You And I Live In Different Worlds (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
“I’m getting married, Melie.”
At Edric’s words, Melie felt her heart crumble.
“With… with whom?”
“You’ll see for yourself. I’ll bring her here tomorrow.”
He winked and tousled Melie’s chestnut hair.
At that delicate gesture, Melie felt her heart sink once again.
‘How foolish.’
Edric Felton was twenty-three—of course it was natural for him to consider marriage at his age.
Melie gazed at Edric, speechless.
Suddenly, she remembered the very first time she’d seen him.
“Say hello, Melie. This is the future Duke of the Felton household.”
Ten years ago. She’d arrived with her widowed mother, who had nowhere else to turn, at the estate of the late Duke Felton’s widow—a close friend of her mother’s—and met a well-groomed boy.
That boy, Edric Felton, who once looked down on her with a faint, elegant sneer on his noble and refined face, had now grown into such a distinguished, handsome man—and was getting married.
“You’ll congratulate me, won’t you, Melie?”
Of course. She should congratulate him.
She knew perfectly well that, as his long-time friend, those were the words she ought to say—but they wouldn’t come out easily.
‘How foolish.’
Melie scolded herself inwardly once more.
She’d always known this day would come.
From the very beginning, she’d expected that Edric—head of the Empire’s most prestigious noble house, blessed with delicate and beautiful features—would eventually find a suitable partner and build a happy family. She, a mere dependent clinging to the Felton household, a noble only in name, small and plain, had never dared to imagine she could ever be with him… Yet still, seeing Edric calmly announcing his engagement filled her with bitter pain.
It seemed the time had finally come to truly let him go.
Melie barely managed to suppress her emotions and spoke.
“Congratulations… Edric. I really… congratulate you.”
The smile on her lips kept twisting involuntarily.
[This is the timeline separator]The carriage halted before the entrance.
The Adel family’s distinctive golden ibex crest shimmered radiantly in the fading sunlight—a proud display fitting for a lineage that had produced many empresses.
Edric helped the young lady step down from the carriage, then assisted her mother as well.
While both families exchanged formal courtesies and ritual greetings, Melie intently observed Edric’s fiancée, Rosaline Adele, the Marquis Adel’s daughter.
She had hair of an enchanting blue-violet hue that shifted color with every angle, and ruby eyes that sparkled warmly as she was introduced to the family. Her features, unusually bold and open for a woman, paired with a fresh, cheerful smile, made her truly beautiful.
She seemed well aware of her own beauty too.
Her attire and mannerisms exuded confidence, as if she clearly knew from which angle she appeared most radiant.
Though Edric surely hadn’t decided to marry her based solely on her looks, there was no denying her beauty played a part.
“This is Miss Enwood. She’s like a younger sister to me.”
At Edric’s introduction, the entire Adel family’s eyes turned toward Melie.
“……”
Flustered by the sudden attention, Melie’s face flushed bright red. She lowered her head deeply and offered a timid greeting.
“…It’s an honor to meet you. I am Melie Enwood.”
Melie kept her introduction brief and straightforward. Yet, perhaps finding it too insufficient to satisfy her future in-laws’ curiosity, the Dowager Duchess Eda Felton quickly added,
“She’s my late friend’s daughter. After my friend passed away, she had no one else to turn to, so I’ve been taking care of her.”
“Oh…”
The others nodded a few times and promptly shifted their gaze away—as if a dependent like her warranted no further interest.
Only Prince Adel, heir to the Marquisate, held his gaze on her a moment longer.
But that was only to be expected.
Under Imperial law, which allowed only males to inherit titles, he too—adopted into the Adel household several years prior—was, like Melie, a “stone that rolled in from elsewhere.”
Still, even that brief attention lasted only three seconds at most.
After carelessly glancing over her, he quickly turned his eyes toward his step-sister Rosaline, and a pleased smile spread across his lips—as if freshly reminded just how much prettier Rosaline was compared to the Duke’s dependent.
It was so natural, so effortless, that Melie didn’t even feel self-loathing anymore.
“Allow me to escort you inside, Miss Rosaline.”
Edric offered his arm with a bright smile, and Rosaline shyly linked hers through it. Eda walked alongside the Marquis and Marchioness Adel, with Francis following just behind.
Melie trailed far behind them. Today, her steps felt unusually heavy.
As soon as everyone took their seats in the banquet hall, Eda Felton proposed a toast.
“To the new bond formed between our families!”
“Cheers!”
Clink.
The sound of crystal glasses meeting was as clear and musical as a melody.
The dinner atmosphere was warm and cheerful.
Especially Rosaline—true to her reputation as a leading lady of high society—skillfully guided the conversation.
She raised topics of mutual interest and naturally included everyone so no one felt left out.
Occasionally, the conversation would split into two streams.
Whenever the elders needed a private exchange, Edric and Rosaline leaned close to whisper to each other, giggling softly at shared amusement.
Melie felt as though her knife had grown unusually dull today.
Otherwise, how could the meat possibly resist being cut so stubbornly?
Normally, the perceptive Edric would quickly swap their plates for her, but not today. It was as if he didn’t even notice she was sitting beside him.
