In his effortless pursuit of success, Mark finds himself in a web of humiliation and constant conflict when his role as a waiter at a prestigious hotel puts him face-to-face with his wife's powerful boss, Mr Alistair. During a high-stakes business meeting, Mark's dignity is ruthlessly attacked, leaving him torn between defending himself and protecting his wife's career. Their relationship is put at stake test as their confrontation creates a chain of events that threaten to shatter Mark's marriage.
Mark held the tray with the glass cup and wine tightly, releasing a deep breath, attempting to suppress his nervousness.
He joined the other staff, striding down to the meeting hall. He didn't feel good about it, but he was in charge of serving this section.
The hall's door swung open wide, and he led the staff in, carrying drinks and food.
"Welcome to Trump International Hotel. Here is the order you placed," Mark bowed his head, a clean handkerchief in hand, resting at the base of the wine bottle.
He tilted the wine slightly, pouring a few glasses for the young man.
It was a business meeting involving five businessmen and women. Among the women was his wife, Lacey
Bowing his head, he gently placed the wine bottle in an ice bowl. Mark felt eyes on him but decided to focus on his work, not wanting to cause trouble for his wife or be looked down upon by her boss and colleagues.
"Isn't he your husband? I almost couldn't recognize him for a while," Mr. Alistair asked Lacey.
She cleared her throat slightly, glancing at Mark, not wishing to be acknowledged as his wife at that moment.
"Sure." Her replies were quick yet faint; she knew lying wouldn't help because her boss knew him well.
Mark realized what was about to happen and wanted to walk out with the other staff.
"Mr. Jones, stay and have a drink with us," Mr. Alistair said before Mark could leave. Mark halted, swallowing hard.
"I really do not think that's necessary, sir," Elsa, Lacey's best friend, spoke up before things got even more awkward.
"What do you mean not necessary? I'm just trying to be nice to my business partner's husband, and I don't think that should be an issue," Mr. Alistair snorted.
"Sir, I think we should just let him be since he's still working and he's not needed here," Lacey quickly said, knowing her boss well.
He was far from being nice, especially with his choice of words.
"Come on, Lacey! You know how important this contract is, right? Let's not delay it and just let him have his seat already," Mr. Alistair said frankly, giving no room for another opinion.
Mark realized he had no choice but to sit with them, not wanting his wife to lose an important deal because of him.
Swallowing his dry throat, he took his seat beside his wife gently, staying quiet, fearing he might add to the tension. But eventually, he found he couldn't escape.
Lacey had always wanted to avoid this kind of situation, but it only got worse each time. The meeting was a high-stakes contract, and she couldn't afford to lose it.
Mr. Alistair was not an easy man to deal with, and she knew that well. Mark felt uncomfortable, even lifting a glass of water to his mouth.
"It's really unexpected to meet you here. I mean, you working as a waiter is unexpected and unbelievable too," Mr. Alistair laughed.
Mark looked down at his fingers, trying not to let his brows rise in discomfort. He already felt uneasy and too low sitting among them.
"Tell me, really. Why are you working as a waiter? I did hear that Lacey married a pauper, but I never expected someone who is not qualified for a decent job," Mr. Alistair said.
The other staff, except Elsa and Lacey, ended up laughing, while some chuckled and others appraised him in his simple clothes.
Mark remained quiet. He felt the man's intentions were to mock him, and he regretted not turning down the offer immediately and walking away before it got worse.
"We should talk about the business, sir," Elsa said, attempting to diffuse the awkward atmosphere.
"Business? That's unfair to Lacey's husband, the waiter. How is he supposed to understand? Is he even educated?" Mr. Alistair asked.
Most of the meeting attendees couldn't hold in their laughter anymore. "He does look too poor, I will say," Mr. Alistair's close associates said frankly.
"That's true," another lady agreed.
Mark held his hands tightly under the table, trying not to break down with their words. It was becoming too much for Lacey to bear.
If only the contract wasn't important. She tried not to show that he's her husband, yet this happened.
Mark kept staring at the glass of water before him while they laughed and joked at him.
"I feel like I made a mistake letting someone of a lower class sit with us. I shouldn't have allowed that, and now I'm afraid his cheap perfume will contaminate mine," Mr. Alistair said with scorn in his voice.
Mark was about to burst at that moment, wanting to stand up from the table. Elsa and Lacey couldn't say anything.
Stopping Mr. Alistair would only make things worse, and they were already as bad as they could get. Just until this meeting ended, and she could breathe.
Mark wondered why the man had to be like that. It wasn't as if he wanted to be in this situation either; it was just the circumstances of life that had brought him down.
Did he feel happy looking down on him this way, turning a man like him into a laughing stock? Mark wasn't really surprised by his words.
He felt that just because the man was rich and he was not, didn't mean he could demean him in such a way.
All this because his wife wanted a contract from him. His leg started shaking, and his head refused to leave the glass cup in front of him.
"I have finished the wine. Come, pour me more wine," Mr. Alistair said, and Mark was forced to raise his head this time.
"You shouldn't be looking at me that way, Mr. Jones. It's your work, and you could have been out there bowing your heads to people better than you are," Mr. Alistair said plainly.
Unbeknownst to Heaton , the man she met that fateful day would alter her life in the most dreadful manner. She was on the verge of being forcibly wed to a ruthless loan shark, courtesy of her conniving uncle's family. Just when she found a way to escape, everything crumbled as Noel , the dreaded kingpin of the underworld, ensnared her, robbing her of the one thing she cherished most—her freedom. Noel basked in the fear, respect, and reverence his name commanded in the city. But his reputation faced an unexpected trial when a familiar stranger brazenly pilfered from him right under his nose. A simmering anger fueled his relentless pursuit to hunt down the audacious pickpocket. Once he captured Heaton , Noel was determined to make her pay for dHeaton ng to cross him. Meanwhile, Heaton harbored an intense loathing for him and would stop at nothing to break free from the clutches of the menacing Mafia. Little did they know that amidst the chaos, an unexpected twist of fate might lead to a heart heist like no other. Read on to unravel the captivating tale.
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.
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.”
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?"
She was a diamond covered by ashes.... King Dakota was known as the most Powerful Alpha King of all times - more powerful than any other King that had ruled from his lineage. He was cold hearted, introverted and dangerous in anger. Cursed by the Moon goddess, King Dakota had to get married to three wives all in search of a male child that would become his heir, but it was impossible as the curse would only let his wives bear she -wolves. But on a different day, the King meets a lady who offends him and as a punishment, he took her home as his fourth wife. Her name was Shilah. Shilah was a powerless wolf and as a result, was disregarded and intimidated by all. But, when she begins to do things that the King had never felt for years, he began to wonder who she really was. Slowly, she crawled her way into his icy heart and turned out to be something nobody ever expected - a storm.
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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.”