Here is the translation of the provided text into English: "When I aimed the gun at his brother's forehead, he was filled with tears and pleaded, 'Jianjian, please don't.' But I pulled the trigger without hesitation. Five years later, as I was about to get engaged to my dream man, a businessman named Xu Sijian suddenly appeared, turning my life upside down. I recognized his face; it was once handsome and gentle, but now it was dark and ruthless. 'Jianjian, with your surname, crown me with your name. Do you know? For all these years, I've thought of you to the point of wanting to kill.'"
When I was an undercover agent from police, I took advantage of the trust of Ian Barnett, the younger brother of Edmund Barnett, a crime boss. He was gentle and pure, loving me sincerely, yet I ended up annihilating his entire family.
As I pointed a gun at his brother's forehead, Ian's eyes was filled with tears. "Julian, please don't." He pleaded.
But I pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Five years later, I was about to get engaged to my dream man when a business tycoon named Timothy Baxter suddenly appeared, turning my life upside down.
I recognized his face, which used to be handsome and gentle, but now it was dark and ruthless.
"Julian, we are finally getting married. Do you know how much I've missed you all these years, to the point of wanting to kill someone?"
1.
I was about to get engaged to Kellan Blake.
He was the man I had secretly loved for 11 years.
I got what I wanted, yet I wasn't happy.
Because I knew he still loved Joyce Mason.
Unfortunately, Joyce had passed away.
Eight years ago, she went undercover inside the gangs of Los Anriqui, and was shot dead.
Her body was thrown into the sea, and when the police retrieved it, they found a bullet casing lodged in her heart.
That casing was still put in Kellan's study drawer.
He often locked himself in there, quietly caressing it, lost in thoughts of Joyce.
Today was no different.
Standing outside the study, I suddenly felt very tired.
After politely knocking three times, I asked, "Kellan, do you need some water?"
Moments later, the study door swung open, and Kellan's handsome face was filled with anger. "Do you have to disturb me?"
In front of him, I always humbled myself, probably because I loved him far more than he loved me.
I smiled and shook my head. "No, then I won't bother you."
Kellan seemed to realize he had spoken harshly and softened his tone. "I'm in a meeting with colleagues from abroad and don't have time to talk to you. Please make me a fresh orange juice and bring it up."
After delivering the juice to his desk, I accidentally glimpsed a document on his table.
It was from Cypress Technology Co., Ltd. of Los Anriqui.
The chairman's name was Timothy Baxter.
It was the first time I saw this name, and I assumed it had nothing to do with me, so I didn't pay it any mind.
2.
I grew up in an orphanage. Joyce's parents had sponsored my education since I was 12, helping me leave the countryside and study in the city.
I was very grateful to the Mason family.
The year Joyce had her accident, I had just graduated from university. Upon learning of her fate, I volunteered to go undercover, vowing to avenge her.
I stayed inside the gangs for a year and a half, 18 months, which marked an unforgettable experience. And I met Ian.
"Mama!" Lucas suddenly ran over and hugged me.
Lucas was Joyce's posthumous child.
She gave birth to him while undercover.
Lucas was now six years old and in kindergarten.
After the undercover mission ended, I took him away, and I've been raising him ever since.
Being so young, he affectionately called me "Mama." I corrected him several times, but he still called me that, pleadingly.
A child without a mother was too pitiful.
So I allowed it.
But when Joyce's mother heard it, she resented me. "Why, why let him call you Mama? Joyce is his mother."
"Mrs. Mason, I... "
"You don't deserve to call me Mrs. Mason! I regret sponsoring your education. Now you're taking over Joyce's life, taking everything that was hers-her achievements, her first love, her child. You even want to be Lucas's mother... "
Mrs. Mason's once-kind face turned sharp, her eyes cold.
I suddenly felt very disheartened.
Because she was right, almost everything I had now was inherited from Joyce.
Did I really have to accept it?
No, I wanted my own life, independent, free, without anyone dictating to me.
