“……What did you say?”
But I couldn’t hear the answer.
Crash!
An expensive porcelain teacup and plates on a tray shattered as they fell to the floor.
I turned my head and saw Amy just staring at us, not even trying to clean up the mess.
‘I’m screwed.’
Due to William’s bombshell announcement, I had completely forgotten about Amy, who had been in the room the whole time.
‘William must have planned this.’
Otherwise, being the experienced knight that he is, he wouldn’t have spoken about such a sensitive matter in front of Amy.
He would have found an excuse to send her away.
“Uh, Holy Lady.”
Amy called me with a trembling voice.
“What’s all this about? It’s different from what’s known to the world… And you’re leaving?”
I avoided Amy’s gaze. I had thought that someday it might be revealed, but not like this.
But it was too late to backtrack now.
“His Highness has issued a decree.”
William quickly interjected, but Amy didn’t look at all convinced by his words.
“Still, if only…”
I had nothing to say. I had intentionally deceived everyone after all.
Even if I were to say it wasn’t my idea, it wouldn’t matter to Amy right now.
“I’m sorry, Amy.”
“……”
Silence ensued. Amy glanced back and forth between the two of us, and then muttered in a voice tinged with shock.
“So… everyone was deceived.”
“It must have been His Highness’s will.”
“Then His Highness is also at fault.”
“Amy!”
I tried to stop Amy quickly, but it was useless.
“I had served the Holy Lady diligently because I thought the Holy Lady was important to His Highness. But it was all a lie.”
Amy’s face flushed as she choked up.
“I’m sorry, Holy Lady. I… I can’t do this anymore.”
Head bowed, Amy ran out of the room.
“Wait, Amy!”
I stood up, feeling dizzy. William hurried over to support me.
“An unexpected reaction. It seems that the maid was more sincere toward the Holy Lady than we thought.”
I glared at him.
“Speak. Why are you doing this to me?”
Once the diplomatic mission is over, my act as the Holy Lady will also end. If William has a problem with Hades’ plan, he should talk to him directly.
But to barge into my room and drop a bombshell?
Especially in front of Amy?
I couldn’t understand it from any angle.
William solemnly responded.
“I simply thought this cannot go on.”
“What do you mean?”
“Holy Lady.”
William looked at me with serious eyes. His experienced gaze seemed to drill into people.
“Do you know His Highness well?”
“……No.”
“Then trust me. You must stay in the castle.”
I bit my lip.
I could have played the “limited time” card to gain his sympathy, but I wanted to dig deeper into William’s thoughts.
“His Highness… cherishes me? That’s a huge misconception.”
It wasn’t a simple denial. If Hades Croitner had such strong feelings for me, I would have known.
Unlike others, his feelings were instantly visible.
But Hades only harbored minor affection for me, and the ‘spark of doubt’ has not even been resolved yet.
‘That’s why William is wrong.’
But he must have a reason for his judgement, having observed Hades for so long. I wanted to hear that reason.
William bowed his head.
“I understand why you would think that. But there has never been anyone His Highness has regarded and thought of as highly as the Holy Lady.”
I frowned.
So, what does that mean…
‘Has he been acting like a loose cannon to everyone else until now?’
Hades was undoubtedly considerate toward me. But considering that I had to act like an affectionate lover, his kindness wasn’t particularly great.
I cleared my throat.
“Your Majesty knows that our relationship is a sham. Naturally, the kindness you show me is part of the act.”
“That’s not true.”
A faint smile crossed William’s face.
“You say that because you don’t know His Majesty. Really, if this was all an act…”
I wanted to hear the rest, but William stood up.
“Either way, discussing it now seems premature.”
“You’re the one who brought it up.”
“I was hasty. I apologize.”
William bowed his head.
“But don’t you have more pressing matters?”
I glared at him. There was indeed a farewell party to attend.
But I was annoyed that he used this fact so freely.
“I’ll call the new maids to prepare for the farewell party.”
‘Ah, Amy!’
I quickly reached out to him.
“Hold on. What about Amy? Don’t you have to placate her as well?”
“It’s too late to mitigate the situation now.”
William calmly responded.
“That maid is discreet and tightlipped, there’s no cause for concern.”
My head throbbed.
No, that’s not what’s important right now…!
But William was right that I needed to prepare for the farewell party.
“Fine.”
I nodded.
I had to address the immediate issue.
(This is a time separator.)
‘This is what they call simple?’
Both Amy and William had mentioned that the farewell party would be ‘simple.’
But the ballroom I was currently walking through was the epitome of opulence.
Considering the North is not keen on luxury, and the welcoming party was genuinely modest, this made me doubt their intentions.
‘Did they want to suppress their energy?’
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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