Rumors travel a thousand miles without feet, and the whole Astel domain was abuzz with talk that Serena’s groomtobe had arrived.

The blackhaired prince who appeared today was said to be that groom, and there were also rumors that he would become the new lord of Astel.

“Why!”

Serena, having finished dinner, poured out her anger at the crown prince as soon as she heard the report from Peter.

“By hiding his identity in the first place, this makes no sense at all!”

“The subjects still only know him as an aristocratic knight.”

At Peter’s words, Anna nodded as if to agree.

“Yes. If they had known the crown prince’s identity, the subjects would not have dared to say anything to His Highness in the square or anywhere else today.”

Anna’s words were true. There were a few noble families in the Astel duchy, but the rest were all commoners, and they had never seen the royal family.

“I don’t understand why His Highness would do this even in our Astel, after wandering many places already.”

Annoyance was clearly visible on Serena’s face.

“Contrary to your thinking, Miss, if the crown prince has not forgotten the engagement, perhaps the place he is most curious about is Astel.”

Serena’s lips protruded at the unpleasant words.

“The engagement is void. I’ve told the party concerned. It’s been 6 years!”

As much as she grumbled, it was difficult to negotiate if Lucas did not change his mind. Moreover, that annoying man was going to stay in the duchy’s residence for a while, which was even more irritating.

“Besides, it’s a busy time preparing for the harvest festival, and what the heck are all the village women doing gathered in the square?”

“Well… I asked a few people myself, and they say it’s good just to look.”

Ha, Serena burst into incredulous laughter.

“From the girls to the wives, even the old women suddenly became lively, saying it’s good to see him just one more time, I don’t understand either.”

Unlike Peter, Anna knew the hearts of those women. It was also the situation she had expected as soon as Lucas arrived in Astel.

“First, since His Highness and his entourage have returned, I will go and serve dinner myself.”

“Yeah, please.”

At Serena’s words, Peter respectfully bowed and retreated.

“Miss, you should prepare for bed now.”

Today, since morning, Lucas had been clinging around, and Serena was twice as tired as usual. As Serena, dressed in a white nightgown, sat on the sofa, Anna carefully combed her platinum blonde hair.

“Does the arrival of His Highness bother you a lot?”

“You know. Our engagement ceremony was the worst. Of course, I hate it.”

“But, according to what you say, it’s been 6 years and it’s a matter that no longer exists, isn’t it?”

“Don’t know, just find it annoying.”

Serena claimed that the engagement was void since 6 years had passed, but her feelings that day seemed to have no expiration date.

“And it’s absurd. Appearing after 6 years to demand compensation, am I some kind of object?”

What Lucas wanted was marriage with Serena. The astute Serena must have known what he meant, but she seemed to become peevish whenever dealing with Lucas.

“His Highness’s gaze at you was very affectionate.”

“Who? No. He’s just being stubborn.”

If she had known that a day like today would come, Serena might have held her tongue at the engagement ceremony and acted like a boring aristocratic lady. Then Lucas might have forgotten her and sought a new fiancée.

“But… I was really surprised. From the appearance at the engagement ceremony, he’s become an incredibly strong man. No wonder the women in the square were all thrilled.”

The fact that he was an external prince must have attracted great attention, but there must have been a real reason. From the moment they saw Lucas’s appearance, this situation was virtually settled.

“He’s become very handsome, apart from getting stronger.”

“So what? He can marry another woman.”

Serena snapped back.

Obviously, she too had eyes to see Lucas’s change. Even if she erased the encounter 6 years ago, he had now become a complete man.
“I hate the bondage of marriage. Marrying the royal family would only make it worse. It’s only natural that a sixyear engagement becomes null, and I’m twentyfour, way past the age for marriage.”

Serena, grumbling sullenly, looked like someone who was deliberately making excuses.

“In comparison, His Highness is only twenty. Yes, he has grown up to lose the look of that time.”

Serena couldn’t deny it.

Stronger and taller than any man, with a broad chest, large hands covered in calluses, and slightly melancholic black hair and black eyes that didn’t match how could he not sway women’s hearts, regardless of his status?

“Miss, I am…”

“No. It could be revealed as early as tomorrow that he is the crown prince. Then the commoners won’t dare approach him.”

It was the same when Serena had arrived at the Astel domain. Most of the commoners of the domain, feeling both uneasy and frightened, knew the Duke’s daughter had come.

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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