Rabbit

Vesper's marriage to Julian Sterling was a gilded cage. One morning, she woke naked beside Damon Sterling, Julian's terrifying brother, then found a text: Julian's mistress was pregnant. Her world shattered, but the real nightmare had just begun. Julian's abuse escalated, gaslighting Vesper, funding his secret life. Damon, a germaphobic billionaire, became her unsettling anchor amidst his chaos. As "Iris," Vesper exposed Julian's mistress, Serena Sharp, sparking brutal war: poisoned drinks, a broken leg, and the horrifying truth-Julian murdered her parents, trapping Vesper in marriage. The man she married was a killer. Broken and betrayed, Vesper was caught between monstrous brothers, burning with injustice. Refusing victimhood, Vesper reclaimed her identity. Fueled by vengeance, she allied with Damon, who vowed to burn his empire for her. Julian faced justice, but matriarch Eleanor's counterattack forced Vesper's choice as a hitman aimed for her.

Vivian clutched her Hermès bag, her doctor's words echoing: "Extremely high-risk pregnancy." She hoped the baby would save her cold marriage, but Julian wasn't in London as his schedule claimed. Instead, a paparazzi photo revealed his early return-with a blonde woman, not his wife, at the private airport exit. The next morning, Julian served divorce papers, callously ending their "duty" marriage for his ex, Serena. A horrifying contract clause gave him the right to terminate her pregnancy or seize their child. Humiliated, demoted, and forced to fake an ulcer, Vivian watched him parade his affair, openly discarding her while celebrating Serena. This was a calculated erasure, not heartbreak. He cared only for his image, confirming he would "handle" the baby himself. A primal rage ignited her. "Just us," she whispered to her stomach, vowing to sign the divorce on her terms, keep her secret safe, and walk away from Sterling Corp for good, ready to protect her child alone.

Serena Vance, an unloved wife, clutched a custom-made red velvet cake to her chest, enduring the cold rain outside an exclusive Upper East Side club. She hoped this small gesture for her husband, Julian, would bridge the growing chasm between them on their third anniversary. But as she neared the VIP suite, her world shattered. Julian's cold, detached voice sliced through the laughter, revealing he considered her nothing more than a "signature on a piece of paper" for a trust fund, mocking her changed appearance and respecting only another woman, Elena. The indifference in his tone was a physical blow, a brutal severance, not heartbreak. She gently placed the forgotten cake on the floor, leaving her wedding ring and a diamond necklace as she prepared to abandon a marriage built on lies. Her old life, once a prison of quiet suffering and constant humiliation, now lay in ruins around her. Three years of trying to be seen, to be loved, were erased by a few cruel words. Why had she clung to a man who saw her as a clause in a will, a "creature," not a wife? The shame and rage hardened her heart, freezing her tears. Returning to an empty penthouse, she packed a single battered suitcase, leaving behind every symbol of her failed marriage. With a burner phone, she dialed a number she hadn't touched in a decade, whispering, "Godfather, I'm ready to come home."

The roasted lamb was cold, a reflection of her marriage. On their third anniversary, Evelyn Vance waited alone in her Manhattan penthouse. Then her phone buzzed: Alexander, her husband, had been spotted leaving the hospital, holding his childhood sweetheart Scarlett Sharp's hand. Alexander arrived hours later, dismissing Evelyn's quiet complaint with a cold reminder: she was Mrs. Vance, not a victim. Her mother's demands reinforced this role, making Evelyn, a brilliant mind, feel like a ghost. A dangerous indifference replaced betrayal. The debt was paid; now, it was her turn. She drafted a divorce settlement, waiving everything. As Alexander's tender voice drifted from his study, speaking to Scarlett, Evelyn placed her wedding ring on his pillow, moved to the guest suite, and locked the door. The dull wife was gone; the Oracle was back.

I stepped from the taxi onto Manhattan's pristine curb, a naive farm girl from Montana. My mission: marry billionaire Julian Sterling for a contract. But my welcome was a trap; that night, I found myself in his bed, a drugged, vulnerable man clinging to me. The Sterling penthouse became a gauntlet. Julian's mother and stepsister relentlessly tried to undermine my "charity case" facade, insulting, sabotaging, and humiliating me, making my true mission perilous. Victoria tossed money into my breakfast. Stella set impossible tasks. Julian's friend, Vanessa, bribed me to leave and shamed me at a gala. Julian, cold and suspicious, demanded I "play the fool." Each cruel prank fueled a quiet fury. It was infuriating to be dismissed, knowing secrets I held. Julian's unexpected vulnerability and my grandfather's mysterious will sparked deeper questions. But I fought back. I shredded Vanessa's bribe, tamed a pop star, and outwitted Stella's sabotage, proving competence. Julian's disdain shifted to respect. This was now a battle for my inheritance, identity, and hidden truths.

