Why Do You Obsess Even After Death (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
An engagement ceremony brimming with the blessings of the people.
The two protagonists of the day smiled with unreserved happiness. They looked as if they had triumphed over every hardship and finally reached a happy ending.
“Congratulations.”
“You two are such a perfect match.”
People joyfully offered their blessings to the couple, smiling warmly.
Count Detor Deberti, the male lead of the engagement, beamed so brightly it seemed his grin would stretch to his ears, while Lady Delia Palo shyly kept her flawless face lowered.
All the gathered nobles blessed the couple.
At least, only to their faces.
“…Didn’t Count Deberti have a previous engagement?”
“Don’t you remember? Lady Niriel, his former fiancée, died. He quickly found a new match.”
“It was quite the scandal just a while ago.”
“And isn’t Lady Palo the late Lady Niriel’s closest friend?”
“His new fiancée being his dead fiancée’s best friend… I’d find that too unsettling to handle.”
After offering their congratulations, the nobles turned away, fanning themselves with uneasy expressions. They had come only because they’d received invitations, but this engagement felt deeply uncomfortable.
“Wasn’t there even a rumor that those two had been seeing each other before Lady Niriel’s death?”
“Poor Lady Niriel—she’s the only one suffering now.”
“And she herself had her fair share of rumors. The dead can’t speak, so how can she defend herself even if she’s wronged?”
It was an engagement ceremony ripe with gossip. The nobles faced each other, laughing merrily. After all, they now had fresh scandal to chatter about endlessly for days, breaking the monotony of their dull lives.
Just as the nobles were competing, boasting about who knew more and who was superior,
“Duke Violentus has arrived!”
A booming voice announced the new guest. Astonishingly, the uncomfortable atmosphere instantly cleared.
“Oh my. Did he just say the Violentus family?”
“Duke Violentus himself came to the engagement ceremony?”
All eyes turned toward the opening doors.
“It’s my first time seeing his face. Whose invitation did he accept to come today?”
“I saw him once at Lady Niriel’s memorial banquet. He was so handsome… my heart couldn’t take it.”
“He just discovered another gold vein and diamond mine recently, didn’t he? His family might now be the wealthiest in the empire.”
Every gaze converged on one spot—far more attention than today’s protagonists were receiving.
And then…
“Are you ready?”
Laches, head of the Violentus family, stood before the door and extended his hand directly to me, asking lightly.
Though his tone mocked my resolve, his dark eyes—never once leaving mine—burned with fervent desire.
It had taken me a very long time to return here.
“Ready?”
I steadied my trembling breath and gently placed my hand upon Laches’s outstretched palm. His rough skin felt starkly real against mine.
“When I abandoned my name, faked my death, and left—that was when all my preparations ended.”
Satisfied with my firm reply, Laches gave a slight nod toward the door, signaling it to open. Hand in hand, we stepped gracefully into the engagement hall together.
‘…Ah.’
Fresh flowers filled the air with such a potent floral fragrance it made my head ache. Tall, arched windows on both sides let in bright sunlight that shimmered like jewels.
Ornate hexagonal pillars embedded with gems stood magnificently, and an enormous chandelier—so vast it seemed to swallow the ceiling—sparkled with every gentle breeze, capturing everyone’s attention.
I knew this place all too well.
After all, it was precisely where I had planned to marry.
And with that very man!
‘If you’re going to marry my former fiancé, at least choose a different venue. If you didn’t want people saying you’re copying me.’
Though it should have been his first time here, Laches moved without hesitation, striding forward as if he knew exactly where he was headed.
With every step Laches took, the crowd instinctively parted to either side.
He behaved as though all of this were utterly familiar and entirely ordinary.
“Always remember—and never forget—who walks beside you now, Referentia.”
His raven-black hair, dark as if it devoured daylight itself, fluttered softly with each step he took.
His raw, intense black eyes stared into mine, as if demanding to know whether I was truly prepared.
My grip tightened involuntarily on his hand. I held Laches’s gaze for a long moment before slowly parting my lips.
“My path was decided from the very beginning. So, Your Grace, you’d better follow me closely and not lose sight of me. If you fall even a step behind, I’ll leave you and go on ahead.”
A faint smile slipped between Laches’s lips.
“Then I suppose I’ll have to hold your hand tightly, so I don’t lose you.”
