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Isabella "Izzy" Hartwell: A young female CEO who has just risen to the peak of her career at a major tech company, HorizonTech. Isabella is known for her intelligence, but she also has a reputation for being cold and ruthless in the business world. Despite her brilliance, she must grapple with the harsh reality that the corporate world is filled with conflict and betrayal-even from those closest to her.
Isabella Hartwell sat in her luxurious corner office, the towering glass windows providing an unobstructed view of the bustling city below. The skyline stretched out before her, a maze of gleaming buildings and the endless hum of ambition, much like the empire she now controlled. Yet, at this moment, the city felt distant. The silence in the room was deafening, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling outside.
Her fingers drummed lightly against the polished surface of her mahogany desk as she glanced over the stack of reports in front of her. The board meetings were in two hours. The investors would be there, eager to hear her vision for HorizonTech's next phase of growth. The company had been a technological juggernaut for the last decade, but its future was uncertain, and it all depended on her leadership now.
Isabella wasn't sure she was ready for this. She wasn't sure she wanted to be ready.
The weight of the decision she'd made-the decision to take the helm of HorizonTech after her father's sudden and untimely passing-still sat heavy on her shoulders. Her father had built this company from the ground up, turning it into a global powerhouse. And now, at only thirty-two, it was hers to command. But there were days when Isabella felt more like a puppet than a leader.
It wasn't that she wasn't capable. She had education, experience, and drive. She'd worked in the company's various departments from the ground up, never once expecting to inherit the throne. But now that she was in this position, she found herself battling against more than just business challenges. She was fighting against the ghosts of legacy, the expectations of a company built on her father's name. Every decision, every move she made was scrutinized. If HorizonTech faltered under her leadership, the blame would fall squarely on her.
"Miss Hartwell?"
The voice interrupted her thoughts. Isabella's eyes snapped up from the paperwork, and she saw David Kim, one of the senior executives of HorizonTech, standing at the door. His sharp suit and meticulously combed hair made him the image of corporate power, yet there was a hint of concern in his dark eyes.
"Come in, David," Isabella said, her voice calm but carrying an edge. She gestured to the chair across from her. "What's on your mind?"
David closed the door behind him and sat down. He was one of the few people in the company she trusted-at least, she used to. David had been with the company for over fifteen years, and though they didn't always agree, he had been a reliable advisor. But recently, there had been whispers about him-rumors that he was more than just a senior executive. Some said he was angling for the CEO position himself. Others claimed he had ties to Apex Industries, HorizonTech's most dangerous competitor.
"Isabella..." David began, his voice hesitant. "I think we need to talk about the upcoming meeting with the board. There's a growing concern about the direction we're taking. You know they're worried about the expansion into AI. They're not sure if it's the right move."
Isabella's fingers tightened around the pen in her hand. The AI project was her brainchild, the one initiative she had fought for since her father's passing. Horizon Tech's future depended on it. But David was right; there had been a pushback. Some of the more traditional board members saw AI as a risky venture, unpredictable and potentially catastrophic.
"Let them worry," Isabella said, her tone sharp. "We've invested too much time and money to back out now. The market is shifting, David. If we don't adapt, we'll be left behind."
David leaned forward slightly, his expression tight. "I agree with you, but the board doesn't share your confidence. They don't trust your judgment yet. You're still new, Isabella. They're still waiting for you to prove yourself."
Isabella's jaw clenched. She had been with HorizonTech for over a decade, she knew the ins and outs of the company better than anyone, yet here she was, being treated like an outsider. The legacy of her father loomed over her, like a shadow she couldn't escape.
"I don't need to prove myself to them," she replied coldly. "I'll prove it to them with the numbers. Once this AI project takes off, they'll be the ones begging me to stay."
David's gaze softened for a moment, but only for a split second. "Isabella, I've been in this industry long enough to know that it's not just the numbers that matter. It's politics. The board doesn't care about your vision for the future; they care about maintaining control. And right now, they're nervous. There are a lot of people are. There's talk that if you don't show results soon, they'll force you out."
Isabella's heart skipped a beat. Force her out? Was David serious? She had assumed that her father's position as the founder would protect her, at least for a while. But now, the reality was sinking in. The board members weren't just concerned about results, they were concerned about power. And in the world of corporate empires, power was everything.