My wealthy husband, Nathaniel, stormed in, demanding a divorce to be with his "dying" first love, Julia. He expected tears, pleas, even hysteria. Instead, I calmly reached for a pen, ready to sign away our life for a fortune. For two years, I played the devoted wife in our sterile penthouse. That night, Nathaniel shattered the facade, tossing divorce papers. "Julia's back," he stated, "she needs me." He expected me to crumble. But my calm "Okay" shocked him. I coolly demanded his penthouse, shares, and a doubled stipend, letting him believe I was a greedy gold digger. He watched, disgusted, convinced I was a monster. He couldn't fathom my indifference or ruthless demands. He saw avarice, not a carefully constructed facade. His betrayal had awakened something far more dangerous. The second the door closed, the dutiful wife vanished. I retrieved a burner phone and a Glock, ready to expose the elaborate lie he and Julia had built.

My husband promised me forever, but gave me endless lies. On our anniversary, I found his secrets on social media, exposed by his mistress. He didn't just break my heart; he broke my entire world. Seraphina sat alone in her opulent mansion, preparing their anniversary dinner, feeling the suffocating weight of her cold, hollow marriage. An Instagram post from Tiffany Sloan then brazenly revealed Harrison's hand at a romantic dinner, shattering his flimsy excuses and exposing his blatant infidelity. The betrayal turned Seraphina's despair into cold resolve. He gaslighted her, dismissed her pain, and reminded her she was "nothing." He chose his mistress over her dying brother, caused her to break an ankle, and finally abandoned her on a desolate street corner, stripped of dignity. How could she have sacrificed her entire violin career for a man who so casually discarded her? Under that bridge, her foolish love died, leaving only a fierce desire for reclamation. Shivering and alone, a faded flyer for a violin teacher caught her eye. It was a defiant whisper of her old self, a promise: Seraphina Vanderbilt was gone, and a new Seraphina was finally free.

My world crumbled the day I held my death sentence in my hands. My husband, Sebastian, thought I was strong, a socialite wife who had "everything." He didn't know my body was already betraying me, just like he was. At twenty-five, I was Catherine Vanderbilt, wife to a Manhattan titan, but my body was quietly giving up. A doctor's report confirmed it: critical kidney failure, a terrifying secret whispering through my veins. My marriage, a fragile dance of silence, felt like it was balanced on a knife's edge. When I tried to talk about starting a family, Sebastian dismissed me as greedy, comparing me to his "fragile" ex-girlfriend, Serena. Then, on our anniversary, a panicked call from Serena sent him rushing out, leaving me alone with my pain and the terrifying truth of my failing health. He didn't come home, returning only to give me a diamond bracelet – a golden shackle. He made me sign an NDA, legally binding me to silence as he hired Serena, bringing her into our company. I found them in his office, Serena wearing an identical bracelet, openly flaunting our shared humiliation. During an elevator breakdown, he comforted her panic attack, ignoring my own terror. Later, Serena "accidentally" scalded my hand, and Sebastian rushed to her side, leaving me burned, invisible, and alone. I was dying, yet he saw me as strong, while his ex, whose life he'd "broken," received all his care. How could he be so blind? How could I be so utterly dispensable? After a fleeting night of intimacy, Serena's feigned suicide threat lured him away again. The next morning, my world crashed completely: my entire fashion collection, my soul's work, was stolen and leaked by Serena, using Sebastian's company cloud. As the betrayal hit, a sharp pain tore through my back, blood trickled from my nose, and I collapsed, utterly broken, while my stolen designs blazed across the screens.

My husband Julian celebrated our five-year anniversary by sleeping with his mistress. He thought I was a clueless trophy wife, too dim to notice the vanilla and tuberose scent on his expensive suits. He was wrong. For years, I played Mrs. Vance, hiding my brilliance while Julian claimed my patents. An anonymous email confirmed his ultimate betrayal: photos of him and Scarlett Kensington in ecstasy. My heart didn't break; it solidified into ice at five years wasted. I activated "The Protocol" for a new identity and escape countdown. Playing the doting wife, I plotted his downfall, catching him with his mistress selling my work, and publicly snapping his credit card. His betrayals and stolen work ignited a cold, calculated fury. He had no idea the monster he'd created. I was dismantling his empire. I shredded his patent papers, stripping him of his ill-gotten gains. With a final tap, I initiated "Identity Erasure." Mrs. Vance was dead. Dr. Evelyn Thorne had just begun her counterattack.

