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Shirley had been Lucas' girlfriend since their university days-obedient, well-behaved, sweet, and innocent, always clinging to him like a delicate bird in love. However, no one believed that Shirley and Lucas would have a future together. Lucas came from a prestigious family, born into wealth and privilege. The moment he graduated, he swiftly eliminated his rivals and became the president of The William Family, standing at the pinnacle with a bright future ahead. Meanwhile, Shirley came from a modest background, unfamiliar with the ways of high society. Perhaps the luckiest thing that had ever happened to her in this lifetime was meeting Lucas, who was on an exchange program at their university. Lucas himself never thought they would last forever. But since their relationship had been pleasant over the years, he had no complaints. Just as he signed the check, preparing to break up with her, he unexpectedly stumbled upon an online diary Shirley had been keeping: Day 1 of waiting for Lucas' breakup fee: Hehe, officially his girlfriend now! So happy! ... Day 1674 of waiting for Lucas' breakup fee: Almost five years now. F***, Lucas, you monster, I will kill you. Lucas' face turned dark. Shirley had a strong feeling that Lucas was going to break up with her tonight. She suppressed her excitement, carefully did her makeup, curled her hair, put on her best dress, and wore her usual gentle and understanding smile, waiting to receive her well-earned eight-figure breakup fee. The candlelight from their dinner flickered on Lucas' face. Lucas put down his phone, suppressing his anger. Staring at the gentle, lovely smile in front of him, he suddenly said, "Shirley," "Let's get married."
A rain had just passed, bringing the temperature down to a pleasant coolness. That night, at the Bulgari Hotel.
On the 13th floor, the banquet hall was filled with elegantly dressed guests, the air rich with an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance. Pink and white flowers, along with balloons, decorated the entire space in the dreamlike vision of a young girl's fantasy. In the corner, a violinist played gracefully, while waiters in tailcoats pushed a swan-shaped cake slowly into the room.
Every detail of the evening showcased the grandeur of a birthday celebration belonging to none other than the cherished daughter of The Green family-someone born with a diamond spoon in her mouth, whose greatest challenge in life seemed to be figuring out how to enjoy it to the fullest.
Guests, led by attentive servers, took turns approaching the star of the evening to offer their well wishes.
Surrounded by a group of young socialites, Miss Green, the birthday girl, maintained her graceful demeanor, accepting each guest's greetings with a polite smile. Until, in the midst of all the greetings and well-mannered exchanges, she caught sight of a figure approaching her from the distance-
The sweet smile on Miss Green's face faltered slightly.
The same momentary pause in expression was mirrored by the girls standing beside her.
Together, they regarded the approaching figure, a subtle crease forming between some brows. Their gazes unconsciously traveled from the ground up, carrying the kind of innate arrogance that came with their status, scrutinizing the woman walking toward them-
A knee-length pink dress in a ladylike style, a white shell clutch in hand, a pearl necklace of a design beloved by older generations, long hair half-pinned back with a delicate clip, and white chunky-heeled Mary Jane shoes that prioritized comfort over elegance.
Each piece on its own was undeniably expensive. Yet, when worn together, in a place like this-Miss Green's high-society birthday gala-there was only one phrase that came to mind, a phrase often seen online, slightly cruel in its description: "Exquisitely Tacky."
It was a look that had clearly been carefully put together, with every detail painstakingly considered. And yet, despite all that effort, she still stuck out like a sore thumb. No matter how polished, she simply did not belong.
-
Shirley held her shell clutch as she walked up to Eva.
She pretended not to notice the ambiguous glances thrown her way, accepted a glass of white champagne from a waiter, and, as one of the invited guests of the evening, smiled sweetly and sincerely as she offered her birthday wishes.
Eva only snapped out of her daze when one of her friends nudged her lightly.
Quickly regaining her composure, she reached for Shirley's hand with an affectionate warmth, as if the two of them were the closest of friends. They exchanged pleasantries, promising to meet for shopping soon. Only after Shirley's figure disappeared into the crowd did Eva's fixed smile finally fade.
Her friends, who had remained quiet up until now, took sips from their glasses and finally voiced the question they had been holding in:
"Eva, why did you even invite her?"
Eva withdrew her gaze and let out a small sigh. "Daddy and Mommy made me do it."
"They said that, regardless of everything, she's been Lucas' official girlfriend for years now. Just in case she does somehow become Mrs. William one day, it's better to start building connections early."
"...Oh, come on."
"Are your parents serious?"
