Master’s Smile - Chapter 33

“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.

Rong Qi, who had been labeled a fool, was married off to a crippled man with a predicted short lifespan, becoming the subject of ridicule in the entire city. However, after her marriage, Rong Qi began to assert herself and retaliate against her detractors.

Her parents said, “A fool like you has no place at this important party.”

Undeterred, Rong Qi arrived at the event dressed impeccably. “Who’s the fool now? Did you know I’m the world’s top designer?”

Her stepmother sneered, “You can’t possibly get admitted to the number one college in Leucia, you silly girl.”

But Rong Qi insisted on entering with a book in hand. “I’m not here to study. I’m a specially appointed lecturer.”

Ladies from all walks of life stopped her from entering the operating room. “Stop pretending. You’re wicked. Stay away from Mr. Ye!”

“Shut up, or I’ll shut you up with a single jab!” Rong Qi yelled with a cold expression on her face.

The fool had risen. The people of the city clamored, “Mr. Ye, please keep an eye on your wife!”

“I apologize for spoiling her so much…” Mr. Ye replied.

Dear readers! Fresh green style, maybe you will like it more in .

Playing under the plum trees and riding on bamboo, those were the days of joyful play. It was when they first met.She was not shy but innocently charming, standing before the breeze with her hair flowing, her complexion as creamy as curds.After waking up, Xu Qingfan had returned to 20 years earlier, to the year 2002.That year, the sky was very blue, the clouds were very white, and the wind was very noisy.That year, his Childhood Sweetheart hadn't gone abroad, their parents hadn't gone grey, and he hadn't the worries of being unaccomplished.That year, he was six, she was five, and they both could fully experience the climate as snowflakes blossomed.PS: This book is also titled “Help, I'm Surrounded by Childhood Sweethearts” and “I Have a Little Too Many Childhood Sweethearts.”

In her third year living in this steampunk world, Ciel gained the ability to simulate both the past and the future.These simulations turned into a game where she could act without restraint, and after countless trials, real life became a replica she could navigate as though speedrunning it.Churches, potions, mutations, the Old Gods, witches, sealed artifacts… none of these have anything to do with Ciel. She’s just an ordinary girl who wishes for a peaceful life.She just happens to be particularly skilled at snuffing out danger before it even begins.