"The entire wealthy circle in Seattle knew how much Stella Carlson loved Aaron Malone. People watched the childhood sweethearts grow from inexperience to maturity, finally getting married in a grand wedding ceremony. On the day of the wedding, despite the alliance between the Carlson and Malone families, the groom ran away. Stella knew that Aaron had rushed to L.A. to take care of his ex-girlfriend, who had attempted suicide. Unwilling to become the laughingstock of all Seattle, she gritted her teeth and dialed the number of her adversary, her tone almost commanding, "Ethan, come and marry me now. This is your only chance for revenge." On the other end, Ethan Powers raised an eyebrow as he gripped his phone, staring at the floor littered with cigarette butts. "Did the groom run away?" he asked. "My darling."
May, Seattle
The clouds hung low, the weather brewing with mugginess. Just after the typhoon passed, the air carried a damp mist, accompanied by a gentle breeze blowing into the room through the window.
The clock ticked slowly, steadily pointing to eight o'clock sharp.
Just then, there was a light sound outside the door. Upon getting a response from Stella Carlson, Aurora, dressed in professional attire, entered the hotel's presidential suite.
Merbeil, where Aurora worked, was the best-known wedding planning company in the industry, specializing in high-end clientele. Of course, the services provided were also absolutely considerate and meticulous, worthy of the million-dollar fee.
Two months ago, Merbeil received a commission for a luxury wedding. After internal competition, Aurora stood out and officially won the planning for this luxury wedding.
The top-floor presidential suite at SIMO Hotel was elegantly simple in style, yet luxurious details were subtly embedded. Even the water glasses casually placed on the coffee table were custom-made by Queen-W.
Upon entering the room, Aurora saw the bride, Stella, standing silently by the window. With a polite smile, she kindly asked, "Miss Carlson, it's still early, would you like to rest first?"
Upon hearing her voice, Stella turned around. Her bright eyes were clear and charming, with a soft light akin to water. With chestnut hair and red lips, her delicate features adorned her swan-like neck and shoulders. Her skin resembled porcelain. She was draped only in a loose bathrobe, yet her beauty stunned Aurora, who was also a woman, almost rendering her unable to look away.
The beauty's gaze fixed on the clock on the wall, which was moving constantly. Then, with a faint smile, she gently asked back, "Is it still early?"
Her voice was soft, as if asking Aurora, yet also as if speaking to herself, which puzzled Aurora a bit. After all, it was just past 8 o'clock, and according to the wedding schedule, it would be another two hours before Mr. Malone arrived.
As the head wedding planner, Aurora naturally had some understanding of the groom and bride.
The Malone family was among the few prominent elites, and the groom, Aaron Malone, was the current head of the Malone family.
This well-known young man was truly the pride of heaven, born with a silver spoon, educated in prestigious schools. He successfully launched a startup while studying, which later went public, and then orchestrated the largest medical merger in the industry after inheriting the family business.
However, the wealthy bachelor, what people found most fascinating was a rumor.
Many gossip accounts speculated about the ambiguous relationship between the elite Mr. Malone and the rising starlet in the entertainment industry, Avery Fletcher. Naturally, Aurora was also curious. But after interacting with him during this period, she felt that Mr. Malone's attentive care for his fiancée, Miss Carlson, didn't seem fake.
Miss Carlson was both beautiful and graceful, not inferior to Avery, who stood out in the entertainment industry for her looks. It was heard that she entered the Radiant Arts Institute with outstanding results in liberal arts in Seattle, and later pursued further studies at the Lawton Business School, a definite academic achiever. Such an illustrious lady with outstanding credentials and a personable demeanor. After two months, Aurora had become a loyal supporter of Stella.
Avery had a solid background, and negative news about her had been wiped clean. However, Aurora still heard from her screenwriter friends that Avery tended to throw tantrums while filming.
If Mr. Malone wasn't blind, why would he ignore his fiancée, who was stunningly beautiful, and instead favor Avery, who only knew how to market her beauty like a duck trying to imitate a swan?
Aurora felt that perhaps the rumors were just hearsay, merely the online community chasing shadows.
Unaware of Aurora's thoughts, Stella glanced at her phone, closed the window, and walked over to the sofa to sit down, asking, "Aurora, I remember you're from L.A.. Do you know how long it takes to travel from L.A. to Seattle?"
