Wealth and Power. Betse Walter is determined to climb the society's highest ladder. As her path intertwined with Kini Belmont, a mysterious billionaire in the realm of a glamorous yet controversial circle of elites, she is faced with love, scandals, betrayal, lies and deception. Will Kini's love for her survive in such a toxic world? Will Betse be able to let go of her desires for love? And will Betse be able to climb to the top of society's ladder?
Betse stood before the gates of the grandiose Belmont Mansion, her heart pounding in her chest. Charles stood beside her, watching her with a mix of concern and disapproval.
His eyes flickered with worry as he asked, "are you sure about this, Betse? You don't have to go through with it."
Betse took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the distant glow of the mansion's light. "I've worked so hard, Charles," her voice was determined. "I've spent years living a good and perfect life, and where has it gotten me? Nowhere. I need this chance. I need to break into the elite circle, and this is the only way to do it."
"But at what cost, Betse?" Charles implored, his brow furrowing. "Is compromising your integrity really worth it?"
Betse hesitated, her resolve momentarily shaken by his words. She thought about her family, drowning in debt, and the burden she carried to lift them out of poverty.
"I've spent my life trying to secure a future for my family, Charles. If this is what it takes, then so be it."
"As a member of your family, I don't support this decision."
"And who said you have a say in this? Because you're my brother?" A rhetorical question from Betse.
"I'm trying to save you from the humiliation. You don't know these people. They're different from you and I," Charles explained.
"Yes, you're right but they're nothing special, just people like us. Look around us, the only difference between us and them is that they shine and we don't. Aside from that, we're not so different."
Charles folded his hand in silence, knowing that whatever he said won't stop her. Her mind was made up.
She continued, "this is an opportunity I must seize. Just like everyone in that mansion did. No one was born with diamonds."
"Since I can't stop you, goodluck!"
Betse poked him with her finger, "that's what you should have said from the start. But thank you, I'll need it."
"But can't you just change your mind?" Charles was persistent but that didn't push Betse away from her decision.
Standing firm on her decision, Betse straightened her shoulder, adjusting the neckline of her expensively rented designer dress which she had scraped to the depths of her savings to get. With a deep breath, she stepped forward, her heels clicking against the pavement as she moved towards the mansion.
"I'll see you at home."
"Don't do anything stupid. Your charms are natural so just be you."
Approaching the entrance, her pulse quickened. The doorman, dressed impeccably in a black suit, eyed her skeptically. Betse summoned her most confident smile, handing him the invitation she had forged, praying he wouldn't see through her ruse.
"Welcome, Miss," the doorman said, his tone was a fusion of suspicion and courtesy, allowing her to enter into the world of extravagance beyond the gates of the Belmont Mansion.
Inside the mansion was a display of wealth and ridiculous outlay of meticulously placed art, expensive art. Crystal chandeliers adorned the ceilings, casting a dazzling array of light across the marble floors. The air and atmosphere was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes and the murmur of elite conversations.
She grabbed a glass of wine from one the event waiters. As the charity event unfolded, the crowd of self serving philanthropists weaved through the crowd, their smiles as bright as the stars, making contributions that would pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. Auction paddles waved in the air, each gesture a promise to support causes greater than themselves.
Betse scanned the crowd, her eyes finally landing on Kini Belmont. He stood across the room, his presence commanding attention. With a newfound confidence, she made her way towards him, her steps purposeful, her smile seductive.
Kini, who was engrossed in a conversation with a group of influential guests, glanced in her direction. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Betse approached him, her voice smooth as silk. "Mr Belmont, what a pleasure it is to meet you. I've heard so much about your renowned art collection."
Kini, captivated by her charm, offered a charming smile in return. "The pleasure is mine, Miss...?"
"Betse," she replied, her gaze unwavering. "Betse Walters"
"I don't seem to be familiar with that name."
"I.."
Before she find words to save herself, a young man walked toward Mr Belmont and whispered to him.
"Excuse me for some minutes," Kini said politely and walked away.
"Oh, what a relief!" She let out a sigh of bliss. "I was almost caught, need to be smart about everything." She said to herself.
Turning around, she noticed flocks of eyes wandering over her. Two girls, standing not too far from her, rolled their eyes at her and whispered conversations loudly enough to her hearing.
"What a slut!"
"Trying to seduce my boyfriend. No way!" Big budget dressed Joice exclaimed with fury.
"No need to bother, she is not his type." Viola, her friend, tried to soothe her pride and anger.
"I'll let her know her place."
"Wait! Who is she? She seems new."
"Probably some new money."
"Or some joke?"
"I'll find out"
A voice broke the gossip and reverted everyone's attention back to the event of the day.
