Ming's world as she knows it, capsides after one drunken confession on the rooftop is caught on live video. The video spreads on Instagram and by Monday morning, everyone at work knows that she has been in love with Gary for the last three years. Gary is her best friend/ co-worker, who also happens to be her sister's boyfriend. Mortified of what everyone would think, especially her sister, Mae, she pretends to be in a romantic relationship with no other than her boss, Wayne Keller. Ming catches Wayne off guard with a dramatic and very public kiss and leaves no room for him to refuse her. Wayne is a robot in human form and even though Ming hates his guts, she weaves her way into his billionaire lifestyle and spins a lie so deep she almost has everyone fooled. What happens when the lines blur in? What happens when neither of them can tell where the lie ends and the truth begins?
"You don't have to do this, Jenna," I enunciated every word slowly, my hands splayed out in front of me. My Shirley Temple lays forgotten on the rooftop railing. I am much too concerned about doing everything I can to make sure Jenna doesn't jump off the ledge she is currently dangling from.
Seriously, how did this night take on such a dark turn? Half an hour ago, I was doing shots with Gary at the bar and dancing my ass off to Kendrick Lamar. I had escaped out of here to catch my breath, only to come face to face with suicide's mistress.
I know Jenna from marketing. She is a year ahead of me. We did a marketing project together a couple of years ago. I remember how she had owned and dominated that project. Our supervisor had been very impressed with our pitch, going on to treat us to a fancy dinner that night.
Where is that woman now? What happened to her ending up here tonight?
"You don't have to jump, okay? Whatever it is, we can talk about it. You can tell me about what happened. We'll figure it out together."
I feel like I am talking to a toddler. It makes me tense and jittery. Jenna shakes her head miserably. Her eyes are stained with so much mascara, that she could easily pass for a raccoon.
"I don't want to live anymore, not when he is getting married to her."
"Who?"
"Nate. From media. We've been dating for over two years now. I was expecting a proposal, but guess what? He broke up with me two weeks ago. He'd been dating some hotshot lawyer the whole time we were together. He asked her to marry him tonight. I saw it on Instagram.
"Oh wow."
Jenna sniffs. Do you know the worst part? He called to ask for my blessing. He wants me to be happy for him.
"What a douche."
"A lucky douche, who bagged a lawyer with a cushy trust-fund, while I'm here, dangling from a ledge, about to end my own life."
"If you do this, Jenna, you will be letting him win."
"But what else can I do?"
"You can decide to step down from the ledge and vow to live your very best life starting from tonight."
"It's not as easy as it sounds."
Jenna looks so sad, and I feel sorry for her. It is the only reason why I decided to be vulnerable as well. Why did I decide to spill my deepest, darkest secret to her? Thank heavens we are the only two people out on the roof.
Sighing, I leaned against the railing and retrieved my drink. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I have been in love with my sister's boyfriend for the past three years. Well, technically, he was my boyfriend first. I met him six years ago when I started at the company. We hit it off immediately. Quickly became best friends. He never saw me as anything more than that. But I knew it was going to happen someday. I was so sure of it. Until he met my sister."
Jenna stares at me for the longest time, and then, she scoffs. "No offense Ming, but I would also go for your sister if I was a guy. I've seen photos of her on your IG. She's a total goddess."
I snorted at that. "Whatever."
Jenna's smile and something about that smile warms my heart and makes me feel like I am walking on fluffy clouds.
"Don't die tonight?" I pleaded.
"Listen, Ming, I know you are just trying to help, but if I don't jump, I'm still going to wake up tomorrow with this awful pain in my chest."
I nodded. "I understand that you are hurting right now, but trust me, you are going to get over Nate 'what's his face.' It's all going to get better. One day at a time. Just, please don't give up. Huh, Jenna?"
"Okay, fine. I won't," she promised. Then, she gives me her hand and lets me help her get off the ledge.
"Thank you," I said, helping her gain balance on her feet.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Jenna hiccups. "That's what I get from downing a dozen shots of tequila tonight." She zigzags to the railing and spews her guts.
It was pretty disgusting, but I helped to hold her hair away from her face.
"Hey, let it all out. That's it." I soothed her, rubbing her back in gentle circles. "Want to hear something funny?"
"What?" Jenna asks, wiping her lips with the hem of her dress.
"The last time I was drunk, I told Gary that I loved him. Guess what he said."
"I have a feeling you are going to tell me anyway, Ming."
"It'll pass. That's what he said. Of course, he didn't think I meant a word of it. I threw up on his favorite leather jacket two seconds later."
"No, you didn't," Jenna scoffs, her lips quirking upwards for the briefest of seconds.
I smile. "I'm an idiot. But you know who's a bigger idiot?"
"Who?"
"Nate. He's gonna regret breaking up with you. You'll see."
Jenna winces at the mention of Nate. "I don't want to hang around, waiting for that to happen."
"Of course not."
"Tonight has been quite a lot, Ming. I think I'm just going to head home and go on right to bed."
I couldn't agree more. "I'll book you a cab."
The roof door bursts open, and I watch as Gary comes running towards us.
"Hey Ming, are you okay?" he asks, halting in front of me. "Someone said they saw a woman dangling from this rooftop and I suddenly remembered how you wanted to come up here for some air."
"I'm fine Gar. I was just about to call a cab for Jenna here. She's in marketing. Jenna, this is Gareth James. He's my best friend."
"Nice to meet you, Jenna."
"Hi, Gary." Jenna offers him a smile and turns to me. "I should get going. It was nice talking to you."
"You can hitch a ride with us, Jenna. I'm taking Ming home anyway," Gary offers.
"Oh, I don't want to be a bother," Jenna brushes off his offer, already walking towards the door.
"I already called a taxi. It'll be here soon." I ran to catch up with her. "How about I walk you outside the building?"
"That would be nice. Thank you." Jenna looks grateful.
Gary coughs. "Right. Well, I had better go say goodbye to the guys. Ming, I'll meet you out front at five."
"Yeah, sure."
***
Ming's world as she knows it, capsides after one drunken confession on the rooftop is caught on live video. The video spreads on Instagram and by Monday morning, everyone at work knows that she has been in love with Gary for the last three years. Gary is her best friend/ co-worker, who also happens to be her sister's boyfriend. Mortified of what everyone would think, especially her sister, Mae, she pretends to be in a romantic relationship with no other than her boss, Wayne Keller. Ming catches Wayne off guard with a dramatic and very public kiss and leaves no room for him to refuse her. Wayne is a robot in human form and even though Ming hates his guts, she weaves her way into his billionaire lifestyle and spins a lie so deep she almost has everyone fooled. What happens when the lines blur in? What happens when a baby comes in? What happens when neither of them can tell where the lie ends and the truth begins?
On her wedding anniversary, Brielle plans on gifting her husband, Alpha Argon, a news on her pregnancy. But she's left shattered when she found Argon proposing to his first lover, Estelle, a super model and daughter of Alpha Deron from Red Wood pack. Argon rejects Brielle for his first love. He and Estelle don't hesitate to mock her for being wolfless and a burden with no family. When she planned to hide the news of her pregnancy, a curious Estelle fishes out the report, shocking Argon with the news. Brielle thinks the goddess would mend her broken relationship, but her whole world came crumbling when Argon and Estelle pushed her down the stairs, resulting to her miscarriage. Broken, she receives a divorce letter from Argon, giving her twenty four hours to sign and leave. In her pains, something was awoken in Brielle. Something rare and deadly. "Don't sign it, Brielle. That's not the way of the IVYs. Make them pay." Her eyes glowed green.
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."
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
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.
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?