Scarlett asked hesitantly, "Mr. Dixon, are you serious about this?" She had expected their marriage to be just a formal agreement, with each of them living their own lives without interference. So, when her newlywed husband mentioned fulfilling their marital duties, it caught her off guard. Just when she was determined to keep her distance, she found herself drawn closer to him. To her amazement, her seemingly average husband was actually the wealthiest man. It also became increasingly difficult for her to conceal that she was a disciple of a renowned designer. Life then began to sweeten in ways she never could have imagined.
With the marriage certificate clutched tightly in her hand, Scarlett Knight stepped out of the city hall.
"Thank you, Mr. Dixon!" she said to the man next to her.
Waving his hand, Ethan Dixon said, "I have to get to a client quickly. Which way are you going? If our destinations coincide, I'll drop you there."
Scarlett was surprised. Was he offering her a ride? She assumed he must be repulsed by her.
Three months ago, she had accidentally saved him and taken him to the hospital. And now, she forced him into a marriage with her because of that twist of fate.
Despite having told her that he would return the favor, he must be appalled by her for forcing him to marry a stranger.
"Thanks, but I biked here. You go ahead with your work."
Most likely, he said it out of civility and a sense of gentlemanly education. She wouldn't be so smart if she got into his car.
It was merely a contractual marriage. She was grateful he agreed to it, but she didn't expect him to act like a typical husband.
Checking his watch, Ethan acknowledged her response. "Alright, I'm off. Apologies for not being able to spend our first married day together."
"I'm good," Scarlett assured him, impressed by Ethan's gentlemanly demeanor.
Ethan nodded, then hurried off to his car parked nearby. As he opened the door, a thought struck him, and he glanced back to see Scarlett riding her electric scooter in the opposite direction with her down jacket on.
Her departure left him momentarily stunned.
He had assumed she wanted him to fulfill his promise and marry her for some ulterior motive.
Yet, here she was, leaving without asking for anything in return.
Was that her playing hard to get?
Ethan pursed his lips in thought. If she was being sensible, he would leave her be.
But since he had made a promise to marry her, he intended to fulfill his duty, while keeping his true identity hidden.
Shifting his focus, Ethan got into his cheap car and drove away.
At the next intersection, Ethan stopped his car and stepped out, approaching a black Maybach parked nearby.
When he opened the door, the driver informed him, "Sir, your grandmother seems to be aware of what happened between you and Ms. Knight."
"What happened?"
"Trey noticed your absence from the company this morning and looked into it; that's why he found out. Then, he informed your grandmother."
Ethan sneered. His half-brother, Trey Dixon, couldn't wait to let their grandmother know he had married a woman from a humble background.
"Ensure all traces related to her are erased before Grandma intervenes. I don't want anyone else to know about our marriage," he instructed.
"Understood, sir."
Ethan tapped his fingers on the car window, pondering for a moment before adding, "Keep him occupied. I don't want him getting too idle."
"Of course, sir." The driver acknowledged before suggesting, "Should we arrange for some protection for Ms. Knight?"
Ethan's demeanor turned cold as he contemplated the suggestion. "Yes, do it discreetly. Ensure she remains unaware of my identity to prevent any misguided intentions."
Meanwhile, Scarlett, unaware of the complexities, arrived at the hospital on her electric scooter.
The winter in Pradset started earlier than in other places.
The cold wind, laced with sea spray, slapped her cheeks, seeping into her bones and numbing her heart.
Wrapped in her down jacket, Scarlett paused outside the ICU of the cerebral surgery department, gazing through the thin glass at her frail grandmother lying amidst a tangle of tubes. Her eyes welled with tears.
Blinking them back, she mustered a smile.
"Grandma, I got married," she whispered, holding up the marriage certificate against the glass window for her grandmother, Nicola Knight, to see.
