Sage Monarch (Sage Emperor) - Chapter 1: Befuddled by Love

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

As the owner of an ordinary bookstore, Ling PingAn’s biggest wish was to muddle through life and do absolutely nothing.

Jiang Yun died in his original world, and his spirit traveled to a cultivation world as the Holy Son of the Sacred Land of Mist. However, his new body was severely injured from being attacked by demonic cultivators and having his Sacred Bones stolen.As he was in despair, a voice from a System, known as the Villain System, sounded. Initially, he was shocked because of his experiences, which seemed like the destiny of a protagonist. However, when he discovered that his junior disciple was the true Son of Destiny and had stolen his Sacred Bones, hiding them, and was a spy for the Demonic Sect, Jiang Yun realized he was being framed. The junior disciple created false accusations against him, causing other disciples to dislike and reject him, including senior and junior disciples who shared the same master.Without hesitation, Jiang Yun decided to become the Villain. He planned for survival, gathered resources, amassed forces, and acquired subordinates. Eventually, his master decided to remove him from his position as Holy Son. He then chose to leave the Sacred Land. When he encountered an Emperor Spirit, he learned that the world was about to undergo a dramatic change in the near future. Thus, he established a Sacred Land for those who were despised and abandoned by heaven, or for those who shared his ideals.

After Lin Qi married into the Huo family, the entire Huo family was eagerly awaiting her to give birth to an heir for the ailing young master.She originally thought that marrying Huo Tingdong meant she was destined to be a widow, never expecting that her vegetative husband would suddenly awaken.Overnight, with a divorce agreement, she became a discarded woman of the wealthy family but suddenly disappeared from Beijing.Seven years later, she returns with two powerful sons by her side, with countless people lining up wanting to be the stepfather of these children.The most regrettable thing Huo Tingdong ever did was to force that little ancestor to sign the divorce agreement. To win her back, the once all-powerful man poured his heart into appeasing her, pampering her to no end, but the two sons were determined to be his biggest obstacles.Eldest son: “Daddy! Your posture while kneeling on the washboard isn't as handsome as mine!”Youngest son: “Daddy! Your speed at swiping cards isn't as fast as mine!”Huo Tingdong never expected that the biggest hindrances on his path to win back his wife would be these two little treasures!