Unable To Escape (10 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 1
The dining room was lit so brightly it was hard to believe it was night.
Alicia, seated at one end of the long table, stared at the empty chair opposite her, waiting for its owner to arrive.
Dinner time had long passed, and her wait had been just as long, yet Alicia’s face remained calm, as if this were an everyday occurrence.
“Has he still not arrived?”
“…I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“It’s not your fault to apologize to me. It’s always like this.”
“…I apologize.”
Ignoring the servant who bowed his head apologetically, Alicia lifted the water glass before her to moisten her throat, then glanced at the empty wine glass beside it.
The untouched glass, reflecting the dining room’s light, seemed to warn her not to forget what she had to do today.
“Still, I believed that, just for today, he might arrive on time…”
“Yes?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Alicia, her throat burning, moistened it once more and set the water glass back on the table.
Emperor of the Eregorn Empire, the sole heir of noble blood—
Despite having granted someone her precious time, anyone who saw her sitting alone like this would surely prompt the nobles, who valued face above life itself, to unanimously demand punishment for such an act of disrespect.
But would anyone dare voice such a claim once they heard the name of the person she was waiting for?
Certainly, except perhaps for a single individual—the very one who had orchestrated today’s unpleasant event—no one else would dare.
“His Grace Killian Diaz-Craig has arrived.”
Alicia, lost in thought as she recalled the man who had insisted this matter must be settled today, snapped back to attention at the announcement that the one she’d been waiting for had finally arrived, and turned her gaze toward the door.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“No, not too long.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
His greeting, exchanged as though reciting lines from a script, held no trace of sincerity.
Alicia watched as the man bowed his head toward her with a face showing no remorse whatsoever, then took the seat directly opposite hers—the same seat she had kept her eyes fixed on.
Neatly combed short black hair, sharp eyebrows arching above a handsome forehead, striking emerald eyes beneath long, thick lashes that held no warmth, and tightly closed lips below a straight, prominent nose.
He was undeniably handsome enough to instantly capture anyone’s attention, yet cloaked in an aura of coldness that kept others at a distance.
He was Killian—her husband and the Imperial Chancellor of the Empire.
“You must have been busy again today.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“…I see.”
Alicia knew very well that “again today,” his lover had secretly visited his study.
And Killian, of course, couldn’t possibly be unaware that she knew.
All the eyes and ears in the imperial palace belonged to him; if he had wished, he could have concealed everything easily—but he hadn’t.
He likely already knew Alicia would choose to pretend ignorance regardless.
And even if she chose to acknowledge it openly…
“The daughter of Count Louis is…”
“Cheryl inherited the title and became Count last year, Your Majesty.”
He would simply brush it off with such a casual reply, as if it were nothing of consequence.
Alicia looked at Killian’s impassive face as he continued speaking, feeling once again that familiar ache in her chest—one she still couldn’t grow used to.
“If it’s difficult for you to say her name, it might be best to refer to her properly as Count Louis.”
And yet you call her name so easily yourself.
Alicia squeezed her eyes shut, barely managing to swallow the bitter words that had risen to her lips, then slowly opened her eyes and offered a faint, bitter smile.
It was all her fault.
So whom could she possibly blame or resent?
“Shall I have dinner served now?”
Despite the fact that the Emperor herself sat at the table, the servant asking for Killian’s permission clearly demonstrated who truly held power in this empire.
“You invited me here, Your Majesty, so you should be the one to ask.”
“Oh…! Forgive me.”
Realizing his mistake at last, the servant hurried toward her and bowed deeply. Alicia dismissed him with a light wave of her hand, then turned to Killian.
“You won’t accept even if I invite you to eat, will you?”
In the four years since their marriage, they had shared a meal at the same table only three times—
and even those occasions had occurred before Alicia ascended the throne.
Seeing Killian remain silent—making no effort to conceal his wariness—Alicia gave a light nod.
“We’ll have dinner another time… another time. Today, I just wanted to share a drink with you.”
Would there even be a “next time”?
Knowing full well that there might never be another “next,” Alicia still spoke the word and gave the servant a slight wave.
As servants filled the table in response to her signal, the two exchanged no words.
They merely locked eyes, each trying to decipher what the other was thinking.
Or rather, only Killian seemed to be engaged in this silent probing; Alicia was simply trying her best to etch every detail of her husband’s beloved face into her memory.
