Beyond The System - Chapter 20: Needles and Patterns

Xiang Xiaoyuan transmigrated to a book with a male lead, becoming the male lead’s stepmother.

However, being seventeen and in the middle of his adolescent phase, the male lead virtually ignored his stepmother, and while his father was thirty-nine and a gorgeous man carrying maturity and elegance, he was enigmatic, with no one capable of knowing what he’s thinking.

Xiang Xiaoyuan: The first rule of transmigration, value your life and stay away from the male lead! Being self-conscious, Xiang Xiaoyuan decided to focus on making money, and her business was booming… but before her hopes to get rich were fulfilled, she somehow dealt with her husband and stepson?

The male lead said gingerly, “I won’t think of you as my real mother, but don’t worry—I’ll be a good son and you won’t live out your final years tragically.

Xiang Xiaoyuan: “…Thanks.”

Some other day, her husband stood at the doorway, stopping her and growling, “I heard about something you mentioned outside, that men only care more when they’re older? So? Are you complaining that I’m old now?”

Xiang Xiaoyuan said, “…Wait, listen to me!”

Lu Wanggui was a cold person, which led to her ex-wife divorcing him, and he was not particularly close to his son. Later, to give his son a ‘home’ and to avoid his parent’s ramblings, he married another wife—a docile, dutiful wife.

But unbeknownst to him, that docile, dutiful wife had changed, and she even had the guts to scold him now. Pursing his lips in displeasure, Lu Wanggui was about to remind her of their prenuptial agreement when his son suddenly popped up to defend her!

Lu Wanggui: “???”

What’s going on? Weren’t things cold between these two?

The son: “Ahem. Father, Stepmother… isn’t that bad.”

After a cruel betrayal in the hands of people he thought he could trust, Ethan Carter lost everything—his idea, his future, even his life.But when he wakes up fifteen years in the past, he realizes fate has given him a second chance!And this time, he’s not alone.[Ding!][OmniTech System Activated!]With a system guiding him and access to groundbreaking technology decades ahead of its time, Ethan was about to rewrite history!Supercomputers? AI? Quantum processors? Bioengineering? The system provided blueprints to all.Now, armed with the knowledge of the future, Ethan will rise as a tech industry giant, crush his enemies, and build an empire that no one can overthrow!Wealth, power, and revenge—this time, he’s taking it all!

Aries Aime Heathcliffe. A princess from the small kingdom of Rikhill was loved by all. With her beauty that was enchantingly demure and a wise mind, she had caught a lot of attention and captured the hearts of many. One of them was the dashing crown prince of the Maganti Empire.

Overcome by the desire to have her and his interest in the land of the small kingdom, the crown prince of the said empire would stop at nothing. The knights from the Maganti Empire marched across the masses and seized the four-hundred-year-old kingdom of Rikhill.

The kingdom of Rikhill fell into ruin overnight. The crown prince left no members of the royal family alive aside from his war trophy, Aries. After suffering in his hands, Aries found the perfect chance to escape.

That was when he took her to the world summit. A gathering of each sovereign from each kingdom and empire for peace talks.

There, she met the emperor of Haimirich, Eustass Silvestri Abel Bloodworth. Overwhelm by desperation, Aries begged him to take her in. It was too late when she realized that the man she asked for help was far more cruel, twisted, and downright diabolical than the crown prince for taking her as his… pet!

EXCERPT:

With a pair of crimson eyes hovering over her, Aries held her breath. When the corner of his lips curled up devilishly, she couldn’t react fast as he swiftly flipped their position. She only realized it when she was saddling him, gazing down at Abel, wide-eyed.

“No one is above me in this empire and even out — not even the law, but look at you,” he intoned with a devilish smirk. “Staring down on me… so daunting.”

Aries bit her lip, planting her palm on her inked chest. “Your Majesty…”

“Do you now understand the power you hold, darling?” Abel carefully wrapped his fingers around her wrist, chuffed by her reaction. “Only you, Aries, may go above me and the only person in this world who can look down on me. No one else.”

He raised an arm and ran his fingers through the side of her hair, settling his palm on the back of her head before he pulled her down until her face was a palm length away from him.

“You better use this at your own disposal,” he whispered, tilting his head as he lifted it up to claim what’s his. HER.

Meet Eustass Silvestri Abel Bloodworth, the sadistic tyrant, who reigned an empire with an iron fist. With his pet, Aries’ increasing presence in his boring, dark life, he was set to kill her. But alas, every time he thought of taking her life, he finds himself changing his mind.

The more he kept her by his side, the more it got harder to dispose of her. And the more he yearned for something deeper and darker... it was driving him insane.

With a secret he was keeping from her, what would Abel do if Aries found out about the rotting truth behind the empire and the emperor? Would he kill her? Or kiss her? Perhaps cage her?

And if she found out that Abel wasn’t just a normal human, would she try to escape? Or would she accept that he wasn’t just a demon incarnate?

In a complicated world that tainted them black, was love even possible to bloom between a pet and her master? Watch as these two play the dangerous and insane game of love and lust.

Who would be the master and the pet? Who was the prey? Read to find out more.

【Mr. Lin Wife's Love Story】“Boss, in one minute, your wife has scratched a limited edition sports car while driving.” “What, has the wife been hurt?” “No.” “That's good, you can directly charge the expenses of the car to my account. In future, you will handle similar situations in the same way, as long as my wife isn't hurt herself.” Secretary: Boss, do you have any principles left?【Mr. Lin's Marriage Trick】“Nannan, as long as you marry me, you can still do what you like, go where you want, and I will handle all the house chores.” “Hm, sounds pretty good.”【Post-Marriage Complaints】After marrying, An Nan found that a certain man secretly sabotaged her work, reducing it by half, and whenever she wanted to go somewhere, that man conveniently had free time, thus killing her plans for romance in its cradle. Damn, with things like this, why did she even get married: “Lin Mubai, I want a divorce.”(This story doesn't involve any third or fourth parties, even if one or two pop-up sometimes, they are just cannon fodder)