Sephia was vexed by the persistent annoyance.
Demios trusted the words of a recently met consort but not Sephia’s.
Despite her resolve to ignore it, she still felt foolishly hurt.
“I’ve said it repeatedly, I do not have a consort.”
“Really?”
Despite her firm words, Demios’s attitude remained unchanged.
He twisted his lips into a smirk.
“It’s surprising to hear the Empress say that… It’s fine if it’s just casual fun. But don’t get too close to Duke Leopold.”
It was a warning.
Implying that he wouldn’t stand by if she associated with the Duke.
He could say this, not knowing that Sephia and the Duke already knew each other.
Whether she knew Roxan’s identity or not.
A sense of defiance arose within her.
He might have the right as the Emperor to interfere in the Empress’s political matters, but not in her personal relationships.
“Why should I do that?”
“What?”
Demios’s eyes narrowed, expecting her to agree.
“You have no right to meddle in whom I associate with.”
Taken aback by her cold response, Demios momentarily lost his speech.
It was the first time Sephia had reacted so firmly.
At that moment, the music stopped.
The first obligatory song of the imperial couple had ended.
Sephia bowed slightly and stepped back.
A belatedly alert Demios left the dance floor.
But that was it. His gaze still fixed on Sephia.
The intensity of his stare was almost piercing.
Sephia turned her head away first.
Right before the second song was to be played, Titie, unable to wait any longer for Demios’s invitation, approached him.
“Your Majesty, is there a problem? You look unwell.”
Titie looked up at him with a worried face.
Her small stature and pale skin made her seem fragile, a perfect example of a delicate female.
Demios extended his hand to his white doe.
“……It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
“I’m glad.”
Titie, blushing with joy, took his hand.
As the music played, other nobles gathered on the dance floor with their partners.
Sephia stepped back from the center, watching the two dance.
Unlike Sephia, who had been rigid, Titie’s face was full of happiness.
Titie chattered playfully, and Demios’s previously tight lips softened.
‘Is this why he likes her?’
Sephia suddenly thought that Demios’s fondness for Titie might not be solely due to the name imprinting.
Surrounding nobles alternated between admiring the couple and cautiously observing Sephia.
The second dance time ended.
After escorting Titie away from the center, Demios joined a group of male nobles heading somewhere.
They were all carnivorous Therianthropes deeply involved in the empire’s politics.
As if waiting for this moment, other Therianthropes gathered around the solitary Titie.
“Hello, Miss Titie. It’s such a pleasure to meet you.”
“Me too. I’ve always wanted to greet you!”
Most of them were filled with flattery, trying to make a connection or driven by curiosity.
Titie shyly smiled and responded to them.
“I couldn’t have a debut due to my poor health. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly.”
Everyone knew Titie had been recently added to the Louvre family.
Everyone knew that Titie was recently registered with the Count Louvre family.
It was also known that before this, Titie, despite being a noble, was neither treated as one nor properly educated.
In families with deep roots, birth status was strictly scrutinized, yet among those gathered, no one pointed this out.
“Oh, what does it matter? If it really bothers you, why not consider today as your debutante ball? How about that?”
“Would that be alright?”
Titie brightened up at the suggestion.
Her innocent smile, like a snowdrop flower, captivated the hearts of several young nobles.
The atmosphere grew warm and convivial.
“Oh, our dear Titie.”
“My lovely daughter.”
A couple broke through the crowd and embraced Titie.
Surprised, Titie looked at them and then beamed.
“Ah, father, mother.”
Count Edro Louvre and Countess Delsi.
They were from the deer family that had adopted Titie.
“Thank you all for cherishing our Titie.”
“She’s a shy child, but seeing her smile like this eases our hearts.”
From an insignificant provincial noble family.
However, by adopting a distant relative bearing the Emperor’s name, their status skyrocketed.
Treating a woman, whom they would have otherwise ignored, like their own daughter was laughable, but quick-witted nobles soon matched the tempo set by the Count couple.
“Thanks to both of you, Miss Titie has grown up without any shadows.”
“Oh my, you flatter me. Hoho.”
Countess Delsi fluttered her fan as if embarrassed.
She seemed delighted that the capital’s nobility were adjusting to her mood.
Rumors said they were preparing to move to the central area of the capital.
Securing a base in the capital while having a domain elsewhere was not easy.
There was a reason why nobles differentiated between those from the provinces and the capital.
Count Louvre also stayed close to Titie, enjoying the changed treatment.
However, some viewed them with disdain.
“Look at that, just because they took in a consort, they’re already putting on airs.”
“Really. To adopt a grown woman and treat her like their own daughter. It’s ridiculous.”
For noblewomen from established families, Titie was a subject of scorn.
Other ladies nodded in agreement.
Amidst the clearly divided factions, Sephia remained silent.
Lady Levroga of the Damil family, a musk cat Therianthrope, approached Sephia, perhaps concerned, and said,
“Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty. Without mutual consent and the lack of a concubine system in the royal family, that lady can only be a consort at best.”
Lady Levroga, usually stern and proud, had softened her tone in front of Sephia, owing to a past favor she had received from her.
Sephia smiled gently, appreciating her concern.
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”
“Ah, men are all the same. My husband, Lactan, loses his mind when he sees a pretty Therianthrope.”
Lady Levroga grumbled about her husband.
The Damil family was known for their strong marital bond. Her grumbling indicated her affection for her husband.
Sephia’s mood lightened slightly at the cute grumbling of the cat.
Meanwhile, the topic of conversation around Titie had changed.
“I was really surprised by Duke Leopold. He’s much more handsome than I imagined.”
“I always thought the Emperor was the most perfect male in the Empire.”
“In terms of both looks and abilities.”
The young ladies blushed, recalling the Duke.
“I prefer the Duke. The Emperor is… how should I say it? Excessively beautiful.”
Other young ladies quickly nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. More than many females. It’s intimidating to stand next to him. But the Duke seems like he would protect the females.”
“I feel inferior next to him.”
“Oh no, not at all. But I understand how you feel.”
The conversation blossomed around the topic of male Alphas.
Comparing the Emperor and the Duke was a natural progression.
Both were of similar age and royal blood, born of divine beasts.
It was perhaps inevitable for the Emperor to be wary of a blood relative who had achieved great deeds.
“It’s not just the Duke, there are many other handsome knights.”
While aiming for an Alpha was natural, many young ladies also sought attainable males with potential.
Others nodded in agreement.
Among them, a hawk Therianthrope female already had her sharp gaze set on her prey.
The Countess, listening to the ladies’ chatter, perked up.
“Oh, why not consider our eldest son from the Louvre family? He couldn’t attend today, but he’s grown into a son we’re proud of.”
“Oh, the young Louvre… Yes, I’ve heard he’s a fine gentleman.”
The hawk lady nodded reluctantly.
The flow of the conversation stalled. The ladies exchanged awkward glances and then covered their mouths with their fans.
The Count and Countess Louvre were currently staying in a high-end hotel in the capital before establishing a formal residence.
As it was frequented by VIPs, incidents and gossips from there quickly spread throughout the social circles.
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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