Sera stood at the altar, ready to renew vows with Lucas Sterling, a public declaration of their solid marriage. But in that holy silence, Lucas answered his phone, his voice booming, "Naomi? I'm coming." He then turned, eyes cold, declaring, "It's over," abandoning her mid-ceremony. The crowd gasped. His family humiliated her, calling her "trash." He then cut off all her money, stranding her in a downpour. The cruelest blow: his sister revealed Lucas had gossiped about Sera's deepest trauma-a past kidnapping-mocking her belief he was her savior. This betrayal shattered Sera's loyalty, replacing pain with cold rage. How could he expose that secret? And why did powerful Julian Thorne appear, whispering, "I've known who you are for a long time," as if privy to her past? With her last attachment severed, Sera pulled out her encrypted phone. Her voice chilling, she commanded, "Target Sterling Supply Chain. Initiate Phase One: Disruption." Her counterattack had begun.

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."

My husband, Ethan Vance, made me his trophy wife. My best friend, Susanna Thorne, helped me pick out my wedding dress. Together, they made me a fool. For three years, I was Mrs. Ethan Vance, a decorative silence in his billion-dollar world, living a quiet routine until a forgotten phone charger led me to his office. The low, feminine laugh from behind his door was a gut-punch; inside, I found Ethan and Susanna, my "best friend" and his CMO, tangled on his sofa, his only reaction irritation. My divorce declaration brought immediate scorn and threats. I was fired, my accounts frozen, and publicly smeared as an unstable gold-digger. Even my own family disowned me for my last cent, only for me to be framed for assault and served a restraining order. Broke, injured, and utterly demonized, they believed I was broken, too ashamed to fight. But their audacious betrayal and relentless cruelty only forged a cold, unyielding resolve. Slumped alone, a restraining order in hand, I remembered my hidden journal: a log of Ethan's insider trading secrets. They wanted a monster? I would show them one.

The thunder cracked over the Hamptons, but it was nothing compared to Elena Sharp's scream. She lay twisted on the marble foyer, accusing me of trying to kill her baby. My husband, Julian, walked in, saw the scene, and his eyes froze me out of his life forever. He didn't listen, shoving a separation agreement across the desk, accusing me of murder. Stripped of my name and home, I was thrown out, left with nothing but my clothes and a terrifying secret growing inside me. My accounts frozen, I ended up in a crumbling Philadelphia row house, forced to pawn heirlooms. During a fire, my water broke, and I delivered our premature daughter, June, whose lungs were damaged. I stole formula to feed her, facing massive medical bills. Accused of destroying an heir, I was exiled while carrying his true legacy, fighting for every breath. The injustice burned, but June's life was my only fight. Three years later, June needed life-saving surgery. Julian's dying grandmother called me back with the funds, forcing a cruel charade with the man who hated me, a man still oblivious to his daughter.

The acrid smell of smoke still clung to Evelyn in the ambulance, her lungs raw from the penthouse fire. She was alive, but the world around her felt utterly destroyed, a feeling deepened by the small TV flickering to life. On it, her husband, Julian Vance, thousands of miles away, publicly comforted his mistress, Serena Holloway, shielding her from paparazzi after *her* "panic attack." Julian's phone went straight to voicemail. Alone in the hospital with second-degree burns, Evelyn watched news replays, her heart rate spiking. He protected Serena from camera flashes while Evelyn burned. When he finally called, he demanded she handle insurance, dismissing the fire; Serena's voice faintly heard. The shallow family ties and pretense of marriage evaporated. A searing injustice and cold anger replaced pain; Evelyn knew Julian had chosen to let her burn. "Evelyn Vance died in that fire," she declared, ripping out her IV. Armed with a secret fortune as "The Architect," Hollywood's top ghostwriter, she walked out. She would divorce Julian, reclaim her name, and finally step into the spotlight as an actress.

To have a child with her husband, who had fertility issues, she agreed to undergo in vitro fertilization. However, she inadvertently discovered that she had been used as a means to have a child by her husband and his mistress. The embryos used in the procedure had been swapped by her husband, replacing them with his sperm and the mistress's egg. Devastated by the betrayal, she decided to go to the hospital to terminate the pregnancy. Yet, the doctor revealed an unexpected twist: due to a nurse's mistake, the child she was carrying was actually hers and that of a stranger. And this stranger turned out to be the mafia leader! Thus began a series of unforeseen complications.

“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.