"Mrs. Mason, enough. I'll cancel my engagement with Kellan. Since you don't like me, let's not see each other again."
I decisively cut ties with them.
3.
"Julian, are you crazy? You want to cancel the engagement ceremony?" Kellan looked at me in disbelief.
"Yes."
Kellan squinted. "You're playing hard to get. You want me to coax you, beg you, and to say I love you?"
I was surprised he would think that and smiled faintly. "No, I know you don't love me. You can't force love. There's no need for us to continue."
I packed all my personal belongings left at his villa into a suitcase, ready to leave for good.
Kellan was furious. "If you walk out that door, don't come back!"
"Alright." I was very calm.
"Julian! Why?" Kellan blocked my way.
I looked at his handsome face. He was the man I had secretly loved for so many years.
Yet, at the end, I didn't feel much heartache.
It felt like a long journey had come to an end, leaving me exhausted but also slightly relieved.
"We're not right for each other."
Kellan stared into my eyes. "Because you've fallen for someone else, right? You're just like Joyce, fickle and unfaithful... "
I slapped him.
He glared at me. "Am I wrong? Five years ago, after your mission ended, your gaze towards me changed. Julian, you've fallen for someone else. I will find out who that person is."
I rushed out of Kellan's villa. Autumn was coming to an end, and the surroundings were shrouded in white mist.
There were mountains and water here, lush vegetation, and the lake was as smooth as a mirror.
In the distance, someone was practicing poetry recitation in a small pavilion.
The voice was faintly audible.
"A mirror was always waiting for her and guiding her to sit in the place she often sits in the mirror. She looks out the window, as long as she remembers the regrets of her life, plum blossoms will fall all over the southern mountain... "
As long as she remembered the regrets of her life, plum blossoms would fall all over the southern mountain.
Tears wet my face. Over the years, I had always avoided thinking of Ian, as if I didn't want to admit my weakness and guilt.
He was the kindest, gentlest person I had ever met, and the one I had wronged the most in my life.
4.
Five years ago, the mob boss Edmund Barnett ran roughshod over the South lattopt of Los Anriqui
After Joyce's death, everyone who entered South lattopt was thoroughly scrutinized.
I didn't change my name and I was still Julian Stevens, having entered the University of Los Anriqui from the countryside, seemingly flawless, with no ties to the police or the Mason family.
Thus, I successfully obtained the job at Edmund's home as Lucas's bilingual nanny.
Edmund wasn't an illiterate brute. He was smart and valued education.
His younger brother, Ian Barnett, was a physics master's graduate from a prestigious university, known in the underworld as Young Master.
In Edmund's backyard, I first met Ian.
He was sitting under a rose trellis in the garden, reading, his black hair soft and low, his white shirt glittering with daylight sifted by the shade of the flowers.
When he saw me, he nodded and smiled shyly.
I was stunned, not just because he was handsome, but because his eyes were so clear, impossibly pure.
It was hard to imagine that the ruthless Edmund could have such a brother.
While I was in a daze, the door to the cage I was holding was knocked open by the small pet hamster.
It was Lucas's pet. Bouncing around the lawn, it leapt three feet high, diving into Ian's shirt collar.
Lucas wailed, and Ian turned pale with fright.
I rushed over to unbutton his shirt. "Don't move! Hold on, it'll be over soon!"
He blushed and obediently let me handle him. Finally, I caught the mischievous hamster.
I also got a good look at Ian's abs.
Who would have thought that someone who looked so lean was actually very muscular?
I stifled a laugh and buttoned him up. "Sorry, Younger Master."
"It's... it's okay." He blushed, his long lashes lowered, and I could smell the fresh scent of grass and wood on him.
His eyes darted away, and when his dark eyes met mine, I was still smiling.
At that moment, it seemed like an electric current crackled in the air.
We both quickly looked away.
5.
After that, Ian and I gradually became familiar with each other.
He was quiet and gentle, with so few words and slow speech that you couldn't help but tease him.
