Lucas didn't move for a while after Adrian left.
The hallway felt strangely quiet.
"…That guy definitely noticed something," he muttered.
Lucas ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
He had hoped that if he simply stopped bullying Adrian and kept his distance, things would settle down naturally.
But things were already going wrong.
Instead of ignoring him…
Adrian seemed more interested than before.
Lucas sighed.
"Of course the protagonist has good instincts."
In the novel, Adrian Carter was known for his sharp intelligence and terrifying ability to read people.
Which meant Lucas had to be even more careful from now on.
He couldn't act too differently from the original villain.
But he also couldn't continue provoking Adrian.
Lucas groaned quietly.
"Why did I have to become the villain?"
Being the protagonist would have been much easier.
Still…
At least the villain heir had one advantage.
Money.
Lucas walked upstairs toward his room.
If he was going to survive in this world, he needed to understand his situation properly.
His bedroom door opened with a soft click.
The moment he stepped inside, Lucas paused.
The room was enormous.
A king-sized bed stood in the center. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the vast Carter estate. A sleek black desk sat near the wall, and a large wardrobe filled one side of the room.
Everything looked expensive.
Lucas slowly walked inside.
"…Okay," he said quietly.
"This is actually amazing."
Back in his real life, his entire apartment was smaller than this bedroom.
Lucas dropped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
But his thoughts quickly returned to the problem at hand.
Adrian Carter.
In the original story, Adrian didn't become powerful immediately.
He spent years quietly studying and preparing while the villain heir kept attacking him.
Lucas frowned.
If he remembered correctly, the biggest turning point happened when Adrian joined the Carter Group.
That was when everything started changing.
Lucas sat up suddenly.
"Wait."
Victor Carter had mentioned something during breakfast.
You'll begin assisting with the company next month.
Lucas felt a chill.
That meant the story timeline had already reached an important stage.
If Adrian entered the company…
The future CEO would begin building his influence.
Lucas rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe I should just leave the company to him."
It sounded like a good plan.
The villain heir originally fought Adrian for control of the Carter Group.
But Lucas didn't care about the company.
If Adrian wanted it, he could take it.
Lucas would happily enjoy his billionaire lifestyle without getting involved.
Problem solved.
Lucas grinned.
"Perfect."
He leaned back on the bed again, feeling slightly relieved.
Unfortunately…
Someone knocked on the door.
Lucas blinked.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly.
A servant stepped inside and bowed slightly.
"Young Master, Master Carter asked me to inform you that you will accompany him to the company this afternoon."
Lucas's smile froze.
"…What?"
The servant continued politely.
"Master Carter believes it is time for you to start learning about the Carter Group."
Lucas stared at him in disbelief.
His brain screamed.
No no no.
This was terrible.
If he entered the company now, he would be forced to compete with Adrian sooner or later.
And that was exactly what he wanted to avoid.
Lucas forced a calm expression.
"…Can I not go?"
The servant looked confused.
"I'm afraid Master Carter has already made the decision."
Of course he had.
Victor Carter was known for being extremely strict.
Once he decided something, no one could easily change his mind.
Lucas sighed.
"Alright."
The servant bowed again and left the room.
Lucas immediately flopped backward onto the bed.
"Great."
Now he was officially involved in the Carter Group.
Exactly like the villain in the novel.
"This plot really hates me."
Lucas stared at the ceiling again.
But after a moment, he sat up.
Complaining wouldn't solve anything.
If he had to enter the company, then he just needed to be careful.
Very careful.
Lucas walked to the mirror and examined his reflection.
The face staring back at him was handsome.
Sharp jawline.
Dark hair.
Clear eyes.
It was easy to see why the villain heir had so much confidence.
Lucas tilted his head slightly.
"…Not bad."
Then he remembered something important.
If he was going to work at the Carter Group, he needed to act like the original Lucas Carter.
Not exactly the same—but close enough to avoid suspicion.
Lucas crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"Confident… a little arrogant…"
But not stupid.
Definitely not stupid.
He nodded to himself.
"Yeah. I can do that."
Just then—
His phone buzzed on the desk.
Lucas picked it up.
A message appeared on the screen.
Adrian Carter
Lucas froze.
"…Why is he texting me?"
They barely spoke in the original story unless they were arguing.
Lucas slowly opened the message.
It was short.
Adrian: Are you going to the company today?
Lucas stared at the screen.
How does he know already?
Then again, Adrian probably heard it from Victor Carter.
Lucas hesitated before typing a reply.
Lucas: Yeah.
A few seconds passed.
Then another message appeared.
Adrian: Good.
Lucas frowned.
That was it?
Good?
He was about to put the phone down when another message appeared.
Adrian: I'll see you there.
Lucas's stomach dropped.
"…Wait."
See him there?
Lucas quickly remembered something.
Adrian sometimes visited the Carter Group to observe meetings even before officially joining.
Which meant—
They were going to meet again.
At the company.
Lucas slowly placed the phone back on the desk.
"This is not good."
He had planned to avoid the protagonist.
Instead, the story seemed determined to push them together.
Lucas sighed deeply.
"Well… whatever."
If Adrian wanted to watch him, then fine.
Lucas wasn't the same villain anymore.
He wouldn't bully Adrian.
He wouldn't sabotage him.
He would simply live his life peacefully.
That was all.
Lucas grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.
But as he left the room, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that something had already changed.
Because in the original story…
Adrian Carter never texted the villain heir first.
And that meant the future was already starting to shift.
Lucas had no idea yet.
But the smallest change in the story…
Could lead to the biggest consequences.