"I'm aware of the stakes," Isabella said, her voice steady but betraying a hint of frustration. "I'm not a child, David. I know what's at risk here. But I'm not going to be bullied into submission. I'll make this work. For my father. For the company."
David's face remained unreadable. He didn't respond right away, his eyes scanning the room as if weighing his words carefully. After a moment, he stood, adjusting his suit jacket.
"Just be careful, Isabella. You're walking a dangerous line."
The warning hung in the air as he left the room, the door clicking shut softly behind him. Isabella leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. Dangerous line? What did he mean by that? Was there something more to his words, or was he simply trying to add to her mounting pressure?
She glanced at the city skyline again, trying to find some sense of calm amidst the growing storm. The board was restless. David was concerned. And she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this situation than anyone was letting on.
The suitors were circling, and Horizon Tech was caught in the middle.
Ailee offered a contract marriage to her best friend, Jason, when her fiancé left her for strange reasons, exactly one week before her wedding. Jason, who couldn't bear to see his friend's heart broken, voluntarily accepted the contract offered by Ailee. Even though the groom changed, Ailee's family actually really approved of this marriage, because they already knew Jason's family very well. Ailee offered a marriage contract for half a year, with an agreement that was certainly very profitable for Jason. Meanwhile, Jason only agreed to Ailee's intentions, because deep down in his heart, he was willing to marry her because he really loved her. As the marriage progressed, new life colored the two friends, until Ailee finally fell in love with Jason. But when she wanted to express her feelings, her ex-fiancé returned to her and asked her to come back. Meanwhile, on the other hand, a woman from Jason's past also came to meet Jason and discovered the fact of this contract marriage. The heated conflict caused Ailee and Jason's relationship to begin to fall apart, the love interest that had been slowly nurtured by both of them, slowly began to fall. Will they finally be able to express their feelings? Or will they both fall back into their past?
Samuel Waverly is an ordinary young man, who experienced paralysis in his legs, due to an attack by his upperclassman. One day he was declared dead due to a heart attack, while he was studying in class. But the next day, everyone was frightened, because Samuel suddenly entered school, in perfect health, he walked on his two legs and looked very handsome. No one knows, if actually Lucifer, the beautiful devil, has incarnated into Samuel's body, Samuel had made a pact with Lucifer, when he was on the threshold of the afterlife. He lent his body, so that Lucifer could carry out his task, to recapture the demons of mortal sin, who had neglected their duties. In return, Lucifer will provide the luxury of life and also perfect Samuel's body again. But there was one thing that Samuel never expected, as the ruler of Hell, Lucifer apparently has a soft side, the Devil really likes humans and can quickly adapt. He also really likes the Unicorn doll, which is displayed on Samuel's bed, Samuel happily gave the doll to Lucifer and he always took it wherever Lucifer went. But no one knows if Lucifer is actually hiding something inside that cute doll.
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?"
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
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!"
She was hurt. She was bullied and made fun of. And the only hope that kept her going was finding her mate. She has always been weak. Weak to the world. Why? Because she was a lantern. She didn't have a wolf. That's what everyone thought about her. When she found her mate, he wanted her to be his slut and not a wife. She might be an omega, but it doesn't mean she will take disloyalty and betrayal lightly. So she did something that no one in history ever did. She rejected an Alpha. "I, Alexis Clark, reject Brandon Sterling, the alpha of Black mist pack, and consider myself a free soul until I decide so."; Were her last words before she left that torturous place and became a rogue. A rogue that everyone was fearing and finding. Why? Because she was the rogue that has become one of the biggest problems of almost all the packs in the country. She was Alexis Clark. A rogue that rejected an Alpha, stealth food, kill other rogues, and more than that was living with humans and studying with them. What will happen when her case is given to the world's most dangerous alpha, Sebastian Sinclair, who has taken it upon himself to punish this rogue. The one who hated rogues and omega to a level that was beyond understanding. Why? Because his mate was an omega, who betrayed him with a rogue before dying. How will Alexis tackle this alpha, in whose College she was studying and living under hiding for almost a year? What will Sebastian do when he finds out the new girl he had been talking to is none other than the rogue omega that he had decided to kill? "To love you with all my might was my only wish, but you were the only one who gave me endless suffering. So today, I promise myself to not fall for anyone."; A simple saying that both Alexis and Sebastian had vowed upon. Will they be able to find their love amidst all these problems?
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.