Back Then, I Adored You - Chapter 285: Testing From All Angles (5)

“What are you doing, Logan?”Jean’s voice was sharp, but her body betrayed her leaning into the warmth of his breath as his lips traced a sinful path down her neck.“You promised me a kiss every day, remember?” Logan murmured, his smirk curling against her skin.“Or should I read the contract to you again?”She should pull away. She knows this is wrong.But resisting Logan Kingsley?That was never in the plan.------------------------------------------------------Jean Adams has spent her entire life under the suffocating control of her powerful family, molded into the perfect daughter, the flawless businesswoman, and the untouchable heiress. But when her parents cross the final line, demanding she marry the very man who once shattered her, she refuses to be their pawn any longer. If they want a marriage, she’ll give them one. But on her terms.Logan Kingsley, her sworn enemy. A self-made billionaire with a reputation for winning, Logan has spent years battling Jean in boardrooms and beyond. They have never seen eye to eye, their hatred simmering since childhood. But when Jean offers him a deal, a contract marriage that benefits them both, he doesn’t hesitate.For Logan, marrying Jean is a strategic move. For Jean, it’s her ultimate revenge. Tying herself to Logan is the perfect way to break free from her family’s grip, humiliate them, and destroy the future they tried to force upon her. But as their fake marriage plays out under the public eye, their carefully crafted plan starts to unravel.Old wounds resurface. The line between pretense and reality blurs. And the one thing Jean swore she’d never risk, her heart, may become the biggest casualty of all.In a game of power, betrayal, and unexpected passion, Jean and Logan must decide: Is their marriage just a weapon for revenge, or has it become something far more dangerous?

Broken-hearted and drunk, Yoshida, a 26-years old salaryman, stumbled upon a runaway-from-home high-schooler on his way back from the bar.

“Hey, you. JK.”*

“What the heck are you doing out here. Go home already.”

“Uncle, let me stay at your place for the night.”

“You can do ‘that’ to me if you let me stay.”

“If you meant that as a joke, it’s not funny.”

“I’m not joking. It’s fine by me.”

“Then allow me to tell you that I have no interest in brats.”

“Hmm?”

“Then, just let me stay.”

Notes:

[*] JK is slang for Joushikousei (high school girl)

“In a world where power determines everything, the most dangerous weapon isn't a sword... it's knowing what happens tomorrow.”※※※Cast aside by his own noble family, Vaerik Tudor finds himself exiled to the merciless Northern Province—a frozen wasteland where most are sent to die.No magic. No special bloodline. No legendary weapon.Just when death seems certain, something unexpected activates: a mysterious Daily Intelligence System that provides him critical information about the future.[As the sun rises tomorrow, a dead god's massive body will break through the ice-covered lake, with its heart somehow still beating, pulsing with the ancient power of winter itself.][One young wolf, fiercer than all the rest, fought and defeated every other cub in the red valley territory, becoming the new leader of the entire pack.][Nearly forty battle-scarred giant wolves are right now creeping through the valley to the southeast, with muscles ready to spring and teeth ready to bite, planning to take over your land when night falls.][A never-ending wave of walking dead bodies will soon swallow up every country on this land mass, with the human race barely surviving—for every million people alive today, only one will remain.][A runaway princess from the northern tribe has fled to the red valley lands, but weakened by starvation and freezing temperatures, she has collapsed unconscious in the barren wilderness and will be eaten by a giant white bear before sunset today.]While southern nobles drown in their politics and pleasure, Vaerik is building something unprecedented in the frozen north. A domain where slaves become free citizens. Where barren wasteland transforms into fertile fields. Where loyalty is earned, not demanded.But the north holds ancient dangers...Frost dragons shriek dominance above his impenetrable cold-forged bulwark.Frost giants patrol the mines containing precious magical marrow. Barbarian tribes plot revenge against imperial invaders. Religious zealots hunt for heretics. And an unstoppable threat looms on the distant horizon that could consume the entire continent.Winter is coming, and this storm will eventually engulf the entire continent. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.※※※Warning: Contains fortress-building, territory management, strategic battles, hidden talents, and a protagonist who rises from forgotten exile to become the most feared lord in the north. For fans of kingdom-building, strategic progression, and war.

Zephany Draven is a shy, clumsy celebrity journalist who is constantly ridiculed for not getting the big scoops. She is soft-spoken and easily intimidated, so she looks weak. However, behind closed doors, she's Eclipse, an altogether tougher, loud-mouthed agent and quite ruthless and efficient.Kendrick Montclair is a gentle, positive artist who loves his family and remains optimistic despite his struggles. His gentle nature makes him easy to take advantage of. But secretly, he's Obscura, a cold, ruthless agent who is efficient and silent.Both work as partners in a secret organization that preserves hidden truths erased by governments, yet they remain completely unaware of each other's true identities.Their goal is to reach the highest level of clearance to access classified information. But just when they're on the verge of success, they fail.Then, a mysterious man appears with an offer—a contract marriage in exchange for the information they desperately seek. Trapped with no alternative, they sign the deal.But neither expected what would happen next.-------------Kendrick and Zephany sat by the glass wall, waiting for their food when a car suddenly crashed through. Kendrick pulled Zephany to safety just in time, but both got small cuts from the broken glass.“Are you okay?” they asked, checking each other.To their astonishment, the cuts healed before their eyes.Their minds raced. “Beside me, the only person I know who has that ability is.”“No! She can't be that loud, short-tempered woman!”“No! He can't be that silent, obnoxious man!”“Did I marry my secret partner in crime?” They both shuddered at the thought.