If Artia hadn’t stopped him, Kasus might have strangled Countess Harald to death right there.
Artia spoke to the surprised doctor.
“This matter should be kept between us, and for now, let’s keep it a secret.”
“…Yes, yes. I understand.”
The doctor’s expression wasn’t good, perhaps feeling uneasy about touching the body of Countess Harald related to dark magic.
Although he had lived a life as a doctor in the palace for decades, this was the first time he had encountered such a case.
‘When will she wake up?’
Artia wanted to ask Countess Harald about everything that had happened from start to finish right away, but the countess lay unconscious on the bed.
Cold sweat flowed from her collapsed body.
Artia asked the doctor.
“By the way, is she still alive? It’s not like she can never wake up lying down like this, right?”
After examining various parts of the countess’s body, the doctor raised his eyebrows with a dark expression.
“Her body is already too damaged. It’s doubtful whether she can wake up… First, I’ll administer a recovery sedative. It contains a calming agent, so she should feel better.”
“Yes, please do that.”
The doctor put a syringe into her arm.
Artia and Kasus watched as the recovery sedative was administered to her body.
‘Why did she come to the gym? Could it be because of the saying that it’s good for health?’
Artia pondered, casting a glance at the bracelet taken from the countess’s wrist.
Perhaps she stole the bracelet and came to the gym.
“Now the problem is what happens next. You need to put effort into her care. Using recovery sedatives continuously is a basic necessity.”
“…It seems like a lot of trouble.”
Artia touched her forehead.
After a while, when the doctor left, Artia looked at the dying Countess Harald.
When she first saw her face at the banquet, it wasn’t to this extent. Perhaps it was because she was heavily made up and adorned back then.
Now, she was nothing short of a barely breathing corpse.
‘What kind of condition is her body in?’
Artia covered her upper body with a blanket.
Perhaps due to the administration of the recovery sedative, Countess Harald’s complexion seemed to have brightened slightly.
Kasus, with cold eyes, stared down at Countess Harald and narrowed his eyes.
“Using dark magic tends to ruin the body. She probably received punishment for it.”
“Wouldn’t it be too much if she just dies like this?”
“…”
“If it goes like this, I’ll feel wronged.”
It was necessary to find out what had happened so far.
Even if she later woke up and claimed not to remember using dark magic, confessing that she used it herself would not be convincing.
“It seems like she used dark magic on others, not just me. Since she didn’t like her husband giving attention to other women.”
As read in the original work, Countess Harald was extremely obsessed with her husband.
So, on days when he didn’t come home or when he met another woman, someone would inevitably be harassed, and objects would be thrown.
Artia, as the only illegitimate child, had to endure all her wickedness while living in the count’s mansion.
If only Countess had been like that, it would have been better. But as she mistreated her own children, Artia had no room to breathe.
“…”
Kasus unconsciously placed the edge of his hand on Countess Harald’s neck.
Recalling the pain Artia experienced at the hands of the countess, his body moved involuntarily.
A slender neck.
With just a little force, it could easily twist.
The flame of life, which had barely attached itself, could be easily extinguished by Kasus if he decided to do so here.
“Kasus…”
Looking at Kasus, who seemed like he could twist her neck at any moment, Artia lowered her head.
“…Let’s calm down first and wait a bit.”
Only then did Kasus retract his outstretched hand.
“An indescribable emotion.”
A low and cool voice echoed in the room.
“I knew you had done something terrible.”
“…”
“Now that you’ve confessed to using dark magic, it’s actually a good thing.”
“How much did you overuse it to end up like this? It’s probably not even dark magic cast on my body.”
Looking at the black snake pattern slightly visible between the countess’s clothes, Artia said, “Since your body is ruined, you’ve come here as a last resort. My gym has such a fast reputation. Since it’s said to be good for health, you would do anything, right?”
“Well, if there were no other ways, I suppose so.”
Kasus had decided to investigate because the count’s visits had increased due to his excessive lust.
However, there was only one illegitimate child, Artia.
“There are more than a few strange points. We’ll ask when she wakes up.”
“To prevent her from dying, we have to save her somehow.”
Artia was determined to save Countess Harald at all costs.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Countess Harald woke up from her sleep, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
“Where is this…”
The faint vision gradually became clear.
She was wearing thin pajamas.
No matter how much she thought, she had no memory of wearing something like this.
Raising her head, she looked around the small room. On the shelf were the coat and muffler she had been wearing.
“?
Her head throbbed.
Countess Harald got up from the bed and walked to the door with unsteady steps.
Creak.
Upon opening the door, a strong light blinded her.
Adapting to the sudden beam of light, when she looked, not far away, a silver-haired woman was looking at her.
She was wearing clothes that clung closely to her body.
The countess’s mouth slightly opened as she met her black eyes.
“You…”
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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