Carson’s forehead wrinkled.
“So please wait a little longer. Until I become whole. Until I become someone who can stand by your side at any time.”
He didn’t hastily tell her that she didn’t need to become whole. Even when she was kneeling, even now, at this moment, being a maid, she couldn’t say to him that she was perfect in herself.
Ines felt that he wouldn’t want that.
“How long?”
So Carson urged Ines.
Even though she thought it was annoying to keep waiting for him, she couldn’t help but tell him to come quickly instead of saying that she was getting impatient.
Ines hurriedly responded to his demand to set a deadline.
“I can’t give you an exact answer. But, still, I will do my best.”
“Do I just have to wait?”
“Yes.”
He tried to embrace Ines. At that moment, she felt she might ruin or dirty his clothes. So, unknowingly, she avoided him. Carson frowned at her obvious rejection.
“I’m dirty.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean… My clothes might be dirty.”
He sighed deeply and hugged her anyway.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Ines always vowed within his warm embrace. She would strive to be a person who could stay confidently by his side, no matter the situation. Instead of hating her past self, she would move forward for the future. She gained confidence that she could do it.
As long as he waited for her.
“Next time, tell me no matter what the situation. Shout if I’m too far away.”
“…”
“Promise. This is just a phenomenon where I can’t breathe. Even while striving to become whole, there’s no need to deliberately endure painful moments. It’s like taking medicine.”
“Yes.”
That day, Carson didn’t return to the banquet hall. There was no other way but to comfort her in his arms, as if she couldn’t breathe freely, feeling like she was something filthy.
Three days later, people from the Carson Estate began a massive move towards Monstera.
In the first carriage led by knights were Carson, his aide, and Louis, who looked quite bored.
“Thirty knights, ten maids, including temple maids, seven specialists in handling iron, twenty stewards, and twenty horse handlers, including a coach carrying seventeen carriages and a total of eighty-eight horses.”
As some carriages were double, there were many horses. The maids and stewards were naturally riding on the supply wagon pulled by a single horse.
“The maids and stewards are scheduled to return to Monstera after detoxifying. We made it so that those who want can stay.”
“How’s the situation over there?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but the scale of the castle is larger than here.”
“What about Grandel?”
“It looks like she has already returned to the Hwangseong.”
“That was quick.”
“She must have wanted to return to normal as soon as possible, considering she stayed in Byeonhwaek for so long.”
“If she went to Byeonhwaek, she should die in Byeonhwaek.”
“Don’t even joke about that.”
“If she dies, it’s my death, what does it matter to you?”
Carson casually put a candy he always kept in his pocket into his mouth. It was a bitter candy made with herbs, refreshing his mouth. At that moment, Louis grabbed his arm and looked up.
“Why, Louis?”
His expression noticeably softened.
“Don’t eat that. Ines is worried.”
As soon as he heard her name, his heart made a thumping sound like a habit. Finding his own reaction amusing, he smirked.
“Ines is?”
“Yes, on days you eat a lot of those, she said you eat less for your meals.”
“Alright, just this much for today.”
He pointed to his mouth and laughed like a spring breeze. Watching him, Noah lost focus again. It wasn’t even a smile she showed him, but it was a bewitching expression that made him quickly forget the bitter sound he heard earlier.
“Um, can I go to where Ines is?”
“Do you want to go?”
“Yes.”
He suddenly laughed brightly.
“If our Louis wants to go, let’s go. Noah, prepare a double carriage so that Louis can ride. Make sure the temple people can ride too.”
Since a while ago, the comfortable chair he was sitting on felt uncomfortable. When will this woman come and sit next to me? Although she was the one walking tirelessly, today the man waiting felt more anxious.
Noah went outside, fulfilled Carson’s order, and returned to his seat.
“Soon, the daughter of Count Grandel will be referred to as the Crown Princess.”
“Our Empress originally has a clear calculation. So what will happen to the current Crown Princess?”
“As she hasn’t produced an heir, there is a high possibility of being immediately removed.”
“Disgusting people.”
“Being in a political marriage without love prioritizes mutual interests.”
“Is there nothing between people other than love? There’s loyalty and responsibility, right?”
“As you know, I’m not familiar with such emotions.”
‘What a good follower.’ Whispering like that, he buried himself deeply and gave orders again.
“Since it’s difficult for everyone to move together, divide the party into three.”
“Isn’t it risky if the knights decrease?”
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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