"If you're taking a plane, it's less than two hours. Hmm... but today might be an exception. I have a friend who wants to come to Seattle for a visit. Originally, they had a flight booked for today, but just saw on their social media that many flights from L.A. have been canceled."
Both Seattle and L.A. were coastal cities, and this season, there were often typhoons, occasionally causing flight delays due to weather.
Just as Aurora finished speaking, her two colleagues entered, pushing a rack with wedding dresses.
Stella, in a relaxed posture, nodded casually while half-leaning on the sofa, no longer engaging in further conversation.
...
The presidential suite had a separate dressing room, where Stella went to change.
The wedding dress was a special custom design from Stella's friend Natalie Barrett's personal brand. Layers of sheer white chiffon cascaded, adorned with hundreds of pearls and diamonds, shimmering in the light. The fitted off-the-shoulder design highlighted her sexy and delicate collarbones, accentuating her graceful and enchanting figure. It had to be said, this dress and Stella were a perfect match, and everyone exclaimed at how beautiful it was.
The wedding team's executive assistant, Hannah, walked over at this moment to help with arranging the train of the dress.
The Carlson family might not be as prominent as the Malone family in recent years, but they were still considered notable figures in Seattle. Most importantly, Stella was about to marry into the Malone family and officially become Mrs. Malone.
Hannah tried to please, casually tidying the wedding dress while also complimenting, "Miss Carlson, I've worked with many clients, but this is the first time I've met such a handsome groom like Mr. Malone. Mr. Malone said you two met when you were 16. First love always holds the most sincere feelings."
While Hannah's attitude was teasingly polite, Stella remained lost in thought, politely smiling at the end without responding.
Feeling a bit awkward, Hannah was relieved when Stella's phone rang at the right moment, giving her a chance to change the subject. She smiled and said, "Mr. Malone is really considerate, calling at this moment."
Seeing Stella slightly furrow her brows, Aurora thought she might not appreciate Hannah's approach, so she spoke up, "Alright, let's not disturb Miss Carlson anymore. Let's go over the wedding itinerary again."
Although Hannah had some support behind her, she didn't dare openly defy Aurora, the executive of the wedding team, so she reluctantly bit her lip.
The three soon left the room.
The room quieted down as Stella walked to the window and answered Aaron's call.
The man's voice was gentle and calm. "I'm sorry. The flight got canceled, and I won't make it back in time."
Stella rubbed her brow as if she had expected it, her tone flat. "I know." Her voice was as gentle as ever, putting Aaron at ease on the other end of the phone.
Next, Aaron's voice became steady and firm, as if he were handling business matters. "It's still early. We can reschedule the wedding for tomorrow. I've already called Daniel. He'll inform the guests later. Don't worry."
Don't worry?
Hearing Aaron's words, Stella found it ridiculous and smiled, almost as if mocking herself.
Yesterday, when Aaron said he had to rush to L.A. for a branch matter, he used the same gentle and calm tone to assure her not to worry, that he would come back and it wouldn't affect the wedding.
"Aaron, I know Avery was admitted to the hospital last night. Are you at the hospital now?" Stella asked directly.
Aaron obviously didn't expect her to know the reason for his trip to L.A. and remained silent for a moment.
Stella's eyes dimmed slightly, a touch of self-deprecation coloring her gaze as she spoke knowingly, "So you're at Avery's apartment."
There was a pause on the other end, and he spoke softly, "I'm sorry, Stella, for not telling you yesterday. I was afraid you'd misunderstand."
"Misunderstand? But look, even though you knew I might misunderstand, you still went there." Her tone betrayed no emotion, adding a hint of irony.
Aaron's tone grew somewhat indifferent, "I know you have some bias against Avery, but she's your cousin. She's injured, and neither you nor I can turn a blind eye."
The man's obvious defense of Avery caused Stella's hand to tremble slightly. She sighed deeply, quietly lowering her gaze. "Yes, Avery is my cousin."
She was also Aaron's ex-girlfriend, and more importantly, his childhood sweetheart.
The Carlson and Malone families were close, and Avery moved in at the age of six with her mother, becoming Aaron's true childhood friend. Earlier, when Hannah tried to make light of the situation, Stella remained silent because Aaron's childhood affection didn't belong to her.
"How is she now?" she asked.
The two had argued too much over Avery, so Aaron didn't want to dwell on it now. He simply replied, "She's been discharged from the hospital, nothing serious."
