Duke, Please Stop Because it Hurts - Chapter 185

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.

[Beast Mastery][Summoning][Pets][Evolution][Development]Demon, Savage, Nether, Damnation, Mechanism, Soldier, Medicine, Abnormal, Witch, Immortal, Ferocious...This world is a world of monsters, filled with countless diverse “Fond Spirits”.But in this world, humans also wield the power of “occupation classes”. Once awakened, they can have Contract Imprints, allowing them to form contracts with the monsters, creating entirely new bonds.[For Instance]♦F-level Occupation Class “Manicurist”- helps the Fond Spirits trim their claws, making them beautiful, or sharper.♦E-level Occupation Class “Hunter”- marks and chases, closely collaborating with the Fond Spirits, the most classic hunting occupation class.♦C-level Occupation Class “Puppeteer”- manipulates Fond Spirits at crucial moments, making their strikes more precise and powerful.♦B-level Occupation Class “Midwife”- assists pregnant Fond Spirits with health checkups, giving random blessing effects to the newborns.♦B-level Occupation Class “Mechanic”- under the right conditions, modifies the Fond Spirits, turning them into semi-mechanical beings.♦A-level Occupation Class “Dragon Knight”- rides dragon-type Fond Spirits into battle. Man and dragon unite, becoming invincible.♦S-level Occupation Class “Arch Warlock”- intensifies the elemental properties of Contracted Fond Spirits and seals their skills in advance to execute forbidden spells for the second time....♦C-level Occupation Class “Fitness Trainer”...♦D-level Occupation Class “Flame Thief”...♦A-level Occupation Class “Mysterious Merchant”...♦B-level Occupation Class “Gourmet”...♦Special Occupation Class “Brave”......(I already have a completed work of 3 million characters titled “Master of Pets”. “The Rising of the Fond Spirits” is my second work, a Beast Mastery tale with entirely original settings, you're welcome to try it out!)

With just three sentences, you convinced the Paladin to spend five thousand Gold Coins for you.You truly are a master of the Undead who thoroughly understands human nature!…“Respected Master Amberser, after our review by the editors at 'Legendary Spells' Publishing, we regret to inform you that your paper 'Research on the Non-Humanoid Form Modification of Undead Creatures' is unsuitable for publication in our monthly magazine. We suggest that you submit your work to a magical academic journal with less stringent review requirements.”A burst of ghostly blue flame erupted from the tips of fingers, reducing the rejection letter.“Damn it! You bastards are purely discriminating against liches, discriminating against undead magic!!!”“Drop dead!”

“Nine Heavens cast down the Undying Tree, from the tomb the Immortal's bones were fetched;Taoist Venerable tut-tutted as they drank blood plasma, Old Buddha relished in the chew of meat;Beasts and livestock rang the Dharma Drum, city foxes and hole-dwelling rats boiled in the pot;In the Immortality Wine, the resentful spirits were fishy, at the Killing Banquet, the Dao Fruit was bitter!”In this world where Daoist Skill manifested, countless Sect Cultivators, Side Door Magicians, princes and scholars, officials of high rank and nobles all coveted immortality!Owl God Tomb, stealing heavenly secrets, Pearl Gathering Skill, Holy Infant Pill, bone effigies, Yin God Shrine, human-transformed monsters, Undying Elixir, Red Line Poison, Blood Immortal insects, Mermaid Meat, gold-threaded robes, Five Poisons Primordial Spirit, Seven Star Life Extension...They killed and harmed life only to steal the “Killing Dao Fruit” borne upon that Undying Tree!Until... a sly “Fishing Man” came to this world.Wang Yuan, born with the Small Book of Life and Death, had but a simple and unadorned dream:Amid bustling strings and smoky vistas, on a night bathed in moonlight, in peace and quiet did I lean on the rail, savoring the wind, toasting to the stars.With his “Bride in bridal clothes,” watching the sunrise at Taishan in the morning, admiring Qionghua in Luoyang at noon, and drinking under the aurora by the North Sea in the evening.“But you all smell so incredibly fragrant!No more, none shall escape, for today I shall crowdfund Cultivating Immortality! Please... my treasure, turn around!”The blood-red veil of the Bride abruptly fluttered to the ground.