Arcane: Bond Beyond Death (R18) - Chapter 42: Episode 41: Control-less

Once, Mu Anhan walked out on the man who loved her to madness—only to die and discover the price.Reborn, she clings to Gu Xiaozhan’s sleeve and whispers, “One more baby?”The tabloids sneer: “She’s nothing but a baby-maker, soon to be dumped.”Then her masks fall—perfume empress, top hacker, miracle doctor, AI genius, design prodigy.Now Nobel laureates queue at her gate.At night she curls in his arms, red lips teasing.Gu Xiaozhan lifts an eyebrow, voice low and scalding: “Ready for round three?”

Strong? Handsome? Savage? Badass?It's all about the intelligence quotient, my friend.————PS: Mutation shouldn't be mistaken for enlightenment.

One night of spring breeze, stirring the white window screen fluttering in the air.Only a nightstand lamp is on in the room.The light is a soft, dim yellow.......

Sara Falcone, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Falcone family, has always been bright, ambitious, and determined. Groomed to take over her father’s empire, she quickly rose to prominence as the company’s CEO, earning respect in the business world.But when Falcone Industries teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, her world begins to crumble.Desperate to save her family’s legacy, Sara turns to the last person she ever thought she would, her greatest rival, and once, her secret crush: Luca De Augustino.Cold, calculating, and infuriatingly powerful, Luca offers her a way out, but at a cost. In exchange for rescuing her company, she must agree to a contract marriage with him.Luca De Augustino, heir and CEO of the mighty Augustino Group, was raised to lead without compromise and to never bow to anyone. Yet there was one person who always challenged him, Sara. Years ago, when she confessed her feelings, he shattered her heart with cruel rejection.Seven long years have passed since that day, but fate brings them back together. Now, bound by a one-year contract marriage, Sara must navigate a dangerous game of pride, power, and unresolved emotions while Luca sees this as his chance to finally claim the one woman who once loved him.~~~~~“You think I'll help you just because you pathetically kneel in front of me!” Luca chuckled. “What happened to the woman who always held her head high in pride?”“If you don't want to help me, then just say so!” Sara raised her voice. Standing up, she turned to leave when Luca grasped her hand, thus making her turn to him.“Fine, I'll help you. But there's a condition,” Luca pronounced.“And what's this condition?” asked Sara.“Become Mrs. De Augustino. In short, marry me, Sara Falcone.”~~~~~*All the names and places used in the story have nothing to do with the reality. It's a fiction.*