Betrayed by her childhood sweetheart on their wedding day? Whatever, Eliana Griffith picked herself a random boxer and got married. She thought this was just a marriage of convenience, till one day she found her husband's real identity - the richest man in the city... First day after married... Chase Wilkinson warned Eliana. "Don't touch me, not even a finger!" A few months after married... Chase, lying on the bed, reached out his hands. "Honey, get in the bed!"
In the hotel suite, a man's voice cut through the air. "Who the heck are you, and what in the world do you think you're doing?"
"I paid for your services, you think you're here just for show?" Eliana Griffith swiftly unbuttoned the man's shirt, straddling his bare chest before he could react. She felt the muscle beneath her palm, solid, vast, with a deep V line. Well, at least Uncle Colin didn't waste her money.
Chase Wilkinson was utterly furious. Back from an overseas business trip, he encountered an ambush last night. He finished those thugs and then anonymously checked into a random hotel for some rest. So, how on earth did he wake up to a woman in his bed, undressing him? As a owner of dozens of companies, a billionaire, when had he ever faced such humiliation?
Before he could figure it out, Eliana's fingers had already undone his belt buckle, the chain clinking as it fell apart, a few strands of pubic hair poking out. Chase's face flushed red as he pushed the woman off him, "Have you lost your mind?! Stripping a stranger in a hotel room. Are you a psychopath?"
Eliana was pushed down, nearly falling off the bed. She ran out of patience, and tossed the designer suit onto the bed, "Alright! Just change it yourself. The wedding is about to start."
Chase was perplexed. What wedding? He had been single for a while due to the crazy work schedule, not even dating lately, so where did this wedding come from?
Eliana didn't care what's on the man's mind. She just grabbed his shirt and warned, "Listen, act your part later, or I'll shut down your boxing gym."
Chase ignore her words and eyed around. His clothes were all thrown on the ground, and had imprints of the woman's high heels. He could only take the new suit and went to the bathroom to change first.
At this moment, the door was pushed open, and a man in his mid-thirties scurried in. He dressed in a stylish tuxedo with floral patterns, probably a little too florid for his age. Seeing Eliana, he burst out his complaining.
"Jeremy is such a jerk. He knew that you have to get married today to gain control of the company. HE KNEW IT! How could he run away? Right before the ceremony! I bet he planned the whole thing. First, he said yes for the wedding, and then he disappeared. Boom! You become the laughing stock in LA and lost you mom's shares for the company. "
Jeremy's name darkened Eliana's brown eyes. Jeremy Wilkinson, the man who'd grown up with her, been there for her during her toughest times, was her best friend and love of life. They had agreed to marry, but on the day of the wedding, he couldn't be reached!
How ironic that her childhood sweetheart disappeared on such an important day, forcing her to hire a total stranger to replace him.
Today was a make-it-or-break-it day. If she didn't walk down the aisle, she'd lose her mom's shares. Saying "I will" meant gaining control of Griffith Group. If not, her evil stepmom would snatch it all up.
She was ready to do whatever it takes to protect her family's business today!
Eliana squinted, teeth clenched. "You really think you can beat me? Ha! Just watch!" Then she turned to her Uncle, questioning, "You sure about the guy you hired, Uncle Colin?"
She recalled the man's weird reaction and felt some concern.
Colin nodded earnestly, "Absolutely. I found someone with a clean background as per your request, runs a boxing gym, tall, handsome, and in good shape."
At the bathroom door, Chase finished changing and overheard their conversation. So, this lady was in a hurry to find a fake groom for her big day.
He raised an eyebrow and glanced at his wristwatch, probably enough to buy this hotel. And she thought he was some broke boxing gym boss?
Did he really give off that vibe?
Ah, whatever. He decided to step out and set things straight. No way was he getting caught up in this lady's crazy 'reality show'.
Chase walked out and saw Eliana changing her wedding dress. Her slender frame was partly hidden in the shadows. Feeling his gaze, she cut in sharply, "What are you looking at? Come here and help me with the zipper."
The commanding tone made him irritated.