“It’s strangely unusual today.”
Killian broke the silence as he watched his wine glass being filled.
The maid pouring the wine flinched at his sudden remark, but quickly bowed her head and retreated, then moved to fill Alicia’s glass.
“What feels unusual?”
“Everything.”
At his gesture, the attendants waiting nearby swiftly and discreetly left the dining room.
The maid who had poured their wine glanced helplessly at Alicia, but upon seeing her gentle nod and faint smile, bit her lower lip—as if holding back tears—and followed the others out.
Now alone with only their breathing to fill the silence, Alicia met Killian’s expectant gaze and slowly began to speak.
“Can you stop it?”
“Stop what?”
“The war you’re preparing for now.”
“Do you think I’ll simply nod and obey just because Your Majesty says so?”
“…No.”
Alicia had expected precisely this answer.
Yet, as long as she remained Emperor of Eregorn, she had to ask him this question at least once.
She picked up her wine glass, watching Killian, whose eyes now gleamed with barely concealed ferocity.
She had asked the question she needed to ask; now it was time to do what she must.
“I’m not fit to be Emperor.”
“…”
“If only my brother hadn’t died so suddenly in that accident, I never would have dared to imagine myself here.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Everything felt overwhelming, but thanks to you, I managed to at least mimic the role of Emperor.”
“…”
“Thank you, Killian.”
This was truly sincere.
Though she was mocked as a mere puppet of the Duke—a hollow-shell Emperor—she had endured until this very moment solely because of Killian.
“So let’s toast—to this Eregorn, ruined by my foolish love.”
Alicia raised her glass toward the air, smiled, and drained it in one gulp.
This wine had been specially prepared for today.
She set the empty glass down, feeling the potent liquor burn its way down her throat.
Killian hadn’t even touched the wine poured for him.
“Why aren’t you drinking?”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“Afraid I poisoned it?”
“Do you even have the courage for that?”
Heh.
Even as he mocked her, Alicia couldn’t bring herself to be angry.
Because he wasn’t wrong.
She nodded in response to his question, rose from her seat, and walked over to stand beside Killian.
“You’re right. I could never have the courage to kill you. So… I’ll drink this instead.”
She lifted his untouched wine glass and swallowed its contents in one swift motion.
Killian’s eyes widened briefly in surprise, then narrowed as he stared at the empty glass she placed back on the table.
“What is this nonsense?”
“I knew you wouldn’t drink it. Every year… you’ve never touched it.”
“What?”
Was it the strength of the liquor? Or had the special ingredient within already begun taking effect?
Her insides burned fiercely, her head spinning.
“Alicia!”
So this was what it felt like—to burn alive from the inside out.
Collapsing to the floor as blood spilled from her lips, Alicia looked up to see Killian cradling her in his arms, desperately calling her name.
Was he truly shaken? For the first time, she saw his emerald eyes tremble—and even in her dying moments, she couldn’t help but let out a faint, rueful laugh.
“What have you done?”
“Killian…”
If you knew what I was thinking… when I laced the wine prepared to celebrate our wedding anniversary with poison, would you just laugh and call me a fool?
“…I… regret…it…”
From the very first moment they met until this instant—spitting blood and dying—he was a man who had never loved Alicia, not even for a single second.
A venomous serpent who, unsatisfied with murdering his own parents and siblings, carried poison in his heart.
A puppeteer pulling the strings of a hollow-shell Emperor.
A tyrant preparing for war, never content with what he already held.
And… the man Alicia Craig loved: Killian Diaz.
“You… you… are… every… bit… of my… heart…”
Unable to abandon her first love, she had chosen this moment to die together—but lacking the strength to take his life with her own hands, Alicia had opted to die alone.
Or rather, to flee through death.
“If… if I’m… ever… given… another… chance…”
If she ever got that chance, she would run with all her might.
So her foolishness wouldn’t ruin everything once again.
“…I won’t… love you… anymore.”
So, Killian…
In this moment of death—and perhaps even beyond—I, who will surely miss and love you forever…
Let us never meet again.
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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I wonder why the male lead made her suffer so much in her past life 🤔🤨
It’s refreshing to read that she has a caring support system.
Darn, her last life truly was the worst timeline. I hope Alicia and her family live happily this time.