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, "..."
On a strange street swept by a cold, bitter wind, a few sanitation workers in orange uniforms were busy cleaning up the road.
Not far from the school gates, a small cart was selling Swiss rolls, the sweet and sticky aroma drifting over.
Sunny sniffed the glutinous scent in the air and couldn't help but swallow. Her stomach felt like it was home to a little cat that scratched and clawed whenever it was hungry-completely restless.
Clutching her stomach, she walked up to the Swiss roll cart and pitifully said to the vendor, "I'd like one, please."
"Alrighty! Five dollars."
The vendor handed her a steaming hot Swiss roll.
Sunny hesitated for a moment, then pulled out the only bill she had left and handed it over.
The vendor turned the bill over a few times, frowning. "What kind of money is this? I've never seen it. Is it fake?"
"It's not fake," Sunny quickly explained. "Just... if you keep this bill for twenty years-no, ten years tops-it'll be usable, I promise."
The vendor gave her a strange look, as if she were crazy. But seeing her fair skin, clean and delicate features, she looked like some pampered daughter from a wealthy family-not exactly the scamming type.
In the end, he didn't take her money.
"Running away from home is not a good idea. Go back to your parents. They must be worried sick."
"Um... thank you!"
Sunny took the warm Swiss roll and leaned against a wall, devouring it in big bites.
This was her third day after being reborn. There was nothing cool or overpowered like in the novels. Right now, she was just starving-and surviving was already a problem.
That car accident had led to her rebirth. She thought she had traveled back to her own fifteen-year-old self-ready to study hard, ditch the spoiled rich-girl persona, learn some real skills. That way, when her dad eventually got screwed over and went bankrupt, she could actually help him instead of being useless.
But no... she didn't go back to her own fifteen. She went back to her dad's fifteen!
Chicago was still the same old Chicago. The streets were familiar, but not a single person here knew who Sunny was.
Because... she hadn't been born yet.
Sunny, as an unregistered, unborn "three-nothings" person, had wandered the streets of early-1950s Chicago for three days-experiencing, for the first time, what it really meant to beg for a living.
Even when her dad went bankrupt and she fell from being a rich girl to a penniless nobody, she'd never been this down and out.
If she couldn't find her young dad Lucas soon, she might actually starve to death on the street.
Sunny had asked around and made her way to Lucas's old school-Chicago No. 3 High School.
Chicago No. 3 High School was one of the oldest schools in the city. Even when Sunny was born, it was still up and running, and eventually became a national key high school.
Sunny had attended this school too. Her dad often talked about it-how it held the wild memories of his reckless youth.
Sunny had gagged many times over those words.
Now, standing in front of the school's green-painted gates that screamed vintage, she actually felt a bit excited.
How many of those unforgettable, shameful wild memories were hidden inside?
She waited outside the school for three days-and still didn't see a trace of Lucas.
"Excuse me," she asked a student, "Do you know Lucas?"
"You mean Master Lucas? He doesn't come to school much."
"Where could I find him, then?"
"Maybe on Entertainment Street, hanging with his gang. I'd advise you not to go there-it's a mess."
"..."
Still, Sunny chose to wait outside the school. She was in a very delicate situation-not exactly safe to wander around.
Three days at the school gate, and still no Lucas. Apparently, this "Master Lucas" skipping school was a regular thing.
Thinking of her future cold, strict, CEO dad, she just couldn't reconcile him with this wild delinquent people kept describing.
Sunny sat by the street, bored out of her mind, not noticing a few girls nearby staring at her.
She was pretty-especially that tiny waist, so slim it looked like you could wrap one hand around it. In her past life, she'd been crowned "campus goddess" her freshman year, turning countless nerds into fans.
Even now, at just fifteen, Sunny's beauty was enough to stir up jealousy-and that turned into instinctive hostility from the other girls.
"I heard she's here every day now."
"She keeps asking people about Lucas."
"Ugh, shameless. She's even hanging outside the school gates."
...
Sunny knew that teens from her dad's time were way more conservative-drawing lines between boys and girls, blushing just from eye contact.
Her bold, straightforward actions outside the school probably seemed scandalous to them. Plus, Lucas was extremely popular.
So yeah, she was basically a walking headline.
But what could she do? She was an unborn, undocumented nobody. She needed food.
Besides her dad, she had no one to turn to. She couldn't go to the police-they'd either toss her in a welfare home or a mental hospital.
She couldn't help overhearing the girls' gossip...
"She's so persistent, waiting every day. Doesn't she know Lucas already has a girlfriend? And she's the school beauty!"
Sunny's ears perked up. She listened carefully.
So Lucas already had a girlfriend? Could it be... her mom?
"Wait, I heard Amelia and Lucas already broke up."
"What? But weren't they super close? Amelia's gorgeous. They looked perfect together!"
"Just rumors, but apparently Amelia's been getting close to... him."
"Him who?"
"Alexander."
"..."
The girls went dead silent for half a minute.
"She's nuts. Why would she mess with him?"
"That guy gives me chills just thinking about him. So gloomy."
"Plus, he's poor. How's he supposed to support someone like Amelia?"
...
Sunny shivered at the name Alexander, cold sweat breaking out on her back.
Alexander-the future power player of Chicago, who would, after years of scheming, ruin her dad's business and step all over him.
She was terrified of him.
She didn't expect Alexander and Lucas-those two future enemies-to actually be high school classmates.
