The Defection Scheme

[A neurotic, listless woman x a hapless Russian tough guy] [Cross-cultural romance / a record of going off the rails / plenty of pitch-black jokes ahead...] - In the bitter cold of winter, I flew to Northern Europe to end my life. I didn’t die. I was rescued. The man who saved me was suspicious by nature and had strange tastes. He drowned himself in whiskey, yet loved nothing more than sitting with a Russian book in his hands. The second time, I slipped into the sea. I didn’t die then, either. He hauled me out. After that, he found me a swimming pool. He watched me swim for hours until I was exhausted, and only then gave me food. The third time, I took an overdose of sleeping pills with his whiskey. I still didn’t die. He punched me in the stomach. Afterward, he made me stand in front of a trash can for the entire night, until I was truly sorry for the crumpled pills inside and the bottles of liquor scattered all over the place. Third time’s the charm. I made peace with the world, because I finally realized: I’m just crazy, but he’s a goddamn brute. - He never knew my name, but one day he started scratching under my chin and calling me “Muris.” Only later did I learn he thought I was a cat, a little animal he could hold in his arms and stroke to sleep. [Reader’s guide] 1. First-person narration with strong immersion. Please make sure you’re in good mental and physical health before and after reading. 2. Some scenes are included only for characterization and plot. Please don’t imitate them. 3. For specific content warnings, see the author’s note in Chapter 1. Major warnings apply. - Following a reminder, since the female lead has a romantic history with both men and women, this story has been moved from the [Romance] channel to the [Multiverse] channel as of March 28, 2025. Her past relationships are mentioned only in flashbacks, and most of the story still focuses on her relationship with the male lead, making it a traditional romance. Readers bothered by the female lead’s romantic history can check the warnings in the author’s note for Chapter 1. Thank you for your understanding. - Coming soon in the author’s collection: The Down-at-Heels Apron (a bankrupt high-achieving man with erectile dysfunction x a naturally laid-back woman) Theme: The sun shines through the clouds