Amid the glare of fame and the shadow of her secrets. Izalea Benson, a 5-star actress gets entangled in a web of scandals and mysteries. Izalea, desperate to restore her reputation and forced into seclusion, moves into the mystery world of werewolves and ends up in the arms of Ruel Clerk, an enigmatic strange neighbor who comes with his werewolf baggage; his presence stimulates a forbidden desire. The threats hovering in the dark grow closer as their bond forms, tied by fate but torn apart by circumstance, they embark on a perilous journey, leaving them with difficult decisions. Can love prevail over a forbidden romance and lethal circumstances, or will the forces attempting to pull them apart triumph?
My life used to be golden.
The flashing cameras, red carpets, and adoring fans; everywhere I looked, someone wanted a piece of me. I was living a dream that most people only fantasize about. However, dreams can rapidly turn into nightmares, as this incident demonstrated six months ago.
A perfect trap, and I had walked right into it.
"Izalea Benson, you're under arrest for money laundering and embezzlement of funds from the All-Star Best and Creative Agency," one of the agents declared with a severe determination.
I never imagined I'd find myself in this stance. Handcuffed. Surrounded by FBI officers, their voices were frigid and professional as they recited my rights. The cabin I believed was my sanctuary, my secret escape from the world, was now overrun with law enforcement.
Flashing lights from news vans lit the quiet, isolated location. I felt like a criminal in a story I never wanted to be part of. The press had already crowded outside, hungry for a story. They pointed their cameras at me as if I were a dangerous criminal. I knew the headlines were already writing themselves.
*Izalea Benson: Money Launderer. Embezzler. Fallen Star.*
The agents were professional but firm, I was escorted to the FBI vehicle. They shielded me as best as they could, but the barrage of questions and flashing lights were relentless.
"Ms. Benson, is it true you've been involved in money laundering?"
"Who else in the agency is implicated?"
"How do you respond to the allegations?"
I kept my head down, refusing to answer any questions. My mind was racing, trying to piece together what had just happened and what lay ahead.
I couldn't believe this had become my reality. I went from being Hollywood's sweetheart to making headlines in the latest scandal, and I had no idea how it happened.
But that's the thing about betrayal. You never see it coming, especially from the people you trust the most.
How did I get here?
The worst part was that I wasn't sure how I could explain how it all fell apart. It seems like just yesterday that I was the industry's rising star, lighting up the screen and gracing magazine covers. Now, here I was, a criminal in the eyes of the world.
As the agents pushed me into the back of the FBI vehicle, the gravity of my situation started to settle in. Stared out the window, replaying the last few months over and over in my head.
The car began to move, I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. Everything had happened so fast, and I was now facing serious charges. I thought I had been careful. I felt I had removed myself from danger. But it was evident that I had been wrong.
Now, it was too late.
I was no longer the adored actress Izalea Benson. I became a suspect. A cautionary story for those who climb too quickly or too high.
And while I sat there with my wrists still shackled in cold metal, I realized this was just the beginning.
But one thing was certain, I wouldn't go down without knowing *why.*
Izalea Benson was Hollywood's golden girl, loved, envied, and adored by millions. But behind the luxury and glamour, there were secrets dark enough to destroy her. When a scandal shatters her world, she disappears, desperate to protect what's left of her life. In New Orleans, Izalea meets Ruel Clerk, a quiet and mysterious neighbor with secrets of his own. As their bond deepens, so does danger, and with it, a forbidden desire that jeopardizes everything she's trying to protect. Yet, something about him feels like both safety... and danger, all at once. With enemies closing in and her past catching up to her, Izalea is faced with a choice: flee from her past, surrender to fate, or risk everything for a love that was never meant to survive.
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
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 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."
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"