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Growing up without a mother can be hard. For Jean Wen, life became worse when her father, Henry, brings home his mistress. With two half-siblings intent on causing trouble, Jean is shunned by Henry. Desperate to earn his love, she agrees to be sacrificed for familial interests. She marries a rich CEO in exchange for a land her father wants. However, her failure and added complications with her family mean that everyone abandons her. To find out the truth about her mother's death, she even risks her life. Is it an accident? Or a murder? When her stepmother turns her back on her father, she chooses to stand by Henry's side and save his company from bankruptcy. Alone in the world, Jean comes across her ex-boyfriend. Will his consideration rekindle her love toward him? Will she be able to make her marriage work? Turn the page to find out more!
Jean Wen moaned as the sunlight danced across her face. She knew she needed to get out of bed, but her body disagreed. She was exhausted despite how much she had slept.
As Jean took in her surroundings, she heard a man speaking. When she listened attentively, she realized that he was talking on the phone. From the conversation, it seemed he was about to leave. She rubbed her eyes as she tried to convince herself to get out of bed. Jean groaned as she stood and turned to the bedroom door.
"Zed Qi..." Jean Wen whispered when she saw the man. Wearing only the bedsheet, she stood by the door. Jean tapped her bare foot on the ground and smiled at the man bashfully as she waited for him to finish speaking.
"Okay, I'll talk to you later at the company." The man ended his conversation abruptly. A beep sounded as the call disconnected. Then he turned to look at the woman by the door.
Zed Qi's eyes slowly roamed over Jean's body. Her pale skin was in subtle contrast to the color of the bedsheet. He particularly liked how her ruffled hair added to her allure. Zed Qi thought Jean looked even more beautiful and charming in the morning light.
"I'm waiting." The man said in a nonchalant tone. He seemed a little impatient.
Jean chuckled, "The land in the suburb, could you..."
"No way!" The man reacted immediately. He didn't even let her finish her request.
Jean was a little surprised at his reaction. Slowly, she walked toward him and said, "I don't think you can be sure that the land has potential. Plus, you are already wealthy enough. Why are you so adamant on keeping it?"
The man frowned. His deep-set eyes reflected a terrifying coldness. He spoke in a low husky voice, "Mrs. Qi, please be careful about what you say. The land is mine, besides... do you always ask for a favor this way?"
Jean clenched her fists. Although his arrogant and homiletic tone displeased her, she smiled seductively. She needed him to agree to her request!
"You just got it yesterday..." Jean muttered softly.
The man didn't appear to have heard her remark. He finished settling his shirt before grabbing his coat. Then he turned to leave.
Determined to have her way, Jean doubled over to him and held his arm. She looked at her husband with her most charming expression as she pleaded, "Please, please, do me this favor. I know you are a very generous man. Please promise me that you will leave the land to the Wen family. Promise me, okay? Promise me..."
Zed shook off Jean's hands. Annoyed with her perpetuance, he gave her a stern and extremely cold look, "No!"
"You!" Jean seethed. She couldn't understand why he was being so stubborn. She couldn't hide her frustration as she had tried multiple approaches to convince him, and each time Zed refused her.
Without another word, Zed walked out of the room.
Since Jean was inappropriately dressed, she didn't follow him. Instead, she took a few deep breaths and returned to the bedroom.
Once in the closet, she selected her clothes. As she stood in front of the mirror, Jean couldn't help cursing, "You are a jerk, Zed. I tried so hard. I even slept with you last night! I can't believe you won't even consider my request. Let's see how you feel if the situation were reversed!"
As Jean lifted her leg to slide on her pants, she felt a sudden pain between her thighs. Memories of the previous night flooded her and Jean cursed Zen some more.
Suddenly, Jean saw a slender hand holding a dress appear in front of her.
Jean turned back with a frightened look. She had been loudly cursing her husband and now, he was standing right behind her. He looked at her curiously.
"Can you repeat what you just said?" Zed's face darkened and a sardonic grin appeared.
'I saw him leave! Didn't I? Why did he return so soon?
What should I do?' Jean wondered. What defense could she possibly have for all the things she just said? Jean found herself in an impossible situation.
She usually behaved decently and elegantly in front of Zed to please him. 'I suppose he heard everything I said.
Will he be more reluctant to help me with the land? Oh, it's all over.'
Unsure of what Zed might have heard, Jean decided to play dumb. "I didn't say anything. Did you hear someone talking? I heard nothing." Although embarrassed, Jean casually flicked her hair away from her cheek. She composed herself and managed to squeeze a smile, however, her trembling hands betrayed her.
Zed's grim expression worsened. Frightened, Jean shuddered. After glaring at Jean for a while, Zed threw the dress into her arms, before turning to the cabinet and taking the car key.
