MTL - Longevity Gourd - Chapter 21 Taken again

[COMPLETE] Can a royal Romeo and Juliet find their happy ending?

Ayleth, Princess of Zenithra, is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects swear words she doesn't know how to use. During the Festival of Peace, in which every royal son on the continent will be at the castle for a month, she is instructed by her parents to find a husband. Yet, Ayleth has never even been kissed—until the very first ball, when she meets the man in the Lion mask.

Etan is a seasoned warrior, and the Prince of Summitras. He attends the Festival hoping to find a powerful wife who will help him conquer the dark sorcery of their bloodsworn enemies, the Kingdom of Zenithra. But at the very first ball, he discovers the masked woman who captures his heart is the Heir to the evil empire.

Ayleth and Etan face an impossible battle. Will their love survive? Or will their parents' dark dealings keep them apart forever?

[Mature content. No sexual violence.]

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“You…” She stepped back. Then back again, her mouth dropped open. “You… You cannot be…”

“I am,” Etan said, and his hair raked back as he pushed his mask off his handsome face. So handsome her heart raced.

His hair was ebony black, his skin a warm brown that threatened to fade in in the winter months. He stared at her with glittering green eyes, over high cheekbones and a noble nose, his jaw tight and shadowed this late in the day. His chin was high over the pillar of his neck that she’d just touched with its hard lines and steel strength, so different to her own. And his chest... She gasped and covered her eyes. She’d humiliated herself revealing her stupid, childish curiosity.

“No, Ayleth. This changes nothing.”

“How can you say that? It changes everything!” She was horrified to realize she was crying.

“Ayleth, please.” His voice cracked on the plea and she stared at him, shoving her mask up and off, despite how it would pull her hair out of the beautiful twist the maid had managed for her.

His eyes locked on hers and she couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe.

She had met her One. And he was the son of her bloodsworn enemy.

She stared at him as he stepped forward again, offering both hands, palm up. “Touch me,” he whispered. “Hold my hands. This is real, Ayleth. I don’t know how it happened, but this is real. Please don’t deny it.”

She couldn’t resist. She raised a trembling hand to his cheek, letting her palm catch on the scruff of his jaw. He blew out a breath and put his hand over hers, and that jolt that happened whenever they touched shivered through her again.

“Please, Ayleth.”

“I cannot deny it,” she whispered.

Genius prodigy ​Ji Yu married the icy ​CEO Gu Yan out of gratitude, assuming their union was a temporary transaction. Wrong. While she breezed through their sham marriage, Gu Yan—her “husband-in-name-only”—quietly rewrote the rules.Post-divorce, Ji Yu thrives: clubbing with models, sipping champagne, and flaunting her freedom. ​Post-divorce, Gu Yan implodes: stalking her parties, hijacking her dates, and growling, “Try replacing me. I dare you.”But fate laughs at their feud. On the night their divorce is finalized, a reckless encounter ignites—hotter, messier, and utterly unforgettable. Now Gu Yan, the once-detached tycoon, is addicted to the wife he never truly let go.“Marry me again. Legally. Shamelessly. Forever.”“No. But thanks for the one-night souvenir, Mr. Ex.”

Richard Maddox, a once-promising football prodigy, dreamed of becoming a star. But just as his dream was within reach, it was abruptly shattered when he banged his head on the goalpost, fracturing his skull. Forced into early retirement, Richard vanished from the public eye.People thought Richard Maddox was done for. However, no one expected that during his unconscious state, his spirit detached from his body. He drifted through time, witnessing the world of football from the perspective of a ghost. It was strange, unpleasant, yet exciting. No need for tickets or travel—he could simply fly.England, Italy, Spain, Germany—the best football countries in Europe—and even the passionate South America, the energetic Africa, and the growing Asia—Richard observed the rise and fall of football giants, all from the sidelines.However, watching football from the other side was quite different from experiencing it live. He missed the cheering, singing, and chanting with the other fans. No one could hear him now. No one could watch football with him. He was... alone.Just as Richard was about to be bored to death, his soul was sucked back, and he realized that only an entire year had passed.'Interesting,' he thought, laughing. “I could bet, invest in companies that will succeed in the future, and get rich. Bitcoin, I'm coming, baby.”but who could have guessed that Richard would dive so deep into the world of football—From owning a single share to testing the waters as a scout, trying his hand as an agent, and eventually stepping into the world of coaching, before finally diving into the realm of football club ownership.It has truly been a full spectrum of football, the highs and the lows. Join us as we welcome Richard Maddox!

On his 20th birthday, Asher's mother confessed something he never expected. After the truth was revealed, she died giving her last blessing to him. That's when Asher found himself all alone, confused about his own identity and worrying about his future.What did she say?-He was someone special?-Someone people would come after?She said he was coming from a very rare but also a very special race called omega where men could get pregnant. Was it real? At first, Asher strictly refused to accept his mother's confession. But in the end, he had to believe it. Because it was the bitter truth.If he was really coming from such a rare race, and had such a special body, did he have to live all his life hiding so he wouldn't get caught and become someone's plaything? Was that the only way to avoid getting the bad ending his father got?Why was he even born as someone like this?! He just wanted a peaceful life.So, it wouldn't be as dangerous as his mother said if he just forgot he was special and lived like a normal person, right? People would not notice. Alas, it's been a long time since people last saw an omega and they must be believing no omega exists now.At least that's what he thought...He thought people might have forgotten about his existence and he would not have to face any problems in the future. Whether he was special or not, he still became a target.When he was kidnapped and auctioned as a slave, he regretted ignoring his mother's last advice.“Don't trust anyone easily. Your safety is in your hands and protecting yourself is your duty.”He could only blame himself and expect for the worst if his special identity was to get revealed and meet the same end as his father did.However, his fate gave him a second chance along with a huge surprise which changed his life for the better.Hopefully, Asher was saved by the so-called 'bloodthirsty monster' duke and brought to his mansion to babysit his spoiled 10-year-old little sister who threw tantrums declaring she wants Asher to pat her head and comfort her.Just to babysit this adorable, little girl. He was safe. His secret was also secured within himself.Thanks to that chaotic sister and brother, Asher's life slowly took new turns and continued with almost no obstacles...till some point.The surprise?The duke happened to have some kind of a 'strange' illness that had no cure.Not long after when Asher discovered it, he ended up becoming the perfect cure for his illness.But how?-Remember? He was 'special'!Where would his specialty as an omega lead his life to?What kind of mysteries would he have to encounter with this duke wishing comfort from him? Will the duke's 'strange' illness ever get healed?How would their story flow to that perfect happy ending with the twist of love landing in the middle of their 'just a deal'?