“Why. Was the talk of divorce a ploy to attract my attention?”
There was a time when he sincerely believed what he had jokingly told Elodie earlier.
But now he knew.
That my fiancée really wants a divorce.
“Is she in love with that commoner?”
Adenmir recalled the figure of the man he had seen at the banquet hosted by the Empress.
Mercenary King Ian. And…
The Emperor’s Dog.
Adenmir knew more about this man called Ian than what was known to the world.
He was a lowly man.
Born and raised in a slum, where maggots boil from corpses, and all the water rots.
A man who raised a mercenary group alone and received the Emperor’s approval by establishing merit.
He was strong but unrefined. To think he would be with Elodie, the only daughter of Ferdia, one of the four great houses, even though she might be illegitimate.
“They really don’t match.”
But Adenmir had no right to interfere with whom Elodie liked.
Wasn’t the relationship started by labeling it as a political one without affection from the beginning? It was definitely him who said that.
After cooling his head, it was not difficult to make a judgment.
Yes. Divorcing as she wishes is right.
As Elodie said, for both himself and Elodie, and even for the empire, divorce was inevitable.
Hadn’t he considered divorce from the time of engagement?
He didn’t intend to follow the Emperor’s order to divorce Elodie and join hands with Angelos.
He had no intention of borrowing Angelos’s power.
It was obvious that neither Ferdia nor Angelos could be his complete power.
Even if he ascends to the Crown Prince’s seat by carrying another family on his back, it will eventually become poison.
“What I need is not a position like a lantern in the wind but solid strength that I have achieved.”
He will show the whole continent why Adenmir himself must become Emperor, not the foolish 2nd Prince Beltran.
It didn’t mean that he would completely turn his back on Ferdia. There were alliances other than betrothal.
That was the reason why Adenmir decided to divorce.
But…
“Your Highness. Will you immediately get engaged to someone else after the divorce?”
“No. You should do it with a good person.”
Why make my heart complex with such words?
Truly, Elodie Ferdia was a being whose thoughts I could not understand.
Then suddenly, Adenmir realized.
‘Have I ever talked comfortably with a royal lady like today?’
(This is a time separator.)
The temple’s barrier was really only lifted after the breakfast banquet, where all the participants gathered, had ended.
Of course, Dorothea did not attend the banquet, claiming she was unwell. Along with the Duchess of Angelos.
‘That’s right. The skin and the body…….’
After the morning banquet, which made him miss the cooking skills of the annex chef Cooker, the doors of the audience hall were opened.
The Chancellor seemed to have something to say to me, but Duke Ferdia stood by my side and blocked it entirely.
“You don’t have to worry.”
“Thank you.”
“…….”
Duke Ferdia nodded once and turned his gaze away. He didn’t seem to want to engage in conversation with me.
It seemed like we were headed straight to the Ferdia residence, but I had something to do.
“Excuse me.”
As soon as I opened my mouth, the eyes of all four people turned to me simultaneously.
‘It’s, it’s overwhelming.’
I didn’t know what to do with the sudden attention. I quickly stated my purpose.
“I’m going to stop by the mercenary group and then go back.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
At the Duke’s remark, I just uttered a foolish exclamation.
After all, Reian was my escort when I went out.
‘Should I just go back to the mansion and send a letter to the mercenary group?’
I was about to choose that method reluctantly, but Carlot was faster.
“Me. Me! I’ll escort you, sister!”
Carlot actively stepped forward to escort me. But Duke Ferdia firmly cut him off.
“No. What if there’s another attack like last time?”
“That was on a deserted mountain road. Who would be stupid enough to attack in the bustling city?”
“They could think like that and attack.”
“But still……!”
Just as Carlot was about to throw a real fit, the Duchess smiled and pointed out.
“Carlot. You have training as soon as we get back, right?”
“But I think escorting my sister is more important.”
At those serious words, Duke Ferdia spoke softly.
“Carlot. You have missed training 11 times in the past week.”
“……Tsk, got caught.”
Carlot grumbled with a sullen face, apparently at a loss for excuses.
That’s when Yansi, who had been watching the situation with a smiling face, raised his hand slightly.
“I’ll go with you, father.”
“Will you?”
“Yes. I wanted to shop anyway, and besides, I’m stronger than Carl, aren’t I?”
At that, Carlot glared at Yansi with angry eyes. But Yansi seemed to shrug it off and brush his gloved hand through his hair, looking a little surprised.
‘Carl, that guy, must be scared of his brother.’
Even though he teased me with all his might…….
After a brief moment of consideration, Duke Ferdia nodded.
“Then go and come back.”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
With a reassuring smile that seemed to embody the dependable eldest son, Yansi turned to look at me.
“Let’s go, Liri.”
As I nodded and took a step, Yansi tilted his head and blocked my way.
“We have to hold hands. You might get lost.”
“I’m not a child…….”
“It’s part of the escort.”
He insisted on holding hands, as if he wouldn’t even start if I didn’t. With no choice, I held Yansi’s hand.
Why does he keep insisting on holding my hand? Even though he usually hates contact with others.
What’s more, he insists on holding my hand even though he can’t control his abilities well, so the fear was all mine.
What if his abilities manifest and I get hurt?
‘Yansi Ferdia, this ominous person. It’s clear he doesn’t care about my life at all…….’
Feeling like I was holding a ticking time bomb, I headed trembling to the mercenary group.
(This is a time separator.)
“Is Ian here?”
At my question, the staff member at the headquarters’ desk widened his eyes as if he hadn’t seen me.
“……Duchess Ferdia?”
“We saw each other just a few days ago, why are you so surprised? So where’s Ian?”
“Ah……. The leader is currently absent. He’s looking for Duchess Ferdia.”
“Me?”
“Yes…….”
It was clear that he wasn’t in the headquarters building at the moment.
“I see.”
I left the headquarters, leaving the palefaced employee behind. Yansi, who had heard the whole conversation, smiled and said,
“It seems like Liri, you really must have disappeared in front of that man. Seeing that he’s looking for you.”
“I told you so. I didn’t lie.”
Looking up at the grim Yansi, who was suspicious unless dead, he just shrugged his shoulders.
It was fortunate that we had let go of our hands before entering the headquarters. I was so scared that his abilities might manifest at any moment.
‘If Reian is looking for me, I have to let him know I’m safe as soon as possible.’
I need to know where he is to meet him.
본부 앞에 서서 어떻게 접선해야 할지 고민하고 있을 그때였다.
Heehee[Dash]!
Along with the sound of a galloping horse suddenly stopping, a familiar face appeared not far away.
‘Reina.’
Behind him, the figures of the mercenary soldiers were visible.
But something was strange.
Looking utterly disheveled as if he hadn’t eaten or slept for several days, Reina jumped off the horse.
Then, he walked up to me, stumbling[Dash].
“……?!”
Suddenly, Reina hugged me.
“I thought I lost you again…….”
‘……Again?’
Once more, he mumbled something incomprehensible.
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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