And based on the gossip, Lucas's school beauty girlfriend might've dumped him for Alexander?
"Shh! Quiet, Lucas is coming out!"
Sunny looked up and saw Lucas riding a motorcycle, followed by a group of rebellious-looking boys.
He wore a white shirt with the collar slightly open, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, showing off his tan arms.
His features were handsome and defined, but what really caught attention were his flirtatious, upturned peach blossom eyes-charming and wild.
Sunny had inherited those same eyes. People used to joke that both father and daughter were "born heartbreakers."
But seeing Lucas now, Sunny felt her dad was way more of a flirt than she ever was.
Lucas was the heartthrob of Chicago No. 3, a rich kid with style and charm, effortlessly drawing attention on the 1950s street.
Sunny couldn't believe that her future calm, composed dad was once this flashy.
As his bike passed by, she jumped forward and blocked his way.
Lucas slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched to a stop just half a meter away from her.
"Are you crazy? You trying to die?!"
Seeing her dad up close, and thinking of all her recent misery, Sunny's eyes welled up instantly.
The word "Dad" was right there on the tip of her tongue, thick with tears.
"You're crying now? You trying to scam me or something? If I really hit you, I'd be the one crying! Move!"
Sunny didn't budge, gripping the handlebars tightly.
"Oh, so you're not moving? Fine." Lucas pulled out his wallet and started flipping through bills. "I'm in a hurry. Name your price. How much for you to scram?"
He had all the arrogant energy of a spoiled rich brat.
His friend, Leo, patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be so harsh, man. She looks scared. It's probably not about the money."
He handed Sunny a dark handkerchief. "Here, kid. Wipe your face."
"Thanks, Uncle Leo, but I'm good."
Leo, ...
Uncle?
Sunny smoothly accepted the cash from Lucas, then grabbed his hand and started bawling. "Dad, Sunny's starving... I haven't eaten in two days. Please, be kind, give me a bit more!"
Lucas, ...
What the actual-?
They stared at each other for a moment. Lucas sighed and handed her a few more bills. Sunny sniffled and said, "It's not about the money, really. I need to tell you something important."
Lucas twitched. You scam me for money and now say it's not about the money?
Sunny suggested, "Let's go to a diner and sit down. I'll explain everything."
"Oh, so now you want a meal too? You've got no shame, huh?"
Sunny turned to Leo for support. "Uncle Leo, help me out here!"
Leo looked at her-just fourteen or fifteen, sweet, with delicate features, smooth brows, and long lashes wet with tears. She was incredibly endearing.
And, to be honest, she really did look a lot like Lucas.
Leo glanced at Sunny, then back at Lucas.
Lucas growled, "What are you staring at!"
Leo muttered, "Lucas... she looks just like you."
Lucas finally gave her a proper look. Sunny raised her chin and tucked her hair behind her ear to show off her full face-definitely his daughter, no doubt about it.
She had a soft, snowy face, and her earlobes were red from the cold.
Lucas, when agitated, also had red ears.
So now, between the two of them, four cherry-red earlobes were on full display. The resemblance was uncanny-not to mention the matching features.
Lucas's expression shifted slightly. He suddenly thought of his little sister who'd been kidnapped two years ago. She'd be about the same age now... and she looked like this too...
Right then, his Nokia beeped.
Lucas glanced at the screen and his eyes darkened. "Sh*t. That bastard Alexander is already at the pool hall!"
The boys revved their bikes to leave.
Sunny looked at him helplessly. "Dad, what about me..."
Lucas, with full big-brother swagger, waved her over, "Hop on. We're going to throw hands first-then we'll deal with your stuff."
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!
Andy, staring at the man in front of her, felt her mind go blank, oddly thirsty. Her body instinctively leaned into his, subconsciously craving more, yet with an undercurrent of nervousness and unease. "Andy, are you going to pay for me?" Andy wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, the pressure increasing, suppressing the sounds rising from her throat. "I'll give you a discount." Charlie's body was solid, like a silent presence enveloping her, mixed with a familiar and intoxicating scent. "Charlie, you didn't turn off the light..." Now tinted with desire, his features remained striking, yet their invasiveness seemed to intensify. "Turn off the light?" His voice was deep, tinged with a trace of amusement. "Then how would you still see me?" The story begins with Andy, curious to finally see the legendary, breathtakingly beautiful star of the club. To her surprise, the irresistibly charming "star" turns out to be the owner of the club. Yet, she bluntly states her intention to pay for his company. Charlie, "This is a club, not a brothel." Later, by a twist of fate, Andy ends up sharing an apartment with Charlie, a high school classmate she once rejected. Their peaceful routine comes to an end one night when Andy learns from Charlie that she has been sleepwalking recently. Feeling a little embarrassed and unsure how to react, Andy asks, "Last night was the first time you saw me sleepwalking, right?" Charlie replies lazily, "There was another time." Andy falls silent for two seconds before hesitantly asking, "Did I... do anything?" "You suddenly ran out and hugged me." "?" Charlie raises an eyebrow and casually adds, "And you kissed me, touching me over."
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
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."
My boyfriend called, "Baby!" as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to pull his pants off the ground. "Please, I can explain my love." Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry when I realized that my dream of the man not being my boyfriend had been dashed. "What?" I asked, "What do you want to explain?" How did you lie about having a business meeting while you were in bed enjoying yourself with my best friend, even though I told you I was in serious pain, is that it?" I stood there, my heart pounding, and tears streaming down my face...
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.