Erik, three years into his marriage, scarcely spared Stephanie a glance. She harbored hopes of rekindling their love, but Erik's intentions darkened towards her very life. Stephanie, entangled in the complexities of love, found her desire for it fading. When Erik unexpectedly encountered Stephanie once more, he was unprepared to find her transformed into the world's wealthiest woman. "Miss Gilbert, how did you achieve such success at a young age?" someone asked. Her reply was sharp. "Avoid men; they're nothing but trouble." The next day, the paparazzi shadowing Stephanie were stunned to see Erik Palmer, notorious for his cold nature, eagerly joining their throng. "Miss Gilbert, I have a proposition for you," Erik declared. "What's on your mind?" Stephanie asked, her curiosity piqued. "Let's think about getting remarried," he suggested.
The aroma of a delicious dinner hung heavy in the air, but the mood at the Palmer household was anything but savory. Stephanie Gilbert, the hostess, had just finished setting the table when a sight curdled her stomach-her husband, Erik Palmer, strolling in with Vivian Howard, his lover, on his arm.
Three years into their marriage, the love Stephanie held for Erik felt like a wilting flower, neglected and thirsty in the shadow of his indifference.
Vivian's provocative messages to Stephanie, including her intimate pictures with Erik, were designed to twist the knife in Stephanie's already wounded heart.
Like a wilting flower struggling for sunlight, Stephanie's marriage had barely survived these three years, leaving her drained and heartbroken.
Leaning on Erik like a vine clinging to a trellis, Vivian cooed, "Stephanie, so sorry to crash your dinner party! Did you do all the cooking? You're quite skilled in the kitchen! Unlike me, I've always struggled with my health. That's why Erik takes such good care of me and never lets me cook."
Stephanie's pursed lips betrayed a brewing storm within. Vivian's mere presence was a stark reminder of the love lost, the void etched where Erik's affection should have been.
"So, can a mistress just stroll into my home now? It's utterly absurd."
"Stephanie, don't jump to conclusions!" Vivian pouted, a hint of mock hurt in her voice. "Erik and I are nothing more than friends. My doctor recommends strict diet due to my delicate health, you see. So, when I learned of your exceptional cooking skills, I practically begged Erik to bring me here. Surely, you wouldn't deny a poor soul a healthy, home-cooked meal, would you?"
Stephanie clenched her fists. "Hold on, Miss Howard. We hardly know each other, so don't talk like we're friends. This meal was for my husband, not uninvited guests."
"Come on! What's the drama? You're supposed to be hospitable! It's just a meal. Relax."
"Honestly, get over yourself. It's just dinner. You've been hosting us ever since you married my brother. Don't act like Vivian's presence is some huge tragedy!" Lacey Palmer impatiently chimed in as she descended the stairs.
"And to be honest, Vivian might have married my brother if you weren't in the picture," Lacey said as she habitually sat down at the table, motioning for Vivian to join her.
They sat in tense silence, Lacey and Vivian's chatter a jarring contrast to the strained air between Stephanie and Erik. Their averted gazes and tense postures spoke volumes, painting a stark picture of a fractured marriage.
The phone rang.
Erik hastily answered it, exchanging a few words before abruptly hanging up.
"I have some business matters to attend to at the company. Stephanie, please take care of things here. I won't be back tonight," Erik announced hurriedly before leaving.
Pushing aside her untouched plate, Stephanie met the remaining women with a steely gaze. "I'm done here. Enjoy your meal."
With that, she stood and ascended the stairs.
"What did I do? Is Stephanie upset because I'm here?" Vivian fluttered her eyelashes, feigning concern.
"Leave her be, Vivian. Try this..."
Lost in thought, Stephanie traced the quilt's pattern, three years of memories swirling in her mind.
Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to be swept off her feet by someone during a campus speech. Yet, there she was, completely captivated by Erik's every word and gesture.
From that moment on, marrying him wasn't just a desire, it was an inscription etched onto her soul.
However, her Mr. Right turned out to be Mr. Not-So-Right-After-All, and her dreams unraveled like a rom-com gone awry.
He did possess the gentleness she had envisioned, but it was not directed towards her.
He possessed the strength and influence she had believed in, but he proved unwilling to shield her.
Caught in a gilded cage, she smothered her own needs, serving the Palmers with a heart both resentful and hopeful for a love that seemed to fade with each sacrifice.
Despite the obstacles Erik's mother and sister threw her way, she endured everything without causing any trouble for him.
With a fragile hope clinging to her heart, Stephanie vowed to persevere, hoping it would finally open his eyes to her genuine love for him.
The invitation was a slap in the face, a blatant disregard for her feelings as Vivian, the source of her insecurity, waltzed into their home.
Was his next step to make her give up her place to Vivian?
Knock knock!
There was a knock at the door.
Stephanie opened it to find Vivian looking remorseful. "Stephanie, I'm sorry. I didn't realize today was your third wedding anniversary with Erik. I didn't mean to intrude."
"Erik isn't here. You can drop the pretense," Stephanie replied bluntly, not in the mood for conversation with Vivian.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
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?"
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."
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..."Â But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"