Touch of Flame - Chapter 39

“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.

[Mature Content!]In the heart of a bustling metropolis where ambition and dreams collide, Ella, a talented yet struggling artist, finds herself facing a crushing blow. Her world shatters as her ex-boyfriend exchanges vows with her former best friend, a betrayal that leaves her feeling humiliated and lost.Desperate for a change, an escape from her heartache, she impulsively agrees to a marriage of convenience with Damien Stone, a mysterious and enigmatic billionaire CEO. Damien, needing a temporary wife to appease his demanding board of directors and secure his position, sees the arrangement as mutually beneficial. As they enter this calculated agreement, both with their own hidden agendas, an unexpected spark ignites between them.Amidst the carefully constructed facade of their marriage, a genuine attraction blossoms, challenging their preconceived notions and altering the course of their lives in ways they never imagined.

Ordinary salaryman Qin Yu had a proud and talented younger sister who was the rising star of the police detectives. He often felt inferior to his younger sister with her achievements. Gradually, he began to accept his fate…

One day, he acquired the Godfather System, allowing him to obtain the templates of top villains one after another! Using the templates, he found suitable disciples and trained them.

As such, terrifying giant-level figures popped up continuously in the underground world!

[Wanted dead or alive. S rank terrorist: Joker. Reward: 10 billion]

[Wanted dead or alive. A rank terrorist: Fake Psychologist. Reward: 500 million]

[Wanted dead or alive. A rank terrorist: Martial Arts Maniac. Reward: 500 million]

[Wanted dead or alive. A rank terrorist: Crazy Scientist. Reward: 500 million]

Before he realized it, Qin Yu had his identity as the godfather of villains exposed by his younger sister! The entire world was shocked!

In 2177, the world changed forever. The first full-dive VRMMORPG, 'Eclipse Online', was released.With its breathtaking graphics and adventures, countless players and already established guilds flocked to the game, which stunned the entire world and forced the largest conglomerates to act immediately after gold could be bought with money.It was supposed to be the future of gaming.For Yone, it was the cause of his destruction.Starting over once more, he has entered this “living game” again to control his own fate.This time, he will not be controlled by others and will instead walk his own path.“Kill them till they are allies”This was Yone's infamous phrase as he will rise from just an assassin expert to an unprecedented peak in this life.