The day Irene was dumbed by her boyfriend was the same day that she got engaged. Drunk in sadness and alcohol, Irene found herself answering a tipsy "yes" to Aaron's invitation to marry. By the time she sobered up, she found herself whisked in a marriage with a man she barely knew. At first, each day felt like a honeymoon until, slowly, Aaron unveils his true identity.
"Irene, let's break up."
Irene Xiao remembered how his words hit her like tons of bricks. "What?" she uttered, lost for words.
The man pinched his nose as if it was draining for him to even explain it to her. "Here's the thing. We just don't fit. I mean, I love eating all kinds of things, and you," he continued, wrinkling his nose. "You can only cook noodles, and don't get me started on the... You get what I mean, right? Here's 200,000 dollars. Think of it as a compensation for the time we've spent together."
Irene Xiao sat on the side of the road, hands gripping over the edges of the pavement as she thought back to the moment he broke her heart. She took another swig of the beer she was holding, sniffling.
What the heck happened?
She remembered how in love she and Jonny Jiang were. They had been together for three years. Except for her body of course, she was willing to give everything to him. But what happened? She just got dumped!
Irene Xiao wailed.
However, it was only right that he did so...at least. Jonny Jiang's parents were government officials, and his family background was outstanding to say the least. As for her, her mother had a lowly job, and she had an equally troublesome sister.
They had different social statuses, so maybe it was just right that they broke up.
But still...
She blinked back the tears, wiping the ones that slipped down her cheeks.
Why the hell was he like this?
She remembered how much he loved her noodles, and how he'd said that he'd eat them for days if he wanted to. He'd even said that they'd go through all of his parent's disapproval and her family's background. "It'll be all right," he'd said, wrapping his arms around her.
It took three years for all those words to go to waste.
One can never really trust a man's word.
Her heart clenched. As much as she tried to hold back her tears, the barriers around her started to break. She found herself sobbing in the streets.
'200,000 dollars! As if that could buy back the time I wasted on you!' Irene Xiao thought, taking another swig of her bottle.
It couldn't,
but she found herself taking it out of cold blood in the end.
'This is my money anyway.
Wasting my time on that asshole!'
Just as she took another sip, a car stopped at the side of the road a few meters behind her.
Seeing the woman in such a state, Aaron Zhao wanted to open the door only to be stopped by Jackson Jiang.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jackson Jiang's voice was as cold as ice.
"I think I know what I'm doing," he replied, without a care in the world.
"You're declaring war on the Zhao Family if you did this," Jackson Jiang warned. "Consider that carefully. Do you really think that woman's worth it?"
"The Zhao Family is not worth mentioning at this point. And as for if she's worth it or not, I guess that's up to me, isn't it?"
Without another word, he swiftly opened the door and got out of the car. He strode over the pavements, bending down on Irene Xiao who was already very intoxicated at that point.
Carl Cheng snorted. He was sitting on the backseat the whole time, watching the scene unfold under his eyes. "I guess it's a start for love," he yawned out.
Jackson Jiang sniffed, "Love? Only the dead would believe that."
Aaron Zhao sat beside her. Seeing her in such a state, he couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows. 'She must really love that jerk.'
"Are you all right?"
Hearing his voice, Irene Xiao raised her head in a daze, only to see her favorite actor. She blinked, shaking her head rapidly.
"Damn it!" she yelled outright, looking at him again only to see a familiar face. 'Jonny?
What is he doing here? Does he want to get back together? Or to make fun of me?'
she thought, scrambling backwards as if she just saw a ghost. Whatever it was, it was time to act fast!
She wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve. "Let me tell you, Jonny. I'm a very beautiful woman. If you want to take me back today, do it, if not I'll be taken away by another," she snapped, drawling out word per word.
Irene Xiao was already in such a daze. "I'm telling the truth! You have no idea how popular I am with the men." Aaron Zhao reeled back in disgust.
His forehead throbbed. He didn't know what was so good about Jonny Jiang that she wasn't able to give him up! Even in such a drunken daze, she still thought of him.
"Who am I?" he said calmly, trying to keep it together.
How ridiculous was this! Of course, she'd see Jonny Jiang!
She scowled. "Do you miss me?"
Before Aaron Zhao could respond, she continued, "I know you do, but you can't say it because of your dignity. Just admit it, Jonny. You still have me in your heart! Am I right?"
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?