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"Why do you suddenly want to see me, Oliver?" Sheila burst without even exchanging pleasantries with him. "What's your problem, Sheila?" "You're my problem, Oliver. You can't play with my emotions just like that," she warned him. "Is that the reason you're blackmailing me with empty threats, Sheila?" "What! Empty threats! You know me very well, Oliver. I don't make empty threats." She took out her phone from her handbag and scrolled through it. She opened certain pictures from her gallery and shoved it on Oliver's face to see. "What!" Oliver yelled. "Where did you get those pictures from, Sheila?" "I don't make empty threats. Don't dare play dumb with me," were Sheila's final words, and she stormed out of the bar. ------ Alice Smith, a 22-year-old web developer is tangled between sacrifices and secrets as she is forced into an arranged marriage with a ruthless billionaire Oliver Milton to save her ailing brother after losing her entire family one after the other. When her first love Lucas resurfaces and proposes a contract marriage to her after she's already in an arranged marriage, to secure his inheritance, she's torn between two men and her future hanging on a balance. As the stakes rise, Alice discovers a hidden secret that changes her entire life. Will the ghosts of Alice's past control her future? Or will Alice find happiness in the arms of her first love?
Alice sat in a corner, watching keenly at the sympathizers gathered at her father's burial. "Take heart, Alice," her father's closest friend whispered to her in a quiet voice, his eyes teary. "Everything is under control. All hope is not lost," he added as he embraced her.
Meanwhile, Henry was seated at a distance, his arms crossed, gazing at his sister. "I'm here for you, Alice. I will be your backbone," Henry assured his sister as he sped to her side, noticing her isolation. He enveloped her as her tears dropped onto his chest. "I will be your rock," he whispered to her, his voice gloomy.
Alice's eyes were flooded with tears uncontrollably, as were Henry's. But he knew he had to be strong for her.
"What will you eat?" Henry enquired from Alice, she has been starving herself since morning.
"I don't have an appetite. I just want to be left alone," Alice pleaded, hurrying to her room. Abandoning her brother.
After everywhere was deserted, Henry strolled to check on his sister. "Her deep closeness with our parents has made their demise take a total turn on her," he whispered to himself as he got closer to her bedroom.
He swung the door open and noticed she was already asleep. "She cried her eyes to sleep. I know that," Henry murmured.
A few weeks after the burial, Henry said to his sister, "I will resume work tomorrow. It's been a few weeks since Dad's burial. What about you, Alice? Won't go back to work?" He enquired from her at the dining table, where she looked sober.
"I will start soon," Alice responded.
"Good night," she said, retiring to bed. Her eyes still looked devastated, red from crying. Meanwhile, Henry just wants her to move on; the only way is to start working. Her profession as a web developer takes a lot of her time. That will sway her mind from thinking too much about their parent's demise.
"I hope I didn't say anything wrong," Henry wondered as he also retired to his bedroom as well.
The next day, Henry went to work as planned. However, Alice was still deeply asleep, which tells him that she had a sleepless night. Because no matter the circumstances, she gets up early.
As a small grocery shop owner, Henry works on his terms. He has been trying to keep his struggling business afloat.
"How are you doing today, Alice? You were asleep when I left in the morning," Henry asked in a rough voice.
"How was work today? Are you okay? You seem stressed," Alice asked, noticing her brother's fatigued face.
"Don't worry, dear. I'm just stressed. I need to rest," Henry replied, retiring to his bedroom.
"I hope my brother is fine," Alice whispered to herself. She was sipping her juice and watching her favourite series. She wanted to inform him about moving back to Mexico next weekend. To resume work. She has stopped working for about six months now. This is the right time, with the persistent calls from her clients and boss.
The next morning, Alice woke up late, gazing at the sun rays reflecting in her room. It was a quarter past 9 a.m. "Henry must have departed to his shop by now," Alice said, groaning and yawning.
She quickly doubled her steps to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for herself, but she overheard a heavy wheezing sound from her brother's room. She paused to listen keenly. "I believe he has left for work. Who's panting heavily in his room?" Alice exclaimed to herself and her eyes went round. She dashed out to go and check it out.
Upon getting there, as she swung the door open, she met her brother panting heavily. His labored breaths echoed throughout the entire room.
"What!" Alice exclaimed her mouth agape, and her jaw dropped open. His breath was caught in his throat as he opened his mouth wide, struggling to draw air. Alice's mind went numb; she didn't know what to do.
She quickly raced to her room to get her phone and ordered a ride. The cars in their house are old and unreliable. Moreover, she needs someone to help her carry him into the car since he's extremely weak.
At the hospital, Alice was dragging her feet on the corridor while whispering to herself and bouncing up and down. Her face becomes red and hot awaiting the doctor's report about her brother's health condition.
She arrived with him two hours ago, but no one has explained anything to her. "Please, ma'am, the doctor demands your presence in his office," a voice snapped off Alice's thoughts.
"What? How's my brother?" Alice groaned her voice tight. Before she could turn again, the nurse disappeared, leaving her head hanging.
She gently knocked on the door. "Come in," the doctor beckoned Alice but she stood in front of the door, clenching her jaw. She pursed her lips together as she crept into the doctor's office.
Tears shimmered in her eyes as she gazed at him. "You're welcome. Make yourself comfortable," the doctor said, pointing at the nearby seat in front of him.
He handed over the test results to her as he relaxed in his seat, staring at her. Her jaw dropped open, and her hand covered her mouth as her eyes glanced through the white paper she was holding. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Kidney failure! She exclaimed. "How's that possible?"
Her eyebrows rose, and her eyes filled with tears, she gazed at the doctor and held the unbelievable test results. "I can't believe this doctor," Alice squeaked, her voice dripping.
"Your brother has been suffering from kidney failure, but it showed no symptoms," the doctor revealed. "It's at the worst stage and needs immediate transplant, or I'm sorry you will lose him," the doctor emphasized, his words pierced through Alice's heart.
"What! Is... Is that the transplant bill?" Alice stuttered. "100 million dollars!" She hollered for help. Contemplating on how to raise the said amount, glancing at the bills keenly.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
On their wedding night, Rogelio wrapped his fingers around Marian's neck and spat at her, "Congratulations! From now on, you live in hell!" The reason for his wrath was that he believed she was responsible for the death of his elder brother. So, he married her but refused to touch her, determined to make her suffer for the rest of her pitiful life! However, due to an unforeseen accident, Marian was forced to sleep with Rogelio in order to save him, and she ended up getting pregnant. Concealing her pregnancy, Marian lived cautiously under Rogelio's watchful eyes. He hated her and relentlessly humiliated her, yet he would never allow anyone else to lay a finger on her— "Mr. Bailey, your wife got into a fight with someone!" Rogelio secretly took action, eliminating that person completely. "Sir, your wife claimed that all of your family's wealth belongs to her!" Rogelio quietly transferred all the shares to her. Unaware of all this, Marian only wanted to escape, but Rogelio pulled her into his warm embrace, whispering, "Mrs. Bailey, where do you intend to go with our unborn child?"
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"
Madison had always believed that she would marry Colten. She spent her youth admiring him from afar, dreaming of their future life together. But Colten was always indifferent to her, and when he abandoned her at a time when she needed him most, she finally realized that he never loved her. With renewed resolve and a thirst for revenge, Madison left. Endless possibilities lay ahead, but Colten was no longer part of her plans. Colten rushed to her place in a panic. "Madison, please come back to me. I’ll give you everything!" It was his powerful uncle who answered the door. "She's my woman now."