Kaitlin fell in love with Alan at first sight, but failed to capture his heart even after three years of marriage. When her life was on the line, he was weeping at his beloved's grave. It was the last straw. "Let's get a divorce, Alan." Kaitlin thrived in her newfound freedom, gaining international acclaim as a designer. Her memory returned, and she reclaimed her rightful identity as the heiress to a jewelry empire, while embracing her new role as the mother to beautiful twin babies. Alan panicked as eager suitors flocked to her. "I screwed up. Please let me see our children!"
"Look at that face and body, tsk! Send her down to the red-light district, and she'll rake in a hundred grand a day, easy!"
Kaitlin Hewitt found herself restrained in a decrepit building, her forehead bleeding.
The men had been rough, her clothing torn and disheveled, revealing bruised shoulders and much of her chest-a testament to her futile resistance.
Two days prior, a mysterious call had pulled her into this nightmare. The caller claimed intimate knowledge of her biological parents and even mentioned specific details about her body that only she should know.
Lured to the city's fringes, she ended up in the clutches of these thugs.
"Let's not do anything hasty. I can pay you," Kaitlin asserted, her voice steady despite the blood trickling from her mouth's corner. "I'm Alan Hewitt's wife. Whatever ransom you're after, he can pay it."
"Alan Hewitt?!"
The revelation struck the men like a bolt, prompting bewildered looks among them. "Alan Hewitt is married? Never heard about it."
Alan was a powerhouse in Osewood, a man whose mere disapproval could send shockwaves through the city. If they indeed held his wife, Alan's wrath could obliterate them effortlessly.
Noticing the uncertainty on the men's expressions, Kaitlin steadied herself, and said, "I won't claim you kidnapped me. Just let me go, and I assure you, you'll receive your money safely!"
The group leader studied her, his eyes lingering on her expensive designer dress and striking features, appearing slightly influenced.
Clearly, her attire was costly, and she was attractive. Someone of Alan's stature taking her as his wife would certainly make sense.
After a brief, meaningful glance at his accomplices, he spoke in an icy tone. "Give me his phone number, and no tricks. If you try to deceive me, I'll sell you to a brothel around. You won't be able to walk away from the endless line of clients!"
Kaitlin, blood staining her mouth, weakly uttered a phone number.
The leader attempted the number, but the call was abruptly disconnected.
Frustrated, he shouted, "Damn it! Are you playing games with me? The call won't go through!"
His expression darkened, and he delivered a harsh kick to Kaitlin's lower back.
The blow drained the color from her face, her voice growing fainter. "He won't take a stranger's calls. Please... let me use my phone to call him."
"Typical rich people and their eccentricities!" the leader muttered. After a moment's hesitation, he handed her the phone, growling, "Tell him to send two hundred million! Or you'll be fucked until you break!"
Kaitlin's fingers quivered as she dialed, her heart racing.
Despite being married to Alan for three years, she felt the void of his affection.
Yet, he had always been generous with finances, which gave her a sliver of hope. Perhaps he would pay a ransom?
The phone seemed to ring endlessly, her knuckles paling as she clutched it tightly.
At last, a voice answered, but it wasn't Alan. It was a woman's. The caller was none other than the renowned designer Lilliana Willis, sister to Alan's beloved.
"Kaitlin? Alan and I are at Ashley's grave. What do you need?" Lilliana's voice carried through.
Tremors ran through Kaitlin's hand.
The irony wasn't lost on her. It was their third wedding anniversary, and she had been kidnapped. Two days had slipped by, and Alan was none the wiser, instead spending his time at the grave of his first love.
Pain surged in her chest.
Alan's reasons for marrying her were layered; his grandmother, Beth Hewitt, longed for great-grandchildren, and Kaitlin bore an unsettling resemblance to his deceased true love, Ashley Willis, who had perished in a landslide three years ago.
The realization that she was merely a stand-in twisted the knife deeper.
Yet, this was not the moment for heartache.
Kaitlin struggled to hold back her tears and the pain that was evident in her voice. "Miss Willis, it's urgent that I speak with Alan. Please, could you hand him the phone?"
Lilliana let out a light chuckle. "Oh, Kaitlin, you know how Alan is. Today marks the anniversary of Ashley's passing. He's really not in the mood to entertain your drama. Why don't you just tell me what's happening?"
Biting down on her frustration as she noticed the kidnappers' growing impatience, Kaitlin raised her voice and shouted into the phone, "I need to talk to Alan! Right now! I'm his wife, and you have no right to keep him from me!"
She dared not mention the kidnapping, fearing the kidnappers would panic and harm her.
Her assertive tone seemed to make an impact. She could hear footsteps in the background and then Alan's voice came through. "Who's that?"
Lilliana, feigning grievance, covered the receiver slightly and whispered, "It's Kaitlin. She's adamant about speaking with you. I mentioned we're visiting Ashley's grave, but she got quite upset and claimed her rights as your wife..."
Alan scoffed dismissively. "Wife? Does she even count as that? She's nothing but a stand-in. Just hang up. Speaking to her will only disrupt Ashley's tranquility."
With a chilling beep, the connection was severed, and Kaitlin felt her heart plummet.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
" Don't say anymore word than you already have, don't..." I stuck a finger out at him, sauntering away on my heels when a hand wrapped itself around my arm. Breathlessly he whispered, "You know that I do love you and...fine, what exactly was I supposed to do?" "Protect me and stand up for me. That is what you do for someone who you claim you love!" ************ Out to spite her ex-boyfriend after he had broken up with her on her birthday, Daphne slept with a stranger who turned out to be his uncle while trying to rebuff his words that she was unwanted by others. Was she ready for the wild chase that followed when he found out years later that she had been pregnant with his heirs and that she had been hiding the truth all this while? Faced with the ruthless CEO, known as the beast, who wasn't ready to back down, Daphne does everything possible to make sure her kids wouldn't be taken from her, but what happens when love gets in the mix of it all? Would she be able to conquer these weird feelings and give in her all amidst her scars? And with how deadly he turned out to be? And faced with her ex who still wants her back, what choice is she going to make?
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.
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.