"Shirley getting with Lucas was already the luckiest thing to ever happen to her. Does she actually think she has a chance of becoming Mrs. William? I haven't worn a dress that tacky since elementary school."
"That necklace? Even my mom would call it outdated. Does she think dressing like a socialite means she is one? There's no way she's ending up as Mrs. William."
"Yeah, being his public girlfriend doesn't mean a thing. Word is, Lucas has never even introduced her to his family. Obviously, he has no intention of taking her seriously, and The William family would never accept her as a daughter-in-law."
"She just got lucky meeting Lucas as an exchange student. What else does she have?"
The moment the words "Mrs. William" were uttered, the girls immediately began chattering away. The elegant notes of the violin in the background provided the perfect contrast to their whispers, as every pair of eyes once again landed on the only "exquisitely tacky" figure in the room-the one in the pink, ladylike dress that no actual lady of high society would ever wear.
Their minds drifted back to five years ago, when B City's elite social circles were shaken by the news: The heir of The William family, during his time as an exchange student, had actually been "snatched up" by some unknown classmate.
The girls, usually composed and poised, struggled to maintain their expressions at the memory. They could only console themselves with the thought-
A woman from a small, insignificant background will never truly belong. She'll be cast aside eventually.
-
The birthday banquet lasted until nearly nine in the evening.
Eva's close friends left to continue the celebrations at an exclusive after-party, while most other guests began making their polite exits.
The back seat of the Rolls-Royce was spacious.
Shirley, of course, wasn't among the crowd heading off for an all-night party. Finally free from the event, she collapsed into the car's back seat and tossed her clutch aside.
The driver glanced back from the front. "Shall I take you back to First-Class Residence?"
"Mm," Shirley hummed. She pulled out her phone, intending to scroll through social media for a bit of mindless relaxation. But the moment she opened Facebook, she saw a post from Eva, uploaded just ten minutes ago-a nine-grid collage from tonight's luxurious celebration, captioned:
"I don't need a lot of money. I just want a lot of love."
"..."
The slight upward curve of Shirley's lips froze in place.
Her fleeting good mood vanished.
The car drove smoothly along the quiet city roads. Streetlights passed by in even intervals, the full moon hanging high above-a news broadcast had even announced that tonight marked the largest full moon in half a year.
But Shirley didn't look out at the moon.
She hated these socialite gatherings, hated playing along with shallow small talk. The whole evening, she had worn the role of "Lucas' obedient girlfriend," and the effort had drained her. Just as she had hoped to rest, Eva's ridiculous post lingered in her mind like a curse.
"Girls like that just need a couple of acres of farmland to plow."
Her irritation surged. She rolled her eyes so hard she practically sprained something. If she could, she'd grab Eva by her perfectly styled hair and tell her-"If you don't need money, then hand it over. I don't need love, I just need a lot of money."
But instead of causing a scene, she simply scrolled to her Days Matter app, where only one countdown existed:
"Days waiting for Lucas' breakup payout: 1712."
-
Then came the message from Lucas' assistant, Liam.
Lucas' business trip had ended early. His flight would land at 1 a.m. tonight. He was coming home.
The elevator doors opened.
But Shirley didn't step out.
Her fingers tightened around her phone, reading the message again. And again. Until the reality sank in-
Lightning cracked through her brain.
She braced herself against the wall, lifting her head to face the vast, empty silence.
Not only was she still unable to clock out of this job,
She might have to work overtime.
