I Think My Daughter Has Regressed (7 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 1
#Prologue
My vision was filled with brittle, browned hair. Mother’s collapse—once as vibrant as a tree atop a hill lush with green leaves—was an utterly unbelievable sight, far more shocking than Father’s death.
With a parched throat, I barely managed to call out to her. Denying what I saw, insisting it must be wrong, I crawled toward her and reached out my hand.
“Mother….”
Her once-beautiful green eyes had lost their light. The lifeless gaze told a cruel, undeniable truth:
Mother was dead.
The mother who held your hand and laughed with you had left this world.
You were now… alone.
“Hhhk… Ugh! Aaaah!”
A desperate, scream-like cry spilled through my clenched teeth.
Not even when Father passed away and we were cast out from the ducal mansion we’d lived in our whole lives, nor when my younger brother Louis was pointed at and declared not Father’s true son—never in all those times had I felt such overwhelming grief and despair. It had always been alright. As long as Mother, who shielded me behind her slender back, remained. Just one worried glance from her small face was enough. No matter how much the world pointed fingers, it had been alright.
“Uncle Bruno….”
Next, I saw Uncle Bruno’s face, seemingly shocked by the scene. Beside him stood tiny Mother, still clutching Bruno’s arm tightly, and Jessica too.
No… that can’t be right.
No matter how much you dislike us, Uncle, you wouldn’t do something like this. Right?
“D-Doctor… Uncle….”
Bruno, whose lips trembled slightly, turned his head away. They all remained silent toward me as I held Mother’s blood-soaked body.
Ah…
“Tch. My gloves are stained with filthy blood.”
So it had all been planned.
A glove dropped with a soft thud, covering Mother’s face. When I brushed it away with trembling fingers, the man who had slain her casually flicked his sleeves.
“Will you… kill… the child too?”
Bruno glanced down quickly and asked the hooded man.
“Of course. Did you think I’d let her live after witnessing all this?”
“N-No, it’s just… Jessica, go inside.”
Bruno waved his hand and pushed Jessica toward the door.
“The sword has been discarded, and the scabbard must be buried along with it.”
A sword…? Was that a metaphor for Father?
Death’s shadow stepped boldly closer. This was the same reception room of the ducal mansion where I’d lived just a few years ago. When I lifted my head, the familiar chandelier’s light illuminated the hooded figure. At the same moment, the raised sword gleamed with a sharp glint.
Ah, if there is a god…
If there truly is a god…
Closing my eyes, tears streamed down my cheeks.
With that, a sharp pain pierced my chest, and my upper body collapsed forward. When I faintly opened my eyes with what little consciousness remained…
I only saw three tiny dots marked on the bare hand of the man who had held the sword.
“Burn the gloves as well.”
“Yes, understood.”
Mother…
I twitched a finger, but that was all.
Behind the lifeless mother and daughter, the hooded figure turned his back completely.
#Chapter 1. A Trophy, Not a Daughter
A woman is a man’s trophy.
“You’ll be the finest trophy displayed in a duke’s showcase.”
Even the moment the white veil was placed upon my head, those words—so familiar they’d formed calluses in my ears—spilled again from Father’s lips. Trophy. The finest among them. The highest praise Father ever gave Ariel.
Perhaps because I’d heard this since childhood,
Ariel shyly smiled and nodded at Father’s words. If becoming the most beautiful, finest trophy in my future husband’s collection sounded nice, then it was exciting to imagine how proud he’d be, how joyfully my presence would brighten his face.
“Waaah… Waaah…”
That was how I felt—until I gave birth to my daughter.
My daughter’s hot body and face, crying loudly in my arms, her pulse vividly alive—when I held her amid the midwife’s regretful frown, an undefined dread welled up inside Ariel.
A trophy. Not a daughter—a trophy.
She would cry like this at first, but soon forget how to cry, forget how to laugh freely. A proper lady must never open her mouth too wide or show raw emotion. She must always honor her husband…
My heart pounded wildly. The moment Ariel projected her own lifelong, supposedly content existence onto her daughter, nausea rose in her throat.
Why? Why?
Why this nausea?
I married the Empire’s most prestigious groom as the ultimate trophy. Why—when not a single soul didn’t envy me—why do I feel this way…?
Seeing Ariel’s face go pale, the midwife quickly softened her expression and comforted her.
