If Yeon Woo could, she wanted to sew up Cha Han Bin’s lips that lightly carried her past feelings. But reality was different, and tears welled up instead.
As Cha Han Bin poked Yeon Woo’s shoulder with his fingertips in an unpleasant manner, she could do nothing but be pushed back.
“Feelings? How do I feel? Disgusted.”
“Ha. Well, can’t help it then.”
“Yes! I did like you, Han Bin, a lot and for a long time!”
Yeon Woo, brushing away her tears with the back of her hand, pushed away Cha Han Bin’s arm.
“All that time and feelings for you… I regret and feel ashamed. I trusted only the surface, not recognizing the trash, me.”
Trash? Cha Han Bin, silently repeating the word, menacingly approached Yeon Woo, then simply scoffed seeing her defiant stare.
“Kim Yeon Woo, you always pretend to be bright and cheery. Live with a bit of thought.”
Cha Han Bin roughly rummaged through his jacket pocket, throwing the USB and diary onto the floor.
“And don’t belittle someone else’s efforts!”
After pressing her for a while, he finally stomped down the stairs.
“Ah…!”
No matter how much Yeon Woo covered her face with her hands or wiped away her tears, they kept streaming down.
She stood weeping on the emergency staircase for a long time.
It was painful to realize that a person she knew for over 20 years was a facade. The kindness and gentleness she received from him were all pretense. The more she thought about it, the more it gave her chills. It was frightening, infuriating, and unjust.
She felt sorry for her younger self who didn’t know this and harbored feelings for such a person. She also had to face the sad truth of being betrayed by someone she was close to.
Even though Cha Han Bin had done such garbage actions, it wasn’t easy to cut ties with someone she trusted in an instant.
Memories and shared moments couldn’t be excised at once, and she was uncertain when the wounds they left would heal.
There were complex entanglements beyond work, like her relationship with her mother and Cha Han Bin’s mother.
All of this weighed heavily on Yeon Woo.
So, she cried her heart out. Crying was all she could do, all she wanted to do.
When she had cried enough to feel empty, drained of all sensation, she just wanted to rest somewhere.
“Ah…”
Yeon Woo picked up the diary and USB that Cha Han Bin had thrown away. Although it was hard to accept the reality of the situation caused by these small items, she couldn’t stay there any longer.
When her tears had somewhat dried up, she dragged her heavy feet to leave the emergency staircase.
There, leaning against the wall next to the emergency door, was Jun Hwi.
“…”
“…”
Their lips remained sealed even as their eyes met.
Was he still believing in her even after seeing that scene?
‘You were the one caught in an embrace with me in the situation room.’
Suddenly, the waves of doubt and distrust thrown by the human trash crashed over Yeon Woo.
Despite everything, she had chased after Cha Han Bin, even ignoring Jun Hwi’s grasp.
As if being pathetically desperate, Yeon Woo feared showing her weeping self to Jun Hwi and being misunderstood. But right now, she was too exhausted to say anything to him.
With her head drooping, Yeon Woo walked past Jun Hwi and left the corridor.
The day before the negotiation between P Cars and R Motors.
Jun Hwi was waiting in the empty conference room for Cha Han Bin, whom he had summoned.
“What is it? You can’t just call busy people at your whim.”
Cha Han Bin entered with annoyance, irritated by Jun Hwi’s relaxed posture at the head of the table.
“Is there a reason to be busy? The outcome is already decided.”
Indeed, Cha Han Bin had a predetermined conclusion to follow his client’s lead.
His usual pleasant smile was long gone, replaced by a struggle to eke out something from the situation, already wearied by the underdog’s fatigue.
“So, let’s not be annoying about a decision that’s already been made.”
“I was thinking of a different, personal negotiation.”
“What…?”
Cha Han Bin narrowed his eyes in suspicion, trying to gauge Jun Hwi’s real intent.
“Leave the clients’ stance for P Cars and R Motors to tomorrow’s scene. Let’s move on to the real negotiation topic.”
“What are you talking about?”
“After this case, Cha Han Bin, the lawyer, will be out.”
“What?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself. Leave Lo&Yul and get out of Kim Yeon Woo’s sight too.”
Cha Han Bin scoffed at the absurd request.
“You’re putting personal feelings ahead of work? I don’t see why you’d go this far. What’s so special about Kim Yeon Woo?”
“What is she?”
Repeating his words slowly, Jun Hwi coldly replied, “She’s your benefactor. Without Deputy Kim Yeon Woo’s intervention that day, you wouldn’t be standing on your two feet.”
Cha Han Bin felt a numb sensation where Jun Hwi had gripped his neck days ago.
Is this negotiation or blackmail? Cha Han Bin muttered, feeling disgusted, and chuckled lowly.
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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