DEFYING FATE - Chapter 57: We are losing?

*Slow Burn Historical Fantasy Novel*

Elise had about to change into the dress that was lying on the corner of her bed when she heard a knock lightly calling from her door. Curious, she turned the door knob only to have a tall man towering in front of her.

“Master Ian!” She called.

Ian smiled with the usual mischievous smirk that he always used. His crimson eyes trailing a little over her room and spotted the black dress over her bed and shifted his eyes over to the woman in front of him. He stepped forward and spoke. “Where did you acquire that dress?”

“Mr. Harland gave it to me.” Elise replied and strained her neck to see Ian’s brows knitted in its elegance.

“Do you know why a man would love to give a woman a dress?” He gave the riddle that she always had to think twice before replying. But this time, she found no answer and instead shook her head. “I don’t know.”

His grin grew bewitching as though something had stirred deep inside the scarlet eyes that he had. He slowly slid his hand over the collar of her dress, sending a cold shiver that startled her for a moment due to its freezing temperature. After unbuttoning the first two buttons on her collar, he tilted his head down, whispering to her ears. “Because they want to be the one to undress the cloth.”

He paused and kissed her neck, turning the pale skin to red before retracting his move to fix his eyes on her and leisurely replied. “Unfortunately, you can’t wear the dress over there with this.” He chuckled and passed a box over to her hand. “And the fortunate news is I prepared a dress for you.”

Elise was a cursed little girl who could see ghosts. Her family hated her and threw her from one adoptive family to another. However, misfortune didn't act alone. When she was brought up by her aunt, she was sold as a slave. When she had thought she would become nothing but a sacrifice to the sorcerer, she was saved by a man whose identity was far different than a normal mythical being.

“It was a book.It was a scripture.”Its cover was made of the skin of those who hold a grudge against humans.Its words were written with the blood of those who hold a grudge against heaven.Its weave was created from the sinews of those who hold a grudge against earth.The ancient demonic object, restraining darkness shaking heaven scripture (制暗震天經).Yeon Sang-hyeon, who signed a contract with the restraining darkness shaking heaven scripture at the last moment of his days, is now rewriting his own destiny.The peerless genius met the ancient demonic object!

Melanie Collins was the perfect wife—caring, strong, and dependable. For the last few years, she had managed her husband’s messy family, and business alone while waiting for her husband to return from studying abroad. But when he finally came back, Melanie’s world fell apart—he wasn’t alone. Along with him was his 'best' friend.Broken and confused about the change in her husband, Melanie didn’t know where to turn. And then she stumbled into another cold reality. Everything she had believed was a lie.Seething with anger and humiliation, as she tried to come to terms with the betrayal, an unexpected person steps into the picture, intent on seducing her and conquering her.The only problem? The man was her ex brother in law...And against her better judgment, she is attracted to this bad boy...But as Melanie tried to make sense of the changes, she discovered there was more going on than she ever imagined. Had both brothers loved really fallen in love with her? Or was she just a pawn in a bigger game?excerptSince he had already been leaning against the table, he simply slid onto it, and with one swift motion, he hooked his boot around the leg of her chair and pulled it—pulled her—closer.The sudden movement made her jolt slightly, and when she looked up or rather when she looked ahead, she found herself staring directly at the zipper of his jeans... She looked up then and met his gaze.He caught her chin,“ Would you like to check if I am only pretending, sweet melon?”Melanie stiffened. And then pushed back her chair suddenly, so that Adam almost lost his balance, as she stood up.Before he could balance himself, she placed her hand on his shoulder, her fingers brushing against his neck. Adam stiffened, his eyes glittering as he waited to see what she would do next. And she, of course surprised him as her other hand, slowly settled on the inside of his thigh. And then, the hand on his shoulder started to move. Her fingers tracing the side of his neck before lifting as she shot a glance to the corner of his mouth. The little piece of metal glinting there. She flicked at it lightly, barely a touch, but Adam could feel the heat all over his body, as she leaned in close, her lips barely a few centimetres away...so that they could both feel each other's breaths…She smiled slowly then. “Careful, Adam,” she murmured, her voice playful, but carrying the unmistakable edge of a challenge. “Keep pushing, and I just might call your bluff.”

After years of exhausting work as an editor, constantly meeting impossible deadlines and dealing with frustrating clients, he finally reached the finish line—his long-awaited vacation. No more emails, no more last-minute revisions, just pure, uninterrupted laziness.His perfect plan? Lock himself inside his house, watch his favorite shows, playing video games, sleep to his heart’s content, and embrace a life of pure relaxation.But just as he was about to enjoy the bliss of doing absolutely nothing… he woke up somewhere else.Not just anywhere—but in another world, inside the body of a young noble boy. And not just any noble boy—the second son of a Marquis, notorious for his laziness and bad reputation.Great. Just great.Yet, instead of questioning the absurdity of his situation, he did what he did best—ignored everything and went back to sleep.Unfortunately, the world refused to let him be.---[System installed...][Congratulations, Host! You have been chosen as the new candidate of this world.][Please complete the following task to finish the quest and receive a reward.][Warning: Failure to complete the quest within the time limit will result in consequences.][...][...][...Host?][Didn’t you hear what I said?][WAKE UP!]Zzzzz…And so, his peaceful days were over before they even began.Now, with an annoying system breathing down his neck, a family that already expects nothing from him, and a world filled with power struggles and danger, all he wants is to laze around.But will the world really let him?