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A forced marriage. A forgotten heiress. It's a game where survival means becoming Queen, not Pawn. Flora Grey – a young woman once abandoned by her father; she and her older brother drifted for over a decade in poverty. With her mother gone and her identity erased, the name "Flora" became a forgotten disgrace amidst the glittering elite. But when the family plunges into crisis, the callous father from her past coldly forces her to return, compelling her to marry Derek Blackwood – the nominal heir to the Arnold Group – as a final gambit to salvage the family fortune. However, what seemed like a mere transactional marriage was the beginning of a fateful game. Derek is far more complex than his indifferent facade suggests. And Flora? She is no longer the obedient doll, letting others pull her strings. Returning from the depths of society, carrying scars, resentment, and a fierce will to survive, Flora is determined never to let anyone control her again. She wants to live. She wants to protect her brother. And if she's been forced onto the chessboard, she intends to become the Queen-never content to remain a Pawn.
Vincent High School had a girl everyone knew - the name Flora Selena sent ripples wherever people heard it.
Anyone who saw her avoided her. Few people liked her, but even fewer dared to show it.
Because Flora is crazy, she will strangle anyone who dares to oppose her. In tenth grade, Flora was the new student. She clashed with a teacher and beat him up so severely he landed in the hospital. Still, the school didn't dare expel her. Rumour had it she had robust backing.
Flora dyed her hair, painted her nails, put on sharp makeup, and always wore skirts an inch taller than the other female students. From fighting to smoking to skipping class, there was nothing she wouldn't do. Compared to those troublemaking boys, she was a step above.
And even with a reputation like that, the boys welcomed her - because Flora was stunning. She had a kind of mad beauty - the kind that made heads turn again and again.
When Flora turned 18, on her graduation day, she received shocking news. Her father, Otis, wanted her to marry a man nine years her senior: a chronically ill, utterly useless member of the Arnold clan named Derek Arnold.
Of course, the reason Otis gave was very reasonable and very similar to the novels that Flora often read. Their Selena family was in a difficult situation, needing the help of the Arnold family to support them. But of course, there was no such thing as charity without profit; the price they offered was to buy a wife for their incompetent nephew.
The heroine would bite her lip, hold back tears, and marry the guy out of duty in those stories.
But Flora? Hell no.
She would never lower her head. Moreover, why the hell should she care about the Selena family's fate? Every night, she clasped her hands and prayed to God for them to die quickly. There is no way she would sacrifice herself to save them.
And Otis? That man dared to call himself her father?
No. He was the one Flora hated most in the world. She hated him so much she couldn't stand the surname Selena. She would've changed it long ago if it hadn't been for her mother's wish.
The air was thick and tense in the Selena family's dining room.
No one could eat - except Flora. She ate with gusto, ignoring the stares around her. She needed to be full, to have the energy to battle this family.
Otis watched her for a while before slamming his fork onto the table. The sound was quite loud, but it didn't affect Flora. She calmly turned to the maid.
"Aunt Mary, bring me another bowl of fish soup."
"Flora!" Otis cleared his throat, "Have you thought about what I told you two days ago?"
Flora poked at the bacon on the table, her red lips curled up, "I have."
Otis exchanged a hopeful glance with Anna. His voice tightened. "So... will you help save the family?"
Flora raised her eyes. She chuckled at the two people's anticipation, causing Otis to fantasise. He thought that she had agreed, so he smiled at her.
But Flora was just about to pour ice water on his delusions.
"Why would I do something so boring?" she said flatly. "Don't get it twisted. I came back to eat because it was my mother's death anniversary. I have no interest in helping you."
Her gaze locked on Otis, colder and colder. Otis also felt guilty; he coughed a few times and said. "There have been so many things going on in the company recently, I almost forgot..."
"You never remember", Flora said coldly; under the light, her red hair stood out even more. "If you don't remember, then let me remind you why my mother had to jump off the building..."
Otis and Anna's faces turned pale.
Alice couldn't stand it either; she frowned and pulled out a chair. "Every time you come back, this house is in chaos, and we can't even eat in peace."
Flora's eyes flashed, and she smiled. "If you're that annoying, get lost; I'm talking to him; it's not your turn to speak up, a brat."
"Alright, you two, stop arguing..." Anna grabbed Alice's hand, stopping her daughter from continuing. "It's been so long since your sister came home. Don't make her angry."
"What, sister? I don't want some spoiled brat for a sister." Alice scowled, but under Anna's warning gaze, she gritted her teeth and fell silent.
Flora opened her handbag, pulled out a bright red lipstick, and slowly applied it to her lips. Then she sneered, "Auntie, how about this-you sell your beloved daughter to the Arnold family instead. That way, this dying family of yours might survive. Not a bad idea, right?"
Anna's face stiffened, pretending to be calm as she spoke. "You know how to joke. Our Alice is only fifteen; she's still just a child. Compared to Derek, the gap is a bit big..."
"Oh..." Flora drawled, her captivating eyes narrowing slightly. "Still a child, is she? Funny, I heard your daughter is fooling around with her teacher at school; that man seems to be..." She turned to Otis, mockery brimming in her eyes, unable to suppress a laugh. "Only five years younger than you."
Otis's eyes turned red with anger, and as soon as he heard that, he turned to question Alice. "Is your sister right?"
