Secretly Married to a Chaebol Alpha - Chapter 165: GROWING DISTANCE

On Christmas day, seemingly overnight, God summoned everyone on Earth, giving every single person a 'Gift' along with a System.

These Gifts, synonimous with special abilities granted people powers beyond comprehension.

However, with these abilities came tragedy that enveloped the world. The Apocalypse!

Jeremy Lewis, a reclusive loner, is mysteriously exempt from this phenomenon and finds himself being the only one without a Gift.

God decides to grant him the last Gift available, [Subspace], and forcefully returns him to a world that has become hell.

Horrifying monsters now lurk around every corner, and inevitable death awaits.

Arming himself with his wits and the Gift he possesses, how will Jeremy survive this cruel new world that he finds himself in?

“Everything will go according to plan, and ultimately the path I have started will lead to my victory... these tools will be useful in achieving that!”

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.

As a high-risk individual, Ye Sangsang received an invitation to the beta test of the holographic game “Criminal Files.”As a game known for its high degree of freedom, high adaptability, and extremely realistic simulations based on real criminal cases, its beta release garnered significant attention.As a condition of the beta test, she was required to livestream her gameplay.Delicate, beautiful, and silent—these were the words often associated with Ye Sangsang.As a game that had captured the nation’s high expectations, many were baffled when they saw Ye Sangsang.This was quickly followed by ridicule.“Someone like her playing from the criminal’s perspective? The victim would probably turn the tables on her.”“Is she going in as an investigator? A beautiful but useless burden?”“The victim escaping alive? Don’t make me laugh.”But as the cases progressed, Ye Sangsang gradually left the audience in awe.“The criminal!!! Oh no, lock her up, I’m terrified of how she kills!”“Investigation? Come on, can you guys keep up with Sangsang’s pace?”“The victim! Ahhh, what a bloody battlefield!”The livestream chat, once filled with skepticism, eventually overflowed with admiration.Some even began to suspect that she might actually be a high-intelligence criminal herself.It wasn’t until later that Ye Sangsang’s holographic crime scene simulations helped solve one real-life case after another.Audience: ???!!!Ye Sangsang, facing the camera: Please note, I only perform once.[Reading Tips:]1. This story is set in a futuristic, fictional world with holographic crime simulation games. Everything is virtual, so please do not draw parallels to reality.2. Some parts of the story may reference real-life cases.

Shen Hua, the daughter of the Shen family that ran an embroidery business in Fengzhou, was pampered since she was a child. She had a pretty face and smooth, fair skin. Unfortunately, her body was weak, and she'd run out of breath after walking merely a few steps. She didn't have very long to live.The Shen family gradually faced its downfall, and her wedding was delayed again and again.Cui Yun, the eldest son of the Cui family, was a noble and stern man. He was entrusted to look after Shen Hua. Why not just marry her? He thought.Since Shen Hua reincarnated, she had focused all her attention on the embroidery business. She hoped to change her life and regain her former glory.When she heard about Cui Yun's decision to marry her, she fainted on the spot.After waking up, she turned him down with tears in her eyes. “I don't have very long to live. I don't want to waste your time.”Cui Yun was very considerate. “It's not a big deal. I know you feel touched, but there's no need to cry. Since you already depend on the Cui family, you might as well just become part of us. After you die from your sickness, I'll even hold a grand funeral for you.”Shen Hua felt hopeless. But I'm only pretending to be sick!***Cui Yun had many younger female cousins.Many of them had confessed their feelings for him, but he turned all of them down nonchalantly.“It's getting late. Please look after yourself.”Shen Hua had never met such a clueless man when it came to romance.One night, while she was on her way home, she took a shortcut and passed by the Cui family's courtyard. Cui Yun stopped her.He was standing near the entrance, and his sleeves danced to the wind.“It's cold outside. Would you like to come in and stay for a while?”