When Pride Falls at Your Feet (19 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 1
Moonlight shone into the room cloaked in darkness. Unlike Emilia’s face, which glowed white under the blue moonlight, Enrico’s face, turned away from the window, lay shadowed.
“Where do you think you’re going at this hour?”
Emilia swayed slightly backward as if her body had faltered. Her eyelashes fluttered like someone who had stepped back without realizing it, and she placed both hands over her chest as she watched Enrico draw closer with every step she retreated.
“…And what brings you here so late at night, Your Grace?”
She had planned to leave quietly. The contract had long ended, and since they were no longer necessary to each other, she believed there would be no issue in departing now. Especially since his curiosity toward her surely had vanished completely—evaporated, even—and she expected no complications at all.
Enrico took another step forward. No, he kept narrowing the distance as if he had no intention of stopping.
“…”
Instinctively retreating step by step, Emilia tried to halt when she felt the bed against her back—but it was already too late. She sank onto the bed with a soft thud, her balance lost, and fell halfway onto it.
Emilia pressed firmly with both arms supporting her upper body and tried to rise immediately. But the shadow looming over her was faster. His long arms planted on either side of her face, she felt a cold draft accompanied by a woody musk scent.
“Your Grace.”
Though her voice sounded calm, the tremor at the end gave her away.
Unnerved, Emilia blinked as his fingers gently grasped her chin. It wasn’t forceful, yet it was impossible to refuse.
Her head turned along with his touch, and her eyes met Enrico’s as he looked down at her.
It was truly strange. His usually composed, beautiful face was now shadowed with indescribable, unfamiliar emotions. His deep violet eyes refused to look away, as if ready to devour her at any moment, yet his throat, veins starkly visible beneath the skin, only drew in a slow, controlled breath—as if suppressing something.
“…Please step aside. And since we’re no longer under contract, stop barging in like this unannounced.”
“When.”
“Excuse me?”
His furrowed brow twitched faintly.
“I never ended it.”
He felt like an immovable wall—there was absolutely no gap through which she could slip past him head-on.
“What do you mean…?”
Emilia trailed off and finally lifted her leg to scramble over the bed. Thud. Her shoe caught on the edge and fell to the floor. Her bare foot rubbed against the cool sheets as she hastily tried to move backward while seated—but her motion abruptly stopped when a hand seized her ankle.
“…!”
Her entire body froze as if shackled. Emilia’s eyes widened in shock.
“You may wear them when dancing, but never when running from me.”
His hand gripped her left ankle tightly once, then slowly loosened. His teasing touch traveled down to her toes and arch, leisurely caressing them. When she instinctively tried to pull away, his hand slid upward along her calf, and his other hand firmly pressed down on her right thigh.
Enrico still held his gaze fixed on her. Only his hand on her thigh began creeping slowly toward the hidden inner curve of her leg. A startled gasp and a soft moan escaped her lips.
“I have no intention of ever letting you go.”
His voice, low and rough, whispered as his hand paused perilously close. Then he lifted her leg high.
How had it come to this?
Emilia’s vision blurred as if reaching back into the distant past, and shadows began to stretch.
[This is the timeline separator]Layers of tulle skirts fluttered around her calves like breaking foam. Emilia Este, walking briskly, tightened the brown shawl draped over her white ballerina costume and exhaled a tense breath.
‘What could possibly be happening all of a sudden?’
It was the day she had long awaited. She had endured the contempt of others, living only for ballet, believing now she would finally prove herself and lift the shadow cast over her life. Of all times, it had to be now that the shadow sought her out.
Giorgio Este.
The man who had appeared at the viscountcy immediately after her parents’ tragic deaths, introducing himself as a distant relative.
‘After everything I’ve done to get here…’
She knew Giorgio, who had never hidden his lustful gaze from their very first meeting, wouldn’t let go easily. But this stage was supposed to be her path to independence as an adult and her chance to join a foreign ballet company. Among the many dancers on stage, it was only natural for the lead ballerina to receive attention.
