MTL - Stepmother - Chapter 283 you are tougher than him

“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.

After his divorce, Lu Qin acquired a street food stall and quickly rose to fame, becoming a culinary sensation known for his unmatched cooking talent. With his young daughter by his side, he roamed the city streets, setting up his stall and making a living. His irresistible dishes attracted crowds from all over, earning him widespread recognition.Passerby: “Most places sell fried noodles, but Lu’s are worth every penny.”Food Enthusiast: “We’ve organized a group of over a thousand people just to track down where Lu sets up his stall each day.”Chef: “I’ve tried countless times to recreate his dishes, but I just can’t match Master Lu’s perfection.”One day, an old man called the police, claiming the street food stall downstairs was suspiciously good, hinting there might be something addictive in the food. The police launched an investigation, only to find…Meanwhile, Shen Muyan’s upscale hotel restaurant was flooded with complaints, forcing her to reluctantly seek help from her ex-husband.Girlfriend: “Your ex-husband is impossible to reach! When can I book him for an exclusive interview on my gourmet show?”Shen Muyan: “He still hasn’t agreed to remarry…”A celebrity chef from South Korea traveled to China to film a culinary show but ended up spending the entire season documenting Lu Qin’s street food stall instead.

“Please, I implore you to save the world.” This is what a goddess in white says to me in a pure-white space. Such is the standard line that suggests the game is about to begin. Please say this stirring line to boys and girls with sparkling eyes! It’s wrong to direct it to someone like me, who’s exhausted from job hunting! When I declined her politely, she flew into a fit of tears; when I agreed to assist her on small tasks out of reflex, she proclaimed: “it’ll be fine if you just help in the Starting-Village Arc. Please guide the Hero!” Then she tossed me into another world. No, this is a world modeled after a game that this gamer goddess likes…

Perfect. That’s what people call Princess Elysia. Blessed with rare red fire magic and trained by the best, she’s the shining jewel of the kingdom of Arvandor. But perfection has a price. When the ruthless Demon Queen Malvoria sets her sights on Elysia, all hell breaks loose—literally.As Malvoria’s army lays waste to Arvandor, Elysia’s life is shattered. Her beloved father, the king, is slain, and her once-peaceful home becomes a battlefield. Forced to flee with her girlfriend, Zera—the fierce daughter of her magic teacher—and her mentor, Lady Seraphina, Elysia’s journey of survival begins.But Malvoria wants more than just a kingdom. She wants Elysia, and nothing will stand in her way. As Elysia’s hidden powers awaken, an unexpected and dangerous attraction sparks between her and the demon queen.