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Synopsis: Sophie Reynolds has lived a life of misery, overshadowed by her beautiful and cunning stepsister, Vanessa, and tormented by her ruthless stepmother. Her only hope is to escape their cruelty and find a fresh start. But fate has other plans when she's forced into a marriage meant for her stepsister-a union with the cold, fearsome billionaire Alexander Drake, a man known for his power and wealth, as well as his ruthless reputation.Alexander has always been in control, but when his bride turns out to be the quiet and unassuming Sophie instead of the ambitious Vanessa, he feels deceived and betrayed. Convinced that Sophie is just another gold-digger scheming for his wealth, he vows to keep her at arm's length, determined to uncover her true intentions. But the more he watches her, the more he realizes she is nothing like her sister. Sophie is strong, unyielding, and far from the manipulative woman he imagined.As they navigate their unintentional marriage, Sophie struggles to find her place in Alexander's world, while Alexander battles the growing attraction he feels toward her. Their relationship evolves from one of mistrust and resentment into something neither of them expected-something that could shatter the walls Alexander has built around his heart.But with dark secrets and enemies lurking in the shadows, Alexander must protect Sophie from those who would see her destroyed, all while coming to terms with his own feelings. In a world where nothing is as it seems, can Sophie and Alexander find love amidst the lies and betrayals, or will their mistaken marriage crumble under the weight of their pasts?
Chapter 1: A Life of Shadows
Sophie Reynolds had long resigned herself to a life lived in the shadows. Ever since her father, Richard Reynolds, remarried, bringing her stepmother Clarissa and stepsister Vanessa into their home, Sophie had been relegated to the role of the invisible daughter. While Vanessa was the golden child, showered with love and attention, Sophie became nothing more than a convenient scapegoat for all the ills of their household.
Her father, a kind man at heart, had been a successful businessman, often away on trips and consumed with work. He rarely saw the daily dynamics of his own home, leaving Sophie at the mercy of her stepmother and stepsister. Even if she tries telling him what she's going through in his absence, her stepmother will always counter her, making it look like Sophie doesn't want to accept her as her stepmother.
Clarissa was beautiful and cunning, a woman who could charm anyone with a smile; she's a very good actor; her words and actions always sounded convincing, but underneath that polished exterior lay a heart as cold as ice. She saw Sophie as nothing more than a reminder of her husband's first wife, his first love and the woman who still occupies his heart, a woman Clarissa had never met but resented all the same.
Vanessa, spoiled and vain, had inherited her mother's beauty and charm but none of her father's kindness. She took pleasure in making Sophie's life as difficult as possible, delighting in small cruelties that wore Sophie down day by day.
Where Vanessa was admired for her looks and wit, Sophie was criticized for her quiet demeanor and simple tastes.
Sophie's days were filled with menial tasks that Clarissa insisted were necessary to keep the household running smoothly.she isn't a maid, but she works like one; while Vanessa was free to spend her days shopping, attending parties, and flirting with eligible bachelors, Sophie was relegated to cleaning, cooking, and attending to her stepsister's whims.
Even the servants, sensing their mistresses' disdain, treated Sophie with indifference or, worse, pity.
But it wasn't just the chores that weighed heavily on Sophie's heart. It was the constant scheming, the cruel words whispered when they thought she couldn't hear.she wondered if all of this could someday come to an end.
Clarissa and Vanessa would often sit together, plotting how best to use Sophie for their gain or how to make her life just a little bit harder. They spoke of her as if she were a burden, a stain on their otherwise perfect lives.
"You could at least try to be more like Vanessa," Clarissa would say, her voice dripping with disdain as she looked at Sophie.
"Why must you always be so plain and unremarkable? "
Vanessa, of course, would echo her mother's sentiments, often adding her sharp barbs.
"Don't be too harsh, Mother," she would say with a smirk. "Poor Sophie can't help it if she's just not... worthy." she said with a mocking laugh.
Sophie endured it all in silence, her heart growing heavier with each passing day. She longed for the warmth of her father's embrace, the way he used to lift her when she was a child, making her feel like she was the most important person in the world. But those days were long gone, buried under the weight of Clarissa's manipulation and her father's increasing absence.
She stopped complaining to her father because it only heightened her grievances once he was away. Clarissa finds every single way to punish her and make her wish she wasn't born.
At night like this, when the house was quiet and everyone else was asleep, Sophie would lie in her small, cramped room, staring up at the ceiling.with tears in her eyes, calling for her mother to come take her away. She would dream of a different life, one where she was free from the shackles of her stepmother's cruelty and her stepsister's jealousy.
A life where she could be herself, unburdened by the constant pressure to be something she was not. Sophie found solace in books, the only escape she had from her miserable existence. She would lose herself in tales of distant lands, of brave heroines who overcame adversity and found love in the most unlikely places.
These stories were her refuge, her only source of hope in a life that felt increasingly bleak. But even as she dreamed of escape, Sophie knew that her reality was unlikely to change.
She was trapped in a life she hadn't chosen, with no clear path to a different future. The world outside her home seemed vast and terrifying, and she had no means to venture beyond the walls that confined her.
Yet, despite the despair that threatened to consume her, there was a small, stubborn part of Sophie that refused to give up. She clung to the hope that one day, something-anything-would happen to change her circumstances.
She prayed for a fresh beginning, a chance to break free from the chains that bound her. Little did Sophie know that her prayers were about to be answered, but not in the way she had ever imagined.
Soon, her life would take a turn that would lead her far from the world she had known, thrusting her into a marriage she never wanted with a man whose reputation was as fearsome as the life she longed to escape.
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
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!
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.”
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.