The night before her engagement, Valerie was tricked by her boyfriend and stepsister into spending the night with a stranger. After the night together, the man vanished. Later, her boyfriend accused her of cheating, revealing his affair with her stepsister. Pressured by her father, Valerie married an unconscious man in place of her stepsister. Valerie exposed the scheme, sabotaged her father's ambitions, and transformed herself. When her husband woke and chased her to the airport, she calmly refused him, saying, "It's over between us." He held her firmly. "You married me, so you must commit."
"Ah!"
A piercing scream shattered the silence of the hotel corridor, but it was cut short as a heavy door slammed shut.
Inside the pitch-black room, Valerie Brown's heart raced. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped-her lips were smothered by a rough, unyielding hand.
She froze, feeling the hot, alcohol-laced breath of a stranger against her neck, every exhale tightening the grip of fear coursing through her.
This wasn't Javier Barnett. This wasn't the man she loved.
"Let go of me! Who the hell are you?"
Valerie thrashed violently, her fists pounding the stranger's chest, but his hold was ironclad.
Shock flooded her. All those years of martial arts training, and yet this man overpowered her as if she were nothing.
In an instant, the world spun.
Valerie felt herself lifted, and then dropped onto the softness of a bed. Before she could comprehend what was happening, a crushing weight pressed down on her.
"Stay still!" the man growled, pinning her wrists to the headboard with one effortless hand.
The sharp sound of tearing fabric pierced the air. His touch was searing, every brush of his fingers like fire, while her attempts to resist were useless, as futile as pushing against an unstoppable force.
Tears spilled from Valerie's eyes, blurring her vision as panic gripped her. She choked out the words, trembling. "Please... I don't even know you..."
But her plea fell into the void, answered only by the low rasp of his breath against her ear, cold and callous.
When morning light crept into the room, it stabbed at her eyes.
Valerie blinked, her body radiating pain.
Every inch of her ached, especially her legs, which felt limp and powerless, refusing to move.
Flashes of the night before rushed back in fragmented pieces-intertwined bodies, forceful touches-but the face, his face, remained shrouded in shadow.
The memory of violation gnawed at her, her teeth grinding together as a flood of helpless anger surged within her. Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails bit into her skin, though she felt no pain. Only rage.
...
As the minutes dragged on, Valerie's mind gradually cleared, pulling her back to a harsh reality.
She glanced around the room-a wreckage of scattered sheets and torn clothes-and willed herself to stand, though every movement was a battle against the soreness in her body.
Still barely clothed, she stumbled to gather herself when the door exploded open with a deafening bang.
"You're a disgrace!" A voice, dripping with fury, filled the room. "You've brought shame to the entire Brown family!"
Valerie spun around, startled, only to see her father Craig Brown charging in, his face twisted in rage.
His eyes bore into her, scanning her rumpled clothes, her marked skin-his gaze lingering on the red stains of humiliation around her neck and shoulders. Hatred flashed in his eyes, raw and venomous, as if the very sight of Valerie stirred a desire to obliterate her.
"Valerie, how could you turn out to be such a disgrace?" Craig bellowed, his voice brimming with contempt. "You're just like your mother-an utter disgrace!"
Valerie's body tensed, a surge of defensive anger rising in her chest. Her eyes flashed with defiance.
"You don't get to talk about my mother," she shouted, venom dripping from each word. "Disgrace? Me? What about you then? The day you threw us out-me and my mother-for that vile Lacey and her scheming mother, you lost any shred of dignity."
Her words sliced through the air like knives, cutting deep. Craig's face contorted with fury, his body trembling with rage.
He glared at her, spewing curses, but Valerie didn't flinch. She had stopped expecting anything from this man long ago.
Yet, after enduring a night of violation at the hands of a stranger, and now being cursed by her own father, something inside her shattered. The bitterness she had kept buried began to spill over, coating her every thought.
Without another word, Valerie turned, desperate to escape the suffocating room. But as she reached the door, her way was blocked.
Someone stood in her path.
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Yelena discovered that she wasn’t her parents’ biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister’s envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city’s most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It’s time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
Everyone thought Lorenzo truly loved Gracie, until the day of their daughter’s heart surgery. To Gracie’s utter shock, Lorenzo gave the precious organ needed by their child to another woman. Devastated, Gracie opted for a divorce. Fueled by her need for revenge, Gracie joined hands with Lorenzo’s uncle, Waylon, and orchestrated Lorenzo’s downfall. In the end, Lorenzo was left with nothing and consumed by remorse. He pleaded for a reconciliation. Gracie thought she was free to move on with her life, but Waylon held her back in a death grip. “Did you think you can just walk out on me?”
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
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?
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Yelena discovered that she wasn’t her parents’ biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister’s envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city’s most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It’s time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
Eight years ago, Eleanor was a pampered and arrogant young heiress, while Andreas was just a nameless talent from a humble background. Although she had taken him in, she never treated him with any warmth. Their fates flipped, and now Andreas was a business titan feared by all, while Eleanor wallowed in shame and despair after her fall from grace. Upon their reunion, he pinned her with a venomous glare and declared, "It was my hatred for you that drove me into becoming what I am today."