The Herb King - Chapter 393: Aethelwolf’s Plan

Haruka, consulted by a friend who ran into a ghost at school, goes to the Movie Research Circle to see a man with mysterious powers. However, the person who meets her there is an affected young man with terrible bed hair and sleepy eyes. What does Haruka consult him about? A confinement and murder case at a women’s university, a false suicide case… The great detective who can see the spirits of the dead, Saitou Yakumo, takes these cases on in this astoundingly high-speed spiritual mystery!

Feng slowly backed up to the door, “W—what’s up with you both?” Two tall blond men stalked closer and caged her in the corner, “Aiden, Ethan, you both are too—too close,”

[The 3000th issue of mysterious arrival is about to open! 】

【This is your only chance to redeem yourself! 】

In the global crisis, Wang Teng opens up his unique talent!

SSS-level talent – unequal exchange!

We are not zero yuan purchase!

But we are not equal exchange!

【The exchange is successful! You exchange half a box of instant noodles for endless extraction of SSS-level talents! 】

【The exchange is successful! You exchange a bottle of Sad Crisp Breeze for Douzhuanxingxiao! 】

…

Since then, Wang Teng has opened a new mode of exchange.

- Description from novelbuddy

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?