Rekindled Hearts: The Tycoon's Reluctant Love - Chapter 56 - : Hitting the White Lotus Hard (3)

drop out of school

When I got home, I reopened the blacksmith shop.

From then on, this blacksmith shop was no longer ordinary.

The best knives in the world are born here.

The thrust-to-weight ratio of the handmade micro-turbojet directly exploded.

The micro-drones flourished in his hands.

- Description from novelbuddy

In a world where fate is scripted and power determines survival, Arthur Nightingale was never meant to shine.When he awakens in the world of Saga of the Divine Swordsman, he isn’t the destined hero, the villain, or even a major side character—he’s an extra. A nobody. A mere background figure in the shadow of Lucifer Windward, the overpowered protagonist who will one day ascend beyond gods.But Arthur knows the truth.The world he now inhabits is doomed. The plot is destined for a catastrophic downfall, and the so-called “geniuses” will not be enough to stop the tide of destruction. Armed with knowledge of future events and his own will to defy fate, Arthur refuses to be just an extra.

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?

Noah was a nobleman. An orphan.Born with an empty constitution, he was pretty much useless…Until he realises the World’s Greatest Secret.The verse they were living in—It was a freakin fantasy novel.And the worst part?He was supposed to be the villain.***“Hehehe— So what? I just have to substitute someone in my place…Yes!”“All I have to do is to hire a Villain.”