Seemingly pleased with my answer, Laches gave a satisfied nod and squeezed my hand firmly.
As we drew closer, the faces of today’s protagonists grew clearer.
Seeing their repulsive expressions sent a shiver through my entire body.
What expression will you wear now that you see me?
I lifted my chin higher than usual and straightened my back with elegant poise.
At last, Laches’s confident stride came to a halt at our destination.
Right before the two protagonists of the day.
“I offer my congratulations on your engagement, Count Deberti.”
Detor and Delia’s eyes widened in shock at this unexpected arrival. Even Crown Prince Belial Renator, who had been in the midst of congratulating them, turned around with a startled look.
Laches, head of the Violentus family, rarely came to the capital for any event—and even when summoned by the imperial palace, he often declined.
Thus, his presence here naturally provoked such a reaction.
“…Duke Violentus?”
At the Crown Prince Belial’s words, which sliced through the sudden silence, Laches gave a light nod in reply.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“I never expected… Duke Violentus would grace us with your presence.”
Detor approached Laches with a dazed expression and grasped the hand Laches offered.
“How could I ignore an invitation? After all, it’s a joyous occasion for the empire.”
While pleasant greetings passed between them, Delia stood blushing shyly, twisting her shoulders as she gazed at Laches.
She even muttered absurd things like, “He must have come here just to see me.”
She probably dreamed Laches would declare, “This engagement is void! I’m taking Delia with me!”
“As it happens, I’ve brought someone I’d like to introduce as well.”
Laches, too, looked excited—as if this were the moment he’d long awaited—and extended his hand toward me. Only when I took his hand did their eyes finally turn to me standing beside him.
The moment they recognized me, their faces twisted in horror.
“…!!”
“Lea… Lea?”
I had waited for this day.
The day your lives would bloom with happiness. Today—the very day you stood brimming with confidence, believing your future held nothing but blessings and no further trials.
I had vowed, again and again, to cruelly crush that beautifully bloomed flower and replace your blessings with despair and sorrow.
You won’t understand just how deeply I suffered, how I endured nightmares and agony, until you’ve fallen into that same abyss yourselves.
“Seeing how happy you both look today, I thought you’d forgotten me. But it seems you remember me perfectly well.”
At my quiet murmur, both turned as pale as ghosts, as if they’d encountered a specter they shouldn’t have seen.
Delia, in particular, covered her mouth with her palm and staggered backward in shock.
“You two might already be acquainted with her.”
Laches, watching their ridiculous display, twisted his lips into a smirk before formally introducing me in a voice dripping with mockery.
“Say hello. My fiancée, Referentia Niriel.”
At Laches’s words, the engagement hall instantly erupted into chaos.
Nobles who had been curious about my identity now buzzed in astonishment, and Delia wobbled unsteadily, her legs trembling.
“Did the head of the Violentus family just say ‘Referentia Niriel’? The Lady Niriel who died?”
“But wasn’t she declared dead? I even attended her memorial service.”
“Lady Niriel is alive?”
“And since when has Duke Violentus been engaged?”
My return—when everyone believed me dead—plunged the once-blessed engagement into shock and disbelief.
Naturally, today’s protagonists were instantly forgotten in everyone’s minds.
“You… how did you…?”
“Lea is… Lea is dead!”
They rubbed their eyes repeatedly, verifying my presence again and again. Detor even slapped his own cheeks several times, as if doubting whether he was dreaming.
“…Lady Niriel?”
Crown Prince Belial, who had been congratulating them, called out to me in astonishment.
“Lady Niriel is here…”
“It’s been a long time, Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“Hah.”
At my light greeting, the Crown Prince’s eyes instantly grew moist.
Putting aside warm greetings for later, I looked at them with a blank expression and offered a casual congratulation.
“Congratulations on your engagement. You said you’d marry even if it meant killing me—and you really pulled it off.”
At my words, Delia’s lips trembled violently.
“You two will surely live happily ever after—unlike me.”
Despite my cheerful congratulations, they remained speechless. Instead, the surrounding nobles grew even more restless.
“May I visit you both soon? There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Ask… something you want to ask?”
“Yes. I’m preparing for my own official engagement ceremony.”
At Delia’s question, I smiled pointedly and leaned my head against Laches’s chest. Laches wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, as if cherishing and loving me dearly.
To any observer, we looked like a genuinely loving couple.
Detor’s face hardened, and Delia’s smile vanished.
