For the past three years, Ariana Harlow has dedicated herself entirely to her husband, Noah Nelson. They married after her sister, who was originally set to wed Noah, fled on the wedding night, believing rumors that the Nelson Corporation was bankrupt.
Ariana had loved Noah since she was sixteen, and marrying him seemed like a dream come true. Unbeknownst to her, her sister had orchestrated this situation, leading not to a new life but to a personal hell.
She was pressured to abandon her medical training because the respectable Mrs. Nelson could not have her hands stained with blood. Ariana complied, transforming into the perfect wife, tending to her in-laws and husband. Yet, all she received were insults; her husband was ashamed of her, and her mother-in-law believed her sister, Ariel, was more suitable for her son.
Despite the pain, Ariana held on, hoping to one day win back Noah's heart. But then she caught him kissing her sister!
Heartbroken, Ariana decided to divorce Noah. In the process, she became entangled with Nicolai, Noah’s enemy and rival.
They were never supposed to be together. Yet, Nicolai seemed unconcerned about the obstacles between them. He was determined to break into Ariana’s life and set everything ablaze.
In a drunken moment, he grabbed her by the throat against a pub wall, "You can deny it all you want, princess, but you want me." His gaze roamed over her heaving chest, darkening as if he wanted to claim her soul. “Bet if I take a peek, you'll be dripping wet for me.”
Heat flared across Ariana's cheeks as she snarled, “Shut up.”
“Make me,” Nicolai said, crashing his lips onto hers.
His kisses seared her soul, and his warmth burned her skin every time they touched. She thought getting involved with Nicolai was her biggest mistake.
But being desired by such a beautiful nightmare turned out to be worse than any mistake.
When Noah discovered the truth, he confronted her, "Shoot me in the heart, Ari," he said, placing the gun's nozzle over his heart. "Because a life without you is one I don't want. Kill me or come back. I beg of you."
Nicolai now offered her a choice: fall in love with him and embrace danger, or return to Noah, whom she had loved since sixteen?
And would Ariana avoid the lurking dangers, waiting for her to make a mistake and lose everything dear? Would she uncover the secrets tying her to both Noah and Nicolai, unraveling her twisted fate?
***
“It's all about money, isn’t it? Take it and get lost,” Noah shouted, throwing the black card at Ariana.
Ariana couldn’t believe her ears as her husband—or soon-to-be ex-husband—humiliated her like this. Three years of dedication, and this was what she got after catching him with her sister.
“I am going to divorce you,” Ariana declared and left.
Penniless, she stumbled upon Nicolai, Noah’s enemy and the Mafia prince of Lone City, known for his violent tendencies. Their ill-fated meeting placed her in Nicolai’s path.
The first time they met, Nicolai asked her to invite him to dinner.
The second time, he handed her a million dollars.
The third time, he declared, “You will look good in my arms, what do you say, princess?”
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So, Kaitou Crow is a practiced and notorious jewel thief who has set his sights on a particular piece, "The Doll's Eye," which Ruri's dad made especially for her. On a reconnaissance trip, Kaitou is accidentally spotted by Ruri, but to avoid a commotion, he silences her with a kiss. She quickly rebukes him (Go girl!) but is understandably impressed that a young boy should possess such mastery and cheekiness! As the story unfolds, they meet again and again, and despite Ruri's presence and her feeble attempts to foil his plans, he manages to steal every jewel he sets his mind to. While she becomes infatuated with him, he claims he cannot belong to one woman, so she decides to tame him! Will she succeed? Or will she only be left jewelry-less at the end of each encounter?
So much about this story is invigorating that it's hard to pinpoint specifics. Ruri proves to be very empowered with her strong will to be around Kaitou and her resolve to make him hers! Not one aspect of her is insecure or annoying. Kaitou's character is also intriguing in scenes where his player personality emerges when he beds a grieving widow, but also how he feels especially tender towards Ruri when he gently strokes her cheek! Eee, *hands on cheeks* Otaku overload! Over the three sequels, we see significant development on both sides, showing how the overly self-assured Casanova struggles with growing affections and the headstrong ingenue puts her foot down, refusing to compromise any longer, making it anything but a shallow storyline.
The dialogue was humorous in many places, accompanied by cute SD chibis, and intimate when the scenes demanded it. There's one hilarious panel at the end of each chapter. The absence of unnecessary smut or uncouth groping makes for an elegant and enjoyable romance, and a gripping cliffhanger leaves you greedy for the next volume! A well-deserved 9/10!
Two unrelated one-shots are also included.
Kuchizuke wa Amai Bara wa Kizuato:
Miori is a bit on edge because she has the flu and her period simultaneously, and in the market, she's hit by this tattoist Rei's shopping bag and gets wet. Out of the goodness of his heart, he takes her to his studio to dry off, but he's fascinated by her pristine white back, which he sees as an excellent canvas. However, Miori can't believe he would corner her half-naked like that! In a later exchange, she's enthralled by the tattooing process and changes her mind about him and getting a tattoo, but he still sees her as a minor and refuses to change his policy about tattooing a young girl (both tattoo and making love!).
Artwise, of course, Rei always looks the epitome of smoothness and adept capability, while Miori looks the part as a flustered schoolgirl taking in the edgy tattoo parlor for the first time. While some of the dialogue and scenes try too hard to emphasize the difference in maturity and level of sexual experience, at other times, it's too trite to swallow!
Funny moments include how he almost never calls her by name, which annoys her no end, as well as her exaggerated reactions to his nearness. The intimacy is subtle, while the romance between them is a bit underdeveloped and seems awkward, even unnecessary.
Some may enjoy this semi-coming-of-age story more than others. Personally, I think the plot is a tad childish, albeit racy. 7/10 (Coz the bishie is too damn hot!)
An Easy Mystery Better than a Kiss:
This isn't your average girl-meets-cute-boy, conflict, interaction, kiss, misunderstanding, make-up story. This short story has an interesting murder mystery plot intertwined with issues of friendship brought out. Chinatsu is a high schooler who likes to think she has good detective skills, but when she's faced with the apparent suicide of a close friend and tries to figure out what exactly transpired to cause that event, she realizes real life doesn't always provide organized clues or safe confines to run to in times of danger. Along this journey, she learns that her friend led a completely different life than the one she portrayed at school and was clearly suffering beneath her cheerful exterior. At this point, Chinatsu questions her growing closeness with Manabe, who has been suspiciously helpful to her all along.
I enjoyed the novel and its intriguing plotline and sympathized with the characters' fears, a rare feat for a one-shot. Dialogues are succinct and add to the story, whose length doesn't feel too short. No unnecessary drama ensues. Some twists you'll expect, others keep you at the edge of your seat. Artwise, another masterpiece, while the humor factor is replaced with the underlying anxiety every character faces. 9/10
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