The Devil's Betrothed - Chapter 24: Holding Hand

Nora is shattered a month before her wedding when she uncovers her fiancé's deceitful affair. As she manages this betrayal, she discovers a deep ploy to hinder her from claiming her rightful inheritance. Devastated but determined, Nora takes a daring step to regain control of her life. Enter Demetri 'The Demon' to those who know him, a formidable man barely known to her, who offers her protection and support in return for a contract marriage to satisfy him. In a twist of fate, Nora marries Demetri to claim her inheritance and fight those who plotted against her. But as she battles her own family and Demetri's many rivals, will she be able to keep from falling for the man known to crush people beneath his booted heel.Excerpt:She had forgotten that the man was intimidating and directly challenged him.Rather than speaking, Demetri rose from his seat and approached her deliberately. Although it was a mere few steps, time seemed to stretch for Nora. When he was almost within touching distance, his hand gently landed on her knee, moving it sideways. His touch moved with a hint of a caress, and he stepped between her open legs. Nora sat there in frozen silence, her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.Catching her chin between his fingers, he tilted her face upwards and spoke unhurriedly,“ You are my wife.”She nodded her head slowly in affirmation while his thumb slowly traced her lip. “I have given you time to gather your emotions.”Another nod. Nora's nervousness made her lick her lips, acutely aware of his intense gaze fixed upon them.“Your reason for the marriage was to secure your inheritance and get away from under your mother's thumb.”“Yes...” Nora whispered in confusion. Her confusion was not about his statement but about the bewildering sensations coursing through her. What was happening with her?”It's time for you to fulfil your end of the contract, yes?“ He continued.”Yes,“ Nora whispered breathlessly. Why was she breathless? Had the oxygen level in the house dropped? Was the air suddenly thinning?Abruptly, his hand left her face, and she watched as he drew closer. It was then that Nora comprehended what was unfolding. All those tantalizing, heart-pounding kisses she had read about in novels were about to possibly become her reality.But the anticipated kiss didn't happen. Instead, he paused near her and commanded, ”Kiss me.“

Aubree descended the mountain and became the real young miss of the Aubree family in River City.No one in the Aubree family liked this little Buddhist nun who came out from deep mountains. They gave the fake daughter their utmost care while warning the real young miss to discard all ideas of replacing the fake daughter's place.Aubree did not fight. She ate vegetarian food and read Buddhist scriptures every day—void of lust and desires.Her younger brother got caught in a huge lawsuit. Mrs. Aubree went through a lot of trouble to invite the First Lady to plead for mercy only to receive merciless ridicule. “I'll give you a second chance on Master Aubree's account.”Mrs. Aubree, “?”Mr. Aubree's company was in a crisis and was in desperate need of money. In his attempt to gain the richest man's favor, the rich man merely responded with a gaze full of despise. “You tend to take fish eyes for pearls. I think you've developed an acquired taste in your investments.”Mr. Aubree, “?”The fake daughter wanted to ruin the real daughter's reputation at a banquet. Eventually, everyone ended up realizing that the real young miss of the Aubree family was as beautiful as a fairy with a kindred heart.Fake daughter, “?”The crown prince of the wealthy, Qu Feitai, was also a top celebrity in showbiz. Being at the center of attention, he could summon a tempest whenever he wanted.When he participated in a variety show, a frail female guest appeared. She chopped wood with her left hand and pulled noodles with her right hand. Steaming, boiling, and cooking; everything was a piece of cake to her. As someone horrible at maintaining an orderly life, he was dumbfounded.During the live broadcast of the International Junior League finals, his cousin, who was known as a genius in Go, was extremely anxious. On the other hand, the familiar-looking beautiful girl opposite him was calm and composed, ending him in one move.His high-flyer best friend cried to him, “After your goddess transferred over, I can never surpass being in second place anymore.”Qu Feitai, “How many surprises do you have that I don't know about?”Until one day, he actually saw her discussing scriptures and Buddism with a group of old monks at an international Buddhist exchange. As she started to speak of Buddhist Dharma, Qu Feitai panicked…“You keep your six senses pure and saw through the vanity of the world, but I insist on dragging you here for a walk in the mortal realm. Worse comes to worst, you'll ascend to nirvana and I'll end up in hell.”

“Hah..Hah..”

In the midst of what seemed like a battlefield, a young boy with white hair knelt on the ground, struggling to catch shallow breaths. A short sword pierced his heart, his arms and legs were broken, making him unable to stop the crimson blood from coloring the ground.

“That's what you get for betrayal,” a red-headed teenage boy sneered as he stood before him.

“A pathetic person like you could never be my brother,” added a purple-haired girl, her voice seething with anger, as she stood alongside the redhead.

With great effort, the young boy shifted his gaze forward. He could see many familiar faces in front of him—his so-called family, his so-called friends but his gaze remained fixed on her.

“Wh..y, A.nna,” he uttered with immense difficulty and sorrow in his voice, his vision blurring as he locked eyes with the blonde-haired girl, who regarded him with emotionless eyes.

“I did that so I could save you,” he said, his voice gradually growing louder.

“I DID THAT SO YOU COULD LIVE!” he shouted, making everyone present flinch in fear.

“I never asked you to do this” the blonde-haired girl replied, her words crushing the very soul of the boy.

“A...nn.a,”

the young boy whispered one last time, a small tear slipping down from his eye as he breathed his final breath.

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Neil survived eight grueling years in a post-apocalyptic world only to die and be reincarnated in the body of Eden Morton, a character from a game he

used to play as a teenager, by an unknown entity for unknown reasons.

Eden's life was a pitiable one, plagued by the constant manipulation and betrayal of those around him – whether it was the princess, the famed hero, or even his very own family. Eden died without ever experiencing genuine love. Now, as Neil took over, he was determined to embark on a new journey, seeking the one thing he and Eden never had : a life worth living.

Underestimated, shoved aside, trampled on, and lied to!

The life of a typical nobody like Alix was not an easy one. Mocked for being a poor orphan with no history of his parents, the loneliness was his only kin and kith in the whole wide world filled with magic.

With little time left to live and limited expectations from life, everything suddenly took a quick turn when he was accepted in the royal academy of arcane and taken in as a student of the crown princess who turned him into something that he never imagined he would become.

The young boy discovered something amazing in the vast emptiness of his soul, when his life was in danger and he was at the end of the line, a true monster's powers were awakened in the midst of all the madness, the truth of the past came to light, the mysterious young man finally found a purpose to his life and vowed to bring destruction on those who took everything from him.

“I will kill anyone who stands in my way, you think I am weak? if I were you I would take a look in the mirror, I will show this world what true power looks like” Alix said as his eye glowed blue and red.