Throughout their three-year engagement, the most frequent question Michael Powell asked Kylee Steward was, "Wanna do it?" Kylee would refuse him with a flushed face. But he would coax her with tender whispers in her ear while continuing to kiss her. "I cannot control myself. I'm just attracted to you physically." Her heart melted at his sweet words, and she found herself agreeing to his unreasonable requests again and again. They had sex in various positions, by the large windows, in the office, and even in the backseat of a closed car. As the wedding date approached, Kylee took the planning documents to discuss them with Michael, only to hear a woman's seductive moans from outside the private room. It was her voice! "Whoa, Kylee looks pretty serious usually, but she's so wild in bed. Michael, you are generous to let us listen to this. When can we watch it live? How about on your wedding night?" A voice echoed while laughing. She knew it too well. I'm not going to marry her."

Five years ago, I gave my fiancé, Floyd Meyers, my neural interface to save his life after a car crash left him in a coma. He promised to cherish me forever, but now he's engaged to another woman, Jaylah Ryan. Together, they're publicly erasing me, making it clear I'm being thrown out of the house I once called home. In my last life, I broke down. I cried and begged for an explanation. He told me a psychic claimed I was the source of his bad luck. He had me locked away in a mental hospital, then drowned me in the cold lake behind our house, convinced he was freeing himself from a curse. I sacrificed a piece of my own body for him, and he repaid me with humiliation and murder. But I woke up again, back in this house, just days before their engagement party. This time, I will not cry. I will not beg. This time, I have an escape plan, and I will walk away before he can destroy me again.

In the third year of my marriage to Wilbur, my family's business collapsed overnight. He threw the divorce papers in my face, his gaze cold and dismissive. "A useless spendthrift like you has no right to be my wife anymore." His friends laughed heartily beside him, "Wilbur, you finally got rid of that burden." Without a word, I signed the papers, left with nothing, and disappeared without a trace from their lives. Everyone believed I loved him to the point of self-deprecation, that I couldn't live without him, and would certainly wait for him to change his mind. Three years later, I returned home as the representative of a mysterious consortium, suddenly becoming the largest shareholder in his company. At the victory banquet, he cornered me, wearing a confident smile. "Have you finished playing your games? You caused such a stir just to make me regret it, didn't you? Fine, you win. Now, come home with me." I stood confidently beside the true heir of the consortium, my smile radiant. "The first lesson you taught me was that unworthy things should be left behind."

In the second year of their marriage, her once emotionally distant and reserved husband suddenly started living a wild lifestyle, with a revolving door of women by his side. She had tried reasoning, arguing, and even causing a scene-the most serious of which ended with both of them at the police station in the middle of the night. No matter how she protested, her husband would simply respond with indifference, "You went to great lengths to marry me, isn't this the life you wanted?" In that moment, she understood everything. He had always suspected that she was involved in the death of his idealized first love, and marrying her was just a way to torment her. When she caught him again, this time with the younger sister of his deceased first love, her last glimmer of hope was utterly shattered. Once more, he threatened her with divorce, "Keep this up, and we'll get a divorce." This time, she didn't back down. Instead, she lifted her head and retorted, "Fine, let's divorce. Do you think I won't let go?"

My husband, Liam Goldstein, was publicly the perfect man. He donated a kidney to save my life and named the new tower of his corporate headquarters after me. The world saw us as the ultimate power couple, a love story for the ages. But in private, he was cheating on me with an influencer. He arranged a "romantic evening" with private fireworks, only for me to discover it was a birthday party for his mistress, Ava. I overheard him promise her my "Maya's Horizon" necklace, the one he gave me after the transplant. His friends were all in on it, laughing behind my back and calling me "the main course." After a car accident, I found them together at the hospital. She was pregnant with his child. When I lunged at her, he grabbed my wrist and snarled at me to apologize to his pregnant mistress. Then came the final blow. A text from Ava with a picture of the sonogram. "Our baby, Maya." Underneath it, a photo of her wearing my necklace. "He says it looks better on me." On our anniversary, I had his prized rose garden bulldozed. Then I had the divorce papers delivered to his office, along with every single taunting message Ava had ever sent me. By the time he read them, Maya Goldstein was already a ghost.

The silence in St. Patrick's Cathedral wasn't peaceful; it was a physical weight on Stella's shoulders, heavier than her wedding dress. She stood alone at the altar, ready for her perfect life, when her phone vibrated with a text that shattered everything. Her fiancé, Bryce, messaged just moments before the vows: "I can't do this. Monica needs me. I'm sorry." Monica, her maid of honor, was the reason he fled. Bryce's mother then publicly shamed Stella, implying her career ambition drove him away. The betrayal of her sacrifices, her future, and her dignity ignited a white-hot rage. Stella ripped off her veil, grabbed the microphone, and exposed the groom and maid of honor's affair to the stunned guests before storming out. A furious wreck in her ruined gown, she stumbled on the cathedral steps, meeting Julian Sterling, the "Cursed Son" in a wheelchair. He offered no pity, only a detached assessment. In a defiant, adrenaline-fueled moment, Stella crouched and asked, "Are you single?" Julian, needing a strategic alliance against his family, agreed to a cold, transactional marriage of convenience. With the City Clerk's office hours ticking down, Stella tore her dress, determined to forge a new path of vengeance and desperate necessity.

