"What, worried people would find out you're practically a whore?" "You asshole!" Brynn was a slave to Lawrence's whims as he switched between humiliating her and doting on her. Then one day, he dropped the bomb on her. "I'm getting married." But Brynn was relieved. She took it as closure and moved on. However, while on a blind date with her ideal man, she received nothing but insults from his family. She was losing her self-esteem when Lawrence stormed into the room and pulled her into his embrace. "Apologize to my woman!" Everyone was stunned, including Brynn. Wasn't he supposed to get married that day?
The campus of Traco University was vibrant with lush greenery.
A line of sycamore trees, thick with leaves, stood behind the library.
It was a place seldom visited by people.
"You said... you wouldn't come here..."
"What? Are you worried your classmates will discover that you're a hooker?"
"I'm not! I'm not..."
"Heh, then what's this we're doing?"
"Lawrence Yates! You scoundrel!"
"I'm a scoundrel, and you're the daughter of a murderer. Seems like we're a perfect match!"
Unable to hold back her sorrow any longer, the girl sobbed from the depths of her being, the pain encompassing both her body and spirit.
Eventually, the man, content with the experience, walked away.
In the sunlight, he stood tall, his profile striking, with sharp and pronounced features, and his skin showed a hint of a blush.
As he heard the dejected sound of the girl's footsteps behind him, his lips curled into a smirk, his eyes cold.
"You still haven't paid for this month." Brynn Gibson straightened up as much as she could, clinging to her remaining dignity.
The man gave a mocking sneer, walked over to her, and traced his finger across her swollen lips, each contact making her involuntarily tremble.
His eyes darkened, and he swallowed visibly.
The whole world knew of his disdain for her, yet it did nothing to dampen his pleasure in her reactions during these moments.
His hand wandered, and Brynn, filled with shame, shut her eyes as her body shook uncontrollably.
A bodyguard came near. "Sir, Miss Scott just called."
Lawrence Yates cast his gaze downward, and when he lifted it, all signs of desire had vanished.
He withdrew his hand and cleaned it with a handkerchief.
Brynn turned her head aside, her face a mix of shame and anger.
With a demeaning tone, Lawrence fetched a card from his wallet and handed it to her. "I'm very satisfied with you..."
The wind rustled through the leaves.
Brynn's thoughts emptied as she silently accepted the card, holding it tightly.
Lawrence walked away, accepting a phone from his bodyguard. His tone softened. "Hmm... just wrapped up a meeting..."
***
After her school day, Brynn headed to her job, and after finishing her work, she arrived at a hospital quite late.
Nearing a particular ward, she caught the sound of her mother, Jayne Duffy's, laughter.
Brynn looked down. There was only one person who could bring such joy to her mother.
She opened the door and found Kelley Rayne, her older half-sister from a different father.
Kelley greeted her with a smile. "Brynn, you made it."
"Mm," Brynn responded coolly. Jayne noticed and frowned. "Kelley's now a celebrity. It's not easy for her to find time to visit. Why the attitude?"
Kelley reassured their mother, "Mom, it's fine. Maybe Brynn's just not herself today."
"Who cares about her mood? Who is she trying to impress with that grimace?"
Jayne, who always showed a preference for her older daughter, often visited her ex-husband's family post-divorce.
Clutching a fruit knife, Brynn methodically peeled an apple. "I've taken care of the hospital bill."
Jayne didn't look at her, continuing her conversation with Kelley. "I play your song 'Wander' every day. Everyone in the media says you're a brilliant singer-songwriter! Like mother, like daughter!"
Twenty years earlier, Jayne herself was a figure in the music industry, but she left the scene after her extramarital affair became public.
She later divorced, remarried, and Brynn was born.
Brynn stopped peeling the apple for a moment.
"As long as you are happy, Mom." Kelley looked over at Brynn.
"By the way, I heard from the media that you're going to the Yates Group's big anniversary celebration."
"Yes!" Kelley responded with enthusiasm. "Being invited by the Yates Group is a big nod to my skills and fame!"
"That's fantastic! Make sure you look stunning. If you need cash, I can chip in!"
Jayne then addressed her younger daughter. "Brynn, give your sister a few thousand dollars."
Brynn stared at her mother, a mix of disbelief and disappointment in her eyes.
She looked down, her voice slow. "Mom, I'm just a student. It's my first year at university."
"Enough excuses. Get the money now!"
Kelley tried to soothe the situation, saying, "Mom, it's okay. I can go in something simple."
"That won't do! You're my daughter! You should have the best!"
"But..." Kelley turned to her sister, looking helpless and troubled.
Jayne's temper flared. "Brynn! Didn't you hear me? Get the money!"
Brynn burst out laughing suddenly. "Mom, you're in the hospital, Dad's in jail, and our home is gone... Are you aware of these things?"
Jayne scowled. "Why are you bringing this up now?"
"Ha, okay then, let me ask you, do you have any idea how I'm funding my studies? Do you know where I sleep? Do you know why you haven't been thrown out of this hospital yet?!"
Jayne dismissively waved her hand, not wanting to hear it. "Enough! All I want to know is whether you'll hand over the money or not?"
Tears welled up in Brynn's eyes as she looked at her mother, seeing not guilt but entitlement.
It suddenly dawned on Brynn.
"You've known all this time, haven't you?"
Jayne averted her eyes. "Known what?"
Brynn fixed her gaze on her mother. Ha, she definitely knew. She had always known the only reason she was in this upscale private ward was that her daughter had sacrificed her pride and dignity for it!
Brynn clenched her fist so tightly that the pain snapped her back to reality. She looked down to see blood streaming from her palm.
"Brynn, you're injured..."
Kelley moved towards her, but Brynn's cold stare halted her.
As Brynn left the ward, Jayne's angry voice followed her.
"Who does she think she is, making a scene? Would I be in this mess if it weren't for her? I could have been a legend in the music industry! It's all because of her and her father that my life and career fell apart! It's all her and her father's fault!"
The ward was filled with cries and wails.
--
After leaving the convenience store at 1 AM, a weary Brynn felt her phone vibrate. Its distinct ringtone sent a shiver down her spine.
She pulled out a phone from her bag, which was not her usual phone, and answered. The voice on the other end was thick with alcohol.
"Come to my place."
The line went dead before she could respond.
Brynn wanted to say she wasn't feeling up to it today. Could she take a pass?
But she knew such a request would only lead to further degradation.
Resigned, she hailed a taxi that cost her 120 dollars, erasing the earnings of two days' part-time work.
She arrived at an ordinary apartment complex, hardly the place one would expect the affluent CEO of the Yates Group to call home.
She retrieved the key from a potted plant beside the door and let herself in.
The apartment was tidy. A man lounged on the sofa, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips, its ember casting a faint glow.
"I'm going to take a shower," she said softly.
"No need." Lawrence gestured with his hand. "Come here."
This evening, his demeanor seemed slightly different, not as detached as usual.
Brynn hesitated, then moved toward him.
Lawrence had sex with her until the early hours.
He pressed her down on the sofa, his dark gaze intense, almost devouring her.
When the pain overwhelmed her, she pleaded for mercy. Suddenly, Lawrence drew close, biting her earlobe. In the midst of her agony, he murmured, "I'm getting married."
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
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."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university. That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out. I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend. With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted. But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face. Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings. But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down. It turned out that I was a billionaire's son.
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.