After returning from the market, the two sat face to face, methodically organizing the events that had transpired, in chronological order. Eunseo even brought out an old lease agreement.
“My mom left home when I was in the first year of high school.”
“So, that was 16 years ago. Your memory stops at 15 years ago, when you were eighteen.”
“Yes. Eunseo-noona, when did you start living in this house?”
“I also moved in 15 years ago. After my parents divorced, my brother and I followed mom here. We lived here for about six months before I lost my brother.”
The date on the lease agreement coincidentally was just a few days after the last date Seungju remembered.
In other words, Eunseo moved in right after Seungju had left.
“So, I must have moved to my father’s house 15 years ago.”
He had lived alone in this house for a year after his mother left before moving to his father’s house.
The reason for leasing the house immediately after Seungju left was speculated. Perhaps his father hastily found a tenant to prevent Seungju from returning.
Regardless, Seungju’s memory stopped right at that point, just before moving to his father’s house.
“Why exactly then?”
Seungju muttered, puzzled, but Eunseo felt something was off.
He might not remember his 33-year-old self, but Eunseo knew both sides. The difference in personalities was significant.
When she thought about herself, she didn’t feel much different from when she was a high school sophomore. She might have matured, but her fundamental personality seemed the same.
However, the eighteen-year-old Seungju and the thirty-three-year-old Seungju were drastically different. It was as if they were completely different people.
‘What exactly happened in those 15 years?’
The Seungju before her now often smiled, was mature, and had a kind personality. This was after already facing his parents’ separation and his mother’s disappearance.
But the thirty-three-year-old CEO Seungju was known as a cold, emotionless person.
There must have been a reason for such a drastic change in personality. Eunseo suspected it was related to living with his father.
Perhaps something happened in his father’s house that drastically changed his personality.
‘Maybe that’s why his memory reverted to before living with his father…?’
But it was just speculation, so Eunseo swallowed her words and stood up.
“I’m getting hungry. I’ll go cook dinner, you rest.”
However, Seungju quickly stood up and followed her.
“Let’s do it together.”
“No, you should rest, especially after being so unwell last night.”
“I’m all better now.”
Despite her insistence, Seungju followed her to the kitchen.
“How long did you live with your mom?”
“About two years.”
Seungju answered while skillfully washing rice. Eunseo, who thought his fridge would only contain bottled water, was surprised to see him measuring water for rice.
“One day, Dad suddenly wanted a divorce. Mom resisted, refusing to divorce. Mom didn’t tell me, but I think Dad had another woman.”
As Eunseo cooked soup, Seungju didn’t stop washing rice.
“You said earlier at the market that I must have only worn department store clothes, sorry about that.”
Seungju smiled bitterly.
“Since moving out with Mom, it wasn’t like that anymore. Dad didn’t give us any living expenses.”
Eunseo opened her mouth in shock. Seun-ah’s accusations against the chairman were justified.
“What? He cut off living expenses, even with you there?”
“He wanted to pressure Mom into divorcing quickly, to be with another woman.”
“…”
“That’s when I thought, what kind of woman made Dad so obsessed? To the point of abandoning Mom and me like worn-out rags…”
As the two returned from the market, they sat down to meticulously organize the events that had transpired, sorting them in chronological order. Eunseo even brought out an old lease agreement.
“My mom left the house when I was in my first year of high school.”
“So that’s 16 years ago. Your memory stops at 15 years ago, when you were eighteen.”
“Yes. Eunseo-noona, when did you start living in this house?”
“Also 15 years ago. After my parents divorced, I followed my mom here with my brother. We lived here for about six months before I lost my brother.”
The initial lease agreement date coincidentally was just a few days after Seungju’s last memory.
Essentially, Eunseo moved in soon after Seungju left.
“So, I must have moved to my father’s house 15 years ago.”
After his mother left, he lived alone in this house for a year before moving to his father’s.
Seungju leaving and the house being leased out soon after was telling. Perhaps his father urgently found a tenant to prevent Seungju from returning.
Seungju’s memory paused exactly at that point, right before moving to his father’s house.
“Why exactly then?”
Seungju murmured, unsure, but Eunseo had an inkling.
Seungju might not recall his 33-year-old self, but Eunseo knew both. The personality difference was striking.
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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