For my entire life, I believed my Alpha, Kaelen, was my fated mate. A sacred gift from the Moon Goddess. But on the eve of my eighteenth birthday, he presented another she-wolf, Seraphina, as his chosen Luna, using a borrowed pup in a cruel plot to crush my spirit. When Rogues attacked our pack, a silver chandelier fell towards us. Kaelen lunged past me without a glance, shielding Seraphina with his own body while I was left to be crushed. He never even looked back. Later, after falsely accusing me of hurting her, he dragged my injured body to an ice-cold hydrotherapy pool and shoved me under the water. As I struggled to breathe, he loomed over me, his voice a roar of command. "If you ever touch her again, I will strip you of your name and make you Rogue." Watching the man I loved try to kill me, the last of my hope finally turned to ash. That night, I accepted an offer to join the Silverwood Pack. Then, I walked to the forge and tossed every memento he'd ever given me into the flames, watching the girl who loved him burn away forever.

Lucas, my fiancé, marked his "close friend" Sarah at the bachelor party, prompting cheers and laughter as everyone teased it was the craziest "dare" of all. The next day, when I confronted him, Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, provocatively displaying the bite mark on her neck. "Elena, don't be stingy. I was just testing how good his teeth are and how he performs in bed for you." Lucas, looking impatient, added, "It's just a symbolic gesture, not like it can't be washed off. Once Sarah and I finish our phase, I'll reject her and re-mark you, okay?" They thought I would endure it silently, just like before. Instead, I took off my engagement ring and tossed it into the trash with a smile. "If it's dirty, it's not worth keeping." Lucas panicked and tried to stop me, but Sarah whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, she's just an orphan. Without you, she's got nowhere to go. She'll be begging you on her knees within three days." But what they didn't know was that the one returning in three days wouldn't be the kneeling me, but my father, the Lycan King, with fifty thousand wolf clan guards, as part of our supernatural heritage.

Vivian Harrison used to be an ordinary nurse at the hospital, but she had the rare Rh-negative blood type. Three years ago, she saved the life of the king of the underworld, Archie Palmer, who had been on the brink of death, with her blood. From that moment on, she had completely fallen for him. However, when Archie awoke, he just coldly handed her a marriage contract. "I never owe anyone a favor." The marriage, in the name of repaying a favor, became a gilded cage that confined Vivian for three years. Archie made Vivian his wife, yet he gave all his tenderness and devotion to a vivacious and innocent woman-Cassie Fuller. He would drive across half the city on a stormy night just to stay with Cassie because she was afraid of the dark. He would spend a fortune at an auction to acquire a piece of priceless jewelry, because Cassie said she liked it. Yet, all he ever offered Vivian was endless indifference and suspicion. When Cassie suffered even the slightest grievance, he would unhesitatingly lay all the blame on Vivian and even torment and punish Vivian in the cruelest ways. "Your blood disgusts me as much as you do, Vivian." Later, when Vivian took a fatal bullet for him and lay bleeding on the ground, he walked coldly past her, holding the frightened Cassie in his arms, without sparing Vivian even a glance. At that moment, Vivian finally understood that this marriage was nothing but a joke from the start. She decided that she would no longer play along with Archie. But when Vivian, her body battered and broken, resolutely left Archie, and Archie, who had always claimed he never loved Vivian, for the first time felt his eyes sting, and frantically searched for her all over the world.

Scarlett Miller, heartbroken, watched from a freezing terrace as her fiancé, Sebastian Vance, announced his engagement to another woman inside. Her world already felt shattered. She had no idea how much worse it could get. The next morning, news broke: her gentle father was arrested for a massive Ponzi scheme, his foundation's assets seized. They were evicted from their home, leaving Scarlett and her aunt destitute, facing an impossible five-million-dollar bail. Desperate, Scarlett sought help from Sebastian, who cruelly revealed he framed her father and then demanded she become his mistress. Humiliated, she fled, only to be rejected by Harrison Sterling Jr., a top litigator, because his sister was Sebastian's fiancée. Scarlett was a pawn. How could Sebastian, the man she loved, orchestrate such a devastating fall? And why did Harrison, despite fleeting moments of care, prioritize his family's reputation over justice for her father? The betrayal and injustice burned deeply. Collapsing from the strain, Scarlett refused to yield. With a mysterious pro bono lawyer now involved and her resolve hardened by Harrison's perceived abandonment, she vowed to uncover the truth, save her father, and make Sebastian pay, no matter the cost.

