She schemed meticulously, provoking the most powerful man in the capital, Mr. Remington! They signed a contract, and whenever he summoned, she had to serve him at his will. When the contract ended, she smirked, "I take the money, and you get lost; we're even." He was Mr. Remington, who dominated the capital, controlling the empire's commerce by day and ruling the existence of an entire city by night. He would never let his prey escape, but she was the exception. Pointing a gun at her heart, he said, "Die with me or love me, which do you choose?" She pouted, turned around, and shoved a child into his arms, "Hmph, this is my answer."
In the winter night of 2024, the biting cold wind pierced through the stillness, casting an eerie silence over the land.
It was past midnight, around two in the morning, and the streets were deserted, save for the occasional gust of cold wind.
Suddenly, a black van appeared from the distance, coming to a stop by the riverbank. Two men got out of the vehicle, cautiously looking around before quickly dragging something out of the van.
"Hurry up," one of the men urged. "Stop dawdling. The boss said to get rid of this woman quickly."
The other man sighed regretfully. "Such a pity... She's so beautiful, and now she's going to be drowned. Isn't that right, Sam?"
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to," Sam snapped. "Put those thoughts away. Just get it done. Once we get the money from this job, you can have any woman you want."
"Alright, alright... No need to rush me, Sam... But is it true? Is the person who wants her dead really her fiancé?"
"Are you looking for trouble? Don't ask questions you shouldn't. Just get her into the sack and tie her with the stones!"
"Yeah, I know..."
Emily's body was weak and powerless, but her mind was clear. She could hear the conversation between the two men distinctly, yet she couldn't move a muscle.
The words exchanged between them made her heart plummet into an icy abyss...
Fiancé...
Fiancé...
Ha...
An hour ago, she had been celebrating at a bar with her "fiancé" and close friend, happy about their upcoming wedding next week. She had genuinely believed she was finally going to be with the person she loved.
Then her best friend had pulled her to the bathroom and... everything went black.
When she woke up, it was now, facing death as her last awareness of the world. Her heart was filled with desolation and the despair of betrayal.
Emily couldn't understand how the love of a moment ago had turned into this.
She felt herself being stuffed into a coarse burlap sack, then bound tightly with rope along with the sack.
She felt her body being lifted, weighed down by stones. The two men chanted as they heaved her: "One... two... three, throw!"
With a splash, the sack was tossed into the icy river, creating a high spray of water. Emily quickly felt the freezing water enveloping her, seeping into her mouth, nose, and ears. The breath of death surrounded her, and the darkness grew heavier.
Emily thought she was certainly going to die this time.
But after an eternity of darkness, she opened her eyes once more.
She found herself lying in a rundown rental room, staring at the familiar yet strange surroundings. She pinched herself hard, confirming she was indeed in her old rental from two years ago.
How did she end up here?
There was a calendar on the bedside table. The date was March 2022...
A thought flashed through Emily's mind. She had come back to life... She had been resurrected and returned to two years ago...
Emily sat on the rickety single bed for a long time, stunned.
Suddenly, she burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face as she laughed.
Her tear-filled eyes were fierce and cold, colder than the river water, like a vengeful spirit crawling out of hell, consumed by a single, relentless desire: destruction.
---
For Alexander, the name "Emily" meant "new lover."
For Emily, the name "Alexander" meant "patron."
Their relationship was clear from the start: one provided financial support, and the other was the beneficiary. It was a transactional arrangement, devoid of love.
---
Two months later, in London
The night was dark and heavy, carrying the weight of suppressed pain, shattering the silence of the evening.
A man's voice, cold and ruthless, echoed with intense hatred. "You'll regret this, woman..."
"No, I've never regretted any decision I've made, no matter the outcome. I will never regret it," the woman's voice trembled slightly, betraying her fear, but it was resolute.
"I'll make you understand the meaning of regret," the man snarled, his hand suddenly gripping her throat.
In the darkness, the stifled sound of suffering resembled the desperate whimpering of a wounded animal, fighting a losing battle for survival on the brink of death.
The man gritted his teeth. "Does it hurt? Feel like you can't breathe? Like you're about to die?"
"I've never had any pity for self-degrading women... You deserve this. Today, you'll taste what it's like to be on the edge of death!"
No matter how harsh his insults, the woman made no sound.
The black night mirrored her despair, thick and impenetrable, engulfing the land in darkness without a hint of light.
