful life.

Leona muttered to herself, "Now I have to remember the key events. The novel I'm in is about a girl named Elena. She's a beautiful, fragile, delicate, and well-mannered girl. She was living in a village as an orphan when suddenly her father came to reclaim her, claiming that she's his illegitimate daughter. But the main reason was that they wanted the support of the Castlereagh family, the richest and most powerful lords of the kingdom. They wanted to marry off their daughter as a tool to gain support and power. That's how the love story begins. The Duke of Castlereagh falls for her, and she also becomes a love interest of the crown prince, Damian Nicholas Iceberg. And then there's me, Leona Von Hearth, the villainess and main antagonist who is bound to die. Ahhh," Leona was devastated to think that she was going to die twice—once in real life and once in the novel. "I have to hide from them and avoid them as much as possible," she said to herself.

As days turned into weeks, Leona carefully navigated her new world. She avoided any interaction with the heroine, Lady Elena, and kept her distance from Duke Adrian. However, her unusual behavior did not go unnoticed. Everyone was shocked to see the new Leona, who was once gloomy and exuded the aura of a villainess, now full of happiness.

The maids in the Von Hearth castle gossiped about Leona's behavior. "What's happening? Young Lady Leona has suddenly changed," one maid said.

"That's so true," another maid replied. "The hot-tempered Leona who loved to bully others has become a good person all of a sudden!"

Hearing this, Anna scolded them, "Do not speak behind your mistress's back. Get back to your work."

One day, Leona's father requested a family dinner. "Young mistress," Anna said, "the Lord of Von Hearth, your father, wants to have dinner with you."

Leona groaned. "Ah, Anna, I don't want to," she said. To herself, she thought, "Until I gather a good amount of money, I want to avoid people as much as possible. After that, I'll run away and live my life happily alone." She chuckled to herself in a way that made Anna shiver with fear. Seeing this, she quickly changed her expression.

Anna composed herself and insisted, "You have to. He is your father. No matter how strict he is, he is still your parent. He loves you."

Leona thought, "Come to think of it, in the novel, Leona's relationship with her father was not good and regarding her mother, I think she died after giving birth to Leona." As she pondered, she suddenly had a flashback of the original Leona's memories. In that memory, she saw a young Leona alone in solitude, sometimes crying and sometimes angry, yearning for her parents' love.

"Was that the original Leona's memory?" Leona wondered. "Even though she was a villainess, I feel pity for her." She sighed. "Okay, Anna, I will have a meal with my father."

Anna's relief was palpable. "Thank goodness," she thought to herself.

Leona reluctantly agreed to have dinner with her father. She entered the dining room, feeling a mix of anxiety and determination. Her father, Lord Von Hearth, was already seated, his stern face softened slightly as Leona approached.

"Father," Leona greeted, bowing her head respectfully.

"Leona, it's been a while since we've had a meal together," her father said, motioning for her to sit. "I've been concerned about you."

Leona took her seat, feeling the weight of the original Leona's memories. "I apologize for my behavior in the past. I've been reflecting a lot lately."

Her father raised an eyebrow, surprised by the change in his daughter's demeanor. "You've certainly changed, Leona. What brought this about?"

Leona hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I realized that my actions were hurting not just others but myself as well. I want to be better, for everyone's sake."

Her father nodded slowly, a hint of approval in his eyes. "I'm glad to hear that. I've always believed in your potential, Leona. I know I may have been strict, but it was because I wanted the best for you."

Leona felt a pang of guilt. "I never understood that. I always thought you were just... disappointed in me."

Lord Von Hearth sighed deeply. "I was never disappointed in you, Leona. I was frustrated, yes, but only because I saw how much more you could be. You were hurting, and I didn't know how to reach you."

Leona looked down, a lump forming in her throat. "I'm sorry, Father. For all the trouble I caused."

"What's important is that you're trying to change now," her father said, his voice softening. "It's never too late to become the person you were meant to be."

Leona nodded, feeling a strange sense of relief. "Thank you, Father. I want to prove myself, not just to you, but to everyone."

They continued their meal in a rare moment of peace, the usual tension replaced by a newfound understanding. As the dinner concluded, Leona felt a growing resolve within her.

"Father," Leona said as they stood to leave, "I know I haven't given you much reason to trust me, but I promise I'll work hard to make things right."

Lord Von Hearth placed a hand on Leona's shoulder, his gaze steady. "I believe in you, Leona. Just remember, you don't have to do this alone. We're family, and we'll face whatever comes together."

Leona felt a warmth she hadn't known before. "Thank you, Father. That means more to me than you know."

As she left the dining room, Leona couldn't help but think of the original Leona. "If you can somehow see this, know that you were wrong. Everyone here loves you. If you had only tried to open up a little, you would have realized it too."

As weeks turned into months, Leona continued to build a new life for herself. She forged stronger bonds with her family, especially her father,and earned the respect of those around her. Despite the constant fear of her fate, she remained determined to carve out a different destiny.

One night, as she sat by the fireplace, Leona reflected on her journey. "I've come a long way," she thought. "But the story is far from over. I must stay vigilant and continue to change my path. Only then can I hope to escape the fate that was written for me."And so, with renewed determination, Leona Von Hearth embraced her new life, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that she held the power to rewrite her own story.

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