As he assessed her, Eliana was also sizing him up. If it weren't for his somewhat imposing demeanor and his good looks, she would have kicked this arrogant guy out. Never seen someone so unwilling despite a fat paycheck.
When Eliana was about to urge him again, Chase noticed her necklace and picked it up, mesmerized. "Is this pendant... the Crimson Star?"
Huh? This boxer seemed to be more than just tough; he actually recognized such a precious ruby.
"This pendant was left to me by my mother. You can have the money, but forget about this gem. It's more important to me than my life," Eliana huffed and went to touch up her makeup at the vanity.
Everyone outside was waiting to see her embarrassed, but she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.
She applied lipstick, adding a touch of dangerous color to her soft features. Her raised eyebrows were pure disdain and arrogance. She had this whole icy beauty look down pat, like she could freeze you with just a glance.
Eliana lifted her dress and made her way to Chase, who was still lost in thought. "Little fighter, it's showtime. Give it your best shot, and trust me, the rewards will blow your mind."
Chase's eyes flickered, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'll give it my all, no doubt."
Weirdo. Where's the defiance in his eyes five minutes ago? How did he change his mind so quickly?
Eliana didn't dwell on it too much, taking his hand and leading him outside.
Walking into the wedding hall in front of all their friends and family, they exchanged vows and rings. "You may now kiss your bride." said the priest.
Chase hesitated for a moment, furrowing his brow, "Can we stage kiss?"
Eliana was choked by his question. She hadn't even complained about him yet, what was with his unwillingness?
She practically gritted her teeth, "You took the money, now do your job."
"As you wish, my boss." The next second, Chase kissed Eliana, running her fingers through her hair and tilting her head up to meet his. His lips carried a faint scent of mint mixed with the orange blossom fragrance from Eliana's lips, a very pleasant smell.
The ceremony was done. Seeing the romantic scene, the guests applauded and praised. Eliana handled it with ease.
Chase followed beside her, almost instinctively shielding her from the wine when someone offered a toast. "Women shouldn't drink too much, it's bad for health."
"Wow, so pro! An extra $200 bonus for this," Eliana whispered to him with a grin, like she was sharing a secret with her new hubby.
As soon as Eliana finished speaking, the doors of the hall were pushed open, and Camille entered with her daughter Vanessa and Jeremy. He cut a frosty glare in Eliana and Chase's direction.
"Don't be fooled, everyone. This fake groom was paid for by Eliana. I got their transaction records." shouted Camille.
Camille Wheeler was Randall Griffith's second wife. But ever since Randall mentioned giving the company reins to Eliana, Camille had been secretly opposing her.
When Eliana saw Jeremy standing with her enemies, she could almost feel the sadness bleeding from her broken heart.
But this was not a good time for a mental breakdown. She was more worried about Chase's identity being exposed. If that happened, she would have embarrassed herself twice today, which would be a huge joke in LA!
Seeing her freaking out, Vanessa sneered and took out documents from her briefcase. There were copies of chats of Colin and another man as well as some transfer records.
But... the photo sent in the conversation wasn't of Chase.
Not only did Vanessa widen her eyes, but Eliana was also dumbfounded.
Then who was this guy beside her?
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.
The day Lilah found out that she was pregnant, she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Her remorseless fiancé and his mistress almost killed her. Lilah fled for her dear life. When she returned to her hometown five years later, she happened to save a little boy's life. The boy's father turned out to be the world's richest man. Everything changed for Lilah from that moment. The man didn't let her experience any inconvenience. When her ex-fiancé bullied her, he crushed the scumbag's family and also rented out an entire island just to give Lilah a break from all the drama. He also taught Lilah's hateful father a lesson. He crushed all her enemies before she even asked. When Lilah's vile sister threw herself at him, he showed her a marriage certificate and said, "I'm happily married and my wife is much more beautiful than you are!" Lilah was shocked. "When did we ever get married? Last I checked, I was still single." With a wicked smile, he said, "Honey, we've been married for five years. Isn't it about time we had another child together?" Lilah's jaw dropped to the floor. What the hell was he talking about?
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
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?