The maid hastily continued her statement.
“Everyone knows that the House of Brenden is exploiting the lower nobility through usurious loans.”
“Interest on a loan is natural!”
“Is demanding interest more than ten times the principal normal? Isn’t that a gangster’s tactic, to make sure they can’t pay back and seize all their assets?”
The Duke of Brenden had consolidated his influence among the nobles with money, increasing his say in the noble circle.
According to what I found out, the gold mine that the Duke had bragged about had long been depleted.
His domain was so poorly managed that even taxes were not collected properly.
‘So that’s where all the money came from, usurious loans? Even a close maid like this is revealing it, how much more must he have tormented the common people?’
Though it started by chance, I resolved to thoroughly demolish the House of Brenden.
So that the name Brenden would never torment anyone again.
“Your Highness, the maid is not at fault.”
Nikolai, catching my gaze, inquired in a cool tone.
“Did she not incite this?”
“Absolutely not.”
“It’s a great sin not to stop the wrongdoings of one’s master.”
“What maid could go against her master? Please show her grace.”
That was the extent of Nikolai’s magnanimity.
“Lock Rose Brenden in the palace’s Ice Tower. No one is to visit her until I give the order.”
(Time Separator)
Nikolai wanted to stay by my side.
I wanted to be with him as well.
But I had to push him away.
Diplomats from various countries were waiting.
Pretending to be sick was also quite tiring.
As soon as Nikolai left, Susan and I exited the palace.
“Miss Elizabeth, shouldn’t you rest today?”
Susan asked in the swaying carriage.
“You know better than anyone that it wasn’t a match.”
“But you fainted.”
“I pretended to faint. Just as you pretended to worry about me.”
Susan covered her face as if embarrassed even to think about it.
“I’m sorry, did I overdo it?”
“I was proud.”
“Really?”
“Very much like my little sister.”
“Sister…!”
Susan was momentarily at a loss for words, overcome with emotion. She placed her two hands together on her chest.
“I will never forget today. I wanted to become a real family with you.”
“Susan…”
“I’m not talking about my brother. I don’t want to make you feel pressured.”
“Thank you for understanding, Susan.”
“Will you grant me one wish?”
“What is your wish?”
I cocked my head.
Susan, tense, replied with emphasis.
“Please speak casually! Formal language feels distant and I don’t like it.”
“Susan, you are a noble lady and I am a commoner.”
“What does it matter? I respect you and you cherish me.”
“But…”
“Unni was the one who taught me that character is more important than status. I really beg you.”
Susan looked up at me with earnestness.
Those clear, big eyes.
I couldn’t refuse her blind goodwill.
“Alright, Susan. But only when we’re alone, okay?”
“Thank you so much, Unni! My lifelong wish has come true!”
Susan buried herself in my embrace.
The pleasant scent of soap and subtle herbs uplifted my mood.
It felt as if my heart returned to my hometown.
Although hometowns were meaningless, and I had never had a real family.
“I always wished I had a younger sister like Susan.”
“I will protect you, Unni!”
“Very reassuring.”
“He said we have to persuade the Boritsan farmer, right? If he’s interested in plant research, he’ll get along with me.”
“I’ll trust only you, Susan.”
“Look forward to it. I can do anything!”
Swallowing my guilt as I looked at Susan’s flushed cheeks.
Both preventing Susan’s suicide and supporting her research had been calculated moves.
I thought she would be useful for the future since she liked me.
But not anymore.
The warmth of Susan’s sincerity melted my heart.
‘Susan is as precious as a sibling. The number of people I love is increasing. What impact will this have?’
Even if it became an obstacle, it didn’t matter.
The relationship with Susan was precious, apart from any gains.
I vowed silently to cure Susan’s illness.
For that, the divine water of Morasincia, the goddess of healing, was necessary.
(This is a time separator.)
The Ice Tower was the prison located at the highest point in the Imperial Palace.
Although only royalty and high nobility could enter, it was as brutal as any underground dungeon.
It was so cold that frost formed even in the middle of summer.
However, prisoners were not given a single blanket.
After Queen Dowager Penelope, the Ice Tower welcomed its first visitor in a long time.
Naturally, it garnered public attention.
“Queen Rose knocked out Elizabeth, right?”
“She almost died, they said?”
“That woman has always had a terrible temperament. Knew she would explode eventually.”
“The Emperor saved Elizabeth again, right? That’s true love.”
“Rose’s maid almost got executed right there. If Elizabeth hadn’t kneeled and begged, an innocent maid would have died.”
“What did the maid do wrong? I wish the nobility would also get some punishment.”
Favorable rumors for me snowballed.
This time, it wasn’t something I had orchestrated.
“Isn’t this a bit too exaggerated? Won’t it be noticeable?”
I asked the girl with long braided lightbrown hair.
Nisa, who was once Rose’s maid, smiled brightly.
“Lady Elizabeth, you took me in and paid off my debts. I also have to repay your kindness in some way.”
Why are there so many people around me who want to repay kindness?
When I first met her, I thought Nisa was just an ordinary maid.
But she wasn’t, not at all.
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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