Is it true that touching love, playing with it, will burn and hurt, and the only person who gets hurt is yourself? Chloe once lost a daughter, but fate brought her back to meet her child again, which led to entanglement with the man she had secretly loved for many years. But he still despised her, just like in the past. One day, the man coldly said, "Chloe, let's get married. Stop wasting your efforts seducing other men. I can give you what you want."
The sky gradually turned to late afternoon. The hallway light's "mouse" had long been broken, emitting dim and nuclear rays. Chloe Thomas, carrying a bag of groceries she had just bought from the supermarket, kept her hand against the wall, groping her way step by step.
The old building was about to be demolished and moved, with the security nowhere to be seen. Few households remained, the hallway devoid of light.
To the sixth floor, her heart filled with worry and anxiety, she lowered her head to search for her keys in her bag. Suddenly, her chest collided with an obstacle, causing her to lose her balance. Strangely, the object she hit had a bit of warmth... it was a person!
The faint smell of tobacco lingered around her nose, almost making her lose control and scream.
Her heart pounded, her ears filled with the sound of her own rapid breathing. Instinctively, she stepped back a few paces.
A crisp "click" sound echoed, and a small spark of light burst before her eyes. Thanks to the blue glow of the lighter, Chloe saw a familiar, somber pair of eyes, with dark, sharp pupils filled with impatience and irritation.
It was him...
Chloe tightened her grip on the grocery bag, her fingertips digging into the soft flesh of her palm, trying to steady her breath before she spoke, "What's the matter?"
The man's lighter went out, leaving them in silence before the door, consumed by darkness. After a moment of contemplation, he reminded her, "Open the door."
Chloe seemed to awaken from a dream, hurriedly rummaging through her bag. The more anxious she became, the more her hands trembled.
A slender arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, his solid chest pressing against her back. Her breath immediately hitched, her eyes staring at the moving shadow. They stood so close that she could vaguely feel his body temperature and hear his heartbeat. That warmth went straight into her heart, burning her chest.
He stood silently behind her, reaching into her bag.
Knowing he was searching for the keys, understanding that he wasn't intentionally touching her, she still felt uncomfortable, her eyes stinging as if something uncontrollable was about to fall.
The sound of steady breathing and the jingle of keys by her ear left her dumbfounded as she moved forward, wanting to stop him from opening the door. The man, impatient, rebuked her: "Move."
She hesitated for a moment before stepping aside, obediently standing still, trying to breathe quietly, afraid of breaking the current silence.
The door creaked open, a harsh light flooding in, causing her to squint and slowly lift her eyes to adjust to the sudden change. The image of the handsome man standing in the doorway immediately imprinted in her mind.
Chloe's heart pounded wildly, she quickly lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him for more than a second. She forced herself to carry the grocery bag straight inside, placing it on the round table, slowly regaining her breath. Thinking about the man behind her, her heart couldn't help but flutter with unease.
Turning around, she focused on him, awkwardly asking, "Do you want some water?"
Caleb Wilson glanced around the dilapidated room, the damp smell of New York's rainy season permeating the air. His frown deepened, increasingly impatient, he ignored her question and got straight to the point: "Lily is sick, she's asking for you."
Chloe was stunned, sweat forming on her pale forehead.
She stared wide-eyed, anxiously stepping closer to him, completely unaware of the intense disdain in his eyes, and asked worriedly, "Is it serious? The weather has been unpredictable lately, why haven't you taken good care of her?"
Caleb's lips curled into a mocking smile. Without a word, he stared at her.
Seeing his expression, Chloe realized her rash behavior, her fingers gripping tighter, she lowered her eyes and stepped back: "I'm sorry."
Caleb's eyes widened. Every time he saw this woman's weak demeanor, he was filled with disgust, understanding her true malicious nature like no one else.
"The girl wants the soup you make, cook it now."
Caleb finished speaking and naturally walked over to the sofa, sitting down, his hips pressing against something soft. Frowning, he picked it up. It was a small rubber duck.
The duck looked familiar, similar to the ones Lily had, but this one was larger, like...
"This is the mother duck," Chloe murmured, stepping forward to snatch the duck from his hand, handling it like a precious treasure, carefully placing it in a drawer.
Caleb silently watched her every move, a slight snort escaping his nostrils: "What? Are you still hoping for the mother duck to be reunited with the ducklings one day?"
His words were clear. Even if she wasn't smart, she understood.
Chloe turned her back to him, a bitter smile on her lips: "No, I just want... to keep it so that I can look at it whenever I miss Lily."
Caleb looked at her with suspicion, not believing her. Without giving him a chance to mock her further, she grabbed the grocery bag and went straight to the kitchen.
A fire seemed to ignite in Caleb's heart, yet he had nowhere to release it. Irritated, he took out a cigarette. Glancing around the room but finding no ashtray, he pulled a small trash bin closer.
He noticed a cigarette pack in the trash, stared at it for a moment, and then quietly looked away.
Care for this woman? He would have to be crazy!
-
In the kitchen, the sound of running water could be heard as Chloe carefully washed the ingredients. Last night, Caleb had stayed up all night taking care of his daughter, now feeling exhausted. After just a few puffs of his cigarette, he closed his eyes.
Chloe put the clay pot back on the stove, added half an ear of corn to the soup, then dried her hands before heading back out.
Entering the living room, she saw Caleb's long legs draped over the edge of the sofa. His tall, powerful frame was cramped on the small couch, his brows furrowed even in sleep. Still holding the half-smoked cigarette, she tiptoed over and carefully removed it from his hand.
Caleb's sleep was usually light, the slightest noise would wake him, but now he slept soundly, unaware of her presence.
Gazing at his familiar, handsome face, she felt a strange urge to reach out, stopping just an inch away from his furrowed brow.
His previous words always etched deep in her heart, and he expressed his dislike for her touching him, stating that he found it disgusting.
Her parents had passed away. It was a day when she was twelve years old. Her parents died, and she was about to be killed by shapeshifters. Daenerys was terrified. Her eyes welled up with tears, but they also gleamed with hatred as she looked at them. 'Go to hell!' The moonlight bathed their claws, a silver light flashing in Daenerys's pupils. But she wasn't afraid. Faced with death, her gaze didn't waver; it was filled only with hatred. Just before the moment of life and death, a loud noise suddenly rang out. He appeared like a guardian angel. Each step he took made the moonlight retreat. He approached and saved her. He was the Alpha of the Black Wolf pack. He took Daenerys home, raised her, and cared for her in silence. But she was very afraid of him because this uncle Austin always had the look of 'the Grim Reaper.' Originally, they had an uncle and niece-in-law relationship, but in truth, he wanted more. Will this girl realize his feelings and accept them or not?
Jayce Smith randomly meets Evelyn Thomas, who is hiding her identity. After her secret is exposed, he forces her to stay with him. They engage in a battle of wits and courage: Evelyn defies the world, and Jayce vows to spoil her. They are close but each has their own secrets. As the internal struggle of a family gradually comes to light, their unwanted pasts are also revealed. From a small town to New York, from New York to Singapore, they move from fighting each other to becoming friends, ultimately winning the final match—a grand gamble!
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!"
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
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?