"Aziz? The stern man I've heard about from the neighbors' gossip? A 38-year-old widower with two teenage kids? Oh, it doesn't make any sense if it's really him." Alena couldn't wrap her head around her mother's order just now. She hoped it was just a dream, but unfortunately, it was about to become a reality soon. How could her peaceful life as a college student suddenly turn 180 degrees into a forced marriage with a widower?
"What? I have to marry him?!"
Alena almost dropped her phone. The voice on the other end was too shocking to process. The bustling streets of Medan that afternoon, filled with vehicles going back and forth, seemed to vanish from her view. All that remained was the ringing in her ears, echoing along with her mother's booming voice on the phone.
"You heard me, didn't you? It's already decided, Na. Aziz is a good man. Our family owes his family a great deal!" Her mother's tone was firm, leaving little room for protest. The bright afternoon suddenly turned gloomy for Alena.
The 21-year-old woman blinked, staring at her flat shoes, as if hoping for answers to appear from them. "But... but, Mom. I'm still in college. How can I get married? Besides, I don't even know him!" she said in desperation. The noisy traffic around her suddenly became a mere backdrop to the fear surging in her heart.
Her mother sighed, as if trying to calm down a stubborn child. "Listen, Na. We're not wealthy people. If it weren't for Aziz's family, you wouldn't even have been able to go to school until now. This is the best option for all of us."
Alena wiped her face, feeling cold sweat starting to form.
Om Aziz? The strict man I've heard whispered about by the neighbors? A 38-year-old widower with two teenage kids? This doesn't make any sense!
How could her peaceful life as a college student suddenly turn upside down into a forced marriage story with a widower?
"Mom... Isn't Om Aziz strict? I've heard people talk about him," Alena's voice began to tremble, her fear growing more real.
There was a faint chuckle on the other end-not a pleasant laugh, but one tinged with bitterness. "People love to gossip, and you know that. They always find faults. Aziz is strict? Maybe he's firm, but that's normal for someone leading a lot of people. Don't believe everything you hear."
Alena let out a long sigh, trying to gather her thoughts. "But, Mom... I'm not ready. There's so much I still want to achieve. I'm only in my sixth semester. What about my future?"
"Na, listen to me. Life doesn't always go as we want. Do you think we're in a position to choose right now?" Her mother's words pressed harder on Alena's feelings. "Aziz's family has helped us for years. And Aziz... he's handsome, wealthy, and ready to build a family again. You'll be comfortable with him."
"Mom, this isn't just about comfort! I don't love him. And being handsome and rich doesn't guarantee happiness. I don't even know him!" Alena tried to resist, her voice growing hoarse.
"Do you think love is everything? Not all marriages start with love, Na. Sometimes, love comes later, after you get to know someone better," her mother replied, this time with a softer tone, trying to instill understanding.
Alena sat down on a small park bench near the street, gazing at the sky that was starting to turn red. It felt like the weight of the world was crashing down on her shoulders all at once. A marriage without love? That wasn't what she had imagined. But on the other hand, what choice did she have?
While her mind was still in turmoil, her phone vibrated. A message appeared, adding to the complications of her day.
[Tomorrow afternoon, you two have to meet. Aziz wants to talk in person.]
Alena froze, staring at the phone screen she was holding. Her heart seemed to stop. Tomorrow? That soon? Her chest tightened. A direct meeting with Om Aziz? A man she only knew as a shadowy figure. A man feared by many, with two kids rumored to be difficult to manage. How could this meeting possibly go well?
Shortly after, another message followed.
[Don't be late, Na. Aziz doesn't like to wait.]
Alena bit her lower lip. Her entire body shivered. It felt like an even bigger burden was approaching, one she couldn't refuse. Is this really happening? I have to marry a man I've never even met?
She wiped her forehead, feeling her blood pulsating more rapidly. Tomorrow, she would meet the man who would become her husband. A husband she never wanted. And worse, she didn't know what Aziz was really like behind all the stories circulating about him.
Alena stared into the distance, but her mind was filled with worry. What would she say to Aziz? What should she do?
Tomorrow, everything would change. Alena knew there was no turning back. She could only hope for the best, even though her heart trembled with doubt.
That night, as Alena tried to sleep, the thought of tomorrow's meeting continued to haunt her. Her mother's words echoed in her mind-about debts, about a lack of choice. But the most haunting was one question that wouldn't leave her thoughts: Why does Aziz want to marry me?
Tomorrow, the answer would come. But was Alena ready to hear it?
The will read by the lawyer makes Vienna's life a nightmare. She never imagined that she would marry Ray - a cousin who was allegedly the son of her father's murderer. She wanted to run away from the harsh reality, but when she saw her mother her guts shrank and she ended up accepting the reality in front of her eyes. The girl vowed to avenge her father's death even at the expense of herself. Vienna's plan is certainly not easy considering that her cousin is also tough and has always been cold and cruel to her. Moreover, the man also has the support of a lover who is a partner of their family company. Who would have thought that love never chooses who it falls on. Vienna realizes that inside the hatred and resentment she nurtures, there are beautiful feelings for the man who has the title of her husband now. What will Vienna do this time? Will she continue her grudge or give up on Ray in the name of love?
"When are you coming home, baby?" "Do I have to answer that question?" If I could choose my destiny, I'd like to live a simple life as long as I could see my husband every day. However, regrets always come too late. Mas Ares will never be able to come home because...
The first marriage ended because the husband could not provide mental support. The second household was also forced to run aground due to a gambling case. Even after the third time as a wife, Namira could not feel happy. Moreover, the sad memories of that first night made her traumatized to reopen herself. So, how will she live her life again?
Amanda's return to the country was greeted by sad news. She lost her beloved sister. The grave was still wet, but her papa urged her to get married. Not with the man she loved. However, with a widower who was none other than her late sister's husband. She wanted to ask for his blessing to marry her lover, but the situation made things complicated. Amanda never expected to be presented with such a surprising request. Marry a former brother-in-law and become a birth mother to a month-old baby girl? It was both ridiculous and sad considering their ages. But how could she refuse? "Everywhere there is a sugar baby or sugar daddy, while I'm a sugar mommy. Radit is too young to be my husband. This is crazy!"
"I'm willing to be a daddy to your son, but don't ever expect me to treat you like a wife." To realize her son's dream of having a daddy, Lily is willing to enter into a contract marriage with Keenan, who also happens to be desperate to find a wife to inherit his family's company. An agreement was made where the relationship between the two would appear harmonious only in front of the child. However, they cannot resist the fate that has fostered unusual feelings. Unfortunately, the appearance of a past figure is also inevitable. Making it hard for both of them to go further. Will Lily and Keenan stay together? Or will each of them choose to give up when there is no more reason to survive?
After being diagnosed by a doctor that she got MRKH syndrome, the content of which is not getting pregnant and bearing a baby, Serena Queen Adhisty is going to be frustrated. She decided to go away from Barra, her boyfriend. And eleven years later destiny made Serena and Barra meet in the same company. She was shocked and did not know that her ex-boyfriend was the general manager there. Serena wants to move from the company. Unfortunately, she is trapped by Barra.
“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.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
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.
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]
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!"