"Abandoned by her mother the night she was born, Layla was taken in and raised by her grandmother in the countryside. Her life was peaceful and uneventful until one day, right before she turned twenty, a group of men came to her home and told her about her true identity. It turned out that she was the daughter of the wealthy Reed family, and her parents suddenly wanted to take her back. She thought that they were going to make up for lost time, but to her horror, they only wanted her back for one reason: for her to marry a disabled man instead of Sandra, their other daughter. They even went so far as to use her vulnerable grandmother as a bargaining chip to force her. Clark was the heir of the powerful Smith family, but his family was on the brink of bankruptcy. As if that wasn't enough, thanks to a car accident, the grumpy man was now also wheelchair-bound. Desperate to get out of this plight, he married Layla. However, on their wedding night, Clack and Layla signed an agreement, agreeing to get divorced after two years. Would this marriage really last two years? Would Clark find out that his wife was not a rich pampered princess but a simple country girl? Between her persistent pursuer and her cold husband, who would Layla choose?"
The ornately decorated wedding car trundled into a quiet villa alone. It was supposed to be a happy day, filled with fun and laughter. But the atmosphere was depressing as a funeral.
Layla Reed looked ahead, with her chin held high, her back straight, trying to look strong and confident. She recalled what her mother, Alina Wallace, had told her before she got in the wedding car. "If you bring any shame or disgrace to the Reed family, I will drive that old woman out of the hospital."
Alina was referring to Layla's grandmother. Although Layla knew she and her grandma weren't related by blood, she still loved the woman with all her heart.
A month ago, Layla was just a country girl.
One day, a group of men in black brought the police to Layla's house, saying she was the daughter of the Reed family who had gone missing for many years. Someone had mistakenly taken Layla away after she was born. Now, her parents found out the truth and wanted to take Layla back.
Layla had always yearned to meet her parents and experience their love and care. Thinking that God had finally heard her prayers, Layla followed the men to the Reed family's villa. However, her heart sank with disappointment when she saw her biological parents, Alina and Jim Reed.
"Is this the child?" Alina looked her up and down, scrunching her nose up in disgust. "Gosh, look at her skin. It's terrible. Give her a facial."
The servants immediately took Layla to a room for beauty treatments. The cozy bed and the relaxing massage made her sleepy. Just as her eyes closed and she was about to fall asleep, she heard the servants whispering to each other.
"Is this the country girl, who is going to get married on behalf of Miss Sandra Reed?"
"Yes. That's sad. I heard the eldest son of the Smith family is a cripple and has a bad temper. Now, the Smith family is on the verge of bankruptcy. They are borrowing money everywhere. Mrs. Reed doesn't want Miss Sandra Reed to suffer, so she has brought the country girl back to marry him. She is the substitute bride."
"I heard Miss Reed is in love with the eldest son of the Lawrence family. Is that true? Then, why didn't Mr. Reed cancel the engagement right away?" one of the servants asked.
"Are you silly? Mr. Reed values people's opinions of him above everything else. Why would he call off the engagement and make a fool of himself?"
Layla's eyes sprang open. A sense of betrayal resided in the pit of her stomach. Anger surged through her veins. She quickly stood up and walked toward the door.
She wanted to go back to her hometown. This place was not her home. They were not her parents! They regarded her as a substitute. Nothing else.
Unexpectedly, just as she stepped out of the room, she saw Alina standing at the door. As if she had anticipated such a reaction from Layla, Alina threw a diagnosis report at her.
"Take a look at this."
Layla frowned and picked it up. Her heart ached when she saw the name on it.
It was her grandma. She was diagnosed with primary myocardial infarction. It was already in the advanced stage. The estimated cost of the operation was five hundred thousand dollars. Layla froze. Where would she get so much money?
"If you marry into the Smith family on behalf of Sandra, I will pay for the old woman's treatment."
This woman, who claimed to be Layla's biological mother, didn't even bother pretending to be nice to her. She instantly proposed a deal, firmly believing that Layla would do anything to stop her grandmother from dying.
"Mrs. Smith, here we are."
The wedding car stopped, and the driver's voice snapped Layla from her thoughts.
"Okay."
She hurriedly grasped the hemline of her wedding dress and ducked out of the car. Unfortunately, she hit the car's roof. She looked up and saw the servants eyeing her with mockery. Loosening her grip on the hemline, she glared at them, took a deep breath, and strode forward.
Just then, her sharp heel stepped on the hemline of her dress, ripping it apart.
Layla lost her balance and fell backward.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she waited for her back to collide with the ground. However, she didn't feel any pain.
Layla slowly opened her eyes. A frown creased her forehead as she found herself lying in the arms of a strange man. She looked up and found his deep eyes set on hers.
The man looked grim. He was sitting in a wheelchair, wearing his wedding suit. A white silk handkerchief peeked out of his breast pocket.
Was he Clark Smith, her husband-to-be?
"Abandoned by her mother the night she was born, Layla was taken in and raised by her grandmother in the countryside. Her life was peaceful and uneventful until one day, right before she turned twenty, a group of men came to her home and told her about her true identity. It turned out that she was the daughter of the wealthy Reed family, and her parents suddenly wanted to take her back. She thought that they were going to make up for lost time, but to her horror, they only wanted her back for one reason: for her to marry a disabled man instead of Sandra, their other daughter. They even went so far as to use her vulnerable grandmother as a bargaining chip to force her. Clark was the heir of the powerful Smith family, but his family was on the brink of bankruptcy. As if that wasn't enough, thanks to a car accident, the grumpy man was now also wheelchair-bound. Desperate to get out of this plight, he married Layla. However, on their wedding night, Clack and Layla signed an agreement, agreeing to get divorced after two years. Would this marriage really last two years? Would Clark find out that his wife was not a rich pampered princess but a simple country girl? Between her persistent pursuer and her cold husband, who would Layla choose?"
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."
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?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
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."
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?