The first time they met, Juliet shot William and left him half-dead. She chased him all the way back to Country A, and then she became an ordinary college student. He ran, she chased-he couldn't escape. The world's No. 1 mercenary? That was her. The senior member of the hacker alliance? Also her. The genius doctor behind the International Medical Research Institute? Yep, her too. The top veteran in the esports world? You guessed it-her again. The internationally acclaimed genius concept artist? Yep, that's her as well... The high society? They all thought the girlfriend of the country's richest man, Mr. William, was just a gold digger he was supporting to get into the upper class... William, "I'm not! I didn't! Baby, don't listen to them!" Please-when other guys upset their wives, they just sweet-talk them to make it up. But when he made his wife mad, he took a bullet! Juliet gently touched William's handsome face, "Be good, I'm still pretty gentle~"
"My code name's Ghost Leopard. I'll be your training officer for the next three months, and you'll remember that name for the rest of your lives!"
"This is Zone 25. Here, you all have just one name-Rookies!"
Somewhere in the South Pacific, on a tropical island.
Under the blazing sun, a young woman in camo gear stood before a group of massive guys, all nearly six-foot-three and dressed in matching uniforms. She held a shiny black whip, her uniform not hiding the slender shape of her waist, her belt accentuating a figure that looked almost delicate. Her face was streaked with camo paint, but her sharp features still peeked through.
"Report, instructor!"
"Speak!"
A local soldier, struggling with his English, said to the girl, "We can't understand what you're saying. Please speak in the local language!"
Juliet Black couldn't help but laugh out loud. With a sly look in her eyes, she motioned for the rookie to come closer.
"Come over here," she said, curling her finger at him.
The rookie, still confused, took a big step forward.
"Miss, though it's Death God International Mercenary Training Base, we're all local guys. Please use the local language!"
As soon as he finished, Juliet whipped out her whip, swinging it straight toward him. He was quick, dodging just in time, but he didn't expect her follow-up-a kick that sent him flying into the dirt, stirring up a cloud of dust. She walked over, pressing her heavy black boot squarely against his chest.
"Didn't understand me, huh?"
"You..."
"Out here, no one's going to reason with you. There's no law, no rights-only strength matters!"
Juliet scanned the crowd.
"And because my fists are stronger than yours, I suggest that each of you use your off-time to pick up some English, so you won't end up dead just because you didn't understand what I said."
With that, she kicked the rookie aside, smirking lazily.
"Now, you. Translate what I just said into your 'local language.'" Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.
A bunch of rookies, a bunch of weaklings! And they dared to think they deserved her speaking their language? She knew exactly what this was about-these guys were top soldiers, trained in multiple languages, just looking for an excuse to challenge her.
The rookie clutched his cracked ribs and struggled to his feet, painfully translating her words. The rest looked spooked, none daring to speak again.
The base's mortality rate allowed for up to twenty-five percent. That meant out of the forty of them, she could shoot ten of them at random, and it'd still be considered within acceptable limits. As long as they wanted to live, none of them would dare mess with her.
Juliet glanced at their faces and felt satisfied. She leaned back on a lounge chair, a large umbrella shading her.
"Now, let's start your first lesson: sunbathing! I love the equatorial sun, and I'm sure you'll feel Zone 25's burning passion too..."
Before she finished, a shrill alarm blared. Juliet's expression shifted immediately. Forgetting the forty rookies in front of her, she sprang up.
"Stay put! No one moves!" And with that, she took off toward the base headquarters.
The base held a treasure trove of top-secret files, and though someone tried to break in nearly every month, no one had ever tripped the base's alarms.
The intruder this time had to be an expert!
Before Juliet even reached headquarters, she saw a figure drop down from the three-meter-high concrete wall surrounding it. The person was a man, judging by his build, dressed in all-black casual wear, with a mask and hat hiding his face.
The base's snipers fired a few shots, but every single one missed. Some instructors tried to intercept him, but he turned and shot two of them down effortlessly.
"Useless! Give me the rifle!" Juliet's face darkened as she kicked over the sniper behind the cover at the entrance, taking up his position herself. She lay low behind the barrier, squinting as she measured the right moment to shoot.
But the man seemed to sense her presence; he turned and glanced in her direction.
Through the scope, Juliet saw his eyes-a pair of extremely beautiful and cold amber eyes.
At that moment, she pulled the trigger. With a dull bang, blood bloomed across his back, and the impact of the bullet shoved him off the cliff's edge, where he fell into the sea below.
Juliet finally exhaled in relief and turned to the instructor beside her.
