A possessiveness so intense it felt embarrassing captivated me. I eagerly pulled Nikolai’s neck with both arms.
He entered as if waiting. The breath sweeter than petals poured out. A glittering star blinked inside his tightly closed eyelids. It was enough light to erase anxiety and push away loneliness.
‘I wish you were mine. Even if you’re a beast. Nikolai, if it’s you.’
The sound of moist and soft flesh mingling was dense.
Nikolai carefully explored my collarbone.
Even amid that, the tightly pressed lips didn’t part.
Though I twisted my waist, I couldn’t evade his persistent touch.
I didn’t want to avoid it.
I also desired him.
Breaths clashed into one.
His hand, containing Nikolai’s body temperature, moved unhesitatingly along the spine.
“Ugh.”
The groan that was trapped between my teeth escaped.
I also desired him. Our breaths, locked together, escalated. The hand containing Nikolai’s body temperature moved decisively along my spine.
“Ugh.”
The groan trapped between my molars escaped. Nikolai must have felt it too. Even concealed by a single layer of clothing, my body was reacting too honestly.
“Elizabeth….”
A voice filled with longing. While pressing me from above, he trembled slightly.
“I want to have you.”
The remaining fragment of reason flew away. It was rather fortunate.
‘If I can have you tonight. If we both desire each other with the same heart. Even if our souls shatter, I won’t regret it.’
Unable to look directly at Nikolai, I barely nodded my head.
Having obtained permission, he rushed at me like a starving beast. Lips traced my jaw, collarbone, and shoulders in succession.
Why did such a fierce current spring from endlessly soft flesh?
He was impatient.
I was no different.
I wanted to devour, monopolize, and wield Nikolai.
“……I want you too.”
The wind, carrying the fragrance of flowers, swept through. The clouds cleared, revealing the full moon. It was then that Nikolai’s muscular body stiffened, and his eyes strangely sparkled.
Nikolai pressed his red lips.
“If that’s your wish, I have to grant it, right?”
A secretive, arrogant, and cunning voice penetrated. Instinct raised bright red warning flags. Despite having the body and face of the man I loved, I was sure.
‘Right now, this person, it’s not Nikolai…!’
I opened my eyes and looked up at him.
Nikolai. No, the beast was laughing, baring its white fangs.
Arkansas’s warning echoed in my mind.
“When he’s starving, he’ll finally reveal his true form. When the time ripens, use the eyes of Moratsinia.”
Why now?
If this is the beast, what had it starved for, revealing itself in this form?
“He lives by consuming that scent. He monitors and obstructs the death flowers with him. It’s the duty of the emperor.”
The day Nikolai vaguely mentioned the existence of ‘it’ with a fearful expression, he said that.
Has it been so long since it smelled the scent of death flowers?
I fumbled with my trembling hands for the leather bag. But he was faster than me.
“Disappointing, Elizabeth. Trying to test me with something like this.”
He, or rather, it chuckled softly.
A copper monocle dangled from his hand.
When Caress came to the imperial palace, Franz wasn’t surprised. He was rather waiting.
“Long time no see, Caress.”
It was, in fact, a car I had been waiting for.
“Long time no see, Caress.”
Franz smiled, closing the book he was reading. Caress glanced at the title of the book. It was titled “The Miracle of the Demon and the Goddess,” written by the Archbishop of the Moratsia Sect.
“I thought you disliked theology.”
“One can’t completely ignore the religion the people believe in and follow.”
“Excellent point.”
“This book is close to a historical record. It describes how Emperor Sun overcame the death flowers.”
Caress showed no particular reaction. Franz, tapping the armrest of the chair lightly, asked casually.
“What brings you to the Ministry of the Interior? Busy as always?”
“Why do you think I came to see the Prime Minister?”
“How can I know what’s on Caress’s mind? I’m just a 10-year-old kid.”
Franz let out an innocent childlike laugh. For a moment, his emerald green eyes sharpened.
“Are you here to point out my outing?”
A hint of annoyance flashed in Caress’s eyes.
“I didn’t expect you to be so straightforward.”
“Sorry, but I’ll spare you the lecture. There’s nothing for Caress to worry about; relax.”
“The area outside the palace is dangerous.”
“Are you trying to say the palace is safe?”
Franz frowned with a tone that warned against joking.
“You know, Caress, there’s no safe place for a powerless crown prince.”
“So, are you trying to gain power?”
In a voice without highs or lows, Caress asked.
The suspicion that was just a thought became a chilling wind that dug into Franz.
It was still difficult to accept the betrayal of a loyal subject.
His whitened fingertips dug into his palm.
“If you move recklessly, you’ll incur wrath. Especially when there’s no shield of His Majesty.”
“Isn’t it better to stay quiet than to be hit on the back of the head?”
“Hasty and lacking caution.”
“You seem too hasty yourself, Caress.”
Caress’s eyebrows twitched, almost as if they were about to reveal themselves.
“Whatever you’re scheming, give it up.”
“Why should I?”
“Protecting His Majesty and Elizabeth in their absence is my duty.”
Franz’s face distorted slightly.
Images of fallen villains, bloodied and defeated, and the somber Shade flashed in his mind.
“Don’t you think you’re shameless, Caress?”
Swallowing his simmering anger, Franz asked.
Without a change in expression, Caress suddenly extended his palm.
“Hand it over from now on, Your Highness.”
“……!”
“I’ll take care of it from now on.”
He shuffled his steps, flipping through the gaps in the rocks.
A familiar yet unfamiliar voice echoed from behind.
“Where are you going? You want me too!”
Nikolai doesn’t mock me like this.
He doesn’t even call my name.
Anxiety, anger, and fear tortured me one after another.
The beast that Nikolai couldn’t control was chasing after me.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m just hungry.”
He grabbed my shoulder.
I shook off his hand and coldly retorted, “Let go of this. I don’t want to talk with you.”
“Whoa, calm down. It’s just because I’ve been hungry for a long time.”
He raised both hands and took a step back.
“Don’t act like we’re close and just give me back my stuff.”
If possible, Nikolai too.
The guy’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me.
“You’re planning to steal me with the eyes of a goddess, right? Even though you seem to value privacy.”
“Is there something you shouldn’t be caught doing?”
“You’re not completely innocent either. Aren’t you, Elizabeth?”
He mumbled as if he were genuinely concerned, “What does that mean?”
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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