Sofia Levine married a man she had known for less than 24 hours. The marriage was the result of an agreement between their grandfathers. At first, her half-sister even tried to take her place in the marriage, after all, Rome Beckett was the sole heir of a wealthy family. With his good looks, he was the object of many women's affections in the city. Rumor had it that Rome Beckett was cold and aloof, and many were waiting to see Sofia become the laughingstock of the high society as a discarded wife. After the wedding, they treated each other with respect, and Sofia believed that, in time, there might be a little love between them. That is, until one day, she overheard him casually talking to a friend, saying, "It's nothing more than fulfilling the familys' wishes." It was a business marriage from the start, and she had developed feelings she shouldn't have. She quickly moved out of that home. In the pouring rain, the once-proud man, humbled by love, held her hand with trembling fingers. "Let's go home, please?" The male lead, from indifference to deep devotion.
In the Levine Mansion
Around noon, the bright sunlight poured in through the windows, casting a warm glow on a young girl sitting at her desk, deep in concentration.
Sofia was in her room, immersed in reading reference books on archaeological artifacts. Just as she was getting lost in her studies, she heard the faint sound of servants walking back and forth outside the door.
She put down her book, curiosity piqued, and cracked the door open to peek outside.
Downstairs in the living room, her father, Mr Robert Levine, stood impeccably dressed in formal attire, as if preparing to welcome an important guest. Turning his head to the left, he spoke in a voice that was both authoritative and slightly impatient, "Hurry up, the old man from the Beckett family will be here soon."
The sound of approaching high heels grew louder. "On such an important day, of course I had to make sure Ruby looks beautiful. Just look at her." The voice, unmistakably, belonged to Sofia's stepmother, Anna. Standing beside her was a young girl, slightly younger than Sofia-her half-sister, Ruby.
Mr Levine glanced at his daughter's outfit, approving of her appropriate appearance.
Today, Ruby was wearing a cream-colored satin mid-length dress, paired with a black tweed jacket lined with gold threads. Her shoulder-length wavy hair added to the mature look, though she complained, "Mom, this dress isn't my style at all. It's so old-fashioned."
Anna patted her shoulder gently, soothing her with a soft voice, "Just bear with it. We're meeting elders today. Trust me, dressing conservatively is the right choice."
Ruby pouted but had no choice but to comply.
A handsome, striking face flashed through her mind. It had been six months since she last saw him. How was he doing now? Her earlier displeasure quickly disappeared at the thought.
Mr Levine nervously inspected the house, making sure everything was in order. He caught sight of Sofia looking around and cleared his throat. "Sofia, remember what I told you-don't come out of your room today."
Sofia nodded silently and withdrew her head back into the room. Before she could close the door, she heard Ruby let out a mocking snicker.
Her father had reminded her multiple times not to leave her room today, no matter what she heard. Lunch would be brought to her by the servants.
Sofia sat quietly in her room, gazing out the window. This house had ceased to be her home ever since she was five.
That year, her mother had fallen gravely ill and passed away. In the midst of her grief, her once-responsible father brought Anna into the house, along with a two-year-old child.
In other words, even before her mother passed away, her father already had another family. While her mother lay on her deathbed, her father embraced another woman.
Because of this, Sofia had never believed in love or marriage. She intended to devote the rest of her life to artifact restoration.
Through her window, she saw a Rolls-Royce and a business car drive into the courtyard. After a quick glance, she returned to her reading.
Mr Levine and his family grew restless as soon as they saw the cars enter through the gate. They hurriedly went to the front door to greet their guest.
An elderly man with white hair stepped out of the car. His posture was straight, his weathered face showing signs of age, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and his presence radiated authority.
Mr Levine strode forward with a flattering smile, extending his hand toward the old man. "Mr Beckett, welcome to our humble home. We should have been the ones to visit you, after all."
Mr Beckett extended his hand as well, but after a brief handshake, he quickly let go. "No need. I wanted to see where my future granddaughter-in-law has been living."
His gaze swept to the side, and Mr Levine quickly spoke up, taking the lead in introducing them. "This is my wife and daughter."
Anna gently pushed Ruby forward, and she gave Mr Beckett a polite bow.
Mr Beckett glanced at them briefly, his emotions unreadable-neither approving nor disapproving.
Sensing a subtle tension, Mr Levine forced a smile and quickly invited him into the living room. "Please, come this way."
They entered the mansion in a line, followed by Mr Beckett's bodyguards and assistants.
Only then did Ruby raise her head, her brow furrowed as she looked toward the parked cars, muttering to herself, "Rome didn't come?" Her tone was filled with disappointment.
Leaning over, Anna whispered a reminder to her daughter, "Watch what you say. Mr Beckett is still the head of their family. As long as he agrees, no one will oppose him. Do you understand?"
Since receiving the news a week ago that Mr Beckett would be visiting, Anna had repeatedly reminded her daughter hundreds of times how to behave gracefully, ensuring that she would appear as a worthy daughter-in-law.
Though the two families had a marriage agreement, how they presented themselves in public was of utmost importance.
It was also Anna's first time being so close to Mr Beckett. His sharp, eagle-like eyes sent chills down her spine.
One of the reasons Mr. Daniel Beckett commanded such respect was his rise from humble beginnings. He started a small import-export company with just a thousand dollars, and it had since grown into a vast business empire spanning oil, electricity, finance, and international trade. Even the relatively influential Levine family couldn't compete with his achievements.
Lena Carrington and Alaric Winfield have been rivals since childhood, always competing with each other-from school to adulthood. When Lena's family faces a financial crisis and her fiancé of three years heartlessly dumps her, all her old friends turn a blind eye, leaving her to fend for herself. One day, she runs into her ex-boyfriend, who's with his new girlfriend, eager to watch her hit rock bottom. Frustrated and unwilling to give in, she then bumps into Alaric, her lifelong adversary. "Beg me, and maybe I'll help you," he says, arms crossed, watching her with amusement. "I'd rather die than beg you. Keep dreaming." But later, she turns back. "Fine, help me! Name your terms." He gives a slight smile, "Deal." One night, she accidentally kisses him, and soon, she starts to notice that something about Alaric is changing...
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."
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
Three years ago, Cecilia was left battered and alone by the man she loved most, Alston, yet she bravely completed the wedding ceremony while pregnant. Three years later, although they were married, they grew apart over time. Cecilia focused on her career, no longer foolishly believing in love. But her transformation instantly threw Alston into a panic... And what is the secret from 11 years ago that Cecilia has always been reluctant to reveal? *** "She went to a law firm, met with a lawyer..." A lawyer? Is Cecilia suing someone? Who? Is there any recent litigation against the company? Alston suddenly chuckled coldly, "Who could she sue? I'm the CEO of this company. How come such a matter doesn't come to me first?" The assistant swallowed nervously, speaking softly, "Sir, there's no litigation against the company. She met with... a divorce lawyer."
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
When they met again, Jason cast aside his paranoia and pride, warmly embracing Chelsey. "Please, come back to me?" For three years, she had been his secretary by day and his companion by night. Chelsey had always complied with his requests, like an obedient pet. However, when Jason declared his plans to marry another, she chose to stop loving him and to let go. But life took unexpected turns. His unyielding pursuit, her pregnancy, and her mother's greed gradually pushed her to the brink. Eventually, she endured tremendous suffering. Five years later, when she returned, she was no longer the woman she once was. Yet he had spiraled into five years of chaos.