Starchild Escapes Arranged Marriage - Chapter 31: Turtle Catching

It was the best cheat in the vast and ancient world!Its origin could be traced back to Trailokya and it was the highest law!…Three years ago, three living creatures fell from the sky. King Monroe of West Ridge got one of them and he conquered six countries to unite West Ridge.Wu Zhao of the Big Zhou Dynasty in the Southern Wasteland got another one of the living creatures. She dominated all 19 clans there and became the top figure in that region.Owen Bertram also got one of the living creatures. Yet three years had passed and he was still a nobody. Nothing had changed for him.However, he soon realized that the tiny loach that he got three years ago was actually the biggest cheat in the world.Moreover, it led him on a non-stop journey of becoming the biggest winner in life!

“Marry me, and you might not live to regret it.”Everyone in the city knew about him—a ruthless tycoon with a dark reputation. Whispers said he was cursed, having outlived four fiancées, each meeting a tragic end. When she became the fifth, forced by her own father to take her sister’s place in the marriage, the city waited for the inevitable. They were certain her body would be carried out of his mansion within a month.But to everyone’s shock, not only did she survive—she thrived. From a pawn in a deadly game, she rose to become the most formidable woman in the city, turning the tables on fate and rewriting her destiny.

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?