Corrupted Bonds - Chapter 76: The Calm Before the Rebuild

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.

(Apocalypse Farming, Sweet Pet 1V1) As soon as she opened her eyes, Su Shu found herself reborn two months before the Apocalypse. Before her rebirth, a certain man watched over her and protected her for three years, almost going as far as dragging her home to swallow her whole. After her rebirth, not only did she have to raise her adorable genius niece, but she also had to take care of a wolfish husband. This Apocalypse was a bit different! The pitiful her from her previous life now not only had a heaven-defying space, but also blood-related family, and on top of that, the indulgent spoiling of Tang Dashao, who sprinkled dog food without restraint. Su Shu thought, even if the heavens required her to reset and start over once again, it wouldn't matter. She would just meet Buddha, kill Buddha; meet a ghost, kill a ghost!

Sara Fujiharu, the cutest girl in the school, is also known as the 'Seatmate Bully'. Every few weeks, the class seating changes and every time, Fujiharu-san gets a new target. What's her goal? To make the boy sitting next to her fall in love, and once she does, she destroys their heart, crushing their love.

Why does she do this? I still don't know.

It's March 23rd, the day of the seating change. So far, ten boys have fallen for her traps, her playful attitude, her innocent face, not a single boy so far has managed to brush off her attacks-and every single time, their weak hearts have been crushed.

Now it's my turn.

However, my heart is not so easily played with.

A mediocre, low-born beggar, he relied on only his firm and indomitable spirit to desperately cultivate but still could not exceed the masses. Then by fortune’s favor, he awakened a long-extinct ancient martial soul. Since that day, he soared like a comet on the path of cultivation. From his humble beginnings as an outsider in the Ling Clan, his name, Ling Xiao, would ring throughout the world.