Practical Ethics

Panni never intended to steal her twin sister’s life. She only agreed to help with one simple favor—pretend to be Annie for a single meeting. But the moment she stepped into an elite private restaurant and faced Jinyan Lu, the cold, brilliant CEO of Lu Corporation, she realized nothing about this meeting was simple. Jinyan, still bound by his late grandmother’s dying wish to “find someone who will stay by your side,” had prepared a contract marriage proposal. He believed the woman sitting before him—Panni in disguise—was the one who had already agreed to the arrangement. Bound by fear, circumstance, and her sister’s disappearance, Panni reluctantly stepped into a life that wasn’t hers, signing a contract that would entangle her fate with a man who trusted no one. As she plays the role of the polished, confident twin, Panni struggles to hide her true identity while navigating the cold walls of the Lu family mansion, the scrutiny of the company board, and the unspoken expectations placed upon the future Mrs. Lu. But her biggest challenge is Jinyan Lu himself—distant yet unexpectedly protective, calculating yet quietly vulnerable. What begins as a practical arrangement slowly turns into a dangerous emotional territory neither can control. When Jinyan starts falling for the woman he believes is Annie, Panni is torn between duty and desire, truth and revival. Every moment she stays by his side deepens the lie… and the attachment. But secrets don’t stay buried forever. When the real twin retraces and hidden agendas threaten the fragile bond forming between them, Panni must decide whether to walk away—or fight for a love built on borrowed identity.

Xalara Silvyn, a seemingly powerless girl from the Shadowveil slums, is claimed as a fated mate by Cassian Holt, heir to a powerful noble house of ember magic. After being brought to his estate, she discovers their bond was merely Cassian's temporary fascination. At his engagement gala to Vionna Kress, he publicly betrays Xalara, relegating her to servitude under his cruel fiancée. As Vionna systematically humiliates Xalara, the crystal pendant Xalara found in a hidden chamber beneath the Veil becomes her sole comfort. With help from Cassian's brother Verin, she learns the crystal may connect to House Silvyn—a noble family of essence-based primal magic supposedly destroyed centuries ago. When Vionna arranges to transfer Xalara for potentially fatal bond severance after her wedding to Cassian, Xalara's desperate situation takes an unexpected turn. During the wedding feast, she encounters Lord Elaric Nox, a feared shadow magic tyrant avoiding political marriage proposals. After overhearing his frustrations with traditional arrangements, Xalara's impulsive quip "Where do I sign?" intrigues him. Elaric's emissaries arrive at the wedding with a formal offer—a contract marriage of mutual benefit. Elaric gains a shield against political marriage pressure while offering Xalara protection from Vionna and access to knowledge about her crystal and heritage. Their three-year contract specifies a purely practical arrangement with no emotional obligations. At House Nox, Xalara begins training in essence magic under Elaric's guidance, discovering her "minor" warming ability is actually rare primal magic thought extinct. As she awakens to her true abilities and learns about her possible connection to House Silvyn, the bond with Cassian naturally fades. Meanwhile, a complex but respectful dynamic develops between Xalara and Elaric as they navigate their unconventional arrangement.

While working with the search and rescue team to save people trapped in an earthquake, an aftershock suddenly struck. Without hesitation, I pushed a hospital intern, Serena, out of the way. However, the force of the movement sent me to the ground, where a steel rod pierced my back, leaving me unable to move. When the aftershock ended, my husband, Derrick, came down with the others. Yet, instead of coming to me, he rushed to cradle Serena, who only had a few scrapes. Then he turned to glare at me. “What are you still sitting there for? Are you dead? Serena’s hurt, and you can’t even help her up?!” I was in so much pain I could barely speak, only able to force out a faint sound. “Honey, I… I’ve got a steel rod in my back… Please… help me.” Serena suddenly burst into tears in fear. “Mr. Nelson, I was so scared. Just now, Ms. Jones pushed me forward. If I hadn’t shifted direction, that huge rock would’ve crushed me!” Derrick, furious, shouted at me. “Gwen! You’re a doctor! What about your ethics? Your humanity?” Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head. “I didn’t. Please, just save me. I really can’t move…” One of the medical team members who came down with him checked my condition and looked worried. “Director Nelson, the steel rod seems to have pierced her spine. If we don’t treat her now, there’s a risk of paraplegia!” However, Derrick yanked him aside. “Save her? Let her walk herself! Gwen, we’re saving lives right now. If you want to act, I’ll put on a show with you when we get home! “Serena’s injured. Since there’s only one stretcher, we’re taking her up. You can walk up on your own.” His cold, departing back left me in utter despair.