"To Liam and Aurora... for your story will always live on in my heart." Aurora watched in horror as her father attacked her mother and charged at her to kill her. She never thought that her life would change on the night of the tragedy. She never imagined that one fateful night would change everything. When she begged Liam Anderson, a mysterious and powerful figure, to save her, she never imagined that he would offer her a marriage proposal in return. She was torn between her desperate need for safety and her reluctance to marry a man she hardly knew. Little did she know that accepting Liam's proposal would lead her into a world of romance, danger, and suspense, one where they would both have to fight for their life.
AURORA'S POINT OF VIEW
It happened again. He did it again. He hit her. He was on to me next. I had to make a run for it. I was tired of it all. I needed to find solace or else I knew the bruises would be deeper this time. He came back drunk again for the hundredth time. Banging the door, shouting "Let me in!"
How could I when I know that he is going to beat the hell out of us if I did. The whole neighborhood was as silent as a graveyard. As it should be at 1:30 a.m. in the morning. It was a time of sleep for every being that crawled the earth. Mere mortals had taken to heed and unearthly beings roamed the night. How could I know if he hasn't been possessed by one of them?
He has always been so vulgar. No! He wasn't like this. The incident made him so. I do sympathize with him but truth be told, we all suffered from it so he wasn't any less different from us. He took his grief way too far. We got over ours quickly but that didn't mean we didn't love her. It was only because we wanted her to move on too. We knew that if we didn't move on, she wouldn't. We were her stuck point.
"Don't mother! Don't do something that you would come to regret!" I said to my mother as I watched her about to open the door for my father. She was about to let him!
"Not again! Not this night too! It's too sacred to be ruined with scars and bruises. Just let him stay outside, mother!" I warned her again.
She couldn't let him in and let him ruin the night for the both of us. It was his shouting that woke us up from our sleep. We proceeded down the stairs, our hearts filled with jitters and fear.
It was evident to us that today's drinking was different from the normal routine. His voice carried a hint of sadness in them and as he crouched down on his knees crying, we knew that it came from a place of hurt.
Which is probably why my mother thought it was best to let him in, to console him but I knew this beast better than anyone else. He wasn't deserving of a second chance or any chance for that matter.
As my mother twisted the door knob, I kept on waving my head in disagreement with her actions.
"No! No! No! Mother, please don't!" I muttered countless times, begging her to rethink her actions but she gave me no heed.
"He will hit us and you know it! Just let him stay out there, mother! Don't do it, mom!" I persuaded her but she seemed to not budge.
"He is hurting. He is your father and remember that today is the day we lost her. Why don't we all grieve together? Why don't we console each other, together, as a family?" She said to me with a warm voice, her eyes moist and face filled with concern and love for that deadbeat of a man outside.
Why doesn't she ever listen to me?!
We are not a family anymore!
We cannot console him!
As soon as the door flung open, I took a step back, bracing myself up for what was about to happen next. And with the speed of light, he struck! Creating menace and chaos in the air!
He went after her, my mother, holding her hair tightly, causing her so much pain. Grabbing the weapon he could find close to him, he released strikes on her body with it, damaging her beautiful olive skin. I watched in horror as it took place. As she screamed in pain, begging profusely, as he repeatedly hit her, dropping the weapon and using his fists while he cursed out.
"Stupid woman! You are such a fool! Why didn't you open the door earlier?! You left me out there in the dark, waiting! What if I was attacked and killed by an unknown person?! You will pay for it!" He said in his drunken state.
I would find it very much satisfying if he was killed.
I watched on, unable to say or do anything. Unable to help my mother from the hands of my father, unable to move. I watched on as she kept screaming my name for help, begging me to save her.
"Aurora! Aurora, please do something! Aurora, please save me! Please do something, Aurora! Please!" She begged profusely as I saw her body fill up with bruises, blood slowly dripping out from some parts of the openings.
I watched as my father's fists tore into her, reopening bruises and splitting her lips. Her swollen eyes pleaded for mercy as he yanked her by the hair, strands tangled in his bloodied hands. She sobbed, clutching her stomach, shielding herself as he slammed her head against the floor again and again.
Fear gripped me as I watched, knowing this wasn't the end. Frozen in place, I saw my dad unleash his fury on my mom, his curses echoing: "You killed her! You deserve to die, you worthless trash!"
The scene before me was all too familiar-a cycle of pain that never seemed to end. My mother's screams, my father's curses, the sound of flesh meeting fists-it played out like a nightmare on repeat. My bruised body ached, the marks a permanent reminder of my reality.
Then, everything went silent. The chaos faded, leaving me in an eerie void. It was like floating in darkness, disconnected, watching the violence unfold in muted horror. My mind retreated, pulling me into a memory-the night it all began.
That dinner. My father, drunk. My mother's smile, so bright before it all turned sour. The news. The tears. The first strike. The shift from love to terror. That night rewrote our lives, binding us to this endless cycle of suffering.
Could things have been different? If she were still alive, would we be whole? Would my father have been a better man? Or was this who he always was, waiting for the right moment to unravel?
These questions haunted me, their answers lost in the chaos. All the love and happiness I had known in my family now feels like a distant memory, faded and blurred by the years of pain and suffering that followed. What was once joyful and loving now seems like a fantasy, a dream I can barely recall.
I didn't recognize myself anymore-a girl hidden behind shame and fear.
