Their story began with alcohol. Maria woke up to find herself lying on a hotel bed. Next to her on the bedside table was a note and some money left to her by the stranger as "payment." Anger took over her system. She swore to reclaim her dignity the moment she met him again. On the other hand, Hogan had no idea what was going on in her mind. He was an eligible bachelor that all women chased after, not to mention he already had the perfect girlfriend. And yet, he couldn't stop thinking about the woman he had had a one night stand with.
Suddenly, Maria Xue's phone rang, breaking the early morning silence.
She turned over in the bed without opening her eyes. Thanks to her hangover, she didn't want to bother about the noisy phone, but it rang incessantly until she couldn't ignore it anymore.
Opening her bleary eyes, she sat up in a trance. She reached for her phone and grabbed it.
Yawning lazily, she slid the screen of her phone with her finger. Immediately, a woman's voice came through. "Maria Xue! Where the hell are you now? Your sister's wedding is about to begin. Aren't you planning to show up?"
"Wedding?" The news sobered her, but she felt like her head was about to explode because of the pain in her temples. "No, Aunt Chelsea. I had something urgent to deal with last night and stayed up late. I just woke up. I'll get dressed and be there right away," she said hurriedly.
Maria Xue hung up the phone and rubbed her throbbing forehead.
She didn't want to be yelled at by that hateful woman anymore. Before she died, her mother had asked her to go back to that family and tried her best to let her father recognize her as his daughter. Otherwise, she would never have endured this awful woman.
Dropping her hand on the quilt, she exhaled deeply.
The August sun was so bright that it flooded the room with light, which aggravated her pitiful condition.
'Wait a minute!' she suddenly thought to herself.
She noticed the French window. Her house was only about forty square meters and the two bedrooms were tiny. How could there be a French window?
She muttered to herself, "Where the heck am I?"
She only got silence in response. It was so quiet that she could even hear the birds flying outside.
She was thinking about how she got drunk at the bar last night when she realized that she was stark naked. She was so stunned that she toppled off the bed and fell on to the floor.
'Oh my God!
Why am I naked? Why am I in an unknown room? What happened last night?
Did I drink too much last night and come to this hotel room with a stranger?'
She had guarded her chastity for twenty-seven years. Did she lose it in one night with some stranger? Just like that? She had made a promise to herself to give her virginity to the man she loved only when they got married.
She ran a hand through her hair in frustration and cursed aloud, "Maria Xue, you are such a fool! You can't drink but you went to a bar. Now what? What should I do?"
No one answered, which meant that there was going to be no divine intervention for her predicament.
Feeling lost and confused, she remained seated on the floor.
'Forget it. Anyway, I have lost my virginity. There's no use in regretting now.' Right now the most important thing for her was to attend her half-sister Mandy Xue's wedding. Mandy's mother, Chelsea, would give her another earful if she didn't make it to the venue on time.
It was said that the groom-to-be was the son of a media tycoon. He was a well-known guy, who was good at spending and making money. He could trade in stocks worth millions in a second. Mandy Xue must have been blessed in her previous life to be marrying into a prestigious family where she could be comfortable and happy all her life.
In comparison to Mandy's bright and glowing future, Maria's life was rather bleak. Not only was she the daughter of a mistress, but she was also abandoned by her father. In the past ten years, she had tried every means possible to win her father's heart. She really wanted to be recognize by her father, but all her attempts were rejected by Chelsea.
Snapping out of her reverie, Maria Xue got up from the floor. Grabbing her clothes from the floor, she dashed to the bathroom. She couldn't waste any more time. In addition to makeup, she also had to buy a set of clothes.
She figured that since she was in a hotel, there would be a designer store from which she could pick up a dress for the wedding.
Dabbing on some makeup, she rushed out of the bathroom in fifteen minutes. As she scanned the room one last time to ensure she had not forgotten anything, her eyes fell on a sheet of paper and three one-hundred-dollar bills on the bedside table.
