“I, Leah Hamilton, love Allen. Even if the world points fingers at us, we’re going to marry and live happily ever after.”
The Hamilton merchant family of the Galdensia Empire had been a line of merchants for generations.
Starting as a wool trader in the countryside, they now traded with distant continents, handling all sorts of goods and growing into a massive enterprise.
And today was the wedding day of Leah Hamilton, the sole heiress of the Hamilton merchant family.
“Lady, shall I add more makeup?”
Sara hurriedly brought cosmetics.
“No, this amount of makeup and dress is perfect.”
Leah decided to finish her preparations and then stood in front of a full-length mirror to check her appearance.
“I want to be a bride fitting for Allen’s stature. Elegant and dignified, this is just right.”
Marrying Allen, a nobleman, she didn’t want to get caught up in scandals.
A wealthy merchant marrying a nobleman, flaunting wealth…
Indeed, there had been much talk about her marriage to Allen.
Every newspaper in the capital criticized Allen for choosing money over noble pride.
“Lady Leah, it’s time to head to the ceremony.”
Only then did Leah realize she was actually getting married to Allen. Her bouquet trembled in her hands.
Just then, the door opened, and a man appeared.
“Allen!”
“Leah.”
Shining blond hair, blue eyes, handsome features, and a tall figure.
Dressed in a splendid ceremonial outfit, nobility oozed from him.
He truly seemed like a scion of a distinguished noble family.
There was no trace of the hardship of a poor noble family.
“My princess, I have come to escort you.”
“How gallant of you, my prince.”
As the reality of her impending wedding set in, Leah tried to lighten the mood with an exaggerated joke.
“But really, is it alright for you to be this beautiful?”
“What…? Oh, Allen.”
Leah’s heart felt like bursting under Allen’s intense gaze.
Could there be another woman as happy as her in the world?
Finally, Allen extended his hand to her.
“Shall we go, my goddess?”
“Please, refrain from such words. People will laugh.”
“What does it matter? What can’t I say to the woman I love?”
The wedding was perfect in every way.
Lavish and grand, most of the guests were prominent nobles of the Galdensia Empire.
That was until the wedding aisle was brutally trampled by the thunderous steps of the chief of the royal guards.
They turned Leah’s wedding into hell in an instant.
“A large quantity of dried poppy flowers, used to make drugs, was found on a Hamilton merchant ship that docked yesterday. We have secured the evidence, related personnel, and documents. You all need to come with us to the royal guard headquarters.”
The chief’s announcement caused an uproar among the guests.
Smuggling, especially of poppy flowers, was a grave crime in the Galdensia Empire. Even the Hamiltons couldn’t escape unscathed.
The worst-case scenario could mean execution.
“Come with us, Richard Hamilton.”
As the guards moved to restrain Richard, Allen began to slowly lead Leah towards the back door of the wedding hall.
“Allen! My father…!”
“Leah, we need to get away.”
“But!”
“The chief of the royal guards acting means the E
“Look at me straight! Leah Hamilton!”
Allen grabbed Leah’s shoulders and yelled. He took a breath and then spoke in a calm tone.
“Richard Hamilton asked me to ensure your safety at all costs, in case anything untoward happened.”
“What?”
Just then, a carriage appeared as if it had been prepared in advance.
“Go to the countryside for now. The coachman will take you to Anka.”
“What about you, Allen?”
“I have to save your father. I’ll find you after sorting everything out here.”
At that moment, Leah burst into tears, overwhelmed by a sudden rush of fear and dread.
Allen pulled her into a hug, kissed her hurriedly, and then helped her into the carriage.
“Wait for me. I promise I’ll come for you.”
“Allen…!”
Leah called out to him as he grew distant, her face pressed against the carriage window.
The carriage was still racing through the darkness.
Where in the countryside could they be heading that required such relentless driving?
Leah wiped her tears with the back of her hand and opened the carriage window, letting in the cold night air.
But she couldn’t recognize the location.
The carriage was taking rugged, lampless paths, probably to avoid royal guard patrols.
Suddenly, there was a thud outside, and the carriage jolted violently, as if the horses had been detached.
Leah quickly peered out the window.
“My God!”
She was horrified to see that the horses and coachman were gone, leaving the carriage hurtling down a slope, heading straight for a cliff.
“No!”
Leah screamed, trying to escape the carriage by pushing the door open.
With a jolt, the door swung open, and the rear wheel of the carriage broke off.
It was heading straight for a precipice.
She wanted to jump out, but the carriage was moving too fast to even consider it.
‘I have to jump.’
Staying meant falling off the cliff trapped in the carriage.
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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