"Oh, I see." Though she had anticipated it, Stella still felt a bit relieved. If Avery had really been seriously injured, Stella's grandfather, Thomas Carlson, who had been in poor health in recent years, probably wouldn't be able to handle it. However, when Stella received those photos just now, she already understood that Avery probably wasn't really in trouble.
"Stella," Aaron softened his tone, "My decision to come to L.A. before the wedding was not well thought out, but for now, we need to make sure tomorrow's wedding is properly arranged, okay?"
Because Avery was injured, he had to cancel last minute, so he wanted to postpone the wedding.
Stella was acutely aware, from the moment Aaron proposed to her, that the significance of this wedding in their hearts was different.
She remained calm, silently gazing out the window.
The city bustled with activity, towering skyscrapers dominating the skyline.
Perhaps the air conditioning indoors was too strong. With one arm wrapped around herself, she stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the flowing traffic below, yet feeling no sense of reality. It was as if she had returned to the year she turned 16.
After a long pause, she spoke again, "Aaron, do you remember when I first came back to the Carlson family, I lost the jade Buddha the dean gave me? I searched for it for a long time but couldn't find it. I hid in the attic and cried alone. Then you found me in the attic, didn't tell anyone, and secretly helped me find the jade Buddha."
Her voice was ethereal and soft, causing Aaron to be drawn into reminiscence, softening his heart. Later, he chuckled softly, "At that time, I wondered why you would hide and cry just because you lost something. But seeing how sincerely you cried, I had to help you find it."
Stella smiled.
Actually, she knew Aaron hadn't found that jade Buddha. It was just his gentlemanly upbringing that compelled him to not ignore a crying girl and so he bought a similar-looking one.
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?" Aaron asked.
"I just suddenly felt that losing that jade Buddha wasn't really worth being sad about." With that said, most of the emotions in her heart dissipated.
Initially, her tears were more about the overwhelming scrutiny she faced when she first returned to the Carlson family, suppressing too many emotions. Later, when she got into the Radiant Arts Institute, she heard plenty of flattery and praise from outsiders. The jade Buddha Aaron bought for her was also lost, but she seemed to feel nothing about it.
Time ultimately heals all wounds, and nothing is immutable. So what had she been holding onto all these years?
It was as if she had pondered one thing for too long and finally made a decision in this moment.
"Let's put an end to this wedding," she said. "Let's break up."
Three years of arranged marriage, husband's first love returns. On the day of divorce, she was tied back home by a stranger named her wife. He is a young and notorious heir to a consortium, who lost his memory in a car accident and mistakenly identified her as his wife as a doctor The man who is rumored to do evil deeds is like a little puppy in front of her. He sleeps on her bed when he has nothing to do and says, "Wife, hug..."
Monica, an introverted and beautiful high school student, discovers that she was adopted after her parents passed away in a car accident. Three years later, she meets her biological family, which includes her managing director brother, Gavin Moore. However, Monica finds it hard to accept her new family all at once. Moreover, she is surprised to learn that she has four brothers. Gavin tries to ease her discomfort by giving her a gift, but the school's principal keeps flattering the family, which causes Gavin to offer funds for the school's construction to stop the principal's insincere behavior. Monica accepts the gift and meets her brother's Rolls Royce, which overshadows even the daughter of a member of the school board of directors. Monica is left wondering what life with four brothers will be like.
After Martina Martinez and Benjamin Walker's breakup, paparazzi captured photos of the business tycoon entering the Walker family mansion with a mysterious woman late at night. This caused a stir, and this wealthy family was bombarded by various media outlets. During a phone interview, the gossip reporter asked, "Miss Martinez, how do you feel now that Mr. Walker has a new girlfriend?" Martina held her painful forehead and looked towards Benjamin, who was adjusting his suit by the floor-to-ceiling window. He gestured for her to come over and help him with his tie. Holding her phone, Martina responded, "It's... complicated!" The reporter's heart leaped with joy and asked, "Is it heartbroken?!" Martina was about to nod, but Benjamin raised his eyebrows and took her phone away. His deep and alluring voice was heard on the other end of the line, "New girlfriend? Whose?"