"He's a tall, strong, and attractive guy. And he acts in a gentlemanly manner." Even after she compelled him to marry her, he apologized to her for not being able to go with her on the day of their marriage. "So, don't worry. I'm alright. You must also get well. Even if it's for me, please hold on. You're my only family. Don't leave me alone."
Tears welled up, but Scarlett forced a smile, remembering Nicola's fondness for her smiles.
After talking to Nicola for a while, Scarlett went for an update on Nicola's condition from the doctor.
The young but seasoned physician, Cody Campbell, adjusted his glasses. "Your grandma's aged, plus the shock she endured... It's a miracle she's hanging on. Despite her situation becoming more stable, her ability to wake up still depends on her own will."
Scarlett squeezed her palm with her nails and nodded at the doctor. "Thank you for your assistance. Please do everything you can to help her. Money is not an issue if it means she can wake up. And please keep me posted."
Being an orphan taken in and raised by Nicola, Scarlett couldn't fathom life without her.
She was unaware of Nicola's circumstances on the day she passed out. She just found out from the neighbor that someone appeared at her house, and they got into a heated argument. Nicola passed out after the other person left.
Cody was going to tell her that the patient was elderly and that there was a possibility she wouldn't wake up. Regardless of how much money was spent on medicine, it would most likely be in vain.
However, he swallowed the words as he looked at the weak, adaptable, and determined girl standing in front of him.
"Sure thing. I'll keep you updated."
As she stepped out of the hospital, a blast of icy wind hit her face, making her shiver.
The sky above looked heavy and ready to burst at any moment.
Brushing the chill off her cheeks, Scarlett made her way to her electric scooter. It seemed it was going to snow heavily.
Just as she was about to start the scooter, her phone rang, breaking the silence.
Scarlett removed her gloves and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She was taken aback at seeing the person who had messaged her.
The moniker "E" was unknown to her, and the profile photo was of the black night sky. There was nothing else to know about it.
It took her a moment to realize it was Ethan, her newlywed husband!
Back when she had saved him, he had given her a business card and promised to do one thing for her without any conditions.
After Nicola had passed out, Scarlett had been prepared for the worst as the doctor had advised.
She thought that if Nicola was dying, she wanted to fulfill Nicola's last wish-to see her get married.
She had asked several guys before Ethan, but all of them had turned her down upon hearing about Nicola's condition.
After many failed attempts, she was left with no alternative but to go to Ethan.
Ethan was different. After a simple exchange on a social app, he had agreed readily, leading to their unexpected marriage.
Ethan's message read, "My address is Room 1601, Building 6, Horizon Apartments, Oak Road. If you're free today, you can move in now."
Then came another message. "Get whatever you need. I've got a busy day ahead and might be late."
The message was followed by a notification of a two-thousand-dollar transfer.
The messages left Scarlett puzzled.
Was he suggesting they live together like any normal couple would?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."
Two years after her marriage, Ximena lost consciousness in a pool of her own blood during a difficult childbirth. She forgot that her ex-husband was actually getting married to someone else that day. "Let's get a divorce, but the baby stays with me." His words before their divorce was finalized still lingered in her head. He wasn't there for her, but he wanted full custody of their child. Ximena would rather die than see her child call someone else mother. As a result, she gave up the ghost on the operating table with two babies left in her belly. But that wasn't the end for her... Years later, fate caused them to meet again. Ramon was a changed man this time. He wanted to keep her to himself even though she was already a mother of two children. When he found out about her wedding, he stormed into the venue and created a scene. "Ramon, I died once before, so I don't mind dying again. But this time, I want us to die together," she yelled, glaring at him with hurt in her eyes. Ximena thought he didn't love her and was happy that she was finally out of his life. But what she didn't know was that the news of her unexpected death had shattered his heart. For a long time, he cried alone due to the pain and agony. He always wished he could turn back the hands of time or see her beautiful face once again. The drama that came later became too much for Ximena. Her life was filled with twists and turns. Soon, she was torn between getting back with her ex-husband or moving on with her life. What would she choose?
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!