“Oh, really? Oops, did I ask too personal a question? I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable. I’m saying all sorts of nonsense because I’m glad to see you after a long time.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Do you have any plans to come to our house sometime soon? Since a while ago, our Sujin has shown an interest in cooking, so I got her a teacher, and her cooking skills have improved to a professional level in the meantime.”
“Ah… Yes.”
“It might be busy, but if you make time, I’ll treat you to a meal with Sujin. Suyeon, you should come too. You’ve never tasted Sujin’s cooking, have you?”
Only after escaping from Donghun’s gaze did Suyeon visibly shudder. Everything felt overwhelming and confusing. Knowing that things were going wrong but unable to stop this situation, she found herself horrifying.
“…Yes, I’ll do that.”
As she answered, an unspeakable self-reproach surged. She busily moved the hand she habitually hid under the table, vigorously tearing at the skin around her nails, causing herself torment.
Knowing that things were going wrong, she felt horrified at herself for not being able to stop this situation.
“…Yes, I’ll do that.”
Simultaneously with the answer, a self-reproach that couldn’t be expressed flooded in.
She busily moved the hand she habitually hid under the table, vigorously tearing at the skin around her nails.
While Hyekyung and her daughter continued with the meal, Suyeon’s fingers had turned into a mess.
The moment Hyekyung, who had quieted down for the meal, resumed steering the conversation, was when coffee was placed in front of the four.
Hyekyung, as if determined to use Suyeon thoroughly, encouraged Suyeon’s agreement at the end of each sentence.
Every time, Suyeon had to exert all her strength to force a smile with her stiffened lips.
The food, which seemed to have been barely eaten, made her stomach dirty, and nausea rose.
Despite everything, without revealing any emotion, she chose her words carefully to respond to Hyekyung, making an effort to protect Inho.
“By the way, looking like this, Donghun and our Sujin really suit each other well. Suyeon, what do you think? Don’t they really suit each other?”
For the first time, Suyeon, who consistently provided answers that did not contradict Hyekyung’s expectations, couldn’t continue the conversation.
Even though the ongoing conversation lacked consideration for Donghun, Suyeon felt the question was as clear as a mirror reflecting her own face.
She couldn’t bring herself to answer.
At that moment, under the table, Hyekyung’s hand moved discreetly.
It unhesitatingly headed for Suyeon’s thigh.
There was no hesitation in the act of pinching the flesh.
Suddenly, a transmitted pain made Suyeon bite down hard on her lower lip.
The sharp pain grew deeper.
With each passing moment, she exerted more force on her lips marked with a red line.
“Yes, it seems so.”
“…….”
“…Really, they suit each other well.”
She gave an answer she didn’t want to give even if she died.
Just a single pinch of her leg, but memories that had been dormant awakened throughout her body, making her skin bruised.
Although it ended with just one instance in front of Donghun today, there had been countless times when her entire body became bruised from pinches.
Suyeon felt like she had returned to that day.
“It would be really nice if Donghun gets along well with our Sujin. There’s a bit of an age difference with our Sujin, so he might not feel like a woman, right?”
“…….”
“I would be really happy if Donghun becomes a family with us. You and Suyeon have been close like family since you were young. Right, Suyeon?”
In response to Hyekyung’s question, forcing agreement again, Suyeon closed her eyes for a long time and opened them.
The repeatedly asking voice was so familiar, yet it brought back another forgotten memory.
Before Hyekyung took her to the attic, she would always ask in that manner.
“Choi Suyeon. I clearly told you not to look at me like that. But you keep blatantly ignoring my words, huh? Do you think I’m joking? Right, Suyeon?”
For some reason, even when she was angry alone and about to unleash her frustration, grabbing her own tail.
“You were late for academy class today. According to Yoon, you didn’t show up long after school hours. Did I mention your lack of gratitude for the favor I did for you last time? Huh? Answer me, Suyeon.”
Even when she was stared at menacingly as if not curious about the circumstances, simply because the closing ceremony was extended and delayed.
The past days and today, with many differences in Hyekyung’s words, tone, and manner, one thing remained unchanged as she asked, checking her name, preventing Suyeon from thinking anything.
That prevented Suyeon from having any thoughts.
Suyeon nodded her head like a slave doing only what was necessary to survive, losing her will as a human being.
“Yes. Oppa…”
“…”
“Oppa really took care of me. He’s a really good person, Oppa. I hope Oppa gets along well with Sujin.”
“Indeed, Suyeon, do you think that way too? I knew Donghun was a good guy, but hearing you say that makes me more interested. It would be great if Donghun becomes a family with us because of Sujin. Right?”
A lie. No way. She didn’t want Oppa to enter this hell.
Her inner self screamed loudly.
In an instant, confusion came, and because of that, Suyeon felt dizzy in front of her.
She had to respond to Hyekyung’s words, but the rapidly intensifying dizziness made it impossible for her to do anything.
When she realized that Hyekyung’s hand had started moving again under the table, she regained her composure.
Suyeon quickly nodded her head.
“Yes. With Oppa…!”
“…”
“It would be really nice if Oppa becomes a real family.”
The desperate voice scattered with a despondent breath.
Staring at Donghun with fear and dismay, her entire body was engulfed by guilt, and she couldn’t breathe.
Suyeon had to endure excruciating pain alone until the end of the gathering.
Hyekyung’s words that it would be over soon were so unbearable.
Now that she thought she could soon escape, Suyeon became impatient.
However, Hyekyung didn’t let go easily until the end.
“Donghun, think seriously about what we talked about earlier. If you have to get married anyway, it’s better to be with our Sujin, whom you’ve known for a long time, than with a stranger. You can also see Suyeon often as part of the family.”
The mention of my name in Hyekyung’s voice was dreadful.
Because of that, Donghun’s gaze faintly touched and dropped without realizing the fact.
“…Yes, I’ll do that.”
Donghun’s answer came.
Only then could Suyeon escape from Hyekyung’s grip.
She couldn’t tell in what state of mind she returned home.
When she came to her senses, she was in Inho’s arms, and she burst into tears that she had held back.
And several days later, she belatedly realized what she had done that day.
“No… I hope Oppa didn’t get ruined, please…”
The pleading voice was filled with sincerity.
She wished so desperately, but there was nothing she could do.
She couldn’t contact Donghun separately to tell him that marrying Sujin was not possible, to run away as far as possible. She couldn’t even say such words.
Because she was afraid of everything she would have to endure when caught saying such things.
She didn’t want to be dragged back to the attic.
She didn’t want to miserably collapse under Hyekyung’s monstrous feet. She didn’t want to be hit.
In the blind fear, Suyeon eventually had no choice but to tightly close her eyes.
She lifted her legs onto the sofa and hugged them with all her might.
As she buried her head between her knees, only the pitch-black darkness filled Suyeon’s pupils.
It was her forgotten reality.
Unfillable darkness without a single crack.
That was her life.
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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