The Kingmaker System - Chapter 422 - 421. Birthday Gift (1)

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?

This novel is also known as Magic Industrial Empire

A prestigious senior mechanical engineer in the industry, Xu Yi was sent to a world dominated by magic.

In a world with an almost non-existent industrial system, how can Xu Yi display his value?

When magic collides with modern technology, when magic merges with machinery, that is the beginning of this story.

- Description from Novelupdates

A smug smile appeared on her step sister's lips when she finally revealed she was actually pregnant with her mate's child.Her father's futile attempt to apologize, for ignoring her all this time, because he had his own reasons and asked her to understand.A plea of forgiveness from her mate as he begged her not to reject him, claiming it was just a stupid mistake that he shouldn't have made.And to top it off, a cursed alpha from the north, to whom her step sister was actually promised, is here to collect his debt, so she has to take her place as the sacrifice now.Darn!

Reincarnation.A concept everyone is all too familiar with, at least once in our lives, we've all thought of being able to just let go of all our regrets and the things holding us back and just start over.This deal is made even sweeter when paired with being allowed to keep your current memories and knowledge of the future.William was one such boy who had been given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Like any other modern-day person, the first thing he did after learning about his reincarnation was check if he possessed any memory that was similar to his new world.Sadly, in the end, he was left disappointed and was forced to go into his new life completely blind and unaware of all the malicious entities, world-ending threats, and divine schemes going on in the shadow.But then again, who needs knowledge of the future when you are the child of mana itself?