DIVINE BANE - Chapter 39: that was cruel .. so is the world

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.

When Qiao Sang opened her eyes, She realized she had become a middle-school studentImmediately afterwards, She was greeted with a mock test.Having graduated from a 985 university, would such a puny test still intimidate her?Yes. Yes, it would.What on earth is this exam about!What is the final evolved form of the stinky loach called?Which planets have humans already migrated to?

The Titans, nearly divine creatures born alongside the most ancient of deities.The dragons, formidable predators at the pinnacle of countless worlds' food chains.Mureya, inheritor of the Titan and Golden Dragon lineage, sits upon the Throne.The red dragons, blue dragons, green dragons... green bronze dragons, red copper dragons, yellow bronze dragons... amethyst dragons, crystal dragons, jade dragons, numerous giant dragons prostrate beneath the throne.Cloud Giants, Mist Giants, Stone Giants, Frost Giants... Storm Giants, Mountain Giants, Tidal Giants... countless Giants kneel before the Throne.The power of the ruler is not merely for slaughter and conquest!PS: One of the protagonist's parents is a Lawful Good Golden Dragon, the other a Lawful Neutral Titan. Thus, the protagonist will be an entity that abhors all forms of evil and despises any semblance of chaos.PS: Inevitably, there are some dark aspects within this book. If you find them distasteful, esteemed readers, please refrain from hastily writing a review.

Noir, third son of a “beggar noble,” lost his job and was at a loss, but fortune struck just as he was contemplating becoming an adventurer.