'So he returned for the car key.'
Looking at the Zed's back as he walked away, Jean swung her fists in the air and murmured with anger, "If I had known that you would be a heartless jerk, I would not have slept with you!"
As Jean recalled how wild she had been the previous night, shame and guilt flooded her. She felt nothing but hatred for her actions.
The marriage between Zed and Jean was nothing more than a business deal. This titular marriage, however, had been arranged by Jean's greedy father. He had coerced Jean to sleep with Zed just before their divorce. She felt like a prostitute.
And what had all this scheming gotten her? Jean had learned a lesson. Zed was not as easy as she had been led to believe.
Since her plans had failed, Jean had no other choice but to go home and tell her father the truth.
Once at the Wen house, Jean explained her failure to her father. Mr. Wen flew into a rage and smashed a teacup onto the ground.
"You gave up so easily? You couldn't do the one thing that I had asked you to do?"
Jean lowered head and pushed herself to apologize, "I'm sorry, Father. I did everything I could. There is nothing else for me to do. Zed Qi will divorce me soon. Can I just stay at home now?"
Their marriage had been quite an unpleasant experience. Zed always seemed cold toward her. Jean couldn't understand it and the more she tried, the more frustrated and anxious she became. Now, after the crazy night she had with him, Jean felt so embarrassed. She didn't think she could face him again.
"No! You are married to the man. You can use the marriage to get what you want. There's no need to agree to the divorce. Don't dream about coming back home till you have taken him down!" Mr. Wen threatened before forcing Jean to leave.
Since Jean had no other choice, she returned to Zed's house and waited him to arrive. She knew she had to talk to him about the land again.
She didn't want to be trapped in this meaningless marriage any more. There had to be a way out.
Jean spent the night alone in Zed's massive house. She gave up when she realized that Zed had no intention of returning.
Alone, Jean was consumed by pity. She felt devastated and couldn't accept that her effort from the previous night was not even worth a proper discussion about the land.
"Is it because I'm inexperienced?" Jean muttered.
When Zed returned the next morning, he looked very tired. After walking through the door, he headed straight for the bedroom.
"You are back." Jean threw away her dignity and started doting on Zed. She helped hang his coat, and wiped his face with a wet towel. She was determined to make every effort to please him.
"I'm going to bed." Zed said curtly, before lifting the quilt and lying down. Jean sighed as it looked as though he had no intention to speak with her.
'What excuse can I give my father if I fail again?' As she recalled his advise about her marriage, Jean frowned. The appointment for their divorce procedure was tomorrow, as agreed previously.
'There will be no more chances for me. I have to do it now.'
"Did you work overnight, Zed? You are not looking too good. I can give you a little massage. It will help you relax." She purred.
Zed did not react. Jean took his silence as consent and placed her fingers on his shoulders. As she began kneading, she increased pressure so that he wouldn't fall asleep.
"Although we are getting divorced tomorrow, we have been a couple." Jean blushed and fumbled as she couldn't bring herself to speak of the previous night. She hesitated before trying again. "We've been, you know, in a husband-and-wife relationship. Could you leave that land to me as a divorce gift?" Jean closed her eyes and bit her lip as she waited for Zed to reply.
Zed opened his eyes. Although he looked weary, her request seemed to make his eyes sparkle. "In return, what gift will you give me?" He asked.
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?
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Billionaire Bennett Graham urgently needed a wife to close a business deal but his fiancée wasn't ready to tie the knots yet. So his grandmother picked the most unassuming maid for him. Everything was supposed to go incredibly well, and all he had to do was wait until he divorced her a year later. But after seeing Maliyah's ocean eyes.it wasn't looking simple anymore. *** Before I could get her up, it was as if she felt the light and an uncomfortable sound came out of her mouth. "Uh-huh..." She raised her hand to cover her eyes. But I didn't have time to wait for her to wake up, so I told her to "Get Up." My voice seemed to scare her, and her light-fearing eyes suddenly widened and she kept moving to the corner. The only voice in the quiet art room was her fear-filled voice, "No...please...go away...don't come close to me." She was afraid of me? I hadn't even spoken to her before, what was she afraid of? This was definitely not going to work, I couldn't talk to her if she couldn't calm down. Then I moved closer to her, my hand on her trembling shoulder, and I whispered soothingly "Calm down.I'm not going to hurt you.I'm not going to hurt you."I assured and then she moved her hair away from her face as if to stare at me properly. Our eyes met.It was that moment. It felt as if I was enchanted for a moment. Those ocean eyes were the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university. That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out. I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend. With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted. But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face. Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings. But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down. It turned out that I was a billionaire's son.
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"