Ra Jin, with a puzzled expression, inquired,
“What did you just say?”
Sukyoung, shrugging her shoulders, nonchalantly responded,
“If there’s nothing between you two, then why not introduce him to our Yujin?”
Ra Jin’s lips quivered, seemingly lost for words. She was utterly shocked.
What was she thinking to utter such words?
How does she view me… to say such things so casually?
What does she really think of… me?
“Why are you looking at me like that? Was it a lie?”
A deep sadness, stronger than anger, surged within her, making her feel as if she’d swallowed burning embers.
But she couldn’t show any sign of breaking down.
Only I can truly protect myself.
Ra Jin, mustering her strength, replied with as much indifference as she could muster,
“You shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Why? Can’t our Yujin meet a man from a respectable family?”
“Yujin already has a boyfriend. A lively, straightforward man, so decent that even his divorce doesn’t tarnish his reputation.”
Upon hearing this, Sukyoung felt an emptiness in her mind.
Due to the revelation Ra Jin made, Yujin, her own daughter, was now considering marrying a divorced man eleven years her senior, someone incomparable to Seonwoo.
Since that day, Minchan had been calling multiple times daily, saying that if they were to have the wedding this year, preparations needed to start post-haste.
She had delayed with various excuses, but now they were nearing a breaking point.
Every time Minchan’s number flashed on her phone screen, Yujin would become tearful, and with each time, Sukyoung’s resentment towards Ra Jin grew deeper.
‘Did that audacious girl have to blurt out such words?’
Eventually, the ‘cultured and elegant mother’ mask that Sukyoung had been wearing precariously fell off.
“This ungrateful, dark-hearted, and malicious creature.”
A voice filled with suppressed rage spilled out.
“…You’re finally showing your true colors.”
Ra Jin replied with a bitter tone, as if she had anticipated this all along.
“Ha, let’s be clear. Even President Jo is beyond your league, knowing you’re adopted, yet still willing to accept you. Why would you reject such a good opportunity?”
“I never asked you to introduce me to a man for marriage.”
“How much do you think we spent raising you! Besides, you’ve never been looked down upon as an orphan. Everyone regarded you as the eldest daughter of Sahwal Foods. Essentially, we elevated your social status.”
“Do you truly think that way? That you’ve spent so much on me?”
“What… What are you implying?”
Stung by Ra Jin’s words, Sukyoung faltered.
“I always had to wear the clothes Yujin grew tired of, even though I’m the eldest.”
“That… That’s because…! You said it was fine, why are you changing your story now? Besides, all the clothes Yujin wore were branded! Had you stayed in the orphanage, do you think you’d even get a glimpse of such clothes?”
“The pocket money given to Yujin and me was also different. Since turning twenty, I’ve never received an allowance. I paid my tuition through scholarships and covered my living expenses with part-time jobs.”
Hearing Ra Jin’s calm and composed voice, as if she had prepared her words in advance, left Sukyoung speechless.
“I stayed in a dormitory, and after joining the company, I got this house with a company loan. When Sahwal Foods faced financial difficulties, I always gave you a percentage of my salary as living expenses, considering it as a way to repay your kindness in raising me.”
While Sukyoung and Young-ho claimed to be supportive of Ra Jin verbally, their actions showed otherwise.
“Ra Jin, from a young age, you shouldn’t be too dependent. You have to develop the ability to stand on your own. You can’t be leeching off your parents as you grow older.”
“Leeching… off?”
“Yes. It’s called ‘leeching’ when an adult still clings to their parents. As you age, the roles will reverse, and you should be taking responsibility for your parents.”
Due to their expectations, Ra Jin had to secure a job immediately upon graduating from college. Yet, Yujin, even at twenty-eight, was still in the process of ‘leeching’.
Because Yujin was deemed too young and immature.
Each time, Ra Jin wondered if the reason they adopted her was to showcase how much they cherished Yujin.
The discrimination was that pronounced, yet Ra Jin had to remain silent.
She had nowhere else to go.
No matter how they were, she wanted to be within the boundaries called ‘family.’
The sheer thought of being left alone in the world made her fingertips chillingly cold with fear.
“You, were you thinking and calculating that every single day? Ha! It’s truly chilling.”
“Yes, I thought about it every day.”
Sorrow, rather than resentment, welled up in Ra Jin’s eyes.
“Every day, I scrutinized everything mother and father did for me, wondering if somewhere within… love might be buried.”
Sukyoung involuntarily stepped back, then immediately frowned.
Again. This child makes me feel this way.
She hated the overt maliciousness and the fact that she made her biological daughter, Yujin, seem inferior.
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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