A Gift from My Late Husband

A ruthless woman in power x her timid stepson

Stepson story / male lead suffers / forced possession / captivity / love rivals / just a tiny, tiny bit of regret and atonement

"Love is a mental illness. Players must remain rational at all times."

-

Shu Tong has been in a great mood lately.

Her husband died, and he left everything in his will to her alone. What a double blessing.

The enormous inheritance and absolute control of the company make her feel utterly delighted.

And then she discovers something else.

The inheritance includes one other interesting thing.

Her late husband raised his only son to be incredibly timid.

Tied up with a bow, he is a gift for her.

-

This is Qi Wen's third month back home, and the third year since his father died.

The gloomy old estate has been completely transformed. Its owner now is Shu Tong.

His stepmother.

Shu Tong treats him very well, truly very well, so well that accepting her feels perfectly natural.

Living here has even gradually cured his insomnia.

Until one day, he discovers that the reason he sleeps soundly every night is that Shu Tong has been drugging him.

That night, he is conscious as he submits to her.

Afterward, he decides to run away.

-

"You know, I inherited everything your father had, including you."

Reader's Guide:

1. The male lead suffers. The female lead is kind to him early on, but only after giving him a slap and then a sweet treat. Male-lead fans, stay away.

2. All the men are virgins, including the late husband. They are pure in body and mind, with no romantic experience.

3. The female lead has a histrionic personality, low morals, and a flippant attitude toward life. The male lead is extremely spineless and meek. If that's not your thing, read with caution.

4. This is a no-holds-barred work with heaps of melodrama and many original setting details, set in a mostly fictional world. It's a short to medium-length work posted irregularly to keep my skills sharp during a writing lull. It won't be paywalled.

5. I'm just writing this for fun, so I don't accept comments about gender-swapping the male or female lead, and I won't tolerate criticism of the female lead.

Theme: Searching for the true meaning of life.