Wedding anniversary.
From the early dawn, there was a rustling noise in the couple’s bedroom.
Se Ah, who woke up from sleep, turned on the stand light and sat leaning against the bed head. Kang Woo, who was fixing his tie, looked back at her.
“Did you wake up because of me?”
“No, I just woke up early because I fell asleep early yesterday.”
As usual, Kang Woo was in perfect suit attire.
His crisp white shirt and flowing pants didn’t have a single crease.
The neat cufflinks shone from the sleeve holding his briefcase.
“Are you leaving for work already?”
“Yes. Go back to sleep.”
“Did you get home late last night?”
“A little past midnight. When I got home, you were sleeping.”
There was no hint of resentment in his voice. He just stated the fact in a heavy bass tone.
He was a man who was clean without a single gap, but his tie was slightly skewed. When Se Ah stood in front of him, Kang Woo slightly lifted his long eyes.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
“Your tie is a little skewed.”
“Is that so?”
“……A little to the left…….”
For the first time after their marriage, she hesitated before reaching out to him.
Under his thick neck, she carefully inserted her hand into the collar of his white shirt and straightened it.
As Kang Woo’s gaze subtly darkened, Se Ah quickly pulled back her hand.
“I’ll be late today.”
“Mr. Kang Woo. Today…….”
“If you have something to say, say it. What’s the matter, you stopped midway.”
Kang Woo spoke without intonation as he raised his wrist to check the time.
“I’ll talk later. Sorry for holding you back when you’re busy.”
Even without asking, his gaze was a sufficient answer. That she would not be able to spend the day with him.
“It’s bland. I’ll be going.”
Kang Woo said lightly as he turned around. His height, close to 190cm, made even the indoor ceiling not seem so high. He just watched his broad shoulders and the black suit that fell straight from them wrap around his dignified movements.
He completely disappeared from the entrance and the lock clicked shut.
When she turned around, there was a shopping bag on the tea table that she hadn’t seen last night. A dress, a watch, a handbag, and so on. All sorts of luxury goods came out of the shopping bag.
He did remember that it was their wedding anniversary.
She thought he wouldn’t know because he hadn’t mentioned it once until now. He’s still so engrossed in work that he can’t even spend a day like today together.
So, it was a relief.
((()))((()))((()))
In Cheongdamdong, Kang Woo’s hometown. Se Ah checked her outfit one more time in front of the imposing gate.
Every time she visited her inlaws once a week, she felt tense.
She wore an Hline dress that came down to her knees, stockings that didn’t show her skin, and all the luxury items on her body, but the logo should not be noticeable. She tied her hair neatly and added elegance with lightcolored makeup.
“Has the young madam arrived?”
The maids standing in a long line at the entrance bowed their heads to Se Ah.
“Have you been well?”
Se Ah looked around with a smiling face and greeted everyone around. Everyone but Young Cheon dispersed in all directions.
“Where’s mother?”
“She’s on her way back from attending a charity bazaar with the congressman.”
“Yes.”
Young Cheon tasted a sip of the fig tea she brought and put it down quietly.
Just then, the intercom rang and the surroundings moved tumultuously. Se Ah also swallowed dryly along with them.
“Madam, the congressman has returned.”
“Yes.”
Se Ah straightened the hem of her dress and stood at the front of the entrance. She was already breaking out in a cold sweat and her breath was short.
“Se Ah, have you been well?”
“Yes. Has mother been well too?”
As always, Hyun Suk gently stroked Se Ah’s shoulder with a kind voice. And then.
“Father, have you been well?”
Nam Tae didn’t respond this way or that, but the corners of his eyes mechanically went down and back up. It was a glance to check her attire.
Nam Tae’s jacket and briefcase were passed from Hyun Suk to Young Cheon.
“Where’s Kang Woo?”
“He seems too busy with work to come.”
“A man doing business is always busy. It’s good enough you came on his behalf.”
“Yes.”
They headed straight to the dining room.
Even during the meal, the tension didn’t easily subside. Not only voices, but even the sound of picking up utensils was hardly heard.
“I suppose there’s no news of a child?”
Once a month, Nam Tae asked Se Ah the same question. But it was the first time he asked in front of others.
“Yes.”
As before, it was hard for Se Ah to properly see the corners of his eyes. His sharp gaze seemed to penetrate people’s hearts.
“Congressman, it’s been a year since the kids got married.”
HyunSook carefully dissuaded NamTae, glancing at SeAh.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it if it doesn’t happen over time.”
NamTae slightly twisted his lips and laughed hollowly.
“If the child was meant to be, it would have naturally happened. Wasting time and money in vain, the parties involved only suffer.”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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