Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey - Chapter 308: Journal [2]

“Ride this, my beloved consort!” Instantly rewarded with a punch in his charming face. He looked hurt, “I just wanted you to try out the mythical beast mount!”

The story of a trash prince who was banished from the palace at the age of 15 and died at the age of 31. He repeats his life exactly where he was banished and is killed again at the age of 31. Ultimately, his total number of repeats reaches nine times. He has tried various things, from being a merchant and an S-rank adventurer to helping reform his kingdom.Ironically, he is always killed by the same imperial queen all nine times at the age of 31, either directly or indirectly. In his tenth life, he intends to go directly to the queen, who was still studying at the academy as an imperial princess, not to kill her, but rather to help her and prevent a tragedy that would ultimately make her the cruelest queen.But when he enters the academy, he discovers new things he never knew in his nine lives, completely throwing his plans into disarray. Furthermore, the queen, nicknamed the “Cold Queen,” holds more or less the same secret as himself. How will the trash prince fare in his tenth life with the Ice Queen who always kills him?

Born with the fate of a slaughterer, but all he wanted to do was help.

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?