Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
A woman in a white T-shirt and jeans walked out of the train station in Douburgh with a suitcase.
Her delicate face turned slightly red as the sun hit her. She tucked wisps of curly hair behind her ears. Under her arched eyebrows were a pair of bright and pretty eyes, a slim nose, and cherry lips. She looked so beautiful even though she had no make-up on.
"Hello! You are Annabel Hewitt, right? I'm the driver sent by the Benton family."
Annabel nodded and followed the driver into the car casually. She was already worn out.
On the way, the driver stole glances at the woman, whose eyes were closed as she rested in the back seat.
This woman was Rupert Benton's fiancee.
Rupert Benton was the most eligible bachelor in the city. At just twenty-one years old, he was already the CEO of Benton Group. He was way ahead of his peers. He was a vigorous, resourceful and no-nonsense person, causing many in the business world to be afraid of him.
His grandfather, Bruce Benton, took it upon himself to find a wife for him. And he picked Annabel, a girl from the countryside.
With his hands on the steering wheel, the driver took another look at Annabel's innocent face and clicked his tongue. He envisaged that she would have a hard time with the Benton family.
At this time, Annabel slowly opened her eyes and looked at the strange city with a calm expression.
The car arrived at the Benton family's residence soon. The driver carried Annabel's luggage for her.
Annabel barely had one foot inside the house when a well-dressed woman appeared. She eyed Annabel from head to toe with a look of utter disdain.
"Tracy!"
"Yes, Mrs. Benton."
As soon as Tracy was given a signal, she began to spray the disinfectant all over Annabel.
The well-dressed woman was Erica Benton, Rupert's mother. With her hands akimbo, she ordered, "Her shoes and hair. Spray them, too."
Annabel's face and body were soon covered with droplets of disinfectant. The pungent smell made her nose a little itchy. She uttered coldly, "What is wrong with you?"
Erica flipped out immediately.
"I heard that you're from the countryside, but I thought you would at least be well-behaved. It appears you are the same as the wayward and rude girls they breed over there. I'm doing this because I don't want you to bring any virus or bacteria into this household. Do you want us to get infected with whatever you are carrying?"
Annabel wasn't one to take shit from anyone. She would have walked out if she hadn't made a deal with her grandfather.
"In that case, you should spray some disinfectant in your mouth because it stinks!"
With this, Annabel shoved the servant aside and walked in.
"You... Oh my..." Erica pointed at Annabel with a trembling hand. Tracy hurriedly comforted her.
In the living room, a girl who looked about the same age as Annabel was sitting on the sofa. She had on designer clothes and bright makeup. Her expression was more condescending than Erica's as she looked at Annabel. She was Rupert's cousin, Cathy Benton.
"Are you Annabel Hewitt, Rupert's fiancee?" Cathy rolled her eyes when she saw that Annabel wasn't dressed in designer clothes. "Gosh, Grandpa has no taste. I can't believe he chose someone like you. Anyway, I heard you came here by train. You should have told us you are too poor to afford a plane ticket. We would have bought one for you. Wait, it seems there isn't an airport in the countryside."
Annabel looked at Cathy with one of her eyebrows raised.
She wondered if every member of this family was so arrogant.
There was indeed no airport where she came from, but her grandfather had booked an entire high-speed train to Douburgh just for her. These arrogant people had no idea that she traveled as luxuriously as someone who flew first class.
Besides, she could have flown here in a private jet if she wanted.
Annabel could easily make it clear to these people, but she didn't. She just went upstairs.
Annoyance clouded Cathy's face once she saw Annabel ascending the stairs. She wasn't used to anyone ignoring her, so she followed her.
"Where is my room?" Annabel asked the maid behind.
"Here!" Cathy said, pointing at a door in the hallway before the maid could reply.
She pushed the door open and added condescendingly, "You have never stayed in a bedroom as big as this, have you? You should cherish it while living in here. I'm Rupert's cousin, Cathy. You should fawn over me if you..."
Cathy had barely finished speaking when Annabel walked into the room and shut the door in her face. This made her angrier.
"Ah! How dare that pauper be so conceited? What was Grandpa thinking?"
The maid warily moved closer and asked, "Miss, but isn't this Mr. Benton's room?"
Cathy cast a scornful glance at the door.
"Shush! Don't say a word to her. Rupert hates anyone being in his space or using his things. When he finds out that she's here, just tell him that she chose to stay in this room."
Cathy's eyes glistened with slyness as she spoke.
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?"
Jennifer Bennett, the rightful heiress to the Bennett legacy, fought hard for her family's recognition, only to be eclipsed by an impostor. Faced with false accusations, bullying, and public humiliation, Jennifer eventually gave up trying to win their approval. Vowing to rise above the injustice, she became the bane of those who wronged her. The Bennett family's efforts to break her only fueled her success, leading her to heights her rivals could only dream of. Someone asked, "Do you feel let down by your parents?" With a calm smile, Jennifer said, "It doesn't matter. In the end, power prevails."
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.
Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he never gave a damn about rules and laws, as he only liked to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
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.