Gardenia's Heart - Chapter 55: Royal Family

My name is Zhang Yanhang, just an ordinary Awakener and a part-time college student living a monotonous life, following the routine of school, cultivation, and home. I neither smoke nor drink; my only hobby is observing humanity during moments when time stands still.I thought my dull life would continue forever, but one night, as I lay in bed ready to sleep, I unexpectedly stumbled upon something interesting.【Enter the Ashen World?】【Option One: Yes (Successfully enter the Ashen World and gain the ability to digitize your body as well as ways to become stronger, the price might be oversleeping and being late for school tomorrow.)】【Option Two: No (Refuse to enter the Ashen World but feel it's a waste to sleep immediately, so decide to stay up all night gaming and cultivating, the price might be oversleeping and being late for school tomorrow.)】【Option Three: Ignore for Now (Suggested for those with difficulty making decisions, you will agonize over whether to enter the Ashen World and will only fall asleep at two in the morning, the price might be oversleeping and being late for school tomorrow.)】ps: The protagonist is not saintly, is decisive and ruthless, and thinks differently from the average person. Please refrain from criticism if this is not to your taste.

Why, seems like I’ve become a haunted portrait.

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.“

The Tower of Heaven.An ancient, towering enigma said to grant any wish, unveil any secret, and provide anyone who enters its floors a path to Godhood; it stands as a beacon of both hope and despair.For untold centuries, its immense power has drawn countless seekers, yet none have ever emerged from its depths.This Tower is engraved in the world’s myths as the meeting place of mortals and Gods, a realm where anything was possible. It is a monument to mystery and the pursuit of glory.However, for one man, it represents the last chance for redemption and the key to unraveling his tumultuous past.The Heavenly Emperor, a great ruler from an era long forgotten. was betrayed by those he trusted and died with a heart full of regret and a thirst for vengeance.Only, the end of his life was not the end of his story. Reborn into a new world, he finds himself drawn to the Tower of Heaven, driven by the desire to understand his reincarnation and to reclaim his lost honor.The path ahead is filled with unforeseen twists and hidden depths. Unbeknownst to him, his destiny is interwoven with forces and secrets far beyond his wildest dreams.The advent of the former Heavenly Emperor begins here.And with each step he takes, the Heavens themselves quake in anticipation.