“How about we enjoy tea in the garden? The night air is wonderfully fresh.”
After dinner, Eda Felton suggested. Rosaline immediately agreed with a lovely smile.
“Yes, Mother.”
‘Mother…’
To be able to say “Mother” so naturally…
Melie envied her gentle, ingratiating demeanor.
Right after her own mother had passed, the Dowager Duchess had told Melie she would take a mother’s place for her late friend’s daughter and encouraged Melie to call her “Mother” without hesitation.
Yet even after living together for over ten years, Melie had never once called her that.
How could she—a mere dependent—presume to address the Duchess as “Mother”?
It simply wasn’t proper.
But that wasn’t the only reason.
If she called the Duchess “Mother,” she and Edric would become siblings—and she didn’t want to place yet another barrier between them besides her unrequited love, however futile that reasoning might be.
In the end, it had all become meaningless resistance anyway.
“I’ll return to my room now, Madam. I’m feeling a bit tired.”
In the corridor leading from the dining room to the garden, Melie murmured softly to Eda. She didn’t wish to linger at such an occasion any longer.
“Are you very tired?”
Eda Felton looked at Melie with concern.
“I feel a little dizzy.”
It wasn’t a lie. Though the headache stemmed from her heart, it was still a real headache.
“Then go ahead and rest. You’ve done well today. Go upstairs and get some sleep.”
“Yes.”
Melie bowed politely and headed back to her quarters.
As she tried to calm her troubled heart on her favorite velvet armchair, she heard murmurs floating in from outside the window. Most were praises for Edric and Rosaline.
“What a perfect match. I’ve never seen a couple more suited for each other.”
“One could hardly be wrong to call these two destiny’s pair.”
Melie’s mood grew even more disturbed.
‘Why on earth did they have to set up the tea table right beneath my window?’
But suddenly, a thought struck her—perhaps this was an opportunity. From her slightly elevated vantage point, she might spot some crack between them… maybe even confirm the possibility that Edric and Rosaline might not marry after all.
Slowly, Melie moved toward the windowsill.
“……”
Her briefly brightened eyes soon dimmed again.
It truly was an opportunity—
an opportunity to confirm beyond doubt that Edric and Rosaline would certainly marry.
Such a perfectly matched couple of beauty and grace, their conversation flowing as smoothly and naturally as a stream.
They were entirely absorbed in their private exchange. Rosaline’s legal brother had even stepped away for a moment, leaving them free to focus solely on each other.
‘Edric Felton… you really are getting married.’
Melie sighed and accepted reality.
Edric was a man with high standards.
And Rosaline was living proof of just how high those standards were.
Beauty, dignity, an illustrious lineage—these were merely the basics. On top of that, she possessed quick wit and exceptional social grace. Among all the women he’d ever brought home, she was undeniably the finest.
If one absolutely had to name a flaw, perhaps a slight touch of vanity.
But then again, perhaps it was unreasonable to expect humility from someone so perfectly accomplished.
Suddenly, Melie saw Rosaline politely excuse herself from the group and stand up.
There was no reason left for Melie to keep watching. She turned away.
‘Now what should I do?’
She’d claimed to have a headache, so she couldn’t wander around aimlessly. She decided to pick up the novel she’d left unfinished earlier that day.
But no matter how carefully she searched her room, she couldn’t find the book.
“Where did I put it?”
Melie retraced her steps in her mind.
Then it came to her—she’d left it in the downstairs sitting room.
Since only the servants would be about at this hour, slipping down briefly to retrieve it shouldn’t raise any eyebrows.
Melie crept downstairs as quietly as possible.
She had just passed the drawing room and was approaching the corridor leading to the sitting room when she heard a sound.
‘Is someone cleaning the floor at this hour?’
It sounded like the squeak of a heavy mop scrubbing vigorously across marble.
Housekeeping was usually done in the morning, not this late—unless something had been spilled?
Without giving it much thought, Melie turned the corner of the corridor. But less than a second later, she scrambled back to where she’d been.
‘Good heavens… what did I just see?’
A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it. She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle any sound.
Slowly, she peeked around the corner again.
“……!”
Her eyes caught Rosaline and some man locked in a sticky kiss.
That squeaking sound hadn’t come from mopping—it was the friction of their bodies.
For an instant, their faces shifted, and the man’s features came into view.
Immediately, Melie’s chestnut eyes widened in shock.
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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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (86)
I feel sorry for Millie; living in an environment that doesn’t suit you is incredibly harsh.
His mother is going to explode 😂😂😂 Please don’t mess this up 🙏🏼
I just can’t wait when the regret arc starts
Inline Comments (88)
Seeing tears from someone who rarely cried pierced Edric’s heart.
Millie is really miserable for falling in love with this man.Sadly, Millie has nowhere to return to, no family and no friends.
Seeing tears from someone who rarely cried pierced Edric’s heart.
Yup, he’s tormenting her. Saying that to make her feel miserable.
‘It’s because the tea at your house tastes awful.’
Haha! I liked Edric’s thinking. If only he had said it right to her face. But he is noble and does not speak badly in front of a person.
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Al- Zahra
Mille you must to be run he’s not treet you good he so bad