So, although she desperately wanted to ignore Giorgio’s summons, she surely would have—if not for the servant’s words delivered directly to her dressing room.
‘If you don’t come quietly, I’ll drag you myself.’
Swallowing a seething sigh at the thought that such a thug-like threat came from her own uncle, Emilia quickened her steps.
At least she was lucky enough to have a private dressing room—had there been others around, the servant’s appearance alone would’ve drawn suspicious stares.
In the ballet world, dominated by commoners or those from fallen noble houses, if Emilia’s hidden noble status were exposed, she’d inevitably draw unwanted attention from her peers and face restrictions from instructors burdened by her background.
Moreover, completing tonight’s performance safely was her top priority—she couldn’t afford to provoke Giorgio and stir up trouble so early.
Her anxious thoughts made her pace unconsciously shift into a run, and soon the emergency exit came into view. Though the corridor connected to the second-floor box seats, its remoteness left her with no hesitation. She turned the doorknob and darted out.
‘…Huh?’
At that instant, Emilia’s eyes widened. Contrary to her expectation of emptiness, a large figure suddenly appeared. She instinctively raised her arms and tried to stop, but there was no avoiding the collision. Thud—her arms struck a firm back, and her body bounced backward.
“Ah…!”
The only consolation was that she didn’t fall. Emilia steadied her wobbling body by gripping the wall reflexively. Then she lifted her head to look at the person she’d bumped into.
‘I heard no one comes here often… Is he staff? Ah…’
Her gaze froze. A tall man whose polished shoes forced her to look far upward simply continued on his way as if nothing had happened. Emilia stared blankly at his indifferent back, breath held. Dressed in an elegant black coat, he was unmistakably noble—not just in appearance but in the aura of untouchable aloofness he radiated.
“My lady, are you alright?”
“…Yes.”
Emilia blinked for a moment before answering. She was relieved he wasn’t the type of noble who’d make a fuss over rudeness, yet his complete disregard left her unsure how to respond.
Should she wait until he left first? Or at least offer an apology to his back? A flicker of indecision crossed Emilia’s face. Just as she resolved to speak again, a man suddenly stepped between them, blocking the noble from her view.
“Sorry about that—”
“If there’s anything bothering you, please tell me.”
“I’m fine. But…”
“I’m glad to hear you’re alright, my lady.”
As Emilia glanced toward the noble walking away, the man in front grinned and cut her off again—his reaction almost as if he wished to avoid mentioning the noble altogether.
‘Ah, he just wants me to leave quietly.’
Emilia closed her mouth and gave a slight nod. She was in a hurry herself, after all. Not being held back was a blessing, so she smoothed her disheveled shawl and stepped aside. Just as she was about to gesture for him to go ahead, the noble standing near the audience entrance suddenly spoke.
“Fabio.”
His low, cool voice pierced her ears like the sky at dawn.
“Yes! Your Grace!”
Emilia’s eyes trembled.
Your Grace? He was a grand duke—one she’d never anticipated. As Emilia stepped back, hands clasped before her chest, the man also turned swiftly and bowed respectfully. The duke still showed only his back—but as he slowly turned his head to the side, his profile became faintly visible.
‘…Enrico Michele?’
She recognized him instantly. Even Emilia, who’d buried herself in ballet after her parents’ death and knew little of nobility, had heard his name countless times from peers. His very existence was impossible to overlook—he was simply too prominent.
After all, he was the king’s younger brother and the wealthiest man in the kingdom.
“Bring me a new coat.”
His black coat slid off his broad shoulders and dropped to the floor with a soft thud. His sculpted nose and deep-set eyes were revealed, and for just a moment, his amethyst eyes flickered toward the man called Fabio. Even seen in profile, Enrico Michele’s face was strikingly beautiful—and as cold as the frigid air outside.
Emilia kept her expression composed as she watched him leave, until a sound pierced her ears. Ding—ding—the chime announcing the performance filled the theater. This wasn’t the time to stand around.
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.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)