"You're just my tool. Know your place." It's her duty to follow her master's command. Even at the risk of injuring herself or losing her mind. It's his right to make use of her cold-heartedly. Even discarding her when she had become useless. She was a bird trapped inside a gilded cage, slowly losing her mind in the process. He was the heir of the country, regretting things he had lost in the process of power chasing. Could she ever be saved? Could he get back what he had lost? A love story between an antagonist and a side character. Melancholic Sword Apprentice (hidden shape-shifter) × Cunning Cold-hearted Master of Ivory Manor
"How can I help you?"
A weathered middle age woman greeted the two men in front of the door of her house reverently. She knew just from their appearance that they were people of importance. People she dared not offend. The two men held themselves with pride, their clothes were made from the best material. The swords they carried were no doubt crafted by the most skillful master.
Among the two men, the man in gray asked, "Is someone living you, madam?"
The weathered woman quickly shook her head. "No, sir. No one is living with me. My husband was long gone. Lost his life fighting in some scramble."
"You're living alone in such a large place yourself?" the man in gray asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
It was indeed a large place to live in. There were at least two courtyards inside the bricked wall. It was a living place for families with some money. It was not a surprise the gentlemen grew suspicious, the woman in front of them wore an old, weathered cotton dress. Not a single piece of jewelry adorned her hair.
The weathered woman must have realized that and she quickly added, "My husband left this to me. He came from a modest family. I can't bear to leave the only thing my husband left me." She added in a sob for good measure.
This seemed to clear the confusion the man in gray had. He nodded sympathetically at the old woman. This place was situated in a farming village, it must be hard to find a job not related to farming at this place. No wonder she seemed so poor.
"Madam, is there a young woman who has recently moved to this village? Around this tall." His hand moved to around his shoulder.
"A young woman? Not that I know of."
"I see. Thank you for your help, Madam." The man in gray eyed the man next to him carefully. The man in gray hung down his head dutifully and stood silently.
The woman understood instantly. The man in gray was working under the man in blue. The man in blue was the master. The master, however, was not looking at either his servant nor the middle age woman. He was admiring the courtyard in front of him. He looked like a nobleman on a field trip to the countryside.
Finally the master's attention returned to the woman standing reverently in front of him.
"Madam, you have a beautiful home." The man in blue smiled. "Especially that peach tree." The top of the tree he was referring to peeked above the walls. The tree's blossoms flutter around in a magnificent way.
"Oh yes, that tree has been around forever, " the woman replied in pride. "It's the best in this village. No, around this area."
"Do you mind letting me take a closer look? It has been awhile since I saw peach blossoms this beautiful." The man in blue smiled innocently.
Liar, the man in gray thought. Master had a huge peach tree in his courtyard.
"Well..." the woman in front of them stuttered for the first time since they met her. She avoided their glances for a moment, but that was enough. She looked as if she had something to hide. "Well, that's not very convenient, sir. See I'm just a woman living alone. That's not good for my reputation, letting random people inside my house."
"A ribbon, " the man in blue said softly.
"Pardon?"
"A ribbon is floating at the top of your tree. Madam, don't tell me you climbed up there and tied it yourself." The man in blue was still smiling gently, but something sharp hid behind his eyes.
"That's... my nephew. What a naughty boy. It must be that time when my sister over the next village brought my nephew here." She laughed boisterously, but something was off. It sounded fake.
That was then a sound echoed from inside the house. The woman froze.
"Madam, you said you lived alone. Maybe a thief sneaked inside your house. Let Janus here take a look for you."
The man in gray, Janus, nodded once and walked towards the front door.
"No!." The woman placed herself in front of the door.
"Don't worry, Madam. I will explain for you. There might be a thief in your house." The master's smile remained innocent and gentle, but then it changed to something else. "Or are you hiding something? Someone? A fugitive maybe?"
"No, that's not it, sir." She shook her head vigorously.
"Then why are you declining our help, Madam? You're acting very weird. That's quite a huge noise."
"It's just the wind! Must be the wind!" Then the same noise echoed out again. The woman's face turned visibly whiter.
"That didn't sound like the wind. More like someone pulling on a chain." All smile disappeared from his face.
The woman's face turned ashen.
"If you don't move away, Janus will use force."
"Sir, it's... it's just my niece. She... she is not quite right in her head. I'm really not hiding a fugitive."
"You're a retired servant from Ivory Manor. You have no family member left, your husband who worked under Ivory Manor was killed on a mission. You don't have a sister, let alone a niece."
The woman, Joanne, began to shake in fright. "Who... who are you?"
