A quiet room where nothing but the sound of breathing could be heard. In such a dreadfully boring place, Chloe blankly stared outside.
Outside, a blizzard was in full swing. It was different from the snow that occasionally fell in her hometown during winter. The blizzards of the North were fierce enough to freeze a person instantly.
‘I wonder if he’s alright.’
Chloe, who had been gazing at a picturesque landscape, suddenly thought of someone.
Her robust husband, who would be unshaken by this mere disaster.
Her husband had been gone for a whole eleven days on a monster hunting expedition. If he didn’t return today, it would be a full two weeks since he left the mansion.
Chloe, who had been unconsciously touching the window, was surprised by the cold touch. Pulling her disappointed finger away, she saw a dark fingerprint on the glass.
A window without a speck of dust, so clear it was transparent. The dark fingerprint left on it became the only flaw.
Just like Chloe in the Duke Argen’s house.
Chloe stared at the dirty mark until it frosted over once again.
A narrow view, as small as a finger joint. People like a disaster, strongly opposing the blizzard as they rushed forward.
The one in the very front. The one driving the black horse. The one showing the proud banner of the Duke Argen.
Callis Argen.
The lord of Argen and Chloe’s husband was returning to his heroic battlefield.
‘That is…’
With a strange woman.
(This is a time separator.)
A celebration party was held at the mansion to commemorate the lord’s return.
But the mansion’s residents, far from looking happy, seemed solemn. The same was true for Chloe, who had been eagerly awaiting her husband’s return.
“…It was definitely a woman, right?”
“Yes. Right in front of the lord…”
How dare they make such crude conversation about the lord? It was appropriate to scold these barbarians for their impertinence, but Chloe couldn’t bring herself to do it.
After all, she herself was fully engrossed in their conversation topic.
‘…A woman.’
This wasn’t the first time Callis had brought someone back from an expedition. He often brought refugees under the guise of protection.
But the woman with him today was different.
She was traveling with Callis, unlike the others. She even rode on his horse, protected in his arms.
Who was this woman to receive such excessive treatment?
‘Could there have been no extra horses?’
Impossible. If that were the case, Callis would have had another knight escort the woman.
If it wasn’t that…
‘No. What am I thinking?’
Absurd thoughts were piling up.
Chloe made a conscious effort to shake off the distracting thoughts. Ignoring the recurring anxiety, she decided to concentrate on the upcoming party.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
In the midst of all kinds of speculation, today’s star of the party made his appearance.
Chloe stood up from her seat, pretending not to be affected. Calmly reaching him, she grabbed the hem of her dress and greeted him.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
Now it was Callis’s turn.
A kiss that would usually be performed without hesitation was only delayed today. A white hand left hanging awkwardly in the air twitched uncomfortably.
‘…Why?’
Since ‘that day,’ the relationship between Chloe and Callis had completely twisted.
But they still went through all the formalities and ceremonies. They still had the propriety to maintain as lord and lady.
But now?
Even something that would be customary between a couple, even between two strangers of the opposite sex, was not readily performed.
It didn’t take long for Chloe to realize her husband’s intention.
Someone slowly walking behind Callis, someone whose silhouette was not even visible. Chloe immediately realized the identity of that woman.
Supported by a maid, the woman slowly approached with an utterly uncultivated gait. Even though she had changed into dazzling clothes, she could not shake off her shabbiness.
And yet, the woman was exceedingly lovely.
Her cheeks reddened with cold, her malnourished body, her long unkempt hair.
“Call!”
Like embracing the warmth of summer’s sunlight, a gentle smile and a tender voice as well.
All of it.
‘Ah….’
There’s no way I wouldn’t know.
That this woman is Callis Argen’s ‘her.’
(This is a time divider.)
“MMadam? What may I do for you!”
A woman’s voice reached my clogged ears. As hearing cleared, sight sharpened as well.
Chloe, snapping back to her senses, looked ahead. Beyond the mirror, two necklaces were laid before her.
Come to think of it, she was in the midst of preparing for the evening banquet.
Her eyes, understanding the situation, quickly dried up. Successively, cracks appeared in her previously soft expression.
Two necklaces held in the maid’s hand.
Those were what Chloe had prepared days ago, looking forward to tonight’s banquet.
Even if her husband Callis disliked her, Chloe had made endless efforts.
Not wishing for him to love her, not wishing for him to see her as a woman like ‘that woman,’ but wishing to be treated as a mere human being.
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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