“Just to be sure…”
“……”
“Did you two really believe I was dead?”
Did you actually wish for my death?
I grinned teasingly at their stunned faces.
Right here, right now, in this very place—
There is someone who killed me.
[This is the timeline separator]“Lea. I’m pregnant.”
Today was my wedding day.
“The father… is someone you know.”
Therefore, this should have been the happiest moment of my life—more than anyone else’s.
“He said he’d settle things with the person he’d been seeing and then marry me. We decided to rush the wedding before my belly grows any bigger.”
I stared, dumbfounded, at my friend Delia as she blurted out this shocking confession.
One thing was clear: this was absolutely not something I should hear mere hours before my wedding.
“…Who’s the father?”
If it weren’t today, would I have first asked if she was okay? Or would I have hugged her tightly, comforting her sadness?
Maybe I would have foolishly smiled and congratulated her.
But today was different.
Seeing Delia rapidly spill her confession as if it couldn’t wait another second filled me with unease that crept from my feet and swallowed my whole body.
“…Lea, you’ll congratulate me, right?”
“Who’s the father?”
Ignoring my question, Delia pressed me again, desperately seeking my congratulations.
Delia’s lips quivered. She avoided my gaze as she absentmindedly stroked her still-flat stomach.
A dreadful premonition struck me hard.
“Detor?”
The man who was supposed to stand beside me today, declaring his love—my husband.
I spoke my fiancé’s name.
“Is Detor… the father?”
Delia pressed her lips tightly shut, as if she had nothing more to say.
I wished she’d just called me crazy. Scolded me harshly: “Are you out of your mind? How dare you suspect your groom on your wedding day?”
My lips dried, and my breath grew shallow.
Though she gave no clear answer, her silence spoke volumes.
Lowering my confused gaze, my eyes locked onto the ring on Delia’s finger.
It was a familiar ring.
Of course it was—because it was identical to the engagement ring on my own hand.
The very ring Detor had proudly claimed was rare and hard to find now sat brazenly on the fingers of two women at once.
Noticing where my gaze fell, Delia subtly covered her ringed hand with her palm.
“Ah…”
A despairing sigh escaped me involuntarily.
I felt as if I’d collapse right there and be buried beneath the floor.
How could she be so shameless?
“I’m sorry, Lea. Truly sorry. I wanted to tell you earlier…”
Earlier?
She wanted to tell me earlier? Since when had they been seeing each other? And why—why today of all days?
Today was supposed to be my…
As my thoughts spiraled, darkness swallowed my vision like clouds obscuring the moon, leaving me alone in a lightless world.
“You’re my friend… that’s why neither of us could say anything. I’m sorry, Lea. If I weren’t pregnant, I never would’ve told you this…”
At her contradictory words, a mocking laugh burst from me.
“So you mean… if you hadn’t gotten pregnant, you would’ve kept lying to me and continued seeing him?”
“Why are you saying it like that… so frighteningly… Lea… I… I just thought you needed to know…”
Delia kept sniffling. She seemed to expect me, as always, to comfort her tears.
“And… truthfully, Lea, you’ve always struggled with physical intimacy with Detor. Don’t you know how important that is to men…? He was suffering so much…”
“Do you even realize what you’re saying right now?”
“We three were in a mutually beneficial relationship. If I hadn’t satisfied Detor’s needs… he might have broken up with you long ago. Thanks to me, you’ve been able to preserve your happy love all this time, Lea. Can’t you see it that way?”
Her outrageous nonsense made my hands tremble. I shot to my feet and hurled my bouquet with all my strength.
“Le… Lea…”
“You! How dare you!”
Startled by my sudden outburst, Delia clutched her head and trembled in fear.
“You! How could you do this to me!”
“L… Lea… I know you’re angry, but please be careful. What if something happens to the baby…”
What did she just say?
I stared blankly at Delia.
Is this really my friend Delia? How could she say such things to me? How could she mention the baby right in front of me…?
“Hah.”
Without sparing her even a glance, I walked straight out.
Outside the dressing room, the maids I’d sent away for privacy were waiting.
“Detor, where is Detor?”
My voice wavered. Though I tried to stay calm, my mind was filled only with filthy thoughts of Detor and Delia merging into one.
The image of those two, united, laughing mockingly at me—their innocent victim—made me feel like vomiting everything inside me.