Then, like a crashing wave, the present surged back. The silence broke, replaced by screams and curses that echoed in my head. I was no longer lost in the past. I was here, trapped in this unending torment.
Before my eyes, I saw as my mother began to lose consciousness, her eyes almost closing.
No! Not again! This can't happen again! I can't lose her too-not like this.
Without thinking, I lunged at my father. "Stop it! Leave her alone! You're hurting her! That's enough!" I shoved him, desperate to end his madness.
My father barely flinched. With a single swing of his arm, he sent me crashing into the corner. "Get lost!" he roared.
I stumbled to my feet, tears streaming down my face. "You're going to kill her! Stop it!" I screamed, rushing at him again.
This time, he didn't just shove me-he flung me across the room. My back slammed against the door, and my head struck something hard, the weapon he had used on my mother, lying on the floor. Pain shot through my skull. I placed a hand on the right side of my head and the wet liquid I felt was a confirmation that I was bleeding on the head.
I tried to get up, but my legs gave out beneath me. The room spun, my vision blurred, and my head throbbed. Still, I could see him, his fists raining down on my unconscious mother.
I tried to fight the darkness creeping over me, but my strength was fading fast. Through the haze, I saw him stop, his chest heaving as he turned toward me. A look of satisfaction on his face. He picked up the weapon near my head, his bloodied hands gripping it tightly. His eyes burned with rage.
"It's your turn now," he growled, stepping closer.
The last thing I saw before the darkness swallowed me was his shadow looming over me. I knew deep down, even as I faded into blackness, that it wasn't a hindrance to him. It would not stop him from hitting me!
"Is-Is that a ring I see? Stephen, are you…engaged to her?" I stuttered, my voice trembling. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My mind was reeling, trying to process the reality of the situation. Alia's world is turned upside down when she discovers that her boyfriend of three years has been cheating on her. Filled with anger and hurt, she reluctantly attends a high society event, where she runs into Stephen again. They get into a bitter argument, and in a fit of pique, Alia claims that she has a new boyfriend - a man she doesn't even know. But this man, who turns out to be the dashing and enigmatic CEO of Xu Empires, Christopher Tao Xu, is more than happy to play along with Alia's charade. As Christopher and Alia continue their charade, they begin to develop real feelings for each other. But as they grow closer, Alia's ex-boyfriend, Stephen, becomes increasingly jealous and vengeful. He starts to plot against the blossoming relationship, putting Alia's safety in jeopardy. Will Alia and Christopher's love survive? Or will Stephen's scheming tear them apart?
“It all began in Casablanca, do you still remember?” the voice said. Stripped of everything he has and betrayed by his wife and bestfriend, a young, wealthy businessman sets out on a path of vengeance to get back what he's lost. Along the way, he discovers that the betrayal may have been part of a larger conspiracy, and he must decide whether to continue down his dark path or try to rebuild his life….but vengeance is a must!
“Oh, here he comes! You know him, right? Christopher Tao Xu, CEO of Xu Empires, Heir to the Golden Estate! I don't date broke guys!” Alia said to spite Stephen with a satisfying grip on her lips. After watching her relationship of three years go done the drain because her boyfriend cheated on her, Alia Moon Crust, trying to get back at him get Christopher entangled in a lovers' feud. But what happens when entanglement turns into love? Will Alia give in to Christopher? What happens when he finds out that she is the woman he has been chasing for two years? What happens when Stephen decides to strike back.
“Get married to my son if you ever want your father to be released!” Mr. Carter uttered the very words that would end up turning my life around. I knew he wasn't joking. The look on his face was all the evidence I needed. I knew I had to do it because it was the only choice I have left, but... I'll not go down without a fight! "I, Althea Ruiz, swear on my life that I will never get married to Adam Wilson!" I said out loud, my voice echoing through the room. "We'll see about that!" Adam said through the phone. *With blood on the line and an arranged marriage as ransom, Althea has to make the most difficult choice of her life; abandon her boyfriend of six years and get married to a man that no one has seen for the last ten years. What could go wrong?
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?
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."
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.
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
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.
Renea was trying the wedding dress, when suddenly the man rushed in the dressing room and held her neck tightly... “Bitch! Are you still trying to pretend innocent!” Jasper said as he tightened his grip on her neck and choked her harder. Then he used his other hand and took out the phone from his suit pocket and played the video of two people having sex in front of Renea… However, what was even more shocking, was that the woman in the video was, Renea Morris, however, the man in the video was not Jasper. Renea struggled to take a phone away from Jasper’s hand and tried to explain, “Jasper, it was not what you think… I… I can…” Jasper looked at Renea with his eyes full of disgust, as he said, “Let’s call of the wedding. I can’t marry a woman like you.” After saying that Jasper walked out of the shop Renea chase after Jasper... But then she sees Jasper passionately kissing her sister Kailey. And she hears everything, that her sleeping with strange men was all a plan of the vipers of the last two days, and that their goal was to get out of this stupid marriage. Even her adopted parents were also involved in this matter... They all do this with her because of the inheritance left by her grandfather... Renea heart was filled with anger and she wanted to expose their true colors to the public... However before she could do anything, Kailey had pushed her in front of the car and she got killed... However, when Renea open her eyes, she found herself sitting in the car with Kailey... She realized that she was reborn and went at the time when everything started... Renea looked at the people who had hurt her in her previous life and her lips curled up in a cold smile... She was back... However, this time... she was back for revenge...