The Substitute Bride and the Cripple - Chapter 60 - Truly Not Tempted?

Kieran was just an ordinary part-timer — a high school dropout who had also given up on boxing. With no parents and no real family, he survived by working his ass off every day. He was raised by a man he believed to be his father, but later discovered he wasn't — though the man passed away before the truth could fully sink in. What Kieran didn’t know was that he was actually the sole heir to a powerful business empire, the hidden son of a wealthy tycoon.

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.

Hey! Yes, it’s you! Where are you going in such a hurry? Oh, I know, I know life is not easy, but do n’t try too hard.

You ask me what I am doing here? Haha, I just sit here and tell some old-fashioned stories about wizards, dragons … you know, those things that have appeared in our dreams.

Hey, guess what, if you are not so anxious, why not sit down and listen to them?

Although I think I am not a good storyteller, I can guarantee that this story is absolutely my heart!

Come listen, maybe, it can make you dream again, those that have long been forgotten by us … legend.

- Description from Qidian

You’d think seeing the future would give me a head start on surviving the apocalypse. I had it all planned—until everything I knew shattered when my husband sacrificed himself to save me and our son. Now it’s just me, my three-year-old son Leo, and my cursed gift of foresight that only seems to kick in when it’s nearly too late.I’m doing my best to keep us safe, to find food, to make some kind of plan—“Mommy?”I glance down, trying to ignore the tug on my pant leg as I focus on our supplies. “Not now, Leo. Mommy’s thinking.”“Mommy!”I sigh and finally look down. My three-year-old is standing there, clutching… I blink. “Leo, where did you get a knife?”He shrugs, grinning like it’s the most natural thing in the world.My heart stutters. “No, really. Where did you find that?”I try not to laugh. I mean, he’s three. Maybe he just—found it somewhere? But the next day, it’s a water bottle. Then, a tiny flashlight, somehow with batteries still inside.I don’t even know what else; he’s pulling things out one by one with the pleased grin of a kid who’s just figured out his favorite game.Well, we may just survive this mess after all.Now, if only the universe could have spared me from him. I don’t even know his name, but I know his type: tall, broad, and annoyingly handsome, with an air of calm control that’s out of place in this chaos. Ex-military, if I had to guess, with a voice that’s just as infuriating as his smirk. The man has a habit of showing up at the worst—or best—possible times, with a gun at the ready and secrets buried as deep as those bright green eyes.I mean, he’s probably useful, but I’m trying to keep my eyes on the prize here: survival.For Leo and me.Because, foresight or no foresight, nothing is guaranteed in this new world—except the fact that people like him are trouble.