Gilded Ashes: When Shadows Reign - Chapter 245: Keep Beauty From Fading

Ethan Smith walked down the empty street, cigarette in mouth, shaking his head and forcing a bitter smile. Who could have imagined that after three years of marriage, all that remained was betrayal?

He vowed to make that woman regret what she had done and promised to make everyone who had been good to him live a good life.

Yes, it was Emily Taylor, the woman who had helped him out of the abyss of despair when he hit the lowest point in his lifetime.

“Emily, it's time for me to take care of you.”

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Carlos Valois thought dying once was enough—until he woke up as a 10-year-old in the world of “The Dark Era,” a game he'd mastered in his previous life.Born as the last heir of a fallen noble house, Carlos discovers he's destined for a tragic fate: in six years, he'll be manipulated into joining the dark forces and killed by his own childhood friend. But this time, he has the ultimate cheat code—memories of the future.While other kids play with toys, Carlos hunts for divine legacies. Using his game knowledge, he performs an ancient ritual and steals a Demigod Mark from the thousand-year Sacred Oak—a power that should have remained hidden for decades.At 15, Carlos awakens as a Death Herald with broken stats that shouldn't be possible. Most Death Heralds are fragile summoners hiding behind weak skeletons. But Carlos combines his necromancy with stolen divine abilities, creating a hybrid build that turns him into an unstoppable force......[Skeleton Warrior has successfully evolved into Purple Thornblade Skeleton Guard!][Purple Thornblade Skeleton Guard has activated Bond: Glory of the Purple Thornblades!][Twelve Purple Thornblade Guards have formed an Undead Armored Knight Legion!].....His skeleton warriors aren't cannon fodder—they're elite undead legions enhanced beyond normal limits through secret evolution paths that took thousands of players years to discover.Every “coincidental” encounter is actually Carlos farming legendary opportunities. While his sister thinks he's just a lucky genius, Carlos systematically raids every hidden treasure, secret technique, and forgotten legacy he remembers from the game. Ancient bloodlines, divine artifacts, mystical cultivation methods—if it exists, he's taking it.With his infinitely evolving undead legion, Carlos set out on a path to rewrite destiny and become the supreme Death Herald legend.

[Warning: Matured Content]“Do you want me to carry you in my heart?”....The moment he was born, the world remained in winter. No rainfall, no bright summer, only snowfall.He was a threat to every living being in the world...Cyrus, the devil incarnate. Devious, dangerous, cold as ice, the being everyone wanted to kill and the being everyone feared..Being the only fire mage, Sage, the princess of Credia, stood as the main protector of her kingdom, Credia, during dangers. Her life changed when she was told that she was going to get married to a cold hearted beast, the last ice dragon.....Excerpt“We might be married but I am not going to sleep in the same room with you,” Sage said, gritting her teeth.A smile tugged his lips. “Is that so?” He asked and placed his leg on top of the other.Sage frowned deeply. “Yes,” She drawled, clenched her fists which busted out raging flames of fire.“I am going to sleep here, with you.” Cyrus said calmly and stood up walking towards her slowly.Sage couldn't deny that she was scared but she wasn't going to let her fear get the best of her. “Don't come closer!”“Why?”“I am going to burn you!” She screamed, closing her eyes shut.Fear swallowed her when she felt a cold hand grab her wrist and her back met the bed with Cyrus hovering over her.He leaned his face close to hers, diverting his lips to her ear and said with a seductive deep whisper that sent chills to her spine.“I want you to burn me, my love,”

WARNING[R18]“I’m already engaged to him,” she blurted, her voice trembling but resolute.Her eyes shot toward the silver-haired man, the figure who had been watching her all along. Her heart pounded in her ears as she raised her hand, pointing directly across the room. The gesture felt foreign, like it wasn’t even her own body making the movement. But there he was, sitting quietly in the VVIP section, and she had to do something. Anything.All eyes turned toward her, and the room fell into stunned silence. The weight of a thousand gazes bore down on her, and the only sound was the frantic beat of her own heart as she waited for his response.***************Lilia’s life is turned upside down at a lavish masquerade party when an unexpected announcement claims she is engaged to Lowell, a man she has never agreed to marry. Caught between the overwhelming pressure of her parents’ expectations and the confusion surrounding her emotions, Lilia finds herself trapped in a web of deception. But when a silver-haired stranger named Zethan steals the spotlight, Lilia’s impulsive declaration sends shockwaves through the room. With her parents and Lowell thrown into chaos, Lilia is left questioning whether she has just freed herself—or unwittingly stepped into a more dangerous game of fate and manipulation.Who would have thought their futures had already been sealed? This vampire had been obsessed with her long before she ever knew he existed.