"Attention everyone!" Mr Belmont lips play out a pretty smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight has been an evidence to the beauty of human kindness. In this room, we've witnessed a unique power of unity, where strangers become friends, and friends become a community bound together by a shared purpose to make the world a better place."
He gestured to the attendees, "every contribution," his eyes met with Betse's and she smiled brightly at him, "every smile shared, and every connection made tonight has sown seeds of change."
The attendees nodded with agreement and acknowledged the truth in every word he spoke while the two girls were still stuck scheming evil plans against Betse. Fuel was added to the fire when they realized Kini eye's were locked with Betse's.
"I'm not going to stand here and just watch this," she left the room.
"Wait!" The other girl called out as she followed behind her.
"As we depart from this magnificent gathering, Let us carry the spirit of tonight in our hearts," Kini continued, his voice resonating with passion. "Let us remember that love and empathy know no boundaries. Our collective efforts tonight have not only transformed lives but have also reminded us of the boundless possibilities that emerge when we stand together."
A thunderous applause erupted, a manifestation of the attendees' shared commitment to a better world. Kini's eyes glistening with emotion, concluded, "thank you, from the depths of my heart, for your generosity, your compassion, and your unwavering belief in the goodness of humanity. Together, we have inscribed a chapter of hope, and I have no doubt that the echoes of tonight will reverberate for years to come."
And with those words, the evening culminated, leaving a legacy of kindness that disappeared as soon as Joice could no longer control the jealousy in her heart.
Joice, consumed by envy, approached Betse, her eyes filled with rage. "You think you can just waltz in here and steal my place?" she hissed, her voice sharp like a dagger.
Betse, caught off guard, stammered, "I-I don't know what you're talking about."
In a moment of fury, Joice hoping to humiliate her and get the better or her, angrily grabbed a glass of drink and poured it on Betse's dress, "Know your place, you charity case!"
"It is already unholy, why try to make it abominable and nefarious?" When a runaway bride leaves her groom at the altar, her younger sister, Yenisse, is forced to step in and save the day. How will she navigate her unexpected union with Jude Wellington, the charming billionaire, when they are married in name only and their hearts beat for different souls. Will they find a love that's a once-in-a-lifetime chance or will it remain a cold and calculated arrangement where love is a forgotten melody and disdain is the only truth? What will be the fate of a loveless union when a war is waged upon them?
Livia Dumont, a hardworking girl grappling with financial burdens and coupled with the workload of her new job, stumbles into Xavier Lexington in a complicated way. She is unaware that Xavier, is her aloof and seemingly indifferent boss who holds the key to both her professional fate and an unexpected twist in her personal life. Their initial interaction is marked with misunderstanding, and Livia unwittingly finds herself on the wrong foot with the enigmatic figure who signs her paychecks. In this accident of chance, Livia and Xavier learn that sometimes, starting off on the wrong foot can lead to the right kind of love. But is their right kind of love enough to withstand all the drama, secrets, controversies and betrayal that comes with it? Will it be enough to give them a fairy tale ending or will it crash into a tragic ending?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
"Then let's get a divorce!" With courage, Leora left her husband's house, after being accused of poisoning his mistress. Her in-laws and sister-in-law had planned various ways to kick her out of Peter's house and in the end Leora gave in. However, no one expected that things would turn 180 degrees after the divorce. When everyone who had hurt her was happy with each other's lies, Leora returned. This time, she was no longer the poor orphan girl from the orphanage. She has changed and not only that, she also carries a big secret that will make everyone turn to worship her feet.
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
"Ms. Crawford, it’s time for you to divorce Mr. Larsen and come home. You're the only heiress the Master's waiting for.” ~•~ For the sake of love, Amara accepted the arranged marriage with Tobias William Larsen. She did everything to gain her husband’s heart but when his old love returned, she realized that all her effort was all for naught. Tobias demanded a divorce on the night of their wedding anniversary, even at the price of threatening her. Heartbroken, she finally dropped all her illusions about him and returned home to be the heiress. The next time she met Tobias, they were no longer couples but opponents. "Mr. Larsen, should I remind you again? We've divorced." "Amara, that's the stupidest mistake I've ever made. Please come back to me."
He owns her, He wants her, She saw something she shouldn't have, She thought she could escape him, Now he haunts her to the ends of the earth, He would make her life miserable, He would make sure she sees no one but him. "You are mine Alicia, I can have you whenever I want, you are my woman and I will be damned if I let another man touch you or even take what is mine" her. *** Alicia was dumped at the altar by her fiancee and she became a laughing stock to the whole town, she sought to take her life because of her pain but she stumbled upon something she should never have seen, now He haunts her. Even when she thought her life couldn't get any worse, she was forced to marry him.
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."