The gentle twilight cast a soft glow on Alexander's face. His striking features seemed sculpted by the gods. He was the same age as Sunny's dad, Lucas, and yet why was Alexander so gorgeous and young? Sunny had always believed her father Lucas was already impossibly handsome. But compared to Alexander, her dad suddenly seemed dimmed. "Uncle Alexander, what are you doing here?" Alexander replied gently, "Waiting for someone."Sunny tilted her head. "Who are you waiting for?"Alexander said softly, "Someone who may never come." There was a faint sadness in his eyes as he spoke, and something about it pierced Sunny' s heart. A wave of sorrow surged through her, tightening her throat and bringing tears. Sunny asked, "If the one is never coming back, why keep waiting?"Alexander looked at her and said seriously, "Because I promised her I would." Alexander then asked, "Sunny, have you ever fallen in love with someone?"Sunny answered,"Nope. My dad doesn't let me date early."Alexander smiled faintly."I did. I fell in love young."Sunny looked at him curiously, and Alexander added with a subtle smile,"Loving her was the happiest thing in my life. She means my world." Before turning twenty, Sunny had always been the apple of her billionaire father Lucas's eyes, until he was ruined overnight by his nemesis, trillionaire Alexander, the cold-blooded rising king of Chicago. Not only did this ruthless tycoon destroy Lucas's corporation, he even took Lucas's daughter Sunny back to his luxurious mansion...Then came an accident, and Sunny was back to the time when her father Lucas was still a teenager. She watched, stunned, as her father laughed wildly, hanging out with a group of reckless boys. And there he was, gripping Alexander by the collar, patting his cheek,"Admit it, Alexander, you lost, huh?" Everyone at school knew there were two people you couldn't mess with. Lucas, the heir to a powerful family, arrogant, fierce, born to be bad; Alexander, stunning, silent, stoic, with fists as hard as steel and bones even harder. They were sworn enemies. Lately, the school prince Lucas had a teenage girl trailing behind him, named Sunny, who looked 90% like him, always following in his footsteps. One day, Lucas, completely exasperated, shoved some cash into her hands. Lucas, "This is the last time. Stop following me. We are almost the same age. I can never be your dad!" Sunny was in tears, "Dad..." After that, Sunny really stopped following him. And Lucas found himself weirdly missing Sunny. Until he saw his archenemy Alexander pinning Sunny to the wall, asking coldly, "Do you like me?"Sunny blushed. "Y-yes... I do." Lucas gaped. His Sunny, dated with his nemesis Alexander? He was so furious he nearly exploded. Alexander smirked, "Admit it, Lucas, Sunny likes me, not you." Lucas, "..."
In San Francisco, everyone knew that the always cold and aloof daughter of The Green family had married a crippled man from a wealthy family. Three years into the marriage, she remained childless, and outsiders mocked her, saying she was still a virgin. But no one knew- For three years, she had been unable to sleep every single night. Due to a car accident, a top billionaire became disabled, and his lover left for abroad. Cathy had no choice but to marry Lucas, being his wife at night and his caretaker during the day. Until one day, there was hope for his legs to recover, and his first love returned. Cathy overheard him saying that he would definitely divorce her. Cathy fulfilled her duty and took good care of him. Since he wanted a divorce, she turned and left without hesitation. Three years of marriage? She considered them a moment of misplaced responsibility-just a good deed to make up for the past.
For the three years he was my live-in husband, there was no physical contact between us. He was like my most loyal butler, servant, and caretaker. But when he became my financial backer, we were intimate all the time, indulging in passion every night. "I've been thinking about you for a long time..." In the darkness of the night, the man kissed me recklessly. He was my live-in husband. Thus, as the precious daughter of a wealthy family, I had no choice but to let this destitute man marry into my family and become my husband. Out of resentment, I humiliated him repeatedly, mistreated him, and even resorted to physical abuse. Yet, he never got angry, always maintaining the appearance of an obedient and gentle man. But just as I was slowly falling for him, he suddenly asked me for a divorce. The once gentle and submissive man turned into a cunning and terrifying figure overnight. In an instant, my family fell into ruin, while he rose to power. The man I once trampled underfoot had transformed into my financial backer.
The Tragic Fate of Alex, the Rise of Diana The head of the top US consortium, Alex, met an untimely demise, and all his assets were transferred to Diana. The real heiress of The White Family was found after eighteen years. Yet, everyone mocked her, calling her uncultured, useless, and nothing more than a pretty vase. However, at the wedding of the century, when the wife of the young head of The Smith Family was revealed to be none other than the "vase" Diana, the socialites of New York City were left pounding their chests in disbelief-How could she deserve this?! After Alex's death, Diana not only had to face the covetous gazes of The Smith Family but also play the role of a leader among various powerful organizations. Alex's subordinates assured her, "We will handle everything; you just need to sit on the throne." But later... When Diana was in danger, she wielded a gun, stepping on her enemy with a dazzling smile, "Be good, and I'll give you a quick death." When her loved ones fell ill, the legendary medical master personally visited and admitted-she was Diana's senior disciple! The renowned racing legend willingly became Diana's personal driver, calling her "Boss" at every turn. Alex's subordinates were in utter disbelief, "Wasn't she supposed to be a weak little white flower, a soft and obedient golden canary?!" But Alex wasn't entirely dead. When his consciousness awakened, he found himself soul-bound to a plush doll-one that Diana had designed in his likeness. Now, he not only had to endure being dressed and undressed by Diana but also be at her mercy, bathed and squeezed in her hands... Watching her reveal one hidden identity after another, Alex was utterly dumbfounded. Even the woman he admired and respected the most-was her?! [Mini Theater 1] Alex, now in plush doll form, was held against Diana's soft, snowy chest as she stood before a mirror. Staring at his own ridiculously extravagant appearance, his expression cracked- "Is this really how she sees me in her heart?!" Diana's fingers teasingly unfastened his tiny clothes, one button at a time. Alex shut his eyes, his mind filled with only one thought- "I want to die." [Mini Theater 2] Diana stared at the dust-covered plush doll, frowning, "My doll is precious-I have to wash it myself." Alex's inner monologue, "Stay away from me!" After an intense round of scrubbing and kneading, his soul burned with shame, his spirit flushed red, on the verge of tears. Diana, completely satisfied, gave him a kiss-he turned even redder... They said Alex had a cleanliness obsession, high standards, and was impossible to please. But now? He felt that... maybe staying dirty wasn't so bad after all. [Mini Theater 3] Once back in his real body, Alex trapped Diana against the wall, his gaze burning as he questioned, "You took so much advantage of me, destroyed my innocence-how are you going to repay me?" Diana's eyes gleamed mischievously. "That bad, huh? How about you cry for me first?" Alex, "..."
