I looked at His with a troubled face for a moment.
He was at least a head taller than me, but he still looked like a child in my eyes.
It was heartbreaking that a child, whose biggest concern should be saving money to buy tteokbokki after school, was talking so effortlessly about “succession” and “contract engagement.”
But this was also the reality of this world. And I wasn’t in a good enough situation to be considered a child either.
“So what’s in it for me?”
His nodded his head.
“Good question. First of all, I will fully support all your social activities. The Istira family’s social status is remarkable, but they rarely participate in social activities, so their position is somewhat ambiguous. I’ll take care of that for you.”
Seeing my trembling face, His quickly added.
“Is there anything else you want specifically?”
“Money. Anything will do if it’s money.”
A crack appeared in His’s smile. It was the look of someone seeing a monster created by capitalism. But he soon gathered himself and nodded.
“I’ll arrange the money.”
“It can’t be any money. It must be easily convertible to cash or a transaction in a bank to an account in my name.”
It was not feasible to go to the market with gold coins once I started living as a commoner.
I was receiving gold and various valuable items from the ducal family, but cashing them was still a problem.
If I wasn’t careful, I wouldn’t get their full value, and it would be easy to get swindled.
“It would be better if there’s a pension for the fiancée.”
His started coughing as if choked. After a while of coughing, he finally settled down and nodded his head with difficulty.
“Yes. We’ll have to negotiate the exact amount, but I can do that much.”
I was surprised that he gave in so easily. It felt uncomfortable, like I was extorting dirty money.
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
Finally, I succumbed to the guilt of conscience.
“It seems like you chose me, believing in the background of the House of Istira. But as you’ve seen today, there’s a slight incongruity in calling myself a person of Istira. In fact, I don’t know what kind of help I can be, considering my background.”
“No, on the contrary. After today’s events, I’ve made up my mind. I believe we can surely be partners who help each other.”
“Is that so then?”
I nodded with a broad smile.
My conscience only went so far. I had warned him, so if he willingly signed an unfair contract, it wasn’t my fault.
Then, an unknown gentleman dancing with Esmeralda passed by us. Esmeralda laughed at what her partner said, but her fleeting glance seemed to linger on Kirian, struggling in the Duchess’s arms.
Suddenly, I became curious.
“The young lady whom Mother wished to dance with, could it be…”
“Princess Reina, who seemed to be close to Esmeralda? Was she the daughter of Marchioness Esmeralda?”
I felt a strange sensation.
His now trying to approach Esmeralda. The original His who appeared as a follower of Esmeralda.
It was exquisitely consistent with the original work yet strangely different. I couldn’t tell how much was in accordance with the original and how much was different.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]“Mother, Mother! Let go, let go!”
As Kirian struggled fiercely, the Duchess lifted him over her shoulder.
“Our Kirian, shall we go eat something delicious?”
“I don’t wanna!”
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Kirian. The nobles, accustomed to the always calm but sulky Kirian, were in shock.
But Kirian had no time to care about their stares.
“I have to stop it!”
The Duchess, undeterred, moved towards the snack table on the other side of the ballroom.
Passing the servants cleaning up the spilled food, she headed towards the light finger food, considering Kirian’s dislike for sweets.
“Stop what? You should support your sister as she makes new friends.”
“No, I won’t!”
“Is there a reason why not?”
Although the Duchess offered a thin cracker topped with salmon to Kirian, he shook his head.
“No, I won’t! Sister is, Sister is my friend!”
The Duchess brushed Kirian’s hair.
“Having more friends is a good thing.”
Although it seemed like he was clinging to his sister because he hadn’t made a single friend due to being picky, she wasn’t particularly sorry for him.
He should act a bit fussy. Thinking about the many children who left the Duchess with tears, the words selfinflicted came to mind.
“Sister is my friend! I don’t need anyone else.”
The Duchess’s heart softened at her son burying his face in her shoulder. Just a little bit.
“You can be best friends with Sister. The closest friend among many.”
The Duchess picked up a thin cracker.
“Now, stop pouting and eat this.”
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]As the music ended, His finished the dance with a graceful move.
“Then, I assume the agreement is made.”
I shook my head.
“No, not yet.”
His’s eyebrow raised.
“Are you having second thoughts already?”
I shook my head and followed the Duchess, who had moved away, with my eyes.
“You seem to forget, we’re not even ten years old yet? While His’s mother has already given permission, I can’t just agree to an engagement.”
I pointed to the Duchess, who was talking to the Emperor and putting crackers in Kirian’s mouth.
“I must first obtain my parents’ permission.”
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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