The note said, "Thank you for your company last night. Here is the service fee."
Service fee?
Naturally, the flippant attitude of the stranger made her angry. The night she spent with him was not transactional! How dare he throw money at her to get rid of her!
There was another thing bothering her too. Was she only worth three hundred dollars? Even if she didn't come from an affluent background, she still had dignity. Three hundred dollars was an embarrassing amount to be paid for a night.
Damn it! If she remembered who the man was, she would definitely find him and throw the money on his face. She would humiliate him the way he humiliated her.
Half an hour later, a Bugatti Veyron zoomed into the gate of the hotel like the wind. The man in the black suit standing at the entrance recognized the car at first sight.
Nobody else but Hogan Yang, the fashion supremo of Beautiful Girl, could drive a sports car worth about twenty million.
The man stepped forward and carefully opened the door for Hogan Yang.
Hogan Yang wasn't himself right now. His eyes lacked luster as he was lost in thought. He got out of the car and tossed the keys toward his assistant. "Go park the car first. I have something to ask you later," he ordered curtly.
The assistant readily got into the car. Even if it was just for a few seconds, he was very excited to get behind the wheel of this posh car. After all, he would be driving a limited edition sports car.
The moment Hogan Yang entered the hotel, all eyes in the hall were on him, especially the women. When he put on his stylish sunglasses, the women nearly fainted.
No wonder he was able to attract women. He was handsome and had a superb physique. Even though nobody could see his muscles or his toned abs under his clothes, he had a strong aura. As a rich, eligible bachelor, he was the ideal life partner for any woman.
However, Hogan Yang didn't have any feelings for the women in this hall tonight. Instead, his mind was on the woman he had spent the whole night with.
He already had a girlfriend as beautiful as a goddess. However, he was more interested in the woman he had slept with last night.
He was certain that last night was her first time with a man.
He shook his head hard and reprimanded himself for thinking of her nonstop. She was just a stranger in a bar but a little more familiar than other women on the street.
After all, they had slept together last night. It was impossible for him to be detached from her.
Having parked the car, Hogan Yang's assistant walked to the central garden of the hotel where a grand wedding was underway. He spotted Hogan Yang chatting with his business partners in the crowd.
Walking up to his boss, he said softly, "Mr. Yang, I'm back."
Hogan Yang was just networking with these people. There was nothing particularly important to discuss with them. He was simply listening to their banter absent-mindedly while he waited for his assistant to rejoin him.
Now that his assistant had arrived, Hogan Yang left the crowd skillfully. After taking his assistant to the side, Hogan Yang asked, "Well, do you think..."
Austin Yu, Hogan Yang's assistant, saw his boss hesitating for the first time. He asked curiously, "Mr. Yang, what do you want to ask me? If you have any questions, you can ask me freely. It's no problem."
When did his boss become so shy and uncertain? He had an outgoing, bold, and confident personality, so why was he fumbling now?
Pushing aside the complex emotions in his head, Hogan Yang blurted out, "I mean, how much would you pay a woman after a one-night stand?"
Austin Yu couldn't believe his ears.
His boss had a one-night stand with some woman last night and he used money to get rid of her.
Of course, it was a good idea to pay the woman in order to safeguard his future. But why did his boss care so much about the money?
Did he want a relationship with that woman?
His boss had the gorgeous Sally. He shouldn't be with any other woman!
"Mr. Yang, if you want to maintain a good relationship with that woman, you will have to be more generous. If you don't want a relationship with her, you don't have to care about the amount of money," advised Austin Yu.
But deep down, he was interested in knowing how much his rich boss would pay for a one-night stand.
There was a flicker of surprise in Hogan Yang's dark eyes. What his assistant was implying was that he had a crush on her and wanted to continue seeing her.
Austin Yu was watching the expression on Hogan Yang's face keenly. Something had melted his boss's hard exterior. He did not look as cold as he normally did. What exactly happened last night? The suspense was killing Austin Yu.
