STILL LOVING YOU

My knees are trembling, and I feel anxiety deep in my heart. I steady my breath and try to calm the panic. I'm being subjected to Auntie Dolly's terrifying gaze, as if I could escape at any moment. I bite my lower lip. If only that incident last week hadn't happened, I would be peacefully living in Auntie's house while cleaning the large windows. "Wow. Your niece is so beautiful. I had no idea that someone as ugly as you had such a pretty relative, Dolly," the newcomer says, tauntingly. I feel the tension between my aunt and the sophisticated woman. My aunt is in her 40s, while the other woman is refined. She catches my gaze with her eyes. She smiles at me and approaches. "Are you Lucy? Thank goodness God didn't make a mistake in making you look like a witch," she sarcastically remarks, glancing back at my irate aunt. She starts doing my makeup. It's clear that they don't get along, but when they do this, it's all sarcasm and passive-aggressive remarks. I turn to the vanity mirror upon hearing a few laughs. The door opens, and Gyra, accompanied by some of her friends in revealing outfits, walks in. She raises an eyebrow when she sees me being prepared and flashes a condescending grin. "Couldn't stand working my job before, and now it looks like you're going to steal it from me," she lazily comments as she slowly approaches. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In just one night, I became the property of someone I didn't know. Or better put, I was bought by someone I never expected to see again. "Is that her?" My heart pounded when I heard that baritone voice. It's familiar. The butler nodded and presented me to his master. I examined the broad shoulders of the tall man. My throat dried up when even his back seemed so familiar. My heart froze, and my stomach turned to ice. S-sh*t. What kind of brutality have I gotten myself into? Unconsciously, I stepped back, my legs trembling in fear. The eyes that were full of concern and love for the child back then were as cold as ice when they gazed at me now. I felt Auntie Dolly's grip on my waist. It hurt, but I didn't mind because of what she said afterward. "I've transferred the deposit and the full payment for that man to your bank account. Perhaps I should remind you of the expensive frame you broke?" I swallowed hard at her threat. I just hung my head. Am I ready to accept the twists of destiny? Did destiny bring me here just to be bought by the incumbent mayor?

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.”

Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.

After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"

“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”

Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"

Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.