[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-evil-mc-s-ntr-harem":3,"chapter-evil-mc-s-ntr-harem-evil-mc-s-ntr-harem-chapter-817":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Evil MC's NTR Harem",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1832266,2438,"Chapter 817: 817 Ikigai","evil-mc-s-ntr-harem-chapter-817",817,"\u003Cp>Chapter 817: Chapter 817 Ikigai\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross would make sure Ella never forgot the night he took her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d etch himself into her body and memory so deeply that even Mario, despite everything, would understand why it had to be this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, Ross thought, standing up and grabbing his keys. He wasn’t just accepting the offer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was going to make it unforgettable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ross, you’re here,” Mario said as he opened the front door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked uneasy—his strong, handsome face shadowed by something between guilt and apprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross could tell the man hadn’t slept well. There were faint bags under his eyes, and his smile, though polite, didn’t quite reach them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he stepped aside to let Ross in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then she appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ella.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross’s breath caught for a moment, despite himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped into view from deeper in the hallway, and for a second, everything around her seemed to slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was every bit as stunning as he remembered—no, more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light from the hallway framed her figure perfectly, casting a soft glow that made her skin seem to shimmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cardigan, pale pink and loosely draped, hung open to reveal a silky camisole in a soft mauve hue that hugged her delicate frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lacy trim along the neckline subtly hinted at what lay beneath without being overtly provocative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was tastefully sexy—feminine and elegant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her jeans were designer, dark blue, and high-waisted, perfectly tailored to fit her figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hugged her hips and thighs in just the right way, emphasizing her natural curves and long legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the simple silver earrings she wore caught the light with every small movement, completing a look that was quietly breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t just her beauty that held Ross’s attention—it was her expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a subtle war playing out on her face: the uncertainty in her eyes, the tension in her jaw, the way she clutched one arm across her stomach as if to shield herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cheeks were lightly flushed, and her eyes, though they flicked to meet Ross’s briefly, dropped away almost instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was clearly nervous, and not just in the bashful, flirty way women sometimes were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—this was something deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ella was standing on the edge of a choice that both terrified and excited her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea of being touched—claimed—by someone other than her husband was foreign and jarring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her entire body seemed aware of the implications of what was about to happen, and Ross could feel the fragile tension in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hi… Ross,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was soft, smooth, and laced with hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes still not quite able to meet his fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross gave her a warm smile—reassuring, not pushy. He understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a one-night fling for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a deliberate step into the unknown, taken not out of lust, but perhaps out of loyalty, sacrifice, or even a desperate hope to fix something broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hi, Ella,” Ross replied calmly, his voice low and steady. “It’s good to see you again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a silence after that—heavy but not uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mario lingered by the door, shifting awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll, uh… give you two a minute,” he muttered, turning and disappearing toward the kitchen. He didn’t look back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross slowly stepped further inside, his eyes never leaving Ella.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took his time, not approaching her directly, but not retreating either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood still, her hands gently clasped now, her chest rising and falling a little quicker than normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look… beautiful,” Ross said honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ella blushed deeper, almost visibly trying to suppress a reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you,” she said, eyes still downcast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t have to rush anything,” Ross added. “We go at your pace. This only happens if you want it to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made her finally lift her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes met his—and for the first time, there was something new behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still nervous, yes. But also… a flicker of curiosity. Maybe even desire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I know,” she said softly. “It’s just strange. I never imagined something like this would ever happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross nodded. “Neither did I. But… here we are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at him for another long moment, her lips parting slightly as if she were about to say something else—but instead, she simply nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll get us some water,” she said, almost as an excuse to break the intensity of the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned and walked toward the kitchen, her hips swaying slightly, the soft scent of her perfume lingering in the air she left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross stood alone in the hallway, exhaling slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was going to be delicate—but also unforgettable. He had no doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And neither, he suspected, would Ella.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them sat through dinner like actors in a quiet, uncomfortable play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every bite, every word, every glance across the table felt rehearsed and hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The food was good—Mario had made sure of that—but none of them were truly tasting it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their minds were elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They tried to talk about normal things: a new movie, a sports score, even traffic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But nothing could erase the awareness of what was waiting at the end of the meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small talk was just noise, a flimsy cover for the elephant in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mario kept glancing at Ella when he thought Ross wasn’t looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ella avoided both their eyes, chewing slowly, her fingers resting on the stem of her wineglass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ross said little, only speaking when prompted. He was respectful, composed, but there was something simmering behind his calm expression—something neither of them could miss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time dessert was offered, no one had the appetite for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sat in a few more minutes of awkward stillness before Mario finally stood up and cleared his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well,” he began, his voice rough and lower than usual, “I guess… I’ll leave you two to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There it was. The curtain pulled back. The truth acknowledged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ella looked up at him, startled by how suddenly the moment had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>",1008,"2026-06-09T06:19:01.620Z",1,"novelbin.me","b1497589fbb82523239f4886ea1c6cc9e998e06414b163f7e48e065987c29073","evil-mc-s-ntr-harem-chapter-818","evil-mc-s-ntr-harem-chapter-816",1212,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fevil-mc-s-ntr-harem-cover.jpg"]