Joanna was sabotaged by her sister and ended up in a stranger's bed. Despised by her boyfriend and pressured by her family, she was forced to marry a wealthy scoundrel, Rhys. Rhys' young adoptive father was the richest man in town, but was also said to be violent. Everyone thought Joanna was doomed, but Owen favored her and condemned her bullies. Joanna secretly loved Owen, but after a night of passion, he began to withdraw from her. Heartbroken, she entertained other men. She was on a date when Owen suddenly barged in. "You said you loved me!" Joanna smirked. "Too late. You'll have to get in line."
The room was dim, casting shadows over two figures locked in a passionate embrace.
The man gripped the girl's hands, his lips gently brushing her neck. His voice was low and rough. "I'll ask you one more time. Are you sure you won't regret this?"
The girl's gaze was distant, her mind clearly clouded.
Her body arched instinctively, a soft invitation slipping from her lips. "I want you..."
The man chuckled quietly. "You asked for it."
He then tilted her head and kissed her deeply.
Later that night, Joanna Powell was jolted awake by the shrill ringing of her phone.
Her head pounded from the hangover, and she rubbed her temples, feeling a rush of embarrassment.
In her dream, she had slept with her boyfriend, Mathew Higgins.
In the dream, Mathew had been forceful and dominant. She had only kissed him, but he had taken control, pinning her down-nothing like the polite, respectful guy she knew.
There was no denying that this side of him had a magnetic pull.
Joanna smiled sheepishly, turned on the bedside lamp, and reached for her phone to answer the call. But then she stopped dead in her tracks-she was completely naked!
Pink hickeys marked her skin, each one telling the story of the previous night.
She glanced down and noticed a man's arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
Joanna's mind went blank.
It wasn't Mathew's arm.
She turned her head slowly and then fell back onto the bed.
The man next to her wasn't Mathew.
He was a stranger, someone she had never met before.
The color drained from her face, leaving her pale and shocked.
How had this happened?
The night before, there had been a school event, and everyone had booked rooms at the hotel to rest.
But why was there a stranger in her room?
"Miss, are you still there?" The nurse's voice crackled through the phone.
Joanna, still in a daze, wasn't sure how she even managed to lift the phone to her ear. "Yes, I'm here."
The nurse went on, "You're related to Martha Russell, right? She had a sudden heart attack and was just brought to the hospital. We need you here right away."
Joanna's eyes widened in panic, her voice shaking. "A heart attack?"
"Yes, it's critical. She's waiting for surgery, and you need to sign the papers quickly!" The nurse gave her the hospital's address before hanging up.
The blows had left Joanna feeling dizzy. She pinched her thigh hard, the sharp sting proving it wasn't just a dream.
She couldn't afford to wait any longer. She quickly jumped out of bed and got dressed.
Before leaving, she cast a final look at the man still asleep on the bed, her eyes filled with bitterness.
She grabbed a pen and paper, wrote a quick note, and hurried out of the room.
Not long after she left, the man on the bed slowly woke up. He reached out, but his hand only found the warm, empty sheets.
He paused, then tossed off the covers.
The bed was vacant.
If it hadn't been for the red stain on the sheets, he might have thought the woman from last night was just a product of his imagination.
He had returned to the country the night before, drunk from a heavy night of drinking. When he collapsed onto the bed, he found a woman already lying there.
He had encountered countless women throwing themselves at him, but one bold enough to slip into his bed without being invited? That was a first.
Normally, he would've kicked her out without hesitation.
But when she clung to him, maybe it was the alcohol messing with his head, but he didn't push her away.
To his surprise, she had been a virgin.
But it didn't really matter to him.
A brief fling was never something he'd bother to remember.
He lazily swung his legs out of bed, his tall frame heading toward the bathroom. That was when he noticed a piece of paper on the floor.
He picked it up, and the moment he read it, his face darkened.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
"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?"
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, “Who will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.”
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."