Lenisha leisurely revealed herself at the coffeehouse.
It was a natural way to inform everyone on the island that Lenisha had returned.
Cassius glared at the liquid in the cup as if it were his nemesis.
The black liquid in the small cup, smaller than Cassius’s palm, swayed gently.
“Don’t you like coffee?”
“Among the coffees I’ve had, this is the bitterest. It seems there’s no poison. How do you drink something like this, Lenisha?”
Considering she ordered the strongest espresso, it was only natural.
Lenisha let out a small laugh.
“It’s okay once you get used to it. And doesn’t it keep you awake?”
Cassius pushed his cup in front of Lenisha, coughing awkwardly.
“Cassius?”
“I don’t think I can.”
Cassius said with a stern expression.
“Is drinking this considered basic etiquette for nobles?”
Lenisha burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her fist.
Even if she tried to endure, she couldn’t hold back.
Cassius likes sweet things and avoids bitter ones.
As a person with clear preferences, all his emotions were often visible on his face.
Lenisha liked Cassius for that.
Being by Cassius’s side made her feel at ease.
“Lenisha.”
Cassius scratched his cheek with a blush.
“No, no. This is a matter of personal taste. If Cassius doesn’t like it, you don’t have to drink it.”
Cassius finally showed a relieved expression.
Lenisha genuinely smiled thanks to Cassius.
“Cheers.”
Lenisha, who was smiling so much that her face turned red, took a sip.
“…Am I making you laugh?”
Cassius asked seriously.
“Most of the time, when I see you, Lenisha.”
Cassius wanted to be a reliable presence for Lenisha.
But it felt like things were constantly going awry.
Cassius let out a light sigh.
“I find Cassius amusing.”
“That’s good. So, if you’re with me, you won’t have time to be bored.”
Lenisha interrupted Cassius’s words.
Lenisha’s pink eyes were sparkling.
The intense scent of wild roses enveloped Cassius.
Lenisha knew how to use her appearance and atmosphere appropriately.
Right now, Lenisha seemed to know everything about what Cassius would see and feel.
Lenisha occasionally felt that she wasn’t someone who would stand under someone else.
She was a person who was much more suited to standing at the pinnacle.
Just being able to stand by Lenisha’s side was enough to feel gratitude.
“Cassius, do you dislike it when I laugh?”
Cassius raised his head.
“I… just thought it would be nice if Lenisha could lean on me.”
“I’m already doing that plenty, Cassius.”
Lenisha pointed to the sword at Cassius’s waist with her finger.
“I entrusted Ashkarod to Cassius for that reason. I don’t know when I’ll die if Cassius doesn’t protect me.”
Cassius reflexively tightened his grip on the sword.
“Why would you say that…!”
“I entrusted my life to Cassius. Is that not enough?”
Lenisha tilted her head slowly.
Her golden hair swayed like waves.
Lenisha’s pink lips sweetly parted.
“If that’s not satisfying, what else should I give?”
Cassius swallowed his saliva.
He wanted to plead for her heart, her emotions.
Madam Turiel had advised that if Lenisha truly wanted to become closer to her, they should become family.
True family, a couple.
He desired such intimate things.
To have children resembling Lenisha and Cassius, and to envision a future together.
That was what Cassius wanted.
“Is there something you desire?”
Lenisha raised the end of her sentence.
“Tell me anything, my puppy. I’ll listen to whatever you want.”
Cassius held Lenisha’s hand.
It wasn’t that he lacked the courage to speak.
He simply hadn’t spoken because he didn’t want to burden Lenisha.
Lenisha was already walking a challenging path with her own desires.
It wasn’t an easy task to pull out the turtle hiding in a sturdy shell and cut its neck, especially when it was the emperor sitting on the throne.
Moreover, Lenisha was carrying the burden of Hyentree on her shoulders.
The Hyentree standing at twilight.
The entire continent knew that Hyentree wasn’t as glorious as before.
Just as there are no eternal red flowers, Hyentree was also walking the path of decline.
Lenisha was once again going to make Hyentree bloom.
At least, that’s what Cassius believed.
He worried if his wishes would be too burdensome for Lenisha.
With lips merely smiling, Lenisha urged the silent Cassius.
“Cassius, say what you want to say. I like your honesty. You know that.”
Cassius met Lenisha’s gaze.
Lenisha’s pupils were burning like they had shed a layer of shell.
Despair, pain, anger.
Unlike the past, which held all sorts of emotions, it felt much more refined.
How was Lenisha looking at Cassius?
Lenisha says she likes Cassius’s honesty.
How honest is Lenisha with Cassius?
Cassius’s lips trembled.
“I… I want to be with you as a family, Lenisha.”
“A family?”
“As your husband and as the father of your children. That’s the only thing I want. I want to live like that.”
Lenisha’s eyes widened.
Cassius hadn’t imagined that he would talk about such things.
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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