Gradually, I discovered that Edmund didn't value him much. He only saw him as a tool, wanting him to marry the daughter of Bald Strong.
Bald Strong was another crime boss in South lattopt. He married to a Thai wife, and their daughter was a pretty and vibrant mixed-race girl who adored high-IQ handsome guys like Ian.
Ian didn't like her and wouldn't say a word to her.
The girl was so furious that she went home to vent her anger to Bald Strong, and the next day, Edmund came to scold Ian harshly.
In front of his entourage in the mansion, he berated Ian as a useless coward who couldn't even manage to coax a woman.
I kept my head down, focusing on my work, hiding the resentment in my eyes.
Yes, Edmund could charm women, and even Joyce fell for him.
It was something that shocked all those who knew the truth.
No one expected that Joyce, an undercover agent infiltrating the mob, would fall in love with a mob boss like Edmund.
Whether it was a genuine act or deep-rooted feelings, outsiders couldn't tell.
Lucas's father was Edmund.
She bore his child, and after he discovered her undercover identity, he personally shot her.
That was why the first lesson in my undercover training was to hold unwaveringly to my convictions.
Nothing was more important than my personal convictions.
I had no faith in men or love.
I would never allow myself to fall for anyone in the underworld.
6.
Ian protested softly, "I don't like that girl. I can't deceive her."
Edmund splashed red wine over his head. "Are you even a man? Can't handle such a simple task? If I asked you to kill someone, would you wet your pants?"
He had a drug dealer brought in who was beaten half to death.
There was a long trail of blood along the way.
Edmund shoved a gun into Ian's hand. "Finish him."
Ian's shoulders trembled. He raised the gun, then lowered it, finally saying, "Brother, I can't do it."
Edmund forcibly held his hand and pulled the trigger, splattering the victim's blood onto Ian.
His once pristine white shirt was now stained with blood.
That night, he sat desolately in the garden. I went to comfort him and saw the tears glistening in his eyes.
"I killed someone. I... "
"It's okay. That person deserved it." I held his hand.
I didn't mind forming a close bond with him for some reasons. First, from my observations, although he was in the underworld, he was a decent person.
Second, my undercover persona was that of a lively young person. If I were too guarded and didn't get close to anyone, it would arouse Edmund's suspicion.
"Am I useless?" Ian's eyes were wet.
"Absolutely not. You're a high-IQ talent, and I heard them say your shooting is actually very accurate."
Ian wiped his tears. "My brother forced me to practice."
"Can you teach me?" I sought to restore his confidence.
In the shooting range, Ian was concerned about his dirty clothes and didn't dare to get close to me. I took the initiative to lean against his chest, letting his hands envelop mine.
"Young Master, let's begin."
He taught me precise shooting, and I hitt the bullseye.
So, on the day of the final mission, I was able to shoot his brother dead with one shot, right in the center of his forehead.
I would never forget the tears Ian shed in those final moments, nor the way he desperately pleaded with me.
And I couldn't forget that summer when he stood among the rose bushes, accepting the grass ring I casually made for him, cradling it with boundless joy and reverence, kissing it repeatedly.
When he looked up at me, there seemed to be a galaxy of stars in his eyes. "Julian, I really like it."
Like me, he had no parents, and I had killed his last relative in this world.
6.
Kellan found me again, asking me to attend a business banquet with him.
News of our engagement had already spread, and even if I wanted to break it off, I needed to give him more time for a buffer so that he wouldn't lose much face.
Out of past affection, I agreed.
On the night of the banquet, I wore a royal blue gown, holding Kellan's arm as we entered, listening to him chat and laugh with the elites.
I noticed they all mentioned one name.
Timothy Baxter.
He seemed to be a rising star in business, having made his fortune in technology.
I listened for a while, unable to join the conversation, and quietly moved to a less crowded area.
However, as I turned, my heart skipped a beat.
The profile of the man ahead looked too much like Ian.
He had a similar height too, around 183 cm, with broad shoulders and long legs.
He seemed to sense something, turning to meet my gaze, and in that moment, I felt electrified.
