A Wish to Grab Happiness - Volume 2, Chapter 23: City-State Garoua Maria

STAFF NOTE: The author had proven ownership. RighteousEgg is the original author. I have added a pinned comment to the first chapter to show this staff note is legitimate.---Chu Xuan traversed the Mystic Azure Realm and became a demonic cultivator in the Infinite Sect. To cultivate as a demonic cultivator means to plunder the essence of the heavens and earth and seize the quintessence of all things. One has to slaughter countless beings to rise as a supreme demon lord. However, such killing was intolerable under the heavenly Dao of the human race. Consequently, the Infinite Sect was annihilated by the orthodox sects. In desperation, Chu Xuan stumbled upon a Blood Mirror, which allowed him to travel to a post-apocalyptic planet overrun with zombies! He realized that this place was a perfect sanctuary exclusively for demonic cultivators! If he dared to sacrifice a million humans, the heavenly laws would strike him with thunder and burn him to ashes. But if he sacrificed a million zombies, not only would he face no disasters, but he would also be showered with golden blossoms, enveloped in glorious light, and blessed with merits!

She killed his wife, destroyed his reputation, and ran off with his son. 8 years later, she returned home with her genius son, who already had a fiancée. “Give me the child, or you can’t afford the price.”“A girl who eats meat and vegetables doesn’t suffer, if you want a child, find yourself a woman to give you one.”

In the glittering, high-stakes world of Aurelia Bay’s beauty empire, Fiona Flare’s life shatters on what was meant to be her engagement night. Dumped by her fiancé for someone “more aligned with his trajectory,” she drowns her heartbreak in vodka and neon at the exclusive Eclipse Lounge.There, in a haze of bass and shadows, she collides with a mysterious stranger—tall, commanding, storm-gray eyes, hands that know exactly how to unravel her. No names. No promises. Just one raw, unforgettable night of passion that leaves her marked, aching, and blissfully unaware of who he really is.Weeks later, two pink lines on a pregnancy test turn her world upside down. Single, jobless, and determined, Fiona vows to raise the baby alone—no handouts, no hunting for the man who vanished at dawn.But fate has other plans.Unknowingly, Fiona lands a dream job at Voss Éclat—the city’s dominant beauty conglomerate—run by none other than Martin Mole, the enigmatic CEO who still dreams of emerald silk and the woman who slipped out of his bed without a trace.As Fiona rises in the company, sparks fly during tense meetings and late-night strategy sessions. Martin recognizes her instantly but keeps his distance, watching, waiting, torn between his guarded heart and the fierce woman carrying his child.What starts as corporate tension ignites into forbidden desire, corporate sabotage, family secrets, and a slow-burn revelation that could destroy everything—or build an empire stronger than either of them imagined.A story of heartbreak turned fire, one reckless night turned legacy, and two people who must decide whether to fight fate… or finally surrender to it.Secret baby. Slow-burn chemistry. Power, passion, and a bump neither saw coming.

Deceived into marriage, exploited for a lifetime as a nanny without pay, and finally beaten to death by her adoptive mother in front of her adoptive father's sickbed, Shen Mianmian's miserable life came to an end.When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back at fifteen. Shen Mianmian vowed to escape her past fate, punish her malicious cousin and adoptive mother, but accidentally shone too brightly in the process.The third-to-last student in school suddenly rose to the top, becoming the candidate fought over by prestigious universities, causing a sensation among all the teachers and students...While others were busy studying, Shen Mianmian was busy starting small businesses to make money...While others were preparing for the college entrance exams, Shen Mianmian purchased the two most notorious haunted houses in Beijing in one go... becoming an oddity in everyone's eyes, they mocked her that even if she had the fortune to buy them, she might not have the life to live in them.While others graduated and were busy looking for jobs, the haunted properties purchased by Shen Mianmian were requisitioned by the government, earning her a considerable amount of demolition compensation.Those who had mocked her couldn't help but slap themselves twice... inquiring everywhere where there might be haunted houses for sale.Shen Mianmian, originally needing to borrow money for tuition fees, used the demolition funds and leveraged her rebirth advantage to buy a suitable plot of land and built a rental building, transforming into a Beijing's wealthiest and most prosperous landlady...One day, Shen Mianmian, carrying a bag of keys and having just collected the rent, was dragged to the Civil Affairs Bureau.“Shen Mianmian, it's time for you to pay back what you owe me.”