He asked, "How much did you give her, Mr. Yang?"
Hogan Yang, who was lost in his musings, heard the voice and replied mechanically, "Three hundred dollars."
Suddenly, he realized what he had done. Why did he tell Austin Yu?
'Damn it! How could I admit to doing something so shameful?' he thought, feeling annoyed at his lack of discretion.
Three hundred! Even an ordinary person wouldn't give only three hundred for a night with a woman!
Austin Yu was shocked by his boss's answer. He had never thought that Hogan, who came from a rich family, would give a woman such a meager sum.
The women Yu Austin had dealt with in the past for his boss were usually paid at least three million to start with. Although it was only one night, this woman was worth at least thirty thousand!
It was impossible!
Austin Yu shook his head repeatedly, unable to digest what he had heard.
Suddenly, it occurred to him that Hogan Yang was joking. With a playful smile, he teased, "Mr. Yang, don't joke with me. How can you only give a woman just three hundred dollars? Tell me, is it thirty thousand or three hundred thousand?"
Hogan Yang rubbed his temples. As expected, this matter was not being taken seriously. He sighed and confirmed in a serious voice, "Yes, it's three hundred dollars. The checkbook was used up and only three hundred dollars were left in my wallet. You know what? Just forget it! Anyway, I won't meet that woman anymore. That's it."
She would have already left his home by now.
Austin Yu tried hard to hold back his laughter and keep a serious face.
But he was howling with laughter inside. It was really funny to think that Hogan paid a paltry amount to get rid of a woman. Wasn't Hogan worried that the woman would spread the news and cause unnecessary trouble for him?
William did not expect that the one thing he would not have on his wedding day was his own bride. The woman he had loved for ten years was missing on their wedding day. Amelia, the adopted daughter, married him as a substitute to spare the awkwardness between the two families. What he didn’t know was that the one did care about and love him for years was her, not her sister. However, misunderstanding still filled their marriage. Not until he learned the truth did he realize the only he truly loved.
He was her boss, rich and handsome. She was an insignificant employee, struggling for life. He was her sister's fiancee, and she was his sister-in-law. She ruined his engagement party by accident, and he wanted her to pay for the price. She had no choice but to become his maid and stayed by his side day and night to take care of him. However, she even became his lover. Their love started with a mistake, but he didn’t want to correct it. He knew she was destined for him.
Twenty years after Sherry's family hurt Lyman terribly, he comes into her life seeking revenge. His first step is to make her family pay. But his plans are waylaid when his soft-hearted self loses his heart and falls in love with her. Unfortunately, Sherry finds out that the man she's considered a safe haven all this time is actually responsible for every bit of her ruined happiness. Now, her sole goal is to make him suffer and destroy him.
At her wedding ceremony, he suddenly appeared and shouted, "I object!" Under the watchful eyes of the public, he destroyed the wedding and took her away domineeringly! Six years ago, he gave up on her because of his study and finally broke up with her. The first thing he did after coming back was to get her in his arms again. "Olivia, if you want to get married, you can only choose me!" It was said that love would weaken or even disappear with time. But in his heart, love never subsided but grew stronger.
Joy made a slip of the tongue. She found herself stuck in the middle of gossip about her supposed marriage to Ted. Taking advantage of her sticky situation, he made her his bride, and when they tied the knot, he loved every inch of her as his lawful wife. He might be indifferent to her in front of others, but she was his goddess in private. His heart was already hers, alone. A fake marriage bound them to each other, but Ted's love for Joy was real and true.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
Despite being an illegitimate daughter, Lena bore a striking resemblance to the young lady of the Evans family. Faced with their threats, she was forced to take her half-sister’s place and marry Dylan. As an act of defiance, Lena seduced Dylan night after night, until she had him completely wrapped around her finger. Using his affections to her advantage, she set out to undermine the Evans family. Over time, Dylan began to notice something odd about his beloved wife...
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"