Paintings of Terror - Chapter 296: Hand

[Trigger Warning: This dark fantasy romance contains mature themes.]---BLURB:IN A WOLD OF FORBIDDEN LOVE AND HIDDEN TRUTHS, ONE WOMAN'S DESTINY WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING.Ovelia’s life is shattered when she is sacrificed by her family to secure peace between humans and werewolves. Bound to Ace, the future Alpha King, she enters a marriage built on duty, not love. But when Ace’s wolf chooses her as his mate, their fates become intertwined in ways neither could have predicted.As Ovelia navigates the treacherous world of werewolf royalty, she faces betrayal, kidnapping, and the lingering shadow of Ace’s past love. But the greatest danger lies within herself—a secret heritage that could destroy the fragile alliance between werewolves, witches, and elves. When Ovelia’s true identity is revealed, she must flee for her life, only to discover she carries a new hope for the future.With war looming and enemies closing in, Ovelia and Ace must confront their pasts and fight for a love that could unite their fractured world—or tear it apart forever.---

Everyone is not optimistic when the most renowned man in Yuncheng married the least favored miss of the Mu family.

Rumor has it that the young Miss Mu family is pathetic, weak and dainty and an easy subject to bullying.

Mu Huan nodded enthusiastically: En, I’m a bully.

The big man who was bullied by her didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: Doesn’t your conscience hurt whenever you claim this?

The once unloved Mu Huan, the moment she was a pampered wife, she became the mad devil . Since then, she was covered from fighting someone and taught when doing homework.

What evil step-mother, scum step-sister, black hearted white lotus, Mr. Bo will go all out to kill!

Being pampered and held in the palm of his hands, the conqueror of his heart, Mu Huan, was interviewed one day.

“Mrs. Bo, what is the secret to you and Mr. Bo’s everlasting love?”

“I like him the most, and he likes me best.”

- Description from Novelupdates

A Deadly Secret, also translated as Requiem of Ling Sing and Secret of the Linked Cities, is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It was first published in the magazine Southeast Asia Weekly (東南亞周刊) and the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao in 1963. Its original Chinese title was Su Xin Jian before Jin Yong changed it to Lian Cheng Jue. The story revolves around the adventures of the protagonist Di Yun, an ordinary young peasant, who is imprisoned after being framed. In his quest for vengeance, he accidentally acquires the Liancheng Swordplay manual (連城劍谱), an ancient artifact not only prized for the skills detailed inside, but also for containing a secret leading to a treasure.

[Female Protagonist Synopsis]:Mia Ginger experienced a trial marriage.Before the trial marriage--Dad said: “Koa Jackson is a postdoctoral fellow, watch your words and deeds.”Mom said: “Since you don't like him anyway, why not let your sister have him.”Brother said: “Shameless, stealing big sister's beloved.”Sister said: “Why didn't you come back a month later!”Mia Ginger didn't understand, she was already seventeen years late, late enough that the whole Ginger Family completely forgot her existence, late enough that the adopted sister occupied seventeen years of affection, late enough that the man she was betrothed to almost became someone else's groom, how much later should she be?Mia Ginger curved her lips: “Grandpa Jackson, I will strive to be worthy of Brother Jackson.”She thought it was out of spite, unaware that upon meeting him again, she discovered he was the big brother lingering in her heart for nearly ten years.At two years old, she got lost, falling from a Rich Family's Daughter to a street beggar, picked up and raised by a masseuse for seventeen years, and upon returning home, she was determined to become the first socialite in upper-class society.[Male Protagonist Synopsis]He is Koa Jackson, the third son of the Jackson Family, elegant and upright, with outstanding looks, the youngest neurosurgery professor in the domestic medical field, known by all.Simply because, at twenty-seven, he remains single.All young ladies want to marry into the Jackson Family, unaware the nobleman was betrothed since birth.In his entire life, he need only remain pure, waiting for one girl to grow up.Before the trial marriage, Koa Jackson had seen his future bride twice.The first time, he was eight, she was eight months. He stood by the bed watching her crawl with her little bottom, finding it amusing, he wrote his name on her sole and said with a smile: “Brother will stamp you.”The second time, he was eighteen, she was ten. He stood by the road watching her sneakily stealing, feeling pity, he took her hand and gave her a hundred yuan, helplessly saying: “Not stealing is a good child.”He's always remembered the first time, long forgotten the second.Unexpectedly, the little girl whose foot he tickled at home always regarded the second time as her life's salvation.[He couldn't partake in her turbulent past, but wholeheartedly takes on her prosperous future; companionship is the most touching confession.]