“Oh dear, Madam. You’ve worked so hard. It would’ve been easier on your mind if your first had been a son. But they say a daughter is actually suitable for a first child—you can raise her properly. Nowadays, having a daughter first is fine. They claim the youngest should be a son so the eldest daughter can care for him well.”
Hearing words her own mother must have heard before, Ariel lifted her head. The midwife’s face blurred—it was all hazy. Feeling uneasy about her daughter’s pulse against her skin, Ariel immediately ordered the midwife to take the child away.
Yet even as she leaned her exhausted body against the pillow, Ariel’s eyes never left her daughter.
“No. Give me back my child.”
“Oh dear, Madam. In your current state? You must rest immediately. When the Duke returns, you’ll need to bear him a son next.”
“…Give me the child.”
In the end, Ariel held her daughter close and smiled gently. Yes—my daughter, above all else.
*
My husband, Damian, was busy. As a duke, many sought him out, and as the Empire’s sword, his duties were naturally heavy. During our years of marriage, the number of times he fully rested at the ducal mansion could be counted on one hand.
He missed every milestone: when our child rolled over, walked alone, and first called me “Mama.” Though he’d just returned after years of war, he left again within days for a rebellion across the sea and spent another half-year on the battlefield.
His tired face bore sun-scorched skin, now even darker than before.
“Daddy?”
Hearing that unfamiliar word from my child’s lips, Ariel flinched. The tiny hand gripping mine squirmed, clearly wanting to rush forward but holding back. Meeting a father she’d barely seen before was surely too overwhelming to simply run into his arms.
“Damian. You must be exhausted from your long journey. Go rest quickly.”
Yet Ariel herself wasn’t much different from her daughter. After months apart, her closeness to her husband wasn’t notably greater just because she was his wife. He always treated her respectfully as Duchess, but his naturally taciturn demeanor made him hard to approach. He’d welcomed her warmly during their honeymoon, though he never seemed truly fond of her. Now, it was clear he only wanted to bathe and lie down in his room to rest his weary body.
The only thing he actively sought from her was her body.
That was fortunate, perhaps. Thanks to that, her daughter had been born—and to Ariel, that daughter had become more precious than her own life.
“Lucy.”
Ariel’s voice calling her child was gentle. Lucy’s green eyes, staring up at her mother, sparkled brightly. People often said first daughters inherited their fathers’ looks, so they called Lucy “little Damian.” Yet those eyes were the same vivid green as Ariel’s.
“Mama.”
When Ariel opened her arms wide, the child nestled into her embrace. A radiant smile instantly lit Ariel’s face. As she turned with her daughter in arms, Damian called out from behind.
“Ariel. Come to the bedroom.”
“…What? Yes.”
Unconsciously frowning, Ariel hugged Lucy tighter. Must he really speak like that right in front of the child? She was still too young to understand, yet…
“And Ariel.”
Just as Damian called again and Ariel quickly composed her expression,
“I heard there’s no tutor for the child.”
Ariel flinched and clutched Lucy even tighter. Anxiety squeezed her throat until her fingertips trembled.
Noticing her mother’s distress, Lucy quietly looked across at her father. It was as if she already knew exactly who’d unsettled her mother, without a word spoken.
“Damian, I’ll raise the child myself. As you know, Lucy is still young, and I can easily care for her without a governess.”
“They say it’s become gossip in high society—that the Duke of Genova’s household raises a child without a single tutor. They say you’ve abandoned your rightful place in society under the Duchess of Genova’s name, hiding away in the ducal mansion solely to raise your child. Do you truly believe it’s right for the Duke of Genova’s household to become a laughingstock outside because of you alone?”
“Damian, I’m sorry. But…”
“Leave the child to the nursemaid and do your own duties.”
His words were flawless—so why did my chest ache as if being torn apart? The answer was already decided, yet my lips wouldn’t part to speak it. Just as I barely nodded in submission,
“…Daddy bad. Making Mama sad.”
At the indignant voice, Ariel’s gaze dropped. Lucy, clinging tightly to her neck, stared straight at Damian and scolded him with her tiny lips.
“…No wonder she’s ill-mannered, raised without a tutor.”
At Damian’s words, Ariel’s eyes widened in shock and her brows knotted sharply.
