From Today, I'm a Player - Chapter 54: The Round Table Pt. 4

“The universe is vast and boundless; the Dao is unpredictable.”Lin Beichen was reborn into a parallel world, and a mysterious and profound voice echoed in his mind. Though he didn't have a system, he unexpectedly discovered his Heaven-Defying Comprehension and could perceive everything at a glance.“How should I utilize my Heaven-Defying Comprehension?”Until one rainy day. The deluge poured down, Electric Flash intertwined with Lei Ming, and Lin Beichen gazed out the window in a daze. In that moment, inspiration struck, and his heart resonated with a profound sensation.He slowly stretched out his hand, opened his palm, and looked toward the thunderous sky. He began to clasp one finger toward the heavens and the earth.“In this world, there was no Cultivation Method. But since I am here, one should naturally appear!”“Palm Thunder!”[ps: A unique protagonist-centered cultivation genre]

“You mean that Prince Yu wants to marry me?”

“Exactly, young master, Prince Yu wants to marry you!”

“Hell no! Is he out of his mind? Even if woman is a rare species nowadays, as the prince, he could have a chance to marry one. Is it because he got excluded, or maybe he has sexual impotence, so he could only marry a man?”

“No, Prince Yu is charming, majestic, endowed with civil and martial virtues, and also in perfect health.”

“Then why would he marry me?”

“Maybe because of your reputation out there.”

“Reputation? Am I quite famous?”

“Of course. Young master, you’re far-famed.”

“Really? What did they say about me?”

“They said you are ugly, good-for-nothing, short-lived, a freak, with no morals, and shameless…”

…

- Description from Novelupdates

Elara’s first life crashed hard. Cruel tricks ruined her name, broke her dreams, and turned the whole entertainment world against her. Friends betrayed her. Lovers sold her out. Everyone she trusted stabbed her in the back. The pain piled up until she felt trapped with no way out. One night, she couldn’t take it anymore. She walked to the river and ended it all in the cold, quiet water.Later, proof came out. Messages. Recordings. Everything showed she had been framed. People posted apologies online. But it was too late. She was already gone.The universe, though, clearly has a twisted sense of humor.Because somehow, Elara came back. She woke up in her own past, every awful memory still sharp in her head. Right then she made a promise she would never break: protect her gentle grandfather no matter what, and never let anyone push her to that dark place again.This time she steps into the entertainment world with her head high. She trains harder, sings better, fights smarter. The same people who once crushed her? Now they get to feel the pressure.Love? Not happening. Her heart is locked tight. But why is it that as she rises and shines brighter, handsome, powerful men start circling her—guys who never even glanced at her in her previous life were now hovering around her.The actor smiled at her during a press interview, leaned closer, and said softly, “We should have dinner sometime.”The footballer sent flowers so big they blocked her room door.The surgeon she met at a charity event checked her pulse and then forgot to let go of her wrist.The singer she collaborated with kept calling her name during rehearsals, as if the mic could not hear him well enough.Elara stared at the ceiling that night and sighed.She only wanted to sing. Why did everyone look like they wanted to adopt her, date her, or both?But the worst one came after the concert.The lights had just gone off. Her ears were still ringing. Sweat clung to her neck. She had barely stepped backstage when a shadow blocked her path.She looked up.The CEO of the greatest company in Aurelia stood there. The same man who once said her voice was “not worth investing in.” The same man who did not even know her name before rebirth.Now he held her wrist lightly, but firmly.“Let’s talk,” he said.Elara blinked. “About… sponsorship?”“No,” he replied calmly. “About marriage.”Her brain froze.“…What?”“I will give you everything,” he continued, as if asking for a glass of water. “Resources. Protection. Freedom to sing. Become my wife.”Elara stared at him, her mouth open, her thoughts running in circles.This was not how it was supposed to be.Why was the world now skipping steps?NB:This story takes place in a fictional world. Aurelia is a country. Solmere, Veston, and Starfall City are the three capital cities of Aurelia. Other cities, such as Lorien and Crelou, are smaller cities.

When her once-wealthy family falls into ruin, Elara Vance has only one option to protect them: marry the man responsible for their downfall, Damien Arclight, a ruthless business tycoon with a hidden vendetta.What begins as a cold-blooded deal soon spirals into a web of secrets, betrayals, and dangerous desires. Elara must navigate high society, corporate warfare, and her growing feelings for the enemy she swore to hate, all while uncovering the truth behind her family's collapse.Is love even possible when the marriage starts as a trap? And will the truth destroy them both?Genres: Romance, Drama, Enemies-to-Lovers, Revenge, High SocietyThemes: Arranged marriage, family loyalty, slow-burn romance, power play