MTL - Survivorship Bias - Chapter 8 first down then up

★DARK ROMANCE★^WARNING 18+^~NO RAPE~In a world dominated by organized crime and ruthless power struggles, a tangled web of trauma, revenge, and forbidden passion unfolds.Katya Volkov, the stunning but vulnerable daughter of the Russian Mafia's feared right-hand man, has endured a childhood of unrelenting brutality and neglect.Growing up, Katya was repeatedly tormented by her father's resentment, leaving her emotionally shattered and unloved.However, Katya's life was about to take a much darker turn. Romeo Salvatore, a name that was both feared and respected, emerged from the shadows.His traumatic past has left an indelible mark on his soul, rendering him cold and detached.Seeking retribution, Romeo launches a daring invasion of the Volkov's heavily guarded estate. He captures both Katya and her abusive father, subjecting them to merciless torture.Convinced of Katya's complicity in her father's heinous crimes, Romeo executes her father and condemns Katya to a life of hellish slavery.Yet, as time passes, the boundaries between captor and captive begin to blur. Katya and Romeo find themselves inexorably drawn into a forbidden bond, igniting a fiery passion that threatens to consume them both.Torn between his thirst for revenge and his burgeoning desire for Katya, Romeo is forced to confront the darkness within himself, would he be consumed by lust, passion and possibly love or would he stay loyal with his beliefs.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This story is an enemies to lover type so don't expect all fluff and rainbows.~Weak to strong female~ML is ruthless, don't expect him to be a saint.~No rape~humours, laugher, tears and blush.~ And lastly, this story is not for the weak hearted~

Yi Feng, who was terminally ill, was reborn in the year 2000. In that year, his childhood sweetheart and school beauty Gu Muxi turned 18.“Yi Feng, lend me a pen!”“…Didn’t you just borrow one yesterday?”“Yesterday was yesterday, today is today, things change, don’t you understand?”“…I’m convinced, alright, here you go.”“Yi Feng, tear off a piece of paper for me to use!”“…Why tear mine? Don’t you have any?”“I do, but I don’t mind tearing yours.”“…You really have a way of thinking! Fine, fine, here you go.”“Yi Feng…”“…What do you want to borrow now? I don’t have anything left.”“Hmph, lend me your hand for a moment!”“…What for?!”“Nothing much, I just want to hold my boyfriend’s hand.”“Huh???”This is the daily life of a romance between childhood friends, filled with social awkwardness.A story full of sweetness, without any melodrama or heartache.Welcome aboard!~

This story takes place in Modern China. However, no matter how much things change, in the depths of society, a secret world of syndicates and hidden factions exist.

Yang Chen, a graduate from Harvard who is fluent in English, French, Italian, and German to list a few. He is also capable of fighting and a number of practical skills. Yet he chose to go on the streets to sell fried mutton skewers for a living.

Lin Ruoxi is the CEO of a multibillion-dollar company—Yu Lei International. This company is one of the leaders in the cosmetic and fashion industry. Despite being only 20 years old, her ice-cold demeanor and beauty are well-known and unrivaled in Zhonghai City.

Due to a wild night consisting of a lot of liquor, fate has brought them together to become husband and wife.

And with that, the story begins!

- Description from novelupdates

Su Mian, the forgotten bride, has endured three years as ​Fu Tingzhou’s invisible wife—a man so coldly abstinent, he never even glanced at her. Branded a “murderer’s daughter,” she’s spent her life as a human blood bank for the Su family’s pampered heiress, her true worth buried beneath lies.When Tingzhou finally meets his timid wife, he sees only a gold-digging burden. Her quiet devotion? Ignored. Her shattered heart? Dismissed. He hurls divorce papers at her, snarling, “Disappear.”She obeys… and unravels his icy control.Now, the untouchable CEO is on his knees.Her absence ignites a frenzied, scorching obsession. Fu Tingzhou hunts for the wife he never wanted—only to discover her vanishing act hides earth-shattering secrets: ​switched identities, a hidden lineage, and a woman who’s no longer the meek shadow he discarded.