It was a battle of unequal forces, a fight to the death with no suspense.
---
Under the cover of night, the Empire Tower was brightly lit.
This was the favorite haunt of the city's elite, a symbol of status and privilege.
In the penthouse suite, always reserved for one person and never open to outsiders, the atmosphere was eerily suffocating.
The air was filled with tension, mingled with the sweet and fresh scent of Anna Sui perfume, pure yet tainted with the deep decay of post-chaos.
The sound of running water from the bathroom echoed through the silent night, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
Emily sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a bedsheet. Her long hair was disheveled, her cheeks flushed, her breathing unsteady. She looked like a delicate flower just beginning to bloom in the spring breeze. Her exquisite features, her beautiful face, shone like a pearl in the night, finally ready to reveal its luster after being polished.
But her eyes were vacant, devoid of any light, with a layer of lifeless gray, making her beautiful eyes appear doll-like.
Her hands, wrapped around her knees, trembled slightly, her pupils dilated as if she were scared.
Yes, she was scared, more scared than she had ever been.
Because today, she had done the most reckless thing of her life.
She had set herself on a path of no return, like opening Pandora's box, leading to a new beginning filled with uncertainty, leaving her in a state of constant anxiety.
But...
She would not regret it!
"God, if you have given me a miracle, then please let me continue smoothly on this path. Let me hold this man in my hands, make him my unbreakable scepter, and allow me to conquer all."
---
Emily's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door opening. Alexander emerged, a towel wrapped around his waist, his wet hair glistening under the dim light. He walked over to her, his expression unreadable.
"Did you enjoy your little act of defiance?" he asked coldly.
Emily looked up at him, her eyes still empty. "I don't regret anything," she repeated, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands.
Alexander's lips curled into a cruel smile. "We'll see about that," he said, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "I can make your life a living hell, Emily. Don't forget that."
Emily met his gaze, her resolve hardening. "Do your worst, Alexander. I've faced worse demons than you."
Alexander straightened up, his smile fading. "You're playing a dangerous game, Emily. And in this game, I always win."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Emily alone in the dimly lit room. She let out a shaky breath, her body still trembling from the encounter.
But she knew she couldn't back down now. She had made her choice, and there was no turning back. She would fight, no matter the cost, to take control of her destiny.
Andrew's father's company went bankrupt and he owed a large amount of money so Andrew had to agree to marry Emma and come live with her family. During his time living with Emma and her family, Andrew was constantly bullied and humiliated by his wife and parents-in-law. One day, a system called "The rich son-in-law system" appeared, he just had to follow its requirements and he would be rewarded with a lot of money. Since then, Andrew escaped poverty and became a billionaire, his ex-wife Emma also knelt down begging him not to leave her.
"After waiting for four years, what Daisy received was a divorce petition. Looking at the man she had given her heart to standing in front of her, Daisy asked, "Is it really over between us? Were all these years of emotions fake?" Matthew smirked. "You brought it all upon yourself. If you hadn't schemed to drive Jazzie away, this position of Matthew's wife would have been hers." Daisy collapsed in despair, realizing that he had never truly forgotten his first love. All these years, she had been dancing around like a clown. How ironic. "Fine, let's get a divorce." After a moment... Matthew: "Daisy, I know I was wrong. Don't marry someone else, don't leave me. Can we go home?" Daisy: "Home? That home has already been destroyed by you. Matthew, I don't want to reconcile. Just go away."
Dear readers, this book has resumed daily updates. It took Sabrina three whole years to realize that her husband, Tyrone didn't have a heart. He was the coldest and most indifferent man she had ever met. He never smiled at her, let alone treated her like his wife. To make matters worse, the return of the woman he had eyes for brought Sabrina nothing but divorce papers. Sabrina's heart broke. Hoping that there was still a chance for them to work on their marriage, she asked, "Quick question,Tyrone. Would you still divorce me if I told you that I was pregnant?" "Absolutely!" he responded. Realizing that she didn't mean shit to him, Sabrina decided to let go. She signed the divorce agreement while lying on her sickbed with a broken heart. Surprisingly, that wasn't the end for the couple. It was as if scales fell off Tyrone's eyes after she signed the divorce agreement. The once so heartless man groveled at her bedside and pleaded, "Sabrina, I made a big mistake. Please don't divorce me. I promise to change." Sabrina smiled weakly, not knowing what to do...
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
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.
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!