Rebirth of a Movie Star - Chapter 21 – Coriander and Squid

In this lifetime and every other, I promise to only be loyal to you. Even if I have to crawl back from Hell, I will do so gladly. Wow, you just broke all the cold CEO fantasies.

Like every romance novel, Yun Qian Meng faced the evil stepmother and negligent father. On top of that, she was arranged to marry a scum man who manipulated her, stole from her, and finally... killed her.

When she woke up, she found herself back at the top of the world. It was all a dream, she told herself and moved on... until the scum fiancé made an appearance.

Who was she? Yun Qian Meng. Twenty-five. Founder and CEO of a company worth billions of dollars. The world was at her feet. How dare this scum man think he was worth her?

“My fiancé wants to usurp my company? I’ll bury him alive.”

“My father wants to marry me off for his gain? I’ll find a husband he will never approve of.”

“Of course... He needs to meet my conditions first.”

Who would have known that her arch-nemesis, Mo Qingchen, would present himself in front of her as a potential suitor.

“Lunatic! I wouldn’t marry him even if he were the last man on Earth!”

Ants surrounded Mo Qingchen. He was twice as powerful as her. Twice as wealthy. And the conditions he was offering were top notch. He'd lit the fire and she swarmed to him like a moth to a flame.

“Well, a contract marriage never hurt anyone.”

She was looking for financial and social gain but she ended up on a path to finding herself and things she never knew she wanted.

The curtain rose. Shots were fired. The play began. The broken girl started her journey towards the woman she was destined to be.

All the world’s a stage. And a play is only entertaining when chaos ensues.

“There are no heroes. In life, the monsters win.”

...

In 2106, [Mayhem Online], a fully immersive VRMMO game, was released. Soon, it dominated the world's economy when people could exchange the in-game currency with real-life currency and vice versa.

In the year 2107, Flynn Grey, a 22-year-old college dropout with an ambiguous history, joined in the fray of billions of people that had already started playing [Mayhem]. Hoping to uncover the game's secret and earn a fortune, he spent months on adventures without fruitful results.

For better or worse, Shura, Flynn's in-game character, ends up in a great Wyvern's den, acquiring a hidden class and a monstrous race. Join him as he defeats his past and paves his way into becoming a true legend in both worlds.

In the eyes of outsiders, Hyuga Yuuto is a genius in the traditional sense of the Hyuga family:

Tough, strong, gentle, and calm, he is a partner worth relying on at all times.

However, no one knows, in countless silent nights.

The young genius of the separation family stroked the caged bird engraved on his head and fell asleep with the sharp needle in his mouth, fearing that in his sleep he would reveal the madness and anger deep in his heart——

“What Uchiha Itachi can do, I, Hinata Yuuto, can’t dare to do?”

- Description from novelbuddy

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?