This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

Rita didn't see Zoey's actions as greedy. Some people crave love because they've never had it and mistakenly think it's something extraordinary. But Zoey wasn't one of those people.

Rita had witnessed Zoey's transformation across her past and current lives. She had seen Zoey's defiance and frustration when facing The Lopez Family, and she had spent ten years side-by-side with Maple Mu in High Tower. In her eyes, Zoey wasn't lacking in the affection most people long for. What Zoey lacked was power—the power to control her own destiny.

Rick had put it aptly: Zoey "looked down on the love of the weak and saw the love of the strong as an affront to her pride." To Zoey, the former was worthless, while the latter posed a threat.

But Maple Syrup gave Zoey so much more than just power and familial affection. She gave her the strength to take control of her destiny, and, more importantly, she gave her fairness—something Zoey had never experienced before. Under this absolute fairness, Maple Syrup stepped out of the equation and showed Zoey the bias she had always dreamed of: pure, unconditional favoritism. She gave Zoey Afternoon Tea.

Rick had said Zoey couldn't articulate what she wanted, that she would only say she wanted what she deserved. Maple Syrup never asked what she wanted; she just gave her everything.

Zoey's betrayal was inevitable.

"That's right. She found it—all those infuriating things you said she was searching for? She found them."

Rick's twisted, anguished expression froze for a moment.

Rita's face showed a hint of concern for Rick, but inwardly, she was laughing. This was too funny. Not long ago, she had concluded that no one truly loved Rick. But now, here she was, discovering that Rick actually did like Zoey. He really, truly liked her.

Not only that, he understood her.

She used to think Rick only liked Zoey for her beauty or her family background. But now, seeing Rick crying while talking about Zoey, his accusatory tone filled with all of Zoey's deepest desires, she knew. He liked her. He truly did. There was anger in his voice, but also tenderness.

Rita's understanding of Zoey was filled with coincidences. She had appeared before Zoey at a unique juncture in time, as Maple Burn, during the latter's severance from her past. It was an unrepeatable moment, a rare conversation that allowed Rita to glimpse part of Zoey's true self.

That was the first time Rita truly "knew" Zoey. But by the time she gained this understanding, the Zoey she had known was already "dead," left behind in High Tower.

Yet Rick had understood all along.

His love, though minuscule and mixed with hatred and regret, was genuine in its own way. It was like a matchstick flame—tiny and fleeting, burning out after just a few seconds. It couldn't light up the world, nor could it warm anyone's heart or hands.

But Rita was certain: this small flame was all of Rick's sincerity.

She didn't hide the fact that Zoey was still alive. She knew how to make Rick's pain worse. After all, what could be crueler than knowing the person he loved had started anew, cutting ties with her past, forgetting all about him—so much so that she didn't even remember his full name?

Some people kill their wives to prove their worth. Zoey? Zoey had practically forgotten she ever had a husband named Rick. The mark Rick left in her life was so faint that it barely registered. Even his betrayal during a critical moment didn't leave a lasting impression.

To Zoey, Rick was nothing. He had never influenced her character or her life. He didn't possess what Zoey had always yearned for, nor did he bring her warmth or inspiration. He was simply insignificant.

Rita patted Rick on the shoulder and "comforted" him gently: "Don't worry, she's not dead. She's just faked her death and gone to Lania Kaia. Do you know why she killed The Lopez Family? Because they represented her past. She wanted to sever those ties and embrace her rebirth."

As for Zoey forgetting Rick's full name, Rita didn't need to spell it out. Rick had undoubtedly seen the lip-reading translations of their confrontation, including the part where Zoey called him "that Yu-whatever Fruit guy."

When Rita left The Lopez Family, Rick sat there like a lost soul, staring blankly into the ruins.

Rita's attitude toward Rick had become much more casual. She no longer treated him with the same caution she had when she first returned to the past. Back then, she had always been on edge, convinced that as the male lead, Rick would be like the protagonist in a typical web novel: unkillable, always bouncing back stronger to exact revenge. Her weak and fearful mindset had made her constantly terrified of being discovered by him.

But after stripping him of his Divine Gift, creating a rift between him and Zoey, and severing his ties with The White Family, Rick had completely fallen apart.

He didn't have Zoey's ability to manage a team, nor Sanchez's natural combat talent or indomitable will. Part of this was due to Rita's relentless interference. Unlike Sanchez, whose foundational strength remained intact and had the means to start over, Rick's power had been utterly dismantled—she had taken away everything, leaving him nothing to rebuild with.

She realized now that she'd been wrong. The true threats in this "Son-in-Law Selection" story weren't the son-in-law himself, even with his SS-grade Divine Gift, but rather the exceptional women he had carefully chosen to marry.

What was this called? Oh, right: The Chosen Concubines, each stronger than the last.

Rita was ready to kill Rick anytime. This game had become tiresome. She sent Jameson a private message in the game: Kill Ezra.

After leaving The Lopez Family, Nivalis immediately asked, "Can we go to Lania Kaia now to find an Oak Owl?"

Rita raised an eyebrow. "What's the rush?"

Nivalis, having bottled up her frustration for so long, finally exploded: "Of course I'm in a rush! What if you get consumed by Maple Burn? She doesn't want to share Maple Syrup or Maple Cang with you, and I don't want to share you with her!"

Rita found this answer quite satisfying. She smiled. "You hear that, Maple Burn?"

"I hear you," Maple Burn replied obediently, her voice tinged with caution. After a pause, she asked hesitantly, "That guy you were talking to earlier—does he… like Maple Mu?"

Rita didn't waste her breath explaining the nuances of Zoey's identity versus Maple Mu's. It was irrelevant to her. "Maybe," she said simply.

Similarly, whether Rick's feelings were genuine or not didn't matter.

Perhaps Rick did understand Zoey and liked her. But even if Zoey were alive, Rick's love wouldn't be the kind she wanted.

Understanding someone and choosing how to approach them are two completely different things.

Rick knew Zoey despised the love of the weak and rejected the condescending affection of the strong. Yet he still fought to seize Black Jade. Why? Because he wanted to stand before her as a victor, offering his love from a position of superiority.
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Rita didn't bother explaining this to Maple Burn. Instead, she led her and Nivalis straight to Lania Kaia to begin their search for an S-grade Divine Gift Oak Owl.