MTL - Adopting and Raising the Male Lead and the Villain - Chapter 4 Cousin

18 and naive, Belle Hart thought marriage would end her misery, only to realize it had just begun!What started as a promising love turned out to be a facade, would Belle choose between a second chance or leave? She met her mate, the Duke, who she proposed to when she came of age.A month in, things took a turn. The Duke leaves for war before she could inform him about her pregnancy, only for him to return with a mysterious woman whom he claimed to be his new wife! The audacity! Trouble ensued and Belle suffered a miscarriage as a result.…“What did you just say?” He asked, his gaze darkening.“You heard me well, I seek a divorce. I wish for us to go our separate ways,” she replied, her voice steady as she met his gaze with confidence, though inwardly she was shaken by his presence.“You are my mate, Belle, and I am yours. Divorce is the most foolish notion you could entertain. Do you believe any man would take a worthless creature like you as his wife?” He scoffed, his words biting, causing her heart to ache.…The Duke's refusal pushed Belle into the arms of the king. All she had to do was bear him an heir and he would help her get her revenge!“I want you to marry me, Your Majesty, and aid me in seeking my revenge against the Duke and those who have wronged me. In exchange, I shall bear you an heir before you help me,” she said, her voice steady and full of purpose.What will the choice be?

Yeon-woo had a twin brother who disappeared five years ago. One day, a pocket watch left by his brother returned to his possession. Inside, he found a hidden diary in which was recorded “By the time you hear this, I guess I will be already dead….”

Theodora is the Queen of Polis, a city-state that lost the war against the most powerful empire in the continent.

She is sure that they'll execute her immediately but, somehow, she survives the meeting with the Emperor, and she finds herself... Married?

Tossed in a new world without connections and allies, she has to either accept her fate or lose the chance to help her people once again.

She soon finds out that her new husband knows more about her than she does herself, and that his purposes are often far from what she expects.

A fallen queen that doesn't know how to be anything else. A handsome Duke who's the cause of her ruin. And their efforts to find some happiness in a marriage that's been forced on them.

WARNING: there are contents not suitable for a sensitive audience.

The smut scenes are half-censored at the beginning, but the amount and details will increase after a few dozen chapters (according to the Queen's mood .-. )

***

«I'm sorry for lying to you, your grace...»

«You're a Duchess. No one will dare to consider your words a lie: if you say that you were painting souls, then it's the truth.»

«I will remember it.»

«No, you have to understand it, Theodora. You're not a prisoner, but my wife. I'll protect you when you need it, and I'll help you with any issue you have. You're not just a Duchess in the name. You're my Duchess.»

«It's hard to believe in such a short amount of time.»

«For now, stop shaking like a chicken. I won't hurt you.»

***

I once believed I was the heroine of a modern fairytale, blessed with beauty, wealth, intelligence, and a powerful legacy. Men adored me, women envied me, and I was engaged to the most desirable man, Cole Fay. My life seemed perfect, a dream where I held the starring role. But on my eighteenth birthday, that illusion crumbled. The truth hit me hard: I wasn’t the protagonist, nor even the villain or a side character. I was just cannon fodder, a disposable part of someone else’s story. But when fate recognized the cruel joke of my life, I was granted a second chance. This time, I’ll write my own story, living for myself. And this time . . . I will never love you again.