“Count Deberti arrived just a moment ago. He’s currently inspecting the banquet hall.”
Hearing this, I immediately headed toward the banquet hall where Detor would be.
The maids followed me in alarm, insisting the bride’s preparations weren’t finished, but I ignored them.
I had to confirm right now whether this nightmare was real.
As I entered the banquet hall, I saw Detor—the man I loved, and once loved me.
I tore off my gloves and strode quickly toward him.
“Hm? Referentia?”
Hearing my footsteps, Detor turned and smiled when he saw me. His unchanged smile blurred my vision.
I had loved that smile so much. I had been certain that his clear, gentle smile meant love for me.
I stepped right up to him and touched his cheek with my bare hand.
I didn’t need to ask if Delia’s words were true.
“…!!”
The moment my hand touched Detor’s cheek,
All of Detor’s memories flooded into my mind like a reel of film.
His gaze, memories, and thoughts about me.
His gaze, memories, and thoughts about Delia—filled with lewd, filthy desires.
Even the unpleasant images I’d imagined moments ago.
His entire past, unknown to me until now, instantly filled my head.
Slap!
“What do you think you’re doing!”
Detor coldly brushed my hand away from his cheek and hastily stepped back.
At the same time, tears that had been gathering at the corners of his eyes spilled down his face.
“Is it really true… that you’re the father of Delia’s unborn child?”
I didn’t need to ask again.
In the memories I’d just read, Detor and Delia had been joyfully entwined in each other’s arms,
Wearing that same clear, gentle smile I’d once believed meant love for me.
Whenever I touched someone’s bare skin with my ungloved hand, I involuntarily saw all their memories—regardless of my will.
Therefore, this was all…
Undeniable truth.
“…! That… that’s something we’ll discuss later.”
Only three people knew I possessed this ability: my father, Delia—who had been my friend since childhood—and Detor.
Delia and Detor had always begged me to respect their privacy, so I always wore gloves to avoid accidentally learning their secrets.
‘And the result of all that was nothing but betrayal toward me.’
I had never once properly held Detor’s hand or shared a true kiss of love with him.
Because Detor, terrified of my touch, had always put it off, saying we’d do those things after marriage.
He told me that—and then went to Delia, complaining how hard it was that he couldn’t freely hold my hand?
“When exactly were you planning to tell me?”
“Referentia.”
“After we got married? Were you going to divorce me later, saying you’d become another child’s father?”
Detor furrowed his brows sharply and anxiously glanced around before waving the servants away.
“Referentia. There are too many people listening. Please be quiet.”
I had been too naive. Naively believing my friend—and my fiancé—would never betray me.
I believed the three of us could remain happily together forever.
It was entirely my fault.
“It’s over between us, Detor.”
“Referentia. Our families have already finalized everything, and the imperial court knows of our engagement. You can’t just change your mind over a whim…”
“A whim? You call this a whim?”
Even after everything was exposed, Detor faced me without a shred of guilt. In a moment that demanded begging and desperate apologies, his knees remained unbent, and his proud head looked down at me.
“Call off the engagement. Annulment is better than divorce.”
“Referentia.”
“This ring—you said it was so rare to find, yet Delia wears the exact same one. Hah, couldn’t you at least have given her a different ring to show some effort?”
I yanked the engagement ring from my finger and threw it at Detor’s chest before turning away.
The maid waiting ahead panicked at the sight of me leaving in tears. As my makeup smudged, the maid stamped her feet anxiously, reminding me not to cry, but I simply ordered her to prepare the carriage.
Tears streamed endlessly down my face as I fled the wedding venue. My blurred vision felt like being lost in fog, trapped in despair.
Why… why must I endure such trials?
“I’d rather… I’d rather die.”
I felt as if my entire life had been invalidated. Not knowing where I was going, I just walked forward blindly, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.
Right now, I just wanted to go anywhere far from those two.
Just then—
Thud!
Someone struck me hard on the back of my head from behind.
The sudden attack happened too fast to stop.
‘…Huh?’
As pain spread from my head—quickly overwhelming even my sorrow—it consumed my consciousness.
When I opened my eyes again, I had returned three months before the wedding.
This was my first regression—and the beginning of an endless cycle of returns.
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 wish I could see this ugh but I guess that’s not the point of this story
The name is hilarious lmao these novels and their names are getting out of hand
Truer words have never been spoken miss Leperentia