Everyone knew in her social circle that Verena was free-spirited and outspoken, notorious for frequently changing boyfriends. But no one expected that at a friend's gathering, she would fall head over heels for the introverted and distant physics professor, Lanny. After months of unsuccessful pursuit, Verena felt defeated. "My family has arranged a marriage for me, so I won't bother you anymore," she said. Lanny, usually calm and composed, lost control in an instant. "Don't get married. I promise I'll date you." They were together for two years, during which Verena enjoyed a blissful romance. However, while planning their wedding, she discovered that Lanny's true love was her half-sister! She quietly canceled the wedding and vanished from Lanny's life. Yet, he became frantic, desperately searching for her whereabouts.

The once-affluent heiress, Eliana, was disgracefully humiliated in front of her family and society during their engagement party, facing a broken engagement at the hands of her fiancé, Laurence. In a desperate attempt to secure her future in a male-dominated society, she boldly claimed to be pregnant with the child of Laurence's powerful uncle, Liam. To everyone's surprise, Liam played along with her ruse, leading the two into a strategically planned yet fraught with misunderstandings marriage arrangement.

Our third wedding anniversary also happened to be the thirty-sixth week of my pregnancy. I didn't wait long enough for Santino Douglas to come home and cut the cake. Instead, I got a phone call from the local police station. "Your husband was caught stealing a woman's undergarments." By the time I arrived, Santino's white shirt was covered in dusty footprints. And a barely-dressed female intern was standing in front of him, guarding him like a human shield. She kept yelling at the officer who was taking notes, "This is a misunderstanding! I bought those for Mr. Douglas! How can you arrest him for that?!" I looked at the black lace garment in Santino's hand-the one he didn't even have time to throw away. My stomach twisted so hard I felt sick. I walked toward him, but he suddenly stepped in front of the intern, Baylee Ford, trying to explain. I slapped him before he even opened his mouth. "Santino, you're disgusting."

Sylvia Payne rubbed her aching back and cautiously made her way down the stairs. At the corner, she unexpectedly ran into Clint Norris, whom she hadn't seen for three years. He had dumped her after they had been in a relationship for eight years due to his beloved woman, Paulina Bailey. As soon as Clint saw Sylvia, he furrowed his eyebrows and sighed, "Sylvia, I know this is unfair to you. But Paulina and I truly love each other. Please consider me owing you in this lifetime... Even if you come to my house and beg me to get back together, I will never agree. Please leave..." Sylvia didn't know what to say at that moment. Where was she supposed to go? This was her home now. In fact, Sylvia was now Clint's stepmother. Two days ago, she had gotten married to Clint's father, Roderick Norris.

After eight years of marriage, Claudia sacrificed her own treatment and gave up her dance career to save Dylan, leaving her with a permanent leg injury-and ultimately becoming a gilded bird confined beneath his wings. She felt trapped like a cherished, yet confined trophy, enduring the cold intimacy of her husband, unaware that the man she spent blindfolded nights with was a beggar's stand-in. Dylan remained faithful to Nora, his true love suffering from a terminal illness. Upon becoming pregnant, Claudia stumbled upon the truth. She discovered she had been deceived, and that her unborn child's umbilical cord blood was coveted for its potential life-saving properties. This revelation sparked her awakening. With her father by her side, she embarked on a path of revenge, exposing Dylan's deception and the dark secrets of his company, leading to the freezing of his assets. During this journey, Claudia reclaimed her passion for dance, underwent professional rehabilitation, and uncovered the truth behind Nora's feigned illness and her conspiracy to have Dylan harmed in the past. As Dylan faced betrayal from all sides, his company went bankrupt, and he eventually lost his sanity. Nora ended up in prison, paying the price for her actions. Claudia not only returned to the stage, shining brighter than ever, but also found unwavering support and true companionship with Greg. Once deceived and hurt, she broke free from her shackles, experiencing a rebirth and renewal in both her career and personal relationships, opening a new chapter in her life.

