“The palace?”
I explained in detail what I saw and experienced during the expedition. Starting from the two knights from the Riley family and the researcher Gael, who was also involved in horse studies, to the meaningful words left by Gael.
“He warned me to be careful of the Riley family. I asked what that meant several times, but he just said he couldn’t say more.”
Ian said, narrowing his forehead.
“If they are involved with the horse researcher, their connection is probably through the Red Sea.”
“Gael even hurriedly checked what the Riley family knights were discarding, saying it was wine. Gael must know what was in that courage.”
“If you meet the horse researcher, you may hear his thoughts, but you can’t use that as evidence. The reason I didn’t go to the Emperor even after hearing the Empress’s thoughts was… because there was no solid evidence.”
His words were correct. Ian did uncover the truth of the past by hearing the Empress’s thoughts, but there was no evidence to expose everything in front of others.
“Does the Emperor not know that you can hear the thoughts?”
“He knows. So please believe me, but the problem is that there are many spies of the Riley family within the palace. The person they pay the most attention to is undoubtedly the Empress.”
Ian, who had tilted his head to the side, ruffled his hair as it was. As if thinking of something he didn’t want to imagine, he spoke in a lower voice.
“If the Empress tries to uncover the truth about your mother’s death, it might reach the Empress’s ears… and the Emperor might be in danger as well.”
“Surely not the Emperor…”
“He is someone who can do that without hesitation.”
He said without any hesitation. After all, it was the Empress who boldly tried to kill both Rose and Ian within the palace. If cornered, the Emperor would not be an exception.
“Then what should we do? Should we find evidence first?”
“Yes. But it won’t be easy. When my mother was bedridden, I called all the imperial physicians, but no matter what medicine she took, she didn’t get better, and we couldn’t even know the cause. We couldn’t find out the cause until the end.”
The case was the same with Rosevelia’s mother, Lilliana. She suffered for a while, coughing up blood at one point, and then lost her life. Poison was not detected in the blood either.
So, she said it was a disease with an unknown cause.
“What secret is there in that medicine?”
“Finding out about that medicine is crucial. First, we need to find out what connection there is between that horse researcher and the Riley family. We also need to investigate that person in detail.”
Ian’s gaze was still full of anger, but his voice was surprisingly calm.
“Okay, that sounds good.”
“Since I know a horse researcher, how about meeting that person first?”
“Is it someone reliable?”
“Yes. Even if they have different thoughts inside, I can find out, so you don’t need to worry.”
A horse researcher working in the same department as Gael.
When asked when he could meet that person, Ian casually replied that it could be today. Ian, who gently took my hand, then folded his eyes lightly.
“Rose, I have a place to go with you. We should go there today.”
“Where is it?”
“I’ll tell you when we get there. It’s a place where we can talk freely without worrying about someone eavesdropping.”
“Here is…”
It was a three-story mansion with a small garden and backyard, located a bit away from the square. Due to its small size, it felt like a villa where nobles would temporarily stay.
“This is where my mother lived.”
“What?”
“My mother’s ancestral home is far from the capital. So when there was business in the capital, she used to rent this mansion.”
“So you stayed here until you became the Empress?”
“That’s right. I heard that the Empress bought this mansion when my mother was still the Viscountess. It’s the only place where my mother’s touch remains.”
Until yesterday, it must have been just a place of memories. However, now that I knew the truth about Violet’s death, various emotions were expected to intertwine.
Approaching Ian, who was gazing at the mansion with tightly pressed lips, I held his hand tightly. Ian, who seemed surprised, squeezed my fingertips and soon firmly clasped my hand.
“I’ve never brought anyone here before.”
“…”
“Someday, Rose, I wanted to come here with you. I never thought it would be for a reason like this.”
Smiling bitterly, Ian rummaged in his pocket and took out a long-shaped key. As soon as he inserted the key into the lock and turned it, the door opened with a click.
Following Ian inside, the interior smelled of sunlight on wood. Despite the absence of people, it felt warm, as if warmth lingered.
“Who takes care of this separately?”
“There’s a small cottage in the backyard. A maid who followed my mother from her family’s home lives there and manages the mansion.”
It was a fleeting moment, but Ian’s lips softened smoothly.
“Can I look around?”
“Feel free to.”
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
