My Captor Is A Good Boy Chapter 1

I was grinding myself down to dust, living like a rat on a corporate treadmill. One night, fueled by cheap wine and sheer exhaustion, I was scrolling through a forum dedicated to bashing the toxic, unhinged male leads in dark romance novels. Without thinking, I typed out a reply: People can judge all they want online, but in the real world, who wouldn't want to scream 'kidnap me, please!' The daily grind of a nine-to-five is the real torture chamber.

When I woke up the next morning, my reality had fractured.

The first thing I felt was the bite of cold, heavy metal around my wrist. The second was the sight of a stranger standing over the bed, his face flushed a violent shade of red all the way to the tips of his ears.

"Who the hell are you?" I blurted out, my voice thick with sleep. "Are you out of your mind?"

The red on his cheeks deepened to crimson. He opened his mouth, stammering, "I... I'm s-sorry..."

Right at that moment, a line of glowing, translucent text drifted through the air above his head, like a live comment feed on a reading app.

[This male lead has everything, but he’s such a coward. He stutters just talking to her. He only has the guts to lock up a stand-in for practice. If he’s so tough, he should go after the real girl!]

Before my brain could even process the hallucination, another floating comment scrolled by.

[I mean, you gotta feel for him, but who builds an entire luxury estate just to lock up a lookalike?]

Ah, I thought, the pieces clicking into place. So he's got the money, but not the nerve.

My expression shifted instantly. In one fluid motion, I grabbed his wrist, used my leverage to pull him down, and pinned him flat against the mattress. I leaned over him, flashing an impossibly sweet smile.

"Baby, I didn't mean what I just said. Let's try that again." I dropped my voice to a whisper. "I love you."

* * *

The sheer suddenness of my words left him paralyzed. A second later, the flush on his face exploded, the heat practically radiating off his skin. His eyes darted wildly, refusing to meet mine.

"You... you... you need to get up," he breathed, his voice shrinking until it was barely a whisper.

I glanced up at the glowing text hovering in the air. The comments had paused. I decided to double down.

"I'm not moving," I said, tracing a finger down his chest. "Not until you say you love me, too."

The moment the words left my lips, the invisible chat exploded.

[Hold up, this stand-in is built different. I am taking notes frame by frame!!!]

[??? What is this plot twist? I'm lost but I'm here for it.]

[The lookalike seizing the throne? Oh, I am seated!]

[I am trash for this. Give me more!]

Before the shock could fully register, a bold, highlighted comment floated slowly across my vision.

[Friendly reminder: The actual female lead saved his soul when they were kids. A single piece of candy sealed his heart. This fake needs to learn her place and back off.]

I stared at that comment, a cold laugh bubbling up in my chest.

A piece of candy? That’s what passes for salvation?

I’m sorry, but I’ve read enough of these tragic, childhood-angel redemption arcs to know exactly how the game is played.

This guy had the immense fortune of running into me.

Forget the other girl, I thought. Lock me up. Throw away the key. Please, whatever you do, just don't make me go back to the office.

I shifted my weight, pressing him a little deeper into the mattress, and leaned in until my lips were brushing the burning shell of his ear. "Baby, you let yourself get bought for one piece of candy? If I give you a whole jar, does that make you mine?"

A violent shiver racked his body. "You can't... do this..."

His mouth was saying no, but his fingers had unconsciously reached up, twisting tightly into the fabric of my shirt.

The comments went absolutely feral.

[??? Stand-in, get a grip!]

[Damn it, why is the chemistry kind of insane?]

[Male lead, fight back! What are your hands doing?!]

I caught the blur of the comments out of the corner of my eye and couldn't suppress the smirk tugging at my lips. I lowered my head and pressed a feather-light kiss right to the center of his forehead.

"Good boys get rewards," I purred.