"Sorry, Mr. Robert, the prisoner refuses to meet with you." Two months later. "Sorry, Mr. Robert the prisoner still refuses to meet with you." Six months later "Sorry, Mr. Robert, the prisoner is firm and still refuses to meet with you." One year later. "Mr. Robert, sorry, we asked, and she refuses to meet with you, persistently." Two years later. "Mr. Robert, she doesn't want to see you." The female guard in uniform politely spoke to the man in front of her. Upon hearing this, the man paused and then said to the female guard. "You tell her for me that I will marry her when she comes out." Anna doesn't believe that a man who has been in love for ten years will betray her. In the adjournment room, Anna sat sluggishly on the chair. Two days in court left her exhausted. "Robert, do you really want to push me to hell?" "Your father pushed my mother into the sea, and I'll make his daughter's life worse than death. It s fair, right?" Anna eyes were flled with tears, but she stubbornly raised her head and held it back. When she looked at Robert again, she took on a pleading look and said, "For the sake of the past ten years we have been together, would you drop your case?" Robert stood up, looking at her from a high position, coldly snorted. "Heh, I have been waiting this day for ten years. How could | drop it?" Looking at her miserable appearance, Robert heart seemed to have cracked a ittle. He frowned, suppressing that feeling, and cruelly said: "But you still have some time left. Next week is my engagement party with Lily. This is the invitation, and you are welcome to attend." He dumped the invitation on Scarlet's body with contempt, and walked away without looking back. Anna looked at the white invitation letter, as if the last ounce of her strength had been taken away. She fell into a chair, and could not even breathe. When she and Robert were together, he never said he wanted to marry her. Now he was getting married, and she was going to jail. Anna hung her head, covered her face with both hands, and let the tears fall all over her cheeks. When the trial started again, Anna stood quietly at the defendant's table and listened to the judge's statement. " Defendant!" Anna came back to her senses, and instead of looking at the judge, she looked at Robert. Suddenly, she smiled, quiet and well- behaved, just like the first time when they met and she called him "honey' '. Robert.' heart trembled by her gaze as if something was flowing away. "Robert., my father is dead, and he had it coming, and I also have to go to jail." "From now on, we are even! The past ten years, I will pretend I never met you.... Tears broke out from Anna eyes; she turned her head to the judge and said, "I plead guilty!"
"Chloe's,Do you know that Ethan is getting married too? His wedding is on the same day as yours," Evelyn said as her grip on the steering wheel tightened. A frozen smile appeared on the corner of Chloe's mouth in an instant. In the end, she shook her head and looked out the window. The green light came on, and the car started moving. Evelyn looked ahead, unable to help but recall the past. "Back in school, you two were so high-profile. Everyone said that if you two ever separated, neither of you would survive it," she slowly said. "But who would have thought that you would actually break up." "People grow up..." Chloe lowered her eyes, her voice barely audible. Listening to this, Evelyn didn't bring up the topic again. On the way, Chloe opened her mouth several times, wanting to ask who Ethan was marrying, but in the end, she never uttered the question. At the bridal shop, she went to the fitting room to try on wedding dresses, while Evelyn sat on the sofa waiting. Suddenly, a familiar male voice echoed in her ears. "This one will do." The man's tone was casual, his deep and charming voice resonating. Evelyn's expression changed, instantly recognizing the man by his voice. The man was Ethan Blackwood!
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
I received a pornographic video. "Do you like this?" The man speaking in the video is my husband, Mark, whom I haven't seen for several months. He is naked, his shirt and pants scattered on the ground, thrusting forcefully on a woman whose face I can't see, her plump and round breasts bouncing vigorously. I can clearly hear the slapping sounds in the video, mixed with lustful moans and grunts. "Yes, yes, fuck me hard, baby," the woman screams ecstatically in response. "You naughty girl!" Mark stands up and flips her over, slapping her buttocks as he speaks. "Stick your ass up!" The woman giggles, turns around, sways her buttocks, and kneels on the bed. I feel like someone has poured a bucket of ice water on my head. It's bad enough that my husband is having an affair, but what's worse is that the other woman is my own sister, Bella. ************************************************************************************************************************ “I want to get a divorce, Mark,” I repeated myself in case he didn't hear me the first time—even though I knew he'd heard me clearly. He stared at me with a frown before answering coldly, "It's not up to you! I'm very busy, don't waste my time with such boring topics, or try to attract my attention!" The last thing I was going to do was argue or bicker with him. "I will have the lawyer send you the divorce agreement," was all I said, as calmly as I could muster. He didn't even say another word after that and just went through the door he'd been standing in front of, slamming it harshly behind him. My eyes lingered on the knob of the door a bit absentmindedly before I pulled the wedding ring off my finger and placed it on the table. I grabbed my suitcase, which I'd already had my things packed in and headed out of the house.
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!"
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."
"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!