On the night of their fifth wedding anniversary, Jolie Knight cooked an entire dinner herself. But it wasn't until nearly ten o'clock that Kaden Knight finally came home-and the first thing he did was head straight for the shower. The food on the table had already gone cold. Jolie dumped everything into the trash without hesitation. When she picked up the jacket Kaden had tossed onto the couch, planning to throw it in the wash, her fingers pulled out a lace T-back thong from the pocket. It wasn't the first time she had received that girl's little provocations. Including this one, it was the ninety-ninth. The bathroom door swung open, and Kaden stepped out. He was shirtless, with a white towel loosely hanging around his waist. He glanced at the pink lace thong in her hand and barely reacted, only lifting a lazy eyebrow. "Larry can be childish. You don't need to get worked up over her," he said. Jolie's eyes traveled over the face she used to adore-still handsome, still familiar. How had things fallen apart in less than five years? But it didn't matter; she had promised herself that after forgiving him 99 times, she would divorce him. The 99th time had arrived, and their marriage was over. "I've decided to join the three-year closed research project you mentioned last time."

Joyce, a prodigious inventor, never imagined she would be interested in anything beyond her research. That was until she met Zayne, a remarkably talented individual, at the research facility. She believed she had found true love and pursued him with all her heart, eventually achieving her dream. However, within a few years, Zayne encountered someone else who ignited his desire for a challenge-an elusive and captivating individual. Just as Joyce had once pursued him, he now pursued this new interest relentlessly, even at the cost of hurting her. After numerous betrayals and schemes, Joyce's heart finally broke. She decided to divorce and leave the research facility. Only then did Zayne realize he had been nothing more than a mere tool in someone else's game. Desperate to win her back, he discovered that Joyce had already found new happiness with someone else...

Five years ago, Kyla Spencer was a top lawyer in the legal business. To save Gerald Spencer, who was then just a poor medical student in a PhD study, she risked her career and managed to clear his name from false accusations by a global medical giant. The cost was high; she offended the influential people and was secretly poisoned, losing her voice forever, making it impossible for her to stand in court again. Kyla hid her talent and quietly became Gerald's quiet girlfriend. After five years, Gerald had become a leading figure in the medical field, but his tenderness and patience now belonged to another woman. Wearing a white dress to look innocent and pure, his junior schoolmate mocked Kyla, "I heard you were a formidable lawyer back in the day. You certainly don't look like it now." Gerald, with a voice as cold as ice, defined Kyla's sacrifice as a burden. "Kyla, I need a partner who can stand by my side, not a patient I have to care for." As the love of the past turned into a piercing blade, Kyla thought she would drown in silent despair until an email from her former colleague was received. "Do you still want to know why that company was willing to spend a fortune to falsely accuse a penniless student back then?" It turned out she had lost more than her voice and love. What she had once protected with her life was a meticulously orchestrated scam from beginning to end.

After Anna Briggs had been kidnapped, she developed aphasia. Despite the swirling rumors, Braeden Hayes stood by her side unwaveringly. He even defied the pressure and swiftly announced their engagement and built her an idyllic estate-a utopia crafted just for her. It was universally said that Braeden cherished Hank as his own life. Yet, he had postponed their wedding nine times for various reasons. On the eve of their tenth wedding attempt, Anna accidentally overheard news of Braeden's engagement to another woman. "Are you really planning to keep Hank in the dark forever? Luckily for your quick thinking, you managed to pull off nine weddings without a hitch." Anna's blood ran cold instantly. After discovering the truth, she did nothing but quietly leave. Then she set the estate ablaze and vanished without a trace. Braeden, however, went mad searching for her everywhere. "Anna, I really can't live without you. Please come back with me, won't you?" Braeden's pleas were abject, like a dog fawning for scraps.

The marriage between Joslyn and Kade was a union of two prominent families in the city, but it also hid her deep, unrequited love. Five years ago, she believed that Kade had lost his sexual function due to a car accident while saving her, so she willingly accepted a platonic marriage. She even continuously invested the profits of the her family into the his family to ease her guilt. It wasn't until a chance encounter that she discovered Kade's affair with his childhood sweetheart, Scarlett, that she realized the so-called "secret illness" was all a lie. Kade had not only fully recovered but had been spiking her drinks with sleeping pills for a long time. Moreover, due to a misunderstanding from when she returned from being taken away by her uncle-mistakenly deemed as being from a "place of ill repute"-he considered her "dirty" and deliberately kept his distance. More cruelly, the car accident back then was not to save her but because Kade was on his way to pick up Scarlett at the airport. The series of betrayals and schemes finally awakened Joslyn. Under constant threat from Kade and Scarlett, she faced numerous dangers-from being pushed in front of a knife, undergoing skin grafts, to nearly falling off a cliff due to tampered brakes. Ultimately, she decided to sever ties with the past and, with her uncle's assistance, went abroad. Overseas, Joslyn found her true self, pursued a PhD in finance, and took over her family business. Unexpectedly, she encountered Kade again while dealing with gangsters. Kade, now truly remorseful, did everything to protect her from the gang, even sacrificing the his family's interests, yet it couldn't undo the past wounds. Meanwhile, Kade's half-brother, Nicolas, allied with Scarlett to disrupt the family inheritance. In the end, both Nicolas and Kade perished in an explosion. Years later, Joslyn became a CEO. She let go of past love and hatred, established a foundation to support African communities in accordance with Kade's last wish, and shifted her life's focus to greater love and responsibility, embarking on a new chapter truly her own.