Alice trembled like a frightened puppy. She didn't dare look at Otis, only glaring daggers at Flora.
Anna knew that Otis had a hot temper, afraid that he would hit Alice, so she immediately spoke up to relieve the situation. "Enough, enough! That's nonsense. You're only hearing Flora's side of the story. How could our Alice possibly do something like that?"
Alice's face was pale, her lips moving. "That's right... Dad, I don't have..."
Finding it tedious, Flora kicked back her chair and stood. Her icy gaze swept over each of them, a venomous smile spreading across her lips. "May this family crumble soon, and may you all die without a grave! And frankly, the only reason I'm alive is because my mother fought tooth and nail to keep me. So you have no right whatsoever, old man."
"You ungrateful brat! Talking to your father like that? I raised you, and this is how you repay me?" Otis wanted to raise his hand to slap her, but Flora was no longer a little girl for him to beat at will. She grabbed Otis's arm; each word was as sharp as a knife. "Aside from grudgingly giving me life, what else have you ever given me?"
Otis had a history of heart problems; he was provoked to such fury that his lips turned white, and his whole body trembled, barely able to stand. Anna rushed to support him, crocodile tears streaming down her face. "Don't get upset! Every time you get angry, your condition flares up. It's bad for your health."
Otis's trembling finger pointed at Flora. "Ungrateful wretch... If you leave today. I'll consider myself daughterless..."
Flora crossed her arms, her gaze sweeping dismissively around the house before she spoke nonchalantly. "That was my intention exactly."
With that, she grabbed her purse, her heels clicking sharply on the floor as she walked away, back straight. She ignored Otis's stream of curses, never looking back.
Heaven only knew how much she loathed this place they called home.
The first time Claire meets Derek in a bar, she takes the initiative to approach and ask him questions. "Can you sleep with me for a night? I'll pay you." After the fun ends, Claire gives Derek some money and wants to end it with him. Cold as he usually treats women he doesn't like. But again, they meet in an ironic situation. She is a substitute, and Derek is her husband. The first thing he said to her was. "Stop acting; how does this gentle look suit you? You can fool people with this docile look. But did you know, your cold and indifferent eyes have denounced it with me? You are a heartless person." Claire replied sarcastically. "I almost didn't recognize you either; this sick look doesn't suit you either. You and hot girls are much more suitable."
Lucasta is an orphan girl, who accidentally becomes the princess of a billionaire family, then suddenly becomes empty-handed. The ups and downs of life and betrayal from loved ones have made Lucasta change his personality to become thorny and cold. What's worse than losing everything, love, and money? A career is hindered by others; love is appropriated by others. What can a little girl like Lucasta do? When she was at a stalemate, she accidentally met Andrew, known as the king of the entertainment industry with ultimate power. One night's fate led Andrew to promise to help Lucasta win the halo peak. And from that moment, Andrew fell in love with Lucasta and pursued her. But now it was she who refused that love. Can Andrew do anything to win Lucasta's heart, and how does she get rid of the pain of betrayal?
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
"Lucien, let's get a divorce," I said in a peremptory tone that was long overdue, the most decisive farewell to this absurd marriage. We had been married for exactly three years-three years that, for me, were filled with nothing but endless loneliness and torment. For three years, the husband who should have stood by my side through every storm, Lucien Sullivan, had completely disappeared from my life as if he had never existed. He vanished without a trace, leaving me alone to endure this empty, desolate marriage. Today, I finally received his message: "I'm back. Come pick me up at the airport." When I read his words, my heart leapt with joy, and I raced to the airport, thinking that he finally understood my love and was coming back to me. But his cruelty was far worse than I could have ever imagined-he was accompanied by a pregnant woman, and that woman was Carla, my closest and most trusted friend. In that moment, all of my previous excitement, all my hope, and all of our shared laughter and tears turned into the sharpest of daggers, stabbing into my heart and leaving me gasping for air. Now, all I want is to escape from this place that has left me so broken-to lick my wounds in solitude. Even if these wounds will remain with me for the rest of my life, I refuse to have anything to do with him ever again. He should know that it was his own hand that trampled our love underfoot, that his coldness and betrayal created this irreparable situation. But when he heard those words, he desperately clung to this broken, crumbling marriage, unwilling to let it end-almost as though doing so could rewind time and return everything to how it used to be. "Aurora, come back. I regret everything!" Regret? Those simple words stirred no emotion in me-only endless sadness and fury. My heart let out a frantic, desperate scream: It's too late for any of this!
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
Veronica is an eighteen-year-old omega who falls into an emotional breakdown when her Mate, who was soon to be the Alpha of the Sun crest pack, turns against her, hurls hurtful words at her, and rejects her on the night of the full moon festival because he and everyone in the pack, including her, thinks she is an omega. As if the pain of rejection, helplessness, and worthlessness wasn't enough, she lost her best and only friend to the cold hands of death when rogue wolves attacked their pack. Right in the presence of her mate, she was tagged as someone who always attracted problems and calamities anywhere she went and he turned a blind eye and watched as she was banished from the pack. With hatred for her life, she runs deep into the woods that were off-limits and jumps off to end her life, but in a turn of events, something else happens. What would her mate do when he finds out that Veronica is not who he thinks she is? Will she be able to forgive him? What fate lies ahead for them?
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!