How could a mere seven-year-old understand manners? Ill-mannered? Ariel quickly covered one of Lucy’s ears. She decided to put the child to bed immediately and firmly ask Damian to watch his words. But Lucy’s voice came faster than Ariel’s hurried steps.
“You didn’t even greet Mama or me after such a long time! You’re ill-mannered! Y-you… stone! Stone Daddy!”
Ariel froze, only now realizing how loud Lucy’s voice could be. Yet for some reason, she felt slightly proud of her daughter’s clear way of expressing herself. The metaphor was apt, too—stone. Come to think of it, Damian did resemble a stone: hard and silent.
But now wasn’t the time to show pride. Calling her father ill-mannered? The child had already picked up another phrase from Damian—quick learner, my daughter. No, this wasn’t the time for pride.
“Damian. We’ll talk later.”
In the silence where even the servants stood frozen, Ariel’s voice rang out.
*
Back in Lucy’s room, Ariel gently set her daughter down. She softly grasped the child’s shoulders, looked into her face, and called her name—intending to explain that speaking such words to her father was impolite.
“Lucy.”
But tears welled in the child’s large eyes as her lips trembled.
“I waited for Daddy… but Daddy…”
At those unexpected words, Ariel squeezed her eyes shut. Her child had waited for her father, only to find him frightening upon his return—how deeply must she have been hurt? Clumsy in expressing herself, she’d lashed out at her father to convey her disappointment.
Without thinking, Ariel pulled her close and patted Lucy’s back.
“Daddy loves Lucy too. But he just returned from sea today, so he’s very tired and exhausted—that’s all.”
“Really? But I said mean things to Daddy.”
“Yes. I’ll talk to him well about it. But Lucy mustn’t say such things to Daddy again. Understood?”
“…Yes. I’ll be sure to hold back next time.”
Seeing her daughter nod, tears instantly filled Ariel’s eyes. Why was her daughter so delicate yet so clever? She could’ve cried her heart out in frustration, yet she understood her mother’s feelings so well—it was almost too much.
“Mama.”
“Yes?”
“You know what? Benjamin from the Orsini Marquess household said that when Daddy comes back, I’ll get a little sibling.”
Ariel’s lips fell silent at Lucy’s sudden statement.
“I want a little sibling too! Now that Daddy’s back, will I get one soon? Will there be one tomorrow?”
“Well… siblings come when Mama and Daddy offer sincere prayers to the heavens from our room. That’s probably what Benjamin meant. So no one knows exactly when one will come—it depends on the heavens’ will.”
“So I came from the heavens too?”
“Of course! You’re our little angel, Lucy—sent down by the heavens because Mama wished for you so, so deeply!”
“Wow! I see!”
Still glistening with unshed tears, Lucy beamed. Ariel wiped her daughter’s tears and smiled along with her.
“Mama… can I pray together too? I’ll pray really, really hard!”
“…Ah, no! Only Mama and Daddy can offer that prayer. If someone else is nearby, the heavens might get angry and terrible things could happen. So Lucy must sleep soundly, so Mama can comfortably offer sincere prayers to the heavens.”
“Gasp! Then I’ll lie down and sleep right away! But… what if Daddy gets mad at me and refuses to pray with you?”
Though she couldn’t imagine such a thing happening, Ariel frantically searched for an answer. Maybe if she said she’d persuade him…
“No. Daddy loves offering prayers with Mama very much, so it’ll be alright.”
At the voice from behind, Ariel nearly screamed.
“Damian…?”
She couldn’t understand why her husband, looking at mother and daughter, wore that faint, bitter smile.
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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Chapter Comments (30)
Inline Comments (5)
“…Your job is to come to my bedroom, and Lucy can be raised by a nanny. Besides,
Boy u better shut up before i slap you. Acting like some sperm donor🙄
He had no desire to see her turn away from him again with that sullen, disappoin
I think this novel is very good and I love their relationship
He had no desire to see her turn away from him again with that sullen, disappoin
So cute 😍 please I love this family so much
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Omg this fantastic I can stop reading it every time it so beautiful
I see that Lucy is guiding her tutor to discover the truth and realize that he is being manipulated.
Poor Ariel, I know her daughter Lucy would have ways to resolve that situation peacefully, but she went to extremes 😅 Poor mother, I imagine the next episode will show the anguish she’s carrying in that situation, especially since Lucy is under Ariel’s care.