Enlightened Empire - Chapter 5 The Smell of Hope

After being betrayed by her fiancé and cousin on her wedding day, Zara, reborn with memories of past mistakes, vows to rewrite her destiny. Impulsively, she marries a stranger to keep her ex at bay, not realizing Snow is far from a mere call boy.Snow Zephyr, a wealthy CEO and alpha of the Ivory Crescent Pack, needs a contract wife to appease his father and secure his position. When a bold, determined woman proposes a marriage of convenience, Snow agrees, unaware of the chaos she will bring into his life.Zara's defiant choice provokes her parents' fury, leading to her being cast from the company and forcing her to find work elsewhere. She lands a job at Aurora Conglomerate Inc., only to discover that her new boss is Snow, the very man she married—and her ex's uncle. Sparks fly as their mutual attraction grows amidst the darkness of his family's secrets and looming threats.Zara’s strength and independence captivate Snow, who begins to see her as the potential Luna his pack needs. Together, they face vengeful ex-lovers, kidnapping plots, and deadly rivalries. As Zara's powers awaken, she must confront the reasons behind her family's disownment, the hidden clauses in her marriage contract, and her ultimate role in Snow’s world.When their marriage of convenience deepens into a genuine partnership, a new challenge emerges in the form of a fated mate. Will Zara fight the dangers that await or embrace her true destiny?**EXCERPT**“I... didn't want to be late for work. You seemed busy, so I thought I'd get a head start.”Snow raised an eyebrow. “Really? Or is it because last night affected you so much that you couldn't stand being around me?”“Don't flatter yourself, Snow. You didn't affect me at all.”He smirked, stepping closer. “Is that so?”His fingers brushed my chin, tilting my face up. My pulse quickened. “We're at work,” I snapped, swatting his hand away. “This isn't professional.”“You're my wife,” he murmured. “You're supposed to obey me at all times.”I bit back a retort, a hint of rebellion flaring within. Slowly, I stepped closer, letting my fingers graze his chest. His smirk wavered for a second when his wolf reacted and Snow bit his lips.“Careful, Boss,” I purred seductively. “Don't hurt those lips. I'm sure plenty of girls would love to kiss them.”Snow leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. “And you? Are you dying for a taste?”Caught off guard, I hesitated, then regained my composure as I looked him in the eyes. “Unlike other girls, I have strong resistance against—”I didn't get a chance to finish when Snow's lips crashed onto mine with a fierce kiss that left me breathless.***************MATURE CONTENTParticipating in the Viral Book Call Contest. Kindly Support Me!

Song Haotian, an old man with dementia, was deserted by his children. This kind of news was common on the Internet. However, such an insignificant event actually led to a series of events.

Song Haotian’s adopted daughter made false claims about him in order to be selected for a talent show. The netizens cyberbullied the old man in order to protect their idol. Just when the netizens thought this case would end satisfactorily with the adopted daughter winning, an unexpected scene played out.

The head of East Asian Chamber of Commerce, the elder of an ancient martial arts clan, the beautiful CEO of the world’s most powerful security company, the head of the nation-renowned Chinese Medicine Association, and many other families and factions were involved in the case due to the false claim.

Later, the netizens finally found out the true identity of Song Haotian and how powerful he was. However, it was too late now.

It was a useless ability, right till the very end. That’s what Shion thought as he was dying. Among all the tr*sh, it was the tr*shiest that could only record.

Even when the Libra family was taking his life, his ability, ‘Notepad’, could only record.

But then, with his return, the amplification of the Notepad occurred. Not only recording and storing, but also recalling memories.

All the conditions were prepared.

“My future dream is to be a guardian knight of Libra.”

Now, Shion is about to record their downfall from the closest place to his enemies.

For the wine to be drunk on her wedding night to actually have been a cup of poison and for the one to poison her to be her husband, who would believe it?