It wasn’t just to save the repair cost of the damaged lab. The Brellov family was wealthy, and I had never been financially deficient since becoming a weapons master.
I just wanted to create some connection with Ascan through this compensation.
Yes, it was a bit vindictive, but I wanted to seize any weakness.
“I think your weapons attacking and breaking things in response are more noticeable than what I’ve broken.”
Ascan’s words were an undeniable fact.
He forcibly invaded, but it wasn’t during an ambitious night raid, and he acted alone.
Considering that he sent a letter in advance and didn’t summon flames from the beginning, it seemed like he had intended to be as polite as possible.
However, I, with a dark heart, couldn’t readily admit these facts.
“Haven’t you seen the sign saying not to enter the entrance carelessly? If you ignore it and come in, you should take responsibility.”
His face was covered with a mask, so I couldn’t tell for sure, but I could sense a slight movement around his lips.
Was he smiling?
Whether it was a sneer, a bitter smile, or just a smirk, I couldn’t tell.
‘Ah, I miss it.’
In my heart, I wanted to remove the mask and face Ascan’s bare face.
Ascan pointed to the document I had prepared and said in a low voice, “It’s an amount that an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to repay in a lifetime.”
“That’s right. So, I’ve thought of a separate way to repay it.”
“Come in.”
Although Ascan’s relaxed attitude was a bit perplexing, I didn’t hesitate and explained the method of compensation I had thought about last night.
“If you help me out by my side, I’ll consider each broken item as if it never happened, one item per day. How about that?”
“Your words sound like you want to keep me by your side.”
Anyway, it was sharp.
I shook my head nervously, swallowing my saliva.
“Oh no, not at all. I thought your ability to handle fire was useful…”
But Ascan didn’t need to listen to my words anymore. He gently folded the document I had written and put it in his arms, as if he didn’t need to hear any more.
“What are you doing now?”
“I will send the claimed amount to the Brelloff family within today.”
“…What?”
It was an enormous amount.
It was an amount that not only an ordinary person but even a considerable noble wouldn’t be able to repay.
Although I looked at him with a surprised expression, Ascan, as if he had finished speaking, opened the door of the carriage that was running without hesitation.
Vroom─
A momentary strong wind blew in, but Ascan, without any hesitation, leaped towards the horse he had been riding a moment ago.
He effortlessly mounted the horse, performing a dangerous act as if watching a circus acrobat.
The reactions of the guards around him seemed so natural, as if they were seeing something they expected.
“Ah, Ascan.”
When I called him with a surprised voice, he looked at me with chilly eyes and warned me.
“I didn’t allow you to call my name. I don’t know how you found out, but don’t call me like that again.”
I couldn’t help but be secretly confused by his firm words.
Come to think of it, from his perspective as someone who lost his memory, it was like a woman I had just met calling my name.
“Got it. Then, what should I call you?”
Ascan turned his gaze away from me, who was still confused, and replied briefly.
“Call me Viscount Arteas, or simply treat me as the commander of the guards.”
What?
I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in astonishment.
‘The Viscount Arteas who received the title from Helsion this time is Ascan?’
The commander leading the guards, who were only heard in rumors. And Ascan held the position of a Viscount and the commander of the imperial guards, entrusted with the trust of Helsion.
He was no longer a powerless slave boy.
It was a complete failure to try to exploit his financial weakness, given his current position as a Viscount and the commander of the imperial guards.
Ascan, riding on his horse, moved away from me, leaving me in dismay.
‘Well, how should I approach him now?’
He had climbed to a position where there was nothing lacking. It was a moment when the path to approach him became pitch-dark.
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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