The intoxication had long worn off.
His legs were not unsteady either.
So there was no reason not to dance. But what was the reason he could not readily take this man’s hand?
What was this inner voice saying that he must not take this man’s hand?
There was no reason not to.
It might have been different if it were Kain, but this man was only his father’s disciple.
Liz convinced herself of this strange discomfort with her own logic.
‘It must be because he is too goodlooking. Being too goodlooking can cause a repulsion.’
Liz decided to overcome this repulsion at this opportunity.
“Okay.”
When she placed her hand in the man’s, he gently led her to the center of the ballroom.
Just like Count Bertrand did with Lilia.
People parted like the sea for them.
The man placed one hand below Liz’s wing bone, the other hand softly taking her glove, leading the dance. The movements were as fluid as flowing water.
It was so natural and in sync that it felt like they had danced together at some point before, although that was impossible.
By coincidence, the music was Waltz No. 3, which Liz had practiced with Kain underwater.
“You dance well, don’t you?”
The man said, smiling. His eyes became sultry every time he smiled. His lips drew an elegant line, and the glimpse of his white and orderly teeth was beautiful.
His looks were indescribable. If dared to express in words, an unreal appearance. Hence, he is merely a handsome man that one dare not have any affection for… nothing else comes to mind.
At a certain point when the dance was on track, the man opened his mouth.
“But, you know.”
“……?”
“Don’t you ask my name?”
Ah, right. I didn’t ask his name. But I’m not really curious. We won’t see each other again… although she couldn’t say that, so she asked out of politeness.
“What’s your name?”
“Kastrion.”
“Ah…… yes.”
“What’s my name?”
“……Yes?”
The man suddenly tested her. Damn. She had just heard it in passing.
What was it?
“Ka…… jis?”
Then the man chuckled and said,
“Kastrion. Try to say it.”
“Kas…… trion…… sir.”
Somehow, it felt like she had to add ‘sir.’ Even though there was no need to. He wasn’t a king or a prince.
But why do this? They won’t see each other again.
“Next time we meet, I’ll ask you. Don’t forget.”
“……?”
Next? There’s a next time?
Is he saying he’ll keep visiting in mourning for his father?
While she was bewildered, the music ended.
Liz tried to pull her hand away, but the man didn’t seem to want to let her go.
“One more dance.”
“Again? Now you should dance with someone else…….”
“Can’t I?”
“……?”
“I tend to stick to one thing, you see.”
A strange man. Wasn’t a ball like this supposed to dance with various partners, secretly exchanging intimate currents? Dancing with one person would be boring.
The disappointed sighs of the young ladies who had been waiting for his dance erupted here and there.
Regardless, the new music began.
As soon as she heard the fast and intense introduction, Liz’s purple eyes sparkled.
‘I know this piece.’
It was a new piece by Pereus Ablié, a composer of dance music in Luzencia, and it had not been long since it was revealed, so many in the empire didn’t know it. But how did this man, who had just come from another kingdom, know it?
Moreover, although the rhythm and melody of this piece were so fast and unfamiliar that it was called a revolution in music, the man led the dance smoothly without a single misstep.
‘How on earth……?’
Liz was amazed and intrigued.
With her particular obsession with the latest music, Liz had Kain procure the score as soon as this piece was announced. Then, the two of them secretly hummed the tune and danced.
It was a piece that they had finally matched with much difficulty even with Kain, who had good motor nerves.
But how could she dance so well with someone she met for the first time?
Now the others had withdrawn, and only Liz and some unknown gentleman remained to dance. They seemed the main characters of this stage. Their limbs moved in perfect harmony, as though they had long been partners.
As the music reached its climax, the man grabbed one of Liz’s hands and threw it far, then pulled it with force. Liz twirled following his hand and embraced him, resting her weight on his arm as solid as iron, bending her waist back in the moment.
The music ended.
For a moment, Liz saw the man’s eyes flicker like molten gold. A sudden, ridiculous thought occurred to her.
That this man wanted her madly…
But unless he was a philanderer, he wouldn’t harbor such feelings for a woman he had just met.
Liz thought it must be one of two things.
That she was either drunk or mad.
With little effort, the man gently lifted Liz’s body. Soon after, applause poured into the hall. Liz was confused.
She had forgotten. She wasn’t the only one in this hall with this man.
The man elegantly acknowledged the cheers of the people, and Liz, taken aback, lightly grasped her skirt hem and assumed a formal posture. Somehow her chest swelled.
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
