I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun - Chapter 809: Washington D.C (25)

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?

Nan Gong Xi was a top national secret agent who found herself transmigrated as a female prison guard who inherited her mother’s business.

Her father was the warden, her younger brother was a junior officer, and her mother was a retired housewife. Her family had served as minor officials in the capital city for generations.

She had no special abilities, only memories from her past life. But exceptional people will shine through effort, no matter their background.

Watch as Nan Gong Xi, now called Gong Xiao Hua, grows from a junior guard into a female general of the kingdom.

Qin Chu Yuan came from a prestigious family line, blessed with talent and looks. Outwardly gentle, he was scheming on the inside.

The one correct calculation he made in life was marrying his one and only wife, Gong Xiao Hua. She fell right into his trap.

From then on, the married Qin Chu Yuan became a devoted, doting husband catering to his wife’s every need – to the point that onlookers grew tired of their affection.

Two years ago, the mere fifteen-year-old scion of the Lin family, in front of the colossal behemoth that is the Murong clan, made a vow!Two years later, no one knows what he has gone through, but from the moment of his return, he radiates a brilliance that seems to compete with heaven and earth!(Note: The protagonist of this book is very aloof, cold, and passionate. Those who like to read about a military king's ambiguous romances and flirts, please bypass this one.)

A soul was transmigrated into Narutoverse but was refused to be given any sort of insta-OP power, instead, he could choose from three talents.

Follow him and his loved ones on their journey to become strong as they pave their own path through the battle-filled world of Naruto.

Will they be villains? For some, surely.

Will they be heroes? For others, maybe.

But anything they do is due to their own desire.