After five years, I could still recognize him at a glance.
It was truly Ian.
After I killed his brother and disrupted the underworld forces, he disappeared.
I thought he had an accident in the chaos, but I never expected him to be alive, having transformed into Timothy.
Kellan was actually chatting and laughing with him, trying to introduce me to him.
"Pleasure to meet you." Ian shook my hand politely.
I was so stunned that my mind went completely blank, unable to recover for a long time.
Kellan asked privately, "Do you still remember him?"
His question snapped me back to reality. "Is he really Ian? What's going on? How did he change his name and build such a big business?"
Kellan replied softly, "Don't meddle in business matters."
I was already suspicious.
Edmund was dead, and his subordinate were scattered, most of which was confiscated by the police.
But some of them remained hidden.
For example, Bald Strong moved assets abroad, closed down his hotels and KTVs, and demobilized his subordinates.
If people with bad intentions took over their territory, manpower, and assets...
I immediately went to a secluded terrace, hiding behind a rose wall to contact Officer Murray.
He was my superior when I was undercover.
After hearing my words, Officer Murray sighed heavily, saying only, "Just remember, he's now Timothy, a distinguished young entrepreneur in our city."
"You mean he has the government behind him... "
The shadows of the flowers danced as Ian approached me, holding a champagne flute.
"Julian." He was smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes.
My heart raced, and I quickly hung up the phone.
The night was ink-blue, accentuating the depth of his eyes. He leisurely unbuttoned his shirt.
I was so startled that I took a step back, his smile was growing colder. His long fingers pulled out a necklace from his collar.
At the end of the silver chain hung the grass ring, the one I had casually woven back then.
"I've always kept it close, Julian. I've missed you so much. Do you ever think of me?"
7.
My heart trembled violently, tears breaking free.
How could I tell Ian that I thought of him every day?
When I was idle, when I was calm, when I heard the wind rustling the leaves, the waves crashing like tides, I missed him.
The guilt I felt for him was like a bone-deep affliction, leaving me restless.
"I'm sorry, I... "
"Don't say sorry." Ian stopped me from continuing, handing me a glass of champagne. "Cheers, to our reunion."
I drank the soft, cool golden liquid under his smiling gaze.
He asked, "I heard you're getting engaged to Kellan?"
I was about to say no, but suddenly felt dizzy. My vision blurring, and I fell forward heavily.
Ian caught me, and I was enveloped in his scent-cologne, sandalwood, cigar smoke-no longer the fresh scent of grass and trees from before.
He stroked my hair. "It's been five years, Julian. Do you know how much I've missed you? I've missed you so much I wanted to kill someone."
Only then did I belatedly realize he had spiked my champagne.
8.
A black Lexus, license plate 9999.
Ian carried me into the car.
To outsiders, it looked like he was holding my waist, and we were intimately close.
But in reality, I was limp, held aloft by him.
Before leaving the terrace, I mustered all my strength to break a rose, using its thorns to prick my wrist, forcing myself to stay awake.
Ian noticed and took the rose away, grabbing my wrist marked with red welts, lowering his head to kiss it.
It was like I was having my wounds licked and the touch was light and tingly.
I was cornered in the back seat, with no escape.
He brushed my hair aside, his breath stirring the strands behind my ear.
"It took me five years to get here. I've been holding back from seeing you. I could have continued to endure, but tonight I happened to see you. You were holding Kellan's arm, smiling at him, preparing to marry him... "
I wasn't, I didn't.
Ian didn't listen to my explanation, silencing me with a kiss.
The later memories were chaotic-large bed, incense, floor-to-ceiling windows.
The sheets were deep black, and my blue dress draped over them like the sky disappearing into an ink sea.
I cursed him, hit him, cried and begged him to let me go.
Amidst the turmoil, he found a fleeting moment of clarity, gently stroking my hair. "Julian."
His voice was so tender, just like in the past, making me mistakenly believe he would do anything for me.
But the next moment, he tortured me to the point of death.
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”