Starting from Zero - Chapter 151: The Cursed Land [Vol 5 Chapter 2]

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

He emerged from Hell Tower, one of Earth's most mysterious four forbidden zones, known as the Infernal Black Emperor who strikes terror into the hearts of his enemies!He is also the master of the Yin Yang Divine Needles, instilling fear into the Western world as the Eastern Divine Physician, with the ability to save lives with his left hand and take them with his right!Upon returning to the city, he marries the beautiful CEO of the Eastern Group, only to face his father-in-law's regret at the doorstep.'I excel at two things, saving lives and taking them; the ones I choose to save, not even the King of Hell dares to claim, and those I choose to kill, not even the Heavens can save!' —— Ye Xuan

To win a grand prize of five million, Chen Xixi signed up for a variety show called 'Saving Battle'.As the show began, other guests were scrimping and saving by eating the cheapest instant noodles or even starving. But Chen Xixi got a pound of eggs for free during a pharmacy event and even managed to score ten free lunches!The internet exclaimed: This lady really knows how to freeload!While other participants were too thrifty to buy cosmetics, Chen Xixi managed to have makeup without spending a dime.The internet responded: When it comes to saving money by freeloading, Chen Xixi is the master!Other guests obsessed over how to spend their money most effectively, meanwhile Chen Xixi was leisurely enjoying free afternoon tea!The internet complained: Darn it! Chen Xixi's not spending a cent, yet lives better than all of us!To save money, the other guests decided to beg at the train station. In contrast, Chen Xixi became a middleman and made a profit!In the end, all the guests were shocked by Chen Xixi's bank balance: Damn it! Not only does she freeload and pinch pennies, but how on earth is her money multiplying?!...Every time Chen Xixi freeloading, she found herself reluctantly signing up for memberships that not only led to an onslaught of spam messages and calls but also posed a risk of personal information leakage.Then she thought of the spam text that was blocked by the anti-fraud app, why not leave the scammer's number active!...At Zhongjing Group.Zhou Jingyuan was silently suffering from the barrage of spam texts and nuisance calls every day....Later on, Zhou Jingyuan's nephew pointed at the woman on the computer screen, saying: 'Uncle, this is your future niece-in-law.'Zhou Jingyuan replied: 'That's your aunt.'

Ye Wanwan, in her past life, had a husband who neither loved her nor was close to his son. Upon rebirth, she had an epiphany; she would not wholeheartedly and recklessly love someone again.She decided to let herself go, no longer restraining herself, and began to do whatever she wanted to do.Shen Yi was busy with work, especially after being appointed by his father to establish an overseas branch. He hadn't returned home for two months, nor had he seen his wife.On his wife's birthday, he made a special trip back to the country, but learned from a servant that his wife had gone to a singer's concert. Shen Yi didn't even see her and left that same night.On their wedding anniversary, Shen Yi came back to the country again, only to find his wife throwing a pool party with a bunch of fair-weather friends at their villa, ending up drunk. He didn't even get a chance to speak a few words to her before he had to leave once more.Having initially completed the establishment of the overseas company, Shen Yi officially returned to the country. The day before returning, he even called home to check with the servants, making sure that his wife was at home and planning to pick him up from the airport the next day, feeling a faint sense of happiness.The next day, Shen Yi saw his wife, dressed in a revealing camisole and shorts, looking youthful and energetic at the airport.However, his wife was squeezed among a crowd, shouting at a man wearing sunglasses, “Husband!”Shen Yi, with a stern face, asked his visibly embarrassed assistant, “When did I get divorced?”[This sweet tale is free if it's not sweet! The female lead is a pure white flower who can't conquer all enemies, but there will be a little bun in the later stages!]