Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 2: Small men have great shadows()

Pressured to get married or lose her father's financial support to pay for her mother's medical bills, Joanna Baker, the illegitimate daughter of the Baker family, is devastated when her boyfriend chooses another woman over her on their wedding day.Joanna, feeling distraught, witnesses a man in a wheelchair proposing to his girlfriend at a restaurant. The girlfriend's rejection and subsequent insult for his disability left everyone stunned.Feeling a shared sense of betrayal, she approaches the man with a vengeful proposition.“Excuse me, sir. Your girlfriend dumped you, and my boyfriend chose another woman over me. Let's get married for six months and get revenge on them.”What will Joanna do when she finds out the man she proposed marriage to was none other than Alexander King, the heir of the wealthiest family in NYC? He was also the cold CEO of King Multinational, with a hidden identity, Salvatore Black, whose name caused even presidents shiver? Has she just signed a deal with the devil?

‘I must entertain the masses.’ This was Jester’s lifelong goal.After leading 12 different lives as a Hero, King, Sage, Jester, and more, all he wanted was to mock the king and his court.Unfortunately for him, his majesty didn’t appreciate his vicious jokes.Jester died, trying to flee for his life. But death wasn’t the end for him.For his 13th and last life, he triggered the Archetype System and reincarnated in a world of magic and perils.[This is your last life. Don’t waste it!][Welcome to the world of Archetypes!]Oh, before I forget, soon, players from Earth would flood into his new world.But even players won't escape from his clutches! Even people from the Earth will be tamed!

I got hit by a truck and woke up in a world unfamiliar to me.[System rebooting… AI core active.][What can I help you with?]With a hologram screen floating before me, Chat GTP, the pinnacle of artificial intelligence.[Combat mode activated.][Here is the steps to create a atomic bomb.][Efficiency: 99.8%. Shall we proceed with conquest?]And with it, I became the most dangerous man in this world.

“P-please let me go..” I stammered and before I knew it, I was word vomiting while crying. “—I won’t return. You won’t ever see me again. I know you don’t want me as a mate. You hate me, so please let me go.” I cried out.Cain’s jaw tightened with each word that left my lips “What gave you the idea that you have the power to choose what you want?” His voice was low, “You don’t get to decide what, how, and when you leave. Only I get to do that. You don’t get to leave me, you don’t get to run! You only leave when I want you to.”“I didn’t ask for this,” I whispered, trembling. “I didn’t ask to be your mate.”Cain stepped back, “Neither did I,” he muttered under his breath. “But the bond doesn’t give us a choice, does it?”~~~~As the only child of her late Alpha father, Avery Jae was meant to inherit her family’s legacy. But on the day of her arranged marriage to Alpha Lucian, her world crumbles. Rejected, humiliated, and cast aside for her own cousin, Avery barely escapes with her life only to find out a much deeper secret. One that changes everything.When Avery awakens, she finds herself in a foreign land, caught by the ruthless guards of the Vehiron pack, led by the infamous Alpha Cain. Tall, broad and as dangerous as the army he commands.Alpha Cain has a reputation that sends chills down the spine of even the most dangerous warriors. Haunted by his dark past, he has vowed never to take a mate, yet the moment he lays eyes on Avery, everything changes.With a single word, Avery is bound to Cain—whether he wants it or not. In a world where betrayal runs deep, can Avery ever trust the alpha who might just be her worst enemy.