Within a Hollow Heart - Chapter 5: Volume 1, : "Fraying at the Core"

After Lin Xu died, she discovered that the world she was in was a novel.Her eldest son liked to imprison the female protagonist of the novel, engaging in sinister villainous acts with a dark room play.Her youngest son would unfailingly draw substitute’s blood and snatch substitutes’ kidneys for the female protagonist’s legal antagonist — his unrequited love.Her only daughter was the romantic fool forever revolving around the male protagonist of the novel.If children are not disciplined, the mother is to blame. After being reborn, Lin Xu felt she should step in and discipline her wayward children.However, before she could take action, her eldest son’s dark, handsome, and usually cold face blushed slightly as he asked in a low voice, “Can I touch my head?”The middle son snorted and turned his head, his tone petulant, “I… I don’t want to go home, but if you insist, I’ll do it begrudgingly.”The youngest daughter rushed over, mercilessly pushing her brothers aside, “Mom, come and teach me how to solve this problem~”Latter, both sons fought over the bowl of noodles Lin Xu cooked. What was a novel’s female protagonist? Nothing compared to their mother.The daughter transformed herself, letting nothing from any novel’s male protagonist interfere with her studies!The family was blissfully happy.Latter, the revived, amnesiac husband suddenly appeared, cornering her against the wall, his eyes full of struggle, “Even if you’re married, I still love you.”Lin Xu pretended to be serious, “Is that so, then what should we do?”He hugged her tightly, his voice muffled and pained, “Divorce him!”Lin Xu chuckled secretly, “I’ll divorce him right away.”Latter, after the husband regained his memory, he said through gritted teeth, “Over my dead body will we divorce!”

Shadow was an assassin with no family, no friends, and no purpose beyond the missions assigned to him. Kidnapped at the age of five and forced to serve a ruthless assassin organization for fifty long years, his life was a series of shadows and bloodshed. On the eve of his fifty-fifth birthday, he completed his final mission with hope in his heart. A hope that freedom and a better life were finally within reach.But that hope was shattered. Betrayed by the very organization he had devoted his life to, Shadow was ruthlessly killed, his decades of loyalty repaid with treachery. As his life slipped away, he swore one thing.“If he had a second chance, he would live life on his terms, unshackled and free”.In the void between life and death, Shadow's soul was met by “Syl”. The enigmatic Shadow Monarch's System. Syl offered him what he craved most. Another chance at life, but in a world far different from his own. Without hesitation, Shadow accepted, eager to grasp the life he was denied.Reborn into a realm of gods, magic, and chaos, Shadow soon learns the truth.He is a Wild Card, a pawn in the gods’ celestial game. Amere source of entertainment for their whims. But Shadow is no ordinary human. With the sarcastic and unpredictable Syl by his side, a glitching system that grants him powers beyond imagination, he embarks on a journey to defy the gods and forge his destiny.

Amelia has slaved her whole life, working multiple jobs to help support her poor husband Caleb― only to discover he is a millionaire!When confronted, Caleb feels no guilt. He divorces her immediately to pursue his true love, leaving her with nothing to her name.“Kelsie is the woman that I love, the woman who truly deserves to be by my side,” Caleb said. “Now, sign the papers and I can end this farce of a marriage.”But thankfully, fate has yet to close all its doors on her.The messy breakup has led Amelia to meet the elusive Matteo Montgomery, the mysterious owner of X’el International Inc., and even though Amelia could have sworn that this is the first time they have ever met, Matteo seemed to hold more interest in her than ordinary.With her divorce finalized, Matteo’s courtship quickly grows more extravagant. He offers her everything, from a job as his secretary, a new penthouse apartment, and a permanent home in his heart.But just as Amelia’s heart begins to open up to Matteo’s sincerity, Caleb comes crawling back, determined to ruin her life.***【Excerpt】“Oh?” Matteo asked, and Amelia caught a hint of amusement in his voice. “Then pray tell, what did we converse about?”Amelia swallowed. Good heavens, he was so close. She could barely even breathe, afraid that every movement she made would just amplify how loud her heartbeat was. It was racing like a bullet train at this point, and she felt it clog at her throat, refusing her a chance to speak.“I… I…I―”“I have no girlfriend, Amelia,” Matteo said. “And before you overthink, I do not have a wife in secret either.”His fingers didn’t let go of her wrist, and instead, it even tightened its grip. It wasn’t painful in the slightest, but it sent surges of electricity rushing through her body as though she had been struck by lightning in the most thrilling of ways.A coy smile curved his lips, and he leaned in just the slightest. His lips were now a hair’s breadth away from hers, and Amelia instinctively held her breath.“Unless, perhaps you would like to volunteer?”

At the end of a Dynasty filled with Demons and rampant Martial Artists, Lin Xuankong has unfortunately transmigrated to this era, becoming a poor and sickly old man. However, with the help of the system Life Plate, his Talent and Comprehension grow stronger the longer he lives.And his much younger wife is a martial master...“That iron ball used to be Zhang Wu's knife. I squeezed it a couple of times, and it ended up like this! ” said his wife.“I hope you can teach me some Cultivation Techniques. As for the reward...” said Lin eagerly.