"This is Lord Carlisle of Ivory Manor." Janus showed Joanne a jade plaque with the ensign of Ivory Manor. "So I suggest you to say the truth."
Joanne once worked for Ivory Manor, so she recognized the ensign at an instant. She also knew that the higher the status one was within the Manor, the more precious the plaque was made of.
"Lord?" she widens her eyes in shock. "Lord Carlisle? Please accept my apologies, my lord. I don't mean any offend."
"Who are you hiding?"
Joanne knew she shouldn't say anything, especially the truth of who she was hiding. But, this is Lord Carlisle, the next Duke of Cregan.
"I ask you one last time, Joanne." Carlisle smiled coldly. "Who are you hiding?"
Rumors of the brutalities of Lord Carlisle flashed in her mind. She gave in in the end.
"A... a member of Ivory Manor. She really is not right in the head, my lord."
"Her name, " Carlisle demanded through clenched teeth.
"Arina."
Carlisle had already stopped listening. He walked past Joanne and disappeared into the depth of the courtyard.
After searching the whole kingdom for half a year, Lord Carlisle of Ivory Manor finally found who he was searching for.
The villainess who has reborn five times just wants to rest in peace. I am Odette, I was once an heiress who had it all, be it money, status or fiance. When my perfect stepsister appeared, I realized I was just a villain in this story. I, being the evil stepsister, was of course killed off halfway through the story. When I opened my eyes again I was reborn, but no matter what I did, I died in the end. Having experienced burning on a stake, the guillotine, hanging and stabbing to death, all I wanted now was to die normally after a normal life. Please let me rest in peace!
Four girls found themselves in an unfamiliar world. Four different tales weave together to form one thread of fate... A flutter of the wings of a butterfly, what will they encounter? Story 1: Art college student vs Sickly lord -------------- Plain version: This is a chronicle of four inter-related tales about girls transmigrating to a fantasy world. Adventures and romance ensured.
Sassy university student turned Maid × Saintly Mysterious Royal Sorcerer I am a normal university student. When I opened my eyes from my nap, I became a side character in the novel I read. Ianthe: "Wait didn't this character die in the last chapter? I have to avoid my death no matter what! This silver haired gentleman who rescued me, do you need a maid?" Follow Ianthe's life to avoid her inevitable death while studying to be a top sorceress! *A standalone novel. Set in the same universe as Diary of a Reborn Queen and Gilded Cage.
Introverted Queen vs Ice King. At twenty, I died as I watched my country burned to ashes. When I opened my eyes, I am sixteen again. The first thing I plan to do is breaking off my engagement with Prince Sebastian. "Let's break off our engagement. I don't want to be Queen anymore. You don't like me anyway." This is my life as a reborn queen. Also in the same series 'Reborn as a Sea Nymph', 'Gilded Cage'.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
"I will work for you till I pay back the amount in full.. I want to be a maid.. Please… I don't want to be a breeder" I started to plead once everyone left the ward.. He saw her begging but his stone cold heart didn't melt. "I never tasted a weak duckling Alpha.." He smirked and walked toward me.. I walked back with fear till I hit the wall. "I am not weak." I said in a low tone and tried to push him away.. But his solid body didn't move an inch.. I could not breathe properly because of his aura.. "I will make you beg me for pleasure…" His words disgusted me. I didn't talk back as his Alpha tone was overbearing.. I felt weak wherever he was touching me.. "You will be my toy till you get pregnant.." I turned my head away with disgust but he touched my cheek roughly and caught my chin. He made me look into his eyes.. His hand covered my neck and gripped it hard.. "I will come to you every night to f**k you.." His eyes became devilish as if he was looking at his prey.. Suddenly I felt scared of him more.. and my breathing became suffocating.. He is pressing my windpipe to make me suffer… My eyes become red while I shake my head slowly... "No… no.." I murmured and I forgot to breathe in his presence.. He was scaring hell out of me.. "Girl.. You will be lucky if you get pregnancy soon otherwise I will have my ways to f**k you.." I dropped my eyes not able to hear such f***y words.. Tears rolled down my cheeks when he loosened his grip.. I don't want to believe that my father sold me as a breeder.. I can't accept it.. "If you agree or not.. it doesn't matter.. spread your legs when I come to you.." He pushed me back again and the tip of his nose touched my cheek while I looked at him scarily.. He nibbled on the crook of my neck and kissed my sensitive places… "Remember I am your Alpha from now on and don't you dare to say no…" he said huskily and pushed me back fiercely.. His cruel and harsh words made me fall back on the ground..
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?