I had been married to Landen Patel for three years. He suddenly got down on his knees in front of me one day, and his eyes were filled with tears. "Honey, could you... temporarily divorce me?" I froze, as if someone had hit me over the head without warning. A chill ran through my body. "Jaynie is back, and she brought a five-year-old boy. I just found out today... that I am the father. But he has leukemia. The doctors said the only way to save him is if Jaynie and I have another child so that we can use the newborn's embryonic stem cells. Looking at his pained face, I gave a bitter smile. "So you're saying you want a divorce... to have a child with her?" He shook his head, crying. "It's only temporary! Once the boy is saved, I'll come back to you. Honey, please... think of it as saving a life..." Just then, his phone rang. Jaynie Payne sent him a revealing selfie with a message. "Landen, I'm ready. Has Lydia agreed? The doctor said it is the best time for me to get pregnant tonight."

My fiancé, Eric Fletcher, wanted to have a child for his best female friend. That woman named Laurie Stephens believed in staying single, yet she wanted a descendant to carry on her genes. Eric chose to help her by putting our engagement on hold to honor his friendship. He tossed a "Sperm Donation and Joint Custody Agreement" in front of me, his tone cold and weary. "It's just about your insecurity, right? I added your name. All the property goes to you. Satisfied now? Sign it quick! Laurie's body couldn't wait for the optimal fertility window." I signed my name on the agreement calmly, then packed my sketchbooks without a word. Eric finally let out a sigh of relief, his face showing pure ease. He stepped closer to hug me, but I dodged away. "Once the child arrived and got on the birth certificate, we would marry right away. If you wanted, we could raise him together later. I would tell him you were a mom too." I tucked away that thin agreement and watched him indifferently as he started planning the nursery with excitement. He had no idea I had already arranged with his good buddy to get our marriage license next week.

The rumors of my divorce from Ryland Payne had circulated for two years. Over those two years, he had paraded around with the secretary whose husband had once saved his life, appearing at every event and trampling my dignity underfoot. I had never uttered a single word of complaint. That changed on the anniversary of our son's death, when he showed up at the memorial art exhibition I had organized for our boy, with that woman and her child in tow. The necklace around that woman's neck featured the longevity locket I had personally designed for my son. I lost all control and smashed the exhibition, then rushed forward to snatch it back, only for Ryland to block me desperately. I slapped him across the face in front of everyone, and he shoved me down onto the shattered picture frames in retaliation. The next day, the entire internet branded me as the deranged woman. "Two years ago, if she hadn't lost her mind and gone speeding through the rainstorm, the little heir of the Payne family would never have died on the spot!" "Exactly, she killed her own son through her recklessness, and now she wants to hurt her husband's benefactor. What a venomous witch." I turned off my phone, and my gaze turned to ice, inch by inch. Ryland Payne, this time, I decided to leave you for good.

After Emma went abroad due to illness, Jeffrey fell in love with Amelia. When Emma returned home because of kidney failure, Jeffrey discovered that Amelia's kidney was a perfect match for her. To save Emma, Jeffrey orchestrated a seemingly perfect wedding that was a ruse, treating Amelia as a living donor, maintaining the illusion of love to nurture her. Amelia was once lost in the joy of feeling loved until she accidentally uncovered the truth. She was nothing more than a lifeline prepared for his beloved. With her heart broken, Amelia chose to disappear completely through a staged death. In the throes of losing her, Jeffrey still used his resources to find a new kidney donor for Emma. After her recovery, Emma's true self-centered nature was revealed. In the daily company of Emma, Jeffrey's illusions were shattered, and he realized too late that he had fallen in love with the very woman he sacrificed-Amelia. Unfortunately, it was too late. Five years later, Amelia returned triumphantly as a leading figure in her industry. Jeffrey pursued her with overwhelming joy, while Emma, driven by envy, schemed against her, ultimately breaking the law and ending up in prison. Jeffrey lost both love and fortune, left only with endless regret for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, Amelia completely bid farewell to the past, embracing a life of her own making, built on career success and genuine love.