MTL - The Emperor Reigns Them All - Chapter 23 situation

She believes in true love.He doesn’t believe in love.But what is love, really?She is the epitome of success—a star people look up to and admire. To him, however, she is merely a business transaction, a partner chosen to enhance his status. To his friends, she is just a fool in love, a pathetic figure begging for affection.Then shocking news emerges: her first true love returns, throwing him off guard. He realizes he has been nothing more than a substitute for her first love.He should be angry, but instead, he finds himself overwhelmed by emotions he can’t express or understand. Is this possessiveness, or is he finally learning to love her?She is determined to return to her first love, but inside, she is torn. Did she really treat him as just a substitute, or did she actually come to love him?What are they supposed to do when love is a question mark?

Lily Harper’s world is shattered when she discovers her husband, Daniel, has been cheating on her with a woman named Cassandra. Betrayed and heartbroken, Lily vows to make both of them pay for ruining her life. But as she sets her sights on destroying Cassandra, she unexpectedly crosses paths with Ethan Blake, Cassandra’s protective older brother.What begins as a fiery confrontation soon transforms into an unlikely partnership as Lily and Ethan uncover the dark secrets Daniel has been hiding. As they delve deeper into his web of lies and deceit, their chemistry ignites, leading to a passionate connection that neither of them anticipated.In a race against time, Lily must decide whether revenge is worth the cost of her own heart. As the stakes rise, the line between vengeance and forgiveness blurs, and Lily must choose—will she destroy the people who betrayed her or find a way to heal and embrace the love that’s blossomed with Ethan?Sweet Vengeance is a tale of betrayal, redemption, and the unexpected power of love. With suspense, drama, and a heart-pounding twist, this is a story of how a woman learns that sometimes the sweetest revenge is letting go of the past and embracing the future.

The well-off little salted fish transmigrated to a poor era, where her grandparents valued boys over girls, leading to a miserable life for their granddaughters.Fortunately, her dad, though lazy, slippery, and illogical, shamelessly relying on his parents and taking advantage of his siblings, was protective of his daughters.Her drama queen mother, who was lazy but liked to eat, often tried to coax food off of her, yet she always left a portion for her.There was also the Scholar Tyrant System that pressured her every day to strive for progress, capable of using high-tech to hunt and allowing her to eat meat!!It wasn't until her cousin from her second uncle's family changed drastically after nearly drowning that Jiang Mianmian realized she was in a reborn female protagonist novel of that era, and her family of three was destined to meet a tragic end as reprehensible relatives.However, Jiang Mianmian, who knew the plot well, was fully capable of avoiding the tragic deaths of her parents and was not afraid of the seemingly strong but actually hollow protagonist. Her only worry was the powerful ally backing the protagonist.Then she discovered that the protagonist’s powerful ally was none other than the beautiful young man her father had rescued from the icy river last month!So Jiang Mianmian was completely reassured. With this life-saving favor, the young man would definitely not side with the protagonist against her family in the future.Moreover, Dashan took the initiative and said, “Little Lamb, I’d like to court you with the intent of getting a marriage license, is that okay?”As someone obsessed with good looks, Jiang Mianmian struggled and then reluctantly refused, “No, I plan to have a son-in-law who will marry into the family.”The powerful ally didn’t hesitate, “Then I’ll be the son-in-law who marries into the family, and the children will take the Jiang surname!”Jiang Mianmian: “Let’s go, get the marriage license!”

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?