The Empress' Scandalous Paramour (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 26
Chapter 3. Someone I Love Less Than Myself
I was bedridden for a full week starting from that day.
Because of that, I couldn’t attend the rest of the banquet—but according to reports, Helene couldn’t either.
The Temple had visited the Lily Palace and likely suggested it would be best for her to leave the Imperial Capital temporarily. That much was evident from how she’d hastily packed her belongings and fled the city immediately afterward.
‘Well, to repair her damaged image, she’d have no choice but to increase her activities as a saintess.’
What I wondered was whether Helene would go to Ansel or not.
‘Duke Achilo did an excellent job.’
I smiled faintly as I burned the letter I’d received over a candle.
It was from House Achilo, confirming that indeed, Ansel had been hit by an enormous downpour.
Fortunately, however, relief supplies had already been prepared in the Empress’s name, and shelters were arranged in nearby regions, so there were no casualties.
Though houses swept away and belongings ruined couldn’t be helped, livestock, seeds, and stored grain from the village granaries had all been moved in advance—once the floodwaters receded, Ansel’s damage would be restored swiftly.
‘That part’s settled. Now it’s time I tidy up matters within my own palace.’
It felt as if I’d just crossed a great mountain.
After summoning a maid to bathe and change into a fresh dress, I decided to have lunch with Meriem.
I’d heard that during my illness, Meriem had stood outside my door every single day without fail.
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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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (89)
she really said “I need to fall in love just to stab them later” 😭 girl is NOT okay but also kinda iconic
also meriem acting like a nagging husband already… derek losing his spot fr 💀
and no candidates?? the standards are crazy high lol
meriem really said “future consort??” out of nowhere 😭 bro skipped like 10 plot arcs
also him and derek lowkey beefing through sword fights is so funny 💀
and the empress training him just to surpass his own brother… she’s playing long game fr 😮🔥
bro caught feelings and doesn’t even know what to do with them 😭 empress really said “go find a hobby, not me” 💀
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Karamel57
Empress really said “clean house season 🧹” and started a nationwide hiring arc 😭 strategic queen fr
Meriem feeding her like that?? bro said “you WILL eat” 🥺 lowkey wholesome but also he’s already down bad
Helene ran away off-screen too 💀 girl got patched out of the story for now lol