Card Room - Chapter 4 - Rose Funeral (End)

Eira Kingston, a feared assassin, never imagined that death would lead her to transmigrate into the body of Ephyra Allen, the disgraced first daughter of the once-powerful Allen family. But what shocked her even more was the soft mechanical voice in her mind, addressing her as “master” and informing her that her soul had returned to its original body.Eira dismissed the strange voice, thinking she was having a post-death hallucination. But waking up in a hospital, with memories that weren’t hers flooding back, she was forced to confront the truth.Ephyra’s life had been nothing short of a nightmare. Despite being the legitimate daughter, she was labeled a bastard, shunned by all, and overshadowed by her scheming stepsister, who had stolen the love of her father and her betrothed. To make matters worse, the wealth and status the Allen family enjoyed were all thanks to Ephyra’s late mother, and the only reason she hadn’t been discarded entirely was due to her mother’s inheritance, locked away until she turned eighteen.But Eira wasn’t one to be defeated by circumstances. If she was going to live Ephyra’s life, she would do so on her own terms. She would destroy those who had caused Ephyra pain, claim the inheritance that was rightfully hers, and find out who was behind her own death. Because if there was one thing Eira knew how to do well, it was to survive—and make her enemies pay.However, being a high-schooler with nothing to her name wasn’t enough. As Ephyra, she’s powerless, but as an assassin, she’s lethal. Still, even that wasn't enough until she became the contracted wife of Lyle Aelion—a powerful, enigmatic figure in the business world with a secret illness. And it turns out, the only thing that can relieve him is her scent.

In a world where 80% of humanity has awakened supernatural talents, life is a brutal competition.College loser Kim Do-hyun is barely surviving on game bots, instant noodles, and debt. That is, until a government-mandated awakening throws him into the spotlight… only to declare his power total trash.Cloning? Level one? Cooldown? One body? What a joke.But this clone is real. It sweats. It works. It eats. And when it trains… Do-hyun's stats increase.Now, while the clone grinds 24/7—running, working, even getting beat up—Do-hyun chills in bed, reaping the rewards.His strength rises. His body transforms. His life begins to change.But power attracts attention.And when an S-Rank hunter known only as The Jumper starts watching, Do-hyun realizes something terrifying:He might not be the only one cheating the system.

[ Caution: High Heat Advisory ]“Harper, stop undressing me with your eyes. The plot isn’t going that way… YET.”Harper McKenzie, a newbie web novel author, has a problem — she struggles with romance scenes. As someone with almost nonexistent real-life experience in the matter, she can’t get the intimate chemistry right, and those chapters always come out dry and cringy.Fortunately for her, Harper finds a freelance editor willing to workshop her writing. But the surprise? That editor turns out to be her childhood friend and the very first crush of her life.What happens now when he offers her personal lessons on how to write the hottest romance … and love scenes?--------------Note: this is a fun, cozy, sweet story with a low-drama plot. No love triangles, no misunderstandings, no memory loss / car accidents / terminal illnesses / etc.. Mature content abounds, starting out soft but heats up quickly. You’ve been warned!--------------Sneak Peek:He slid her bra over her shoulders and, with impossibly quick and skilled work, tied the lacy garment around her wrists. “Spread your legs wider,” he ordered.Harper’s already faltering heartbeat faltered some more. The command in his tone was foreign, but it crashed over her like a heat wave, and even though she could barely begin to picture how salacious she must look, with her hands bound and thighs spread wide like an offering to be ravished, she could feel the scorching need coiling hotter and hotter in her core. Her body obeyed eagerly on its own accord, bringing herself fully open just like she was told.Eli grinned. Moving between her legs, he trailed hot kisses along her inner thigh, leaving sizzling little fires crackling in its wake. “Good girl. Now, what should your character say next?” A finger glided over her wet and wanting flesh in a slippery stroke, making her heart slam to a hard stop as a moan tore free. “Write the next line for me, what should I say before I unravel you with my tongue and make you scream my name?”

Mu Sheng had researched quantum mechanics and engineered cross-sea bridges in her past life. However, she became a small-time celebrity plagued with a bad image overnight. This sad foolish woman was made to marry a sick man to counteract his bad luck. Even when her kidney and marrow were taken from her, she was glad to help. Memories of how her body’s original owner sacrificed everything for a scum flooded Mu Sheng’s mind, making her eyes roll.

The news exploded in the entertainment industry. Mu Sheng performed a 1440 degree somersault when she skied on an entertainment program and left everyone awestruck. The anti-fans felt she must have edited the image or hired a stunt double. Two weeks later, the International Ski Federation invited her to join them as a lifetime member. In time, government research, hacking, calligraphy and brush painting, and music associations all reached out for her to join their ranks one after another.

So what? She ended up marrying a useless man who was on the brink of death and would become a widow in a matter of time. Things did not quite play out as everyone expected. The useless Mr. Li did not die and ended up healthier than ever. He even shockingly turned out to be a mysterious big shot in the corporate world. Mu Sheng did not wind up a widow and Mr Li. loved her to bits.

Mu Sheng glanced at a man. “Now that you have been healed, can you sign the divorce agreement?”

Li Hanchen smiled. “There’s one more thing you haven’t healed.”

Mu Sheng frowned. “Are you still unwell?”

Li Hanchen said, “I love you to death and there’s no cure for it.”

He had found a ray of hope amid the darkness and her name was Mu Sheng.