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Betrayed. Humiliated. Left with nothing but a shattered reputation. When Serena Lancaster, once the darling of high society, is publicly cast aside by her ex-fiancé, she swears never to let another man have power over her. Desperate to rebuild her life, she takes a job at Weston Sinclair's empire-the one man who has every reason to despise her ex. Cold. Ruthless. Untouchable. Weston built his billion-dollar legacy on control, and falling for his reckless nephew's ex is the last thing he should do. But from the moment Serena steps into his world, she becomes his obsession-one he refuses to deny. He should keep his distance. He should let her go. But when Serena's past threatens to destroy her, Weston makes a choice. She's his now. And he'll never let her go.
The ballroom was suffocating in its silence, an oppressive stillness that hung over the glittering chandelier-lit space like a prelude to chaos. The hushed murmurs of the guests did little to hide the mounting tension, and the soft clinking of champagne glasses on marble trays felt distant, barely noticeable against the growing storm of whispers.
Serena Lancaster stood frozen at the center of it all, her emerald gown a second skin, clinging to her as if to remind her of the heavy weight of eyes upon her. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest, each beat a harsh reminder of the nightmare unfolding. The sweet scent of roses-normally soothing-seemed to sour in the air, a sickly perfume that twisted her insides.
Then, his voice broke the fragile silence.
"I think it's time everyone knew the truth," Julian Sinclair's words sliced through the tension, smooth yet dripping with something darker.
Her fiancé. Or, at least, he had been.
Julian stood high on the dais, the spotlight casting him as both the accuser and the judge, positioned perfectly to watch the unraveling of Serena Lancaster. The crowd, a sea of high society and superficial smiles, turned their full attention to her.
A laugh, nervous and unsure, echoed from somewhere in the crowd. Serena's mother, typically the epitome of grace, stood rigid, her fingers trembling around her wine glass. Her father, Charles Lancaster, the unflappable patriarch, went utterly still-like a statue.
Serena's throat tightened, but she forced her voice to remain steady. "Julian, what is this? What are you doing?"
His expression shifted into something mocking, too practiced, too polished. "Oh, Serena," he said, the words dripping with false sympathy. "Don't pretend you didn't see this coming."
She hadn't. Not in her worst nightmares.
Whispers began to whirl, spreading through the room like wildfire.
"She must have done something terrible..."
"A scandal, at a Sinclair event? Unthinkable."
"What's so bad that he'd humiliate her like this?"
Serena stood tall, though every part of her screamed to flee. She clutched the fabric of her gown, nails digging into her palm to ground herself.
"I've been planning to tell everyone for a while now," Julian continued, his voice oozing insincerity. "Serena and I-" He sighed theatrically. "Well, we're not getting married after all."
The room erupted. A collective gasp filled the air, and the murmurs became a tidal wave, crashing around her.
Serena's stomach twisted, her fingers curling into fists.
Julian wasn't done.
"I tried to be understanding," he went on, pacing now, his every step like a deliberate performance. "But a man can only take so much betrayal."
Betrayal?
Serena took a step forward, but her voice faltered. "Julian, what are you talking about?"
"You think you know someone," he said, turning back to the crowd, his voice rising to a crescendo. "You think you've found the one. But then you discover she's been keeping secrets."
Serena's breath caught.
The crowd leaned in, each person eager for the scandal to unfold, as if waiting for the climax of a show they'd been dying to witness.
Julian turned back to her, his eyes glinting with malice. "Tell me, Serena, how long were you planning on keeping this from me? Were you waiting until after the wedding?"
A cold rush of fear gripped her heart. "Keep what from you?"
His smile was chilling. "Come on, darling," he crooned, his voice sharp and dismissive. "Don't insult my intelligence. We all know you were never going to be my wife. Not after your little secret came to light."
Her world tilted, the floor beneath her seemingly buckling.
"Don't do this," she whispered, her voice barely a plea, a low warning.
But Julian's smile only widened. He leaned in closer, savoring the moment. Then, with the final twist, he delivered the blow that shattered her completely.
"I won't marry a woman who was never meant to inherit the Lancaster fortune in the first place."
The room seemed to shake with the shock that followed.
Serena's chest tightened. He knew.
The whispers rose, louder now, like a fevered chant.
"Is it true?" someone in the crowd gasped, their voice thick with scandal. "She's not really the heiress?"
"Oh God," another voice murmured, "She's nothing without the Lancaster name."
The weight of their judgment was unbearable, pressing down on her until she felt like she might collapse. But she wouldn't. She couldn't let them see her crumble.
Julian took a casual sip from his champagne glass, as though he'd just made a simple announcement. "That's all, folks," he said, almost gleeful. "No wedding. Drinks are on me."
Laughter rang out, too harsh, too sharp. The crowd didn't care. They reveled in it.
Serena could feel her breath hitch, her vision blurring. She couldn't think straight, couldn't breathe as the suffocating weight of her disgrace threatened to crush her.
And then, across the room, she felt his gaze.
Weston Sinclair.
Sitting at the bar, his black suit cutting through the crowd like a shadow, he didn't move, didn't blink. He just watched, his eyes cold and calculating, taking in every moment of her public fall.
Serena wanted to storm toward him, demand-what? Help? Sympathy? But she knew better. Weston Sinclair believed in neither.
Her father's voice cut through the fog in her mind. "Serena," he said, his tone devoid of warmth, like a command. "We're leaving."
No questions. No concern. Just disapproval, cold as stone.
Serena didn't spare Julian another glance. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
Instead, she turned toward the exit, but not before casting one last look at Weston Sinclair.
His gaze didn't falter.
He didn't look away.
He simply watched.
And for reasons she couldn't understand, that was the most cutting blow of all.
Shen Yue, an actress who just won the best actress award in the real world, wakes up in a popular entertainment novel as Shen Yue, a notorious villainess actress who bears the same name as her. In the novel, Shen Yue was the arrogant second female lead-a beauty who bullied the protagonist, stole roles, and used underhanded tricks. She was eventually blacklisted, slandered, and ruined, leaving the industry in disgrace. But Shen Yue refuses to follow the script. Instead of playing the villainess, she becomes a force to be reckoned with-using her acting talent and Wits. Face slapping the White Lotuses who stood on her way. However, the powerful man watching said,"My wife's Face slapping skills are awesome" Shen Yue:Who is Your wife?
Lia Rivera is tired of being tongue-tied, blushing, and falling over herself every time Ethan Park walks by. So, she comes up with a brilliant (read: terrible) idea: humiliate herself enough in front of him until she's cured of her feelings. But as she dives headfirst into Operation Uncrush, things spiral - instead of pushing Ethan away, she accidentally becomes the weirdly endearing girl he can't stop thinking about. Now she's stuck between actually getting over him... or falling harder than ever.
My boyfriend called, "Baby!" as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to pull his pants off the ground. "Please, I can explain my love." Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry when I realized that my dream of the man not being my boyfriend had been dashed. "What?" I asked, "What do you want to explain?" How did you lie about having a business meeting while you were in bed enjoying yourself with my best friend, even though I told you I was in serious pain, is that it?" I stood there, my heart pounding, and tears streaming down my face...
"Where am I?" She whispered desperately " If I am reborn...I won't have mercy on those evil scums" Then a flash of bright light......
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
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."
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, “Who will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.”
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.
"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.]