“If she did this job half-heartedly because she was dissatisfied with the salary, then I’d rather give her a higher salary and ask her to work properly.”
Dia’s face turned red with embarrassment. Cedric, who glanced at her, said,
“It was urgent this time.”
“Even if it was urgent, it’s difficult at this level.”
That’s how Jen went up to the study, leaving Dia behind. Cedric escorted her to her room.
Alone in her room, Dia quietly shed tears.
‘What am I good at? I’m really pathetic.’
Dia, who was belittling herself, looked at the moon, barely visible through her tears.
‘Jen is not a bad person. His lack of affection is not intentional; he just doesn’t know how to do anything other than mimic it.’
If she puts effort into approaching him affectionately and makes him sigh less, wouldn’t he eventually come to her as well? Show her awkward affection?
‘Could he show clumsy sincerity instead of falsely mimicked false affection?’
That’s how Dia came to desire Jen.
Thinking about all of this, Debra furrowed her brow.
‘Mrs. Baker is really unlucky.’
She didn’t even want to call her Mrs. Baker. She just wanted to call him Jen Baker.
In the story, Jen Baker seemed different from the Jen Debra knew. How could they be so different?
‘No. Just in case. If the young lady makes a mistake at this party, he might show that sharp side.’
Even if this party wasn’t the party where the Burned Duke appeared, it was Jen’s first formal social party. It was supposed to be a very sensitive event.
‘By the way, isn’t Mr. Baker amazing? Attending a social party after marrying into nobility without any rise in status.’
Whether it’s through a loophole or attending formally, it would probably be the first time in Grazian history.
‘It’s better not to make a mistake. For the young lady and for Mrs. Baker.’
For this, everyone had to make an effort, and Debra was included among them.
“Sigh…”
Debra, taking a deep breath, knocked on the door, and a familiar voice was heard.
“Come in.”
As soon as Debra opened the door, Cedric, who smiled brightly at her, said,
“Miss Leopold. I’m sorry for being busy.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Miss Debra’s visits are always welcome.”
“Ah, it’s so nice of you to say that.”
Smiling with narrowed eyes, Debra held out the stiff documents she brought.
“I picked out some nice things from the catalog. Also, I wrote down other necessary items.”
“You’re fast. I’ll get ready quickly too.”
“Please. Especially for things like dresses, you might need to see them in person, and adjustments might be necessary.”
Cedric placed the documents neatly on the desk and said,
“Hmm. You must be flustered suddenly getting busy, right?”
“Well, I’m fine, but it seems that Miss and Mrs. Brown…”
Debra remembered their faces when she met them right after coming back from her outing.
‘They looked as pale as people who had their souls sucked by a ghost.’
Smiling faintly, Debra said,
“But Mrs. Brown is an amazing person. She changed the curriculum right away.”
Until now, Irene had been conducting classes with the goal of building basic knowledge. You needed a solid foundation to build a building.
But suddenly, a party.
Irene started teaching based on what was immediately visible.
For example, the way to smile, the way to gaze, and even the way to hold a fan or clasp a partner’s fist.
Indeed, the actions of young ladies and noble ladies were methods laden with intentions, even for something as simple as smiling. The fan was the most explicit expression, and depending on how partners clasped fists, it could indicate how the two people wanted to appear to others.
“Dancing is the simplest. If you can’t dance without any special meaning, then you just can’t dance, and if you dance well, it’s just that you dance well.”
Cedric nodded his head and said, “The development of such implicit rules means that high society is a competitive place. Well, nobles also have a hard time.”
The front part was sincere, and the latter part was sarcastic. Debra closed her eyes in agreement.
“Oh, there’s another favor I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Could I be introduced to a man who dances well? It would be better if he’s around Mr. Baker’s height.”
“You’re looking for a practice partner.”
Debra nodded.
It would be great if Jen could be her practice partner, but how could she ask when she knew he was busy?
“Hmm…”
Cedric, who had been lost in thought for a moment, smiled his characteristic kind smile and said, “If you let me know when you’d like to practice dancing, I’ll try to arrange the schedule.”
Arrange the schedule? Debra felt something strange in Cedric’s words, but she quickly accepted it as a meaning to adjust the schedules of the newcomers and told him the time.
And today, during the dance class, Cedric came to find Debra, no, Dia.
“I guess I’m the best dancer here.”
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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