“What’s going on here?”
Bake confirmed his prominent nose reflected in the window and grabbed his head.
It had been a while since he wasted precious time trapped in the room. As time passed, he was gradually getting tired of the continued confinement.
“What the hell is that guy thinking?”
Whether he hasn’t decided how to deal with himself yet, or if there’s another trick, either way, the feeling was equally unpleasant.
Calix hasn’t appeared since revealing his appearance on the first day, but he took Bake’s cuffs button.
Just thinking about how it might be used felt uncomfortable and crazy.
“Try letting me out of here. I won’t stay still.”
It was a bold move, as if it wouldn’t be ignored. Thanks to that, he got a good jab at the weak spot, but usually bold moves had many flaws. If you looked carefully, there would be corners to grab.
Of course, under the assumption that he could safely escape from here.
Bake anxiously bit his lip and looked out the window.
But it was the same every day. Even when he examined it, he couldn’t figure out where here was, dragged here with his eyes covered.
In that case, wouldn’t it be better to jump out.
Bake briefly exerted force on his hand and soon released it.
The room was located on a high floor. It wasn’t a level where he could close his eyes and jump. Jumping from here would be a sure death, and even if he survived, it would be a problem.
Duke Pierren seemed to have left, but the troops for surveillance were left behind.
Bake instinctively lowered his body when his eyes met with a soldier.
“Damn it.”
Even if it was okay to express it as barbaric, it was a bold move. Thanks to that, he was properly stabbed in the hollow, but usually bold moves had many flaws. If you looked carefully, there would be corners to grab.
However, it was impossible to continue to be trapped like this.
Even if he left now, he didn’t know when Calix would return.
Bake unconsciously tightened his necktie.
The wounds had healed, but he couldn’t forget the gaze that looked down.
His lifeless eyes were no different from those of a hungry beast. He seemed to want to bite off his neck at any moment.
“You’re such a brute….”
The hand gripping his throat trembled, but Bake pretended not to notice.
Even though he was threatened, Calix couldn’t kill him in the end. Repeating that fact over and over, he forcibly puffed out his chest.
Then it happened. The sound of a key, clink.
Bake reflexively stepped back.
But there was limited space to escape within the small room.
Bake wrinkled his forehead against the hard wall at his back.
In his experience, the door that had been firmly locked was a rare occurrence. Meals were delivered through another small door located below the main door, and Calix’s barbarian soldiers didn’t pay attention beyond guarding.
Actually, Bake had only seen the door open twice.
When he was captured. And when Calix came looking for him.
Bake’s Adam’s apple moved significantly.
Surely he wouldn’t change his mind now?
Suddenly, worries flooded in, but the door didn’t open at all. It just slightly opened, and a hand unexpectedly popped out through the gap.
“Who, who is it?!”
Trying not to show his fear, his voice trembled. Bake felt his face getting hot but exerted effort to keep composure. He didn’t want to appear weak.
Now that he looked, the owner of the hand wore gloves, but fundamentally the hand was large. It was a man’s hand.
“I asked who you are.”
Thud.
Instead of an answer, something fell to the ground.
Bake glanced at the fallen object.
It was a small pouch.
“While I clean outside, Your Excellency, please hurry and tidy up.”
“…Who the hell are you?”
“Traitor.”
“…”
Bake recoiled as if his body bounced back.
Nevertheless, there was only a hard wall touching his back, but he was perplexed enough to forget that fact.
Not many words were exchanged, but he immediately understood.
He was caught thinking differently, and he was put on the list for handling.
As the thought reached there, his spine shivered, and the back of his neck stiffened.
The reason for coming all the way here was obvious.
They came to kill him.
“I-I just…”
“The traitor said that considering the wicked betrayal, His Excellency will give you a chance to repent for your past loyalty.”
“W-What do you mean by repentance?”
Before the words were finished, Bake quickly asked.
“The next successor to Lord Crayten has been decided.”
“…”
“His Excellency said that a successor acknowledged by the legitimate line would be better than an heir with regrets. Probably because of the regrettable bloodline.”
“Are you saying…”
Bake’s lips weakly drooped.
A chance? No. No.
This was not a sign that they would accept him again; it was simply a deferral of punishment. There was no chance.
But even though he clearly knew that, he couldn’t refuse.
Bake clenched his fists tightly.
First, getting out of here was the priority. Crayten’s substantial wealth and reputation meant nothing here.
“Of course, under the premise that you will not entertain any other thoughts in the future.”
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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