Origins of Blood (RE) - Chapter 6: An Ominous Laughter (3)

“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.

When Kyran turned 18, his life turned upside down.

The Royal Army raided his clan because his supposedly non-existent magic got exposed. On that fateful night, he was the only one who escaped.

Up to the present, the status of his clan was unknown.

A magic inheritance that became a curse, Kyran became a fugitive. Always on the run... living in fear when the Royal Army finally captures him.

At least that's what most people thought...

“I'll definitely save my family. And I will make all those who made my clan suffer pay tenfold. I'll make use of this magic they so feared, and show them what real terror is....”

He was aloof, reticent, and indifferent to women. Many girls expressed their liking for him, but he refused all with three sentences: “No way,” “No need,” “No possibility.”Except for one person—her.Since she moved in and lived with his family, he changed a lot. The used-to-be aloof guy not only helped her with her homework but also protected her all the time. He liked to tease her every day.“Be good. I'll let you kiss me.”“I will only answer your questions.”“One wrong letter, one kiss.”

In a world where strength reigns supreme and only the strong are revered, conflict and injuries are commonplace.