She's Too Busy Winning to Watch Him Cry novel Chapter 1

Lyra Fairchild woke up groggy, feeling a warm chest pressed against hers.

Achingly sore all over, she slowly lifted her heavy eyelids—the first thing she saw was a rusted, bronze-colored ceiling fan squeaking as it spun overhead.

As a wealthy heiress from Seaborne City, Lyra had only experienced a room with a ceiling fan once in her entire life.

Years ago, in a run-down motel, Rowan Jameson had taken her innocence while under the influence of drugs.

She had hoped to earn the man's affection, but it had only brought a devastating disaster upon her.

Memories of her past life flooded back, bringing a suffocating wave of emotion. Her muddled brain caught a sudden inconsistency—wasn't she dead?

Her senses fully returning, Lyra whipped her head around to look at the man holding her.

Rays of morning sun filtered through the curtains, illuminating a strikingly handsome face right next to hers. It was a much younger Rowan.

He was sleeping deeply, shedding his usual predatory edge. His waist was lean, his chest muscles perfectly defined, and his strong arms were wrapped tightly around her, as if she were a precious treasure.

Lyra's mind went blank, reeling as if she'd been struck by lightning.

He had never held her in his sleep, except for that one night.

The night she saved his life. When she found him, he was half-submerged in the freezing ocean, and she had barely managed to drag him to shore. Without her ID to book a luxury hotel, she had no choice but to bring the delirious man to this seedy motel, leading to their night of tangled passion.

She had actually been reborn!

Lyra carefully lifted his arm and reached for her phone. Sure enough, the text message had been sent half an hour ago.

Just like in her previous life, it was a text begging her best friend, Jasmine Ford, to bring her a clean set of clothes.

After sending the text, she had fallen back asleep from sheer exhaustion, only waking up now.

Jasmine was almost here!

Realizing this, Lyra ignored the ache in her body and scrambled out of bed. She picked up her clothes from the floor; the garments were still damp from the ocean, but she couldn't care less. She darted into the cramped bathroom to freshen up.

Her gaze swept past the cheap showerhead. She paused, then instinctively reached out to turn the knob—just as she thought, it was broken. A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

Just like before, the shower was broken at the worst possible time.

Because she couldn't wash up, Jasmine had graciously booked her another room upon arriving. By the time Lyra showered, dried her hair, and returned to the original room comfortably, both Jasmine and Rowan were long gone.

Jasmine had stolen the credit for saving him.

From that day on, Rowan only had eyes for Jasmine.

Even though Rowan's grandfather had eventually forced him to honor their childhood engagement and marry Lyra, his entire heart belonged to Jasmine. To elevate Jasmine's status, Rowan mercilessly dismantled Fairchild Holdings. Her father suffered a fatal heart attack, her mother suffered a mental breakdown, and Caleb jumped off a building...

Lyra herself was ultimately poisoned.

Fairchild Holdings was naturally swallowed by the Jameson Group, becoming just another asset in his vast empire.

Remembering the tragedies of her past life, a suffocating hatred for Rowan washed over her.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she intended to leave immediately. But the overwhelming fury was too much. She climbed right back onto the bed, straddled his chiseled stomach, and slapped him across the face with everything she had.

"Miss, do you need any help?" a gentle female voice asked as she neared the front desk.

Lyra looked over in a panic, spotting the motel receptionist.

She hadn't gotten a good look while checking in last night. Seeing her clearly today, she realized the woman was strikingly beautiful—and somewhat familiar.

In a flash, it clicked.

It was Josie Somerset.

The woman who would eventually become a massively popular, beloved superstar.

In her past life, Jasmine had treated Josie like an absolute enemy just because she had shared a few dinners with Rowan.

Who would have thought that right now, she was just a receptionist at a run-down motel.

In this life, Lyra wasn't going to let Jasmine have an easy path.

If she swapped out Jasmine for Josie, would Rowan fall for Josie instead?

At that thought, a faint smile appeared on Lyra's pale face. She parted her lips and said softly, "The guest in room 506 asked for you. He needs a favor."

...

When Lyra returned home, the living room was empty, save for Snowy, the family dog, who trotted over affectionately and licked her ankle.