“Hoo… It’s nice and warm.”
Latifa, wrapped in a long bath towel, was warming herself on the hot stones.
It seemed a bit late, as the maids, despite Latifa’s quick refusal to let them help with her hair and the suggestion to enjoy the sauna together, hurriedly retreated.
In the moist and warm hammam, only occasional sounds of small water droplets falling from the ceiling to the basin below could be heard, creating a soft, distant sound of a small rain shower.
“Tired, but the fragrance I used today makes me feel even more relaxed.”
Normally, she used aromatherapy oils or fragrances with refreshing fruity or subtle floral scents, but today, a rich vanilla fragrance mixed with lavender emanated from this hammam, as if it would be buried deep within.
Inhaling the sweet aroma that penetrated like the scent of fresh bread and feeling the warmth of the steam, Latifa pondered the day’s events. What lingered in her mind was ultimately Luhan.
“Luhan…”
The image of Luhan, with the tenderness of a man drawing someone in his mind, manifested in her thoughts.
“Was it really directed at me? Or did he have some other motive… I can’t be sure.”
No matter how the situation was, she couldn’t help the weak fluttering in her chest, reminiscent of the romances she had read countless times in books, where a prince and a poor girl fall in love.
“I don’t dislike Luhan. In fact, he’s a really good man. He’s kinder than Hades, doesn’t ignore or mock me. He doesn’t draw his sword or behave violently at the slightest provocation.”
The Luhan Latifa knew was genuinely a kind and wise person. When she was at the royal palace with Asti, he always sent maids to deliver healthy tonics and small snacks, and atop them, there was always a large, beautiful peony flower.
Even when she visited his prince’s quarters without warning, there was no sign of displeasure, and when she asked him to transcribe the heroic tale of Harsept, he welcomed Latifa without expressing any annoyance.
“He was so kind; I thought it was for Asti Princess and Hades’ dignity…”
Latifa wanted to meet Luhan in person. If she could ask him why he did what he did, it might bring a refreshing resolution.
“But I can’t ask Hades to let me meet him.”
She had a premonition that if she asked Hades, he would react with great anger.
“…I should be grateful if he only gets angry. As long as he doesn’t go crazy.”
“Who’s going crazy?”
“Kyaaah!”
Suddenly, a male voice rang out, and Latifa screamed, squeezing the towel tightly and crouching down.
“Be quiet; even small sounds echo here. Haha, you’re really… a white swan. Callep’s innkeepers’ tastes are truly… unpleasant.”
Familiar as it was, Hades’ voice was not suitable for being heard here, and Latifa only cautiously peeked her head out.
Hades, with only a towel draped over his lower body, was approaching, smirking.
“Hey, wait, Hades! This place is for women only!”
“I thought so until a moment ago…”
Without hesitation, he walked towards her, even stepping into the hammam area.
“I see.”
Hades sighed and took a seat near the edge.
“I thought I could enjoy the sauna here since the one I used to frequent has a bit of a problem.”
“And, I’ll be going now. Rest well.”
Latifa, feeling the tension, murmured her farewell and left the hammam.
Latifa tried to quickly get up and leave the place in that gap.
Thud.
“Sit.”
The strong hand that grabbed her white wrist, which was about to go down to the marble chin, was so overpowering.
“I already washed…”
“No need to rush because of me.”
“No, I really washed everything.”
‘I was just going to dry my wet hair a bit and leave!’
“Hah…”
In the steam that seemed to have risen a bit more, he exhaled loudly.
“Latifa. Do you know how the desert eagles detect and catch their prey on the sand from the distant sky in an instant?”
Latifa clutched the towel hanging on her chest, swallowing dry saliva.
“Oh, is it because of good eyesight?”
“It’s about sensing momentary stimuli. The slight tremors of the small prey as it runs away, the lingering traces in the sand, and the dense fur, all of these stimulate hungry eagles. So…”
Drip.
When a drop of water from the ceiling fell onto Hades’ sharp nose, he instinctively stuck out his long tongue and licked away the scattered droplet.
Latifa’s blue pupils moved quickly following that reddish stimulus.
“So, just stay here quietly. Don’t move too restlessly.”
The low laughter of the man and the well-proportioned upper body that was beginning to heat up beneath it were also a great stimulus to her.
“Ugh…”
Latifa quietly held her breath, not letting Hades notice.
As the steam rose a bit more, droplets began to flow along Hades’ well-defined abdomen, winding their way down like a river.
Sensing the stimulation, Latifa’s gaze continued to move along with it like a hunting eagle chasing its prey.
Yes, it was an irresistible instinct.
Was it the eagle, or was it her?
“No, Hades. I have to go out.”
As a droplet entered his round navel, Latifa, who had seen it all, barely regained her composure and firmly told him.
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
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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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