To Be a Power in the Shadows! - Chapter 11

“So, Diana, what's your excuse for betraying me?”

His amber glinted eyes bore into the woman with bloodied, broken blue hair, kneeling in complete disarray.

“... you're evil.”

“Oh, so, looking out for all of you makes me evil?”

The man narrowed his eyes, contemplating the echoes of protagonist halos and heroines' mentality, starkly real now.

Coming from a world far removed from such grim reality, he had read about these personalities in novels, but experiencing their shortcomings firsthand was a different story.

“How am I evil?”

He looked down at his foot where a young man, limbless and crushed, lay in a state of complete brokenness, mustering the little strength he had left to utter some words.

“... y.. you ba..stard, You killed millions.”

Hearing these words, the man's internal amusement grew at the absurdity of these hypocritical people.

He had eradicated all the evil organizations within the Empire after ascending to his throne.

Wars were waged to crush rebellious kingdoms that stood against his Empire, uniting the entire Heidal Continent under one flag—the Selvius Empire.

He shifted his gaze towards another woman with pink hair, her body completely broken, supported by a rock to maintain a semblance of balance amidst the devastation.

“Hmm, so what about you, Karina? Wasn't your family about to be executed by the Aidiac Royal family? Is it wrong for me to have intervened?”

“You killed them without mercy, and although you saved my family, it was not worth it.”

“I just saved—”

“It's bullshit. You could have solved everything peacefully without drawing so much blood.”

Hearing all this, the man began to understand why those novels depicted these people as hypocritical and low in intelligence.

If he hadn't saved them, they would have suffered the most gruesome fate.

Yet, despite being saved, these ungrateful individuals chose to blame him. The bitter irony of their ingratitude gnawed at him, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Guess you all have the same reasons.”

The man looked towards the seven people, their disdainful gazes directed at him.

He had only aimed to change their fates, to rescue some from slavery, others from crippling circumstances, and a few from inevitable betrayal.

Yet, they all blamed him for saving them, unable to comprehend that he had severed the root causes that would have subjected them to excruciating suffering.

“Hahaha.”

“Indeed, now I see.”

He now understood what those novels had tried to convey—'these idiots think this whole world works like they think it would.'

'System.........

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**This book is in the viral competition. Support me by adding to library, gifting power stones, and golden tickets**Perhaps out of mercy, Ava Whitlock found herself reborn before all the tragedies - before her public image was ruined, before her career ended, before her real family disowned her existence and she was brutally murdered by the fake daughter her family had.All Ava Whitlock ever wanted in her whole existence was to have a family of her own, one which adored her and reciprocated her love.Her adoptive family were abusive, and when her real wealthy family descended from heaven, Ava thought the universe finally answered her prayer. Her prominent family were the owner of the Whitlock's conglomerate, the largest conglomerate in Lebron City.She had three powerful brothers: Jerome, the general manager of the conglomerate; Noah, the director of the conglomerate's firm; and Caspian, the best software engineer in all of Lebron City.Ava thought she had it all, but what she never expected was that her real family wanted nothing to do with her. They saw her as an eye-sore who was here to claim the position of their fake daughter, and they made no attempt to hide that they preferred the fake daughter to their flesh and blood.On her death bed,Jerome, Ava's eldest brother asked, almost laughing, “Ava's at the point of death?”Her mother hissed before replying almost immediately, “Good. Let her rot.”“Why are we being informed about this?” Noah, Ava's second brother asked.“Ava is no longer part of the Whitlock household after the little stunt she pulled. It's sickening that she still bears my household's name legally, but don't call me even if she's dead,” her father said dryly.In this life, Ava had another mission. To stop her name from getting ruined publicly, and to earn her family's respect instead. She didn't care about her family's love anymore.But a lot of things changed in her new life that she didn't have answers to.How did she end up with three other guardian angels?! And why did they address her as their lovely little sister?! Also, how did she have a fiance in this new life who was dotting on her?

You, yes you! It's you! Why are you running? Run, keep running! Why don't you run anymore!Do you have an Otherworldly Affairs Office pass?And selling this world’s goods, did you pay the taxes?I don't care if you're the head of an Immortal Sect, put your hands on your head and squat by the wall! Prepare for inspection!

“Look at me,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, like he wasn't just asking her to see him—but to choose him.She did.And oh God.The moment her eyes met his, it was like the floor tilted. His gaze wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't guarded or teasing. It was raw. Fierce. Wrecking. Like he saw through every layer she'd tried to hide.She swallowed hard. Her legs trembled.Her heart betrayed her, pounding so hard against her ribs it seemed like it wanted to break free.Why did his eyes soften like that, as if she was delicate glass, and he'd do anything to keep her from shattering?She swore she was going to melt right there.And he didn't even kiss her.Didn't have to.That one look—his fingers brushing against her skin like he owned the right, it was more than any kiss she'd ever had. More dangerous. More intoxicating.Her lips parted, maybe to speak, maybe to breathe, but nothing came out. Nothing could.The tension between them tightened—thick, electric, blinding.If he moved even an inch, it would be over.But he didn't.And that restraint? That maddening, infuriating, goddamn beautiful control made her want him even more.“Let me handle this,” he whispered. “You don't have to trust Conor. Just trust me.”Her eyes dropped to his lips. They were so close now she could feel the whisper of his breath. Her heart pounded harder, like it wanted to escape.“Please stop doing that,” she murmured. For a fleeting second, nothing moved, then he dropped his hand.His brows drew together. “Doing what?”“Touching me,” she whispered. “Especially when you're trying to make a point. You did it in the restroom too.”“Why do you think I'm doing that?” he asked, voice husky now, softer.Synopsis:At an elite college, falling for the rich, cold son of a bi-llionaire wasn’t part of the plan, especially when his brother is tied to her mother’s mysterious death.But from the moment Merlina steps onto campus, the chemistry is undeniable. He’s detached, arrogant, and everything she should stay away from. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she can’t ignore the pull.She’s here for a degree, but her real mission is uncovering the secrets of her mother’s past at this very school. As sparks fly between her and the guy she should keep her distance from, she’s torn between two things: exposing the truth and protecting her heart from falling for him.The deeper she digs, the more dangerous things get. Anonymous threats, dark secrets, and a guy who’s starting to think her obsession with the past could ruin everything. When the truth finally breaks free, it threatens everything she’s worked for—the truth, her heart, and the fragile bond she shares with him.With everything at risk, she must choose: expose the truth, or hold on to the one person who makes her feel truly alive.