“Then wouldn’t it be better for you to do it?”
“Right. That’s why I’m suggesting we switch. I couldn’t help you at the beginning because of the steward.”
Celie laughed as she helped herself to more potato soup.
“I want to make it up to you.”
Wanting to make it up to me. It was the first time I’d heard such a thing. No one had ever apologized to me or tried to be nice because they felt sorry.
Even though I had only a little dry potato, it felt like eating a soft, moist brioche, filling me up.
“Okay. I’ll clean the windows this afternoon.”
I felt shy, like when I first made a friend as a child. I awkwardly stirred the potato soup, burying my face in the bowl.
Suddenly, the surrounding chatter stopped, and silence fell.
‘What?’
I lifted my head amid the unnaturally quiet ambiance, only to see Laches, who had unexpectedly taken the empty seat beside me, leaning on his elbow.
“Hello.”
He greeted me first, which was unheard of for someone of his status to initiate with a maid.
All the maids around had stood up and were bowing to Laches. I quickly got up and bowed to him as well.
“Good day, Your Grace…”
“Don’t get up; I didn’t come to disturb your meal.”
Laches pulled my wrist, forcing me to sit down. His manner was rough without any consideration, but his hand holding my wrist felt as gentle as a feather.
“Eat up. You need to work again today.”
He said with a teasing smile. How could I eat while everyone else stood?
“Your Grace, what brings you here?”
“Do you need me to feed you?”
“What?”
He took a wooden spoon, filled it with soup, and then frowned, seemingly displeased.
“This soup is too thin. Is it just water?”
He stirred the soup a few times, then glanced at Celie’s bowl.
“There’s barely any substance. Is this how you always eat?”
Celie seemed confused whether he was asking her or just talking to himself.
I bowed and responded to Laches on her behalf.
“Your Grace, people are waiting for you in the breakfast hall.”
“Are you telling me to hurry to the breakfast hall?”
“No, Your Grace. I wouldn’t dare… I was just worried if you might be hungry.”
“You speak well. You seem to be feeling better today?”
“Thanks to your concern.”
Laches nodded and gestured behind him. Following his command, a butler who had been waiting opened the dining room door. The chef, who should have been in the breakfast hall, came in with trays of food meant for there.
“Those who work for the mansion deserve a grand meal. From tomorrow, the food will change.”
The food meant for Laches was placed on the servants’ table. The maids were wide-eyed at the unfamiliar dishes.
“Of course, it won’t always be like this. Today, the chef has a lot to do and couldn’t prepare new meals. So, he shared my breakfast with you. Don’t expect the same tomorrow.”
Laches smiled and gestured for us to enjoy the meal. He then leaned on the table, looking at me with a mischievous grin.
“Eat a lot. You’ve got a long day ahead.”
“What does that mean?” I wondered, but he seemed to have no intention of explaining.
“Your Grace is very considerate.”
“That word ‘considerate’ is troublesome.”
Laches leaned towards me, a citrus scent from the memorial service tickling my nose. It was a fresh, youthful fragrance, fitting for the cold North.
He whispered softly, audible only to me.
“Let’s call it a whim. If I suddenly change my mind and revert everything back to how it was – the accommodation, the meals – then it wouldn’t be considered ‘considerate’.”
“Why such whims, Your Grace?”
“A plea that I liked.”
A plea? Who could have requested better meals? And why tell me about it?
“Thank you for your whims, Your Grace.”
“I like that thanks.”
Laches smiled, playing with his fingers and lifting the corner of his mouth.
“I’m sorry. I meant to give you an easy job.”
It was afternoon. I thought cleaning the hallway windows might allow me to meet Ronan and read his memories… But everything changed.
All maids assigned to the mansion’s interior were suddenly redirected to prepare for guests.
“It’s okay. All the indoor maids were deployed, not just me.”
Celie, who had been doing laundry, rushed over, apologizing with cold hands.
I placed vases in the hallway, looking around. This didn’t seem like a ball setup. And with no duchess or lady in Violenthus Castle, there was no one to host a party.
“Did you hear about any visitors?”
“No. It was all sudden. Everyone was surprised about the guest preparations.”
I recalled Laches’ morning words about a long day. Was it about this?
As I was placing a vase on a decorative table, the door opened. The butler and knights in crisp uniforms entered.
“The carriage of the guests will arrive soon. A problem occurred with a carriage heading to the southern territories, so they’re stopping at our castle for repairs.”
The butler and knights relayed the message to the maids who hurried to prepare.
“Is it just one person? A gentleman?”
Someone asked. The butler answered casually.
“Lady Palo and Count Deverty will be arriving.”
Hearing this, the vase slipped from my hand.
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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