"Rose, do you have to be this shameless?" He yanked her hair tighter, forcing her to lift her face. She stared straight into his eyes and let out a cold laugh. "Yeah, I'm shameless. But what, you think you're any better? Talking about marriage one minute and pounding into me like crazy the next. We're just a pair of filthy lovers, aren't we? So stop pretending to be so righteous!" Alexander is aloof and arrogant; she is wild and unrestrained. For revenge, she meticulously approaches him, shamelessly flirts with him, and cunningly schemes against him. She disrupts his engagement party, drives away his first love, and repeatedly steps on his bottom line. One late night, he corners her against the wall. "Rose, what other tricks do you have that I don't know about?" And just like that, she barges into his world, does whatever she pleases, and drags him down from his throne step by step until she completely devours him... Upon returning home, Rose discovers that CEO Alexander who just gave her a sky-high breakup fee is actually her half-sister's fiancé. He broke up with her because he got engaged to her half-sister. To make matters worse, Rose's biological mother had also met her tragic fate because of her stepmother. Her mind remained clear at all times. Now, her goal was no longer as simple as forcing Alexander to call off the engagement. Her desire had grown. She wanted to possess him completely-body and soul-to conquer him, to make him entirely hers. Only his powerful status and background could truly help her reclaim everything she had lost. She had always known what he wanted. She had always known how to provoke his anger, make him compromise, lure him into indulgence, make him lose himself-until he became a puppet of her.
At first sight, in order to create a bond with Angela, Frances risked his life and deliberately staged a car accident. Angela was the adopted daughter of the Moore family. On the night she was kicked out of the house, her fiancé was already on the entertainment headlines, holding her sister in his arms. Later, Angela was caught up in endless scandals because she had gotten involved with the most powerful man. Everyone mocked her, saying she was nothing more than Mr. William's fleeting amusement. Little did they know that from the moment Frances first laid eyes on her, he had only one thought-to steal her away! To take her from the hands of her fiancé. Everyone was waiting to see Angela make a fool of herself, deliberately asking about her relationship with Frances. He merely smiled and said, "Perhaps I haven't tried hard enough. After being married for so long, Mrs. Williams still refuses to acknowledge me publicly and give me a proper title." That night, the air was damp. Angela was breathless as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. His breath was scorching. "Mrs. Williams, have I tried hard enough?" Angela gritted her teeth. He was trying... far too hard!
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
"You're the moon wolf, Lola. You're the wolf with the power of the Moon goddess", Serena said and collective gasps were heard in the room. After being rejected by her mate in Moonlit pack, Lola escaped on a full moon only to enter the territory of the next Alpha King who also happened to be her second chance mate. Adrian is the next Alpha King but he hasn't been able to assume his role because he needed a Luna by his side. A rogue that trespassed on his territory, whom he ordered be killed turned out to be his mate leaving him in a dilemma. Will Adrian reject Lola because she came into his territory as a rogue? Will he overcome what happened to him in the past and give Lola a chance or reject her and go ahead with Fay as his chosen Luna? What will happen when everyone finds out just how much power Lola wields and how she's supposed to protect her kind in an oncoming war? Find out in Lola - The Moon Wolf!
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!"