"Go. Bring him back."
She wanted to see just who this guy was-someone bold enough and skilled enough to break into the base!
******
Half an hour later, in the Zone 25 Chief Instructor's Office at HQ.
A few instructors entered, looking anxious.
"Miss Juliet, we... didn't find him."
"What?" Juliet frowned and set down the shell casing she'd been fidgeting with.
It was from a dum-dum round, the tip completely shattered. With a hit like that, if he wasn't killed outright, he should've at least been immobilized on the spot. How could they not find him?
One of the instructors spoke up, head down. "He must have had someone waiting to pick him up."
Juliet took a deep breath, trying to rein in her frustration. She knew it-anyone skilled enough to infiltrate HQ would've come well-prepared.
"What did he take?" She knew the intruder had probably already grabbed what he came for before escaping.
"It was the SSS-level AN140618 file."
HQ's files were coded by location and date: A for Country A, and N for City N, followed by the year, month, and day. The file was about the 618 bombing case!
Juliet's eyes narrowed, a fierce gleam in them. She had to get that file back before they managed to crack its encryption.
"Ghost Tiger's back tomorrow. Have him take over those rookies in Zone 25. I'm heading to Country A."
"Country A?" The instructor gaped at her, stunned.
Everyone knew Country A was off-limits to international mercenaries and agents. Even the best fighters couldn't stand up to its strict enforcement.
Just two years ago, Ghost Tiger, the 19th Zone's head and a top-five assassin globally, had been detained there for two weeks-just for a DUI.
"What are you thinking?" Juliet's expression had softened by now. She pulled an old driver's license out of her drawer. Four years validity-still had six months left.
She gave a little snort.
"I'm a lawful citizen, flying in on a commercial flight. Problem with that?"
Instructor, "Uh... no problem at all."
Juliet leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing slowly, as if she were recalling memories buried long ago.
"Besides," she murmured, "I have a few relatives over in Country A..."
Lillian had stayed by Conrad's side for three years, betting everything she had, only to end up losing it all. He mocked her, saying she had no sense of reality-who was she, a kept woman, to think she could be his wife? However, the night before his engagement, she vanished without a trace. No one could have predicted that the all-powerful Conrad would go completely off the deep end. He tore the world apart looking for her, swearing he'd find her if it took him to the ends of the earth. When they met again, she was someone else's fiancée. He used every trick he knew, pulled every string he could, and forced her back to him, trapping her in marriage. "Mr. Conrad, if you keep chasing me like this, I'll lose all respect for you." He replied, "I fell into hell because of you. Why should you get off so easily? In this life, we're together till death." He wanted her, even if it meant until death took them both. All he asked for was to hold her captive in his heart forever-even if it meant paying the highest price, he'd never let her go.
"You are the noble and stunning second female lead, married to the CEO of a multinational corporation. But you couldn't help but fall for the childhood sweetheart male lead, plotting against the innocent female lead. In the end, the male lead and female lead live happily ever after, while you are abandoned by your husband and family, dying miserably." After traveled into the angsty romance novel she was reading and became the same-named supporting character, Sarah didn't want to follow the original plot. She stayed away from the male and female leads and moved back to her husband's place, establishing her role as a married woman. She only knew that the multinational CEO Holden was a steady and mature business tycoon, with a stern and noble demeanor, ruthless and unscrupulous in his actions. Their marriage was purely a business arrangement, and he gave her a black card to spend freely, as long as she didn't bother him. To Sarah, Holden was her "sugar daddy", more important than anything, and she was terrified he might overwork himself to death one day. Ronald, the male lead, realized that the once-adoring Sarah no longer paid him any attention, he called to confess his feelings, but she refused to answer. Then one day, Holden pressed Sarah down on his lap, his voice low and husky, "If you keep loving Ronald, I'll make sure his entire family goes bankrupt."
She was one of the most renowned thieves in the world. She was the true racing queen of the black market. She was a woman like the wind, coming and going freely, living life to the fullest. He was the mafia king, the richest man in the country. He was ruthless and cold-blooded. Their fates got tangled up over a red ruby. Mutants in the forest, underground pyramids, deep-sea whirlpools... he brought her into his world. Aerial battles, sea battles, ground battles... she went through life and death with him, never leaving each other. Was it love, hate, or hurt? Everything was shrouded in mystery...
Sylvia was the adopted daughter of the Clark family. In her childhood, the Clark family would make her take various drugs that caused continuous pain. When she turned eighteen, the Clark family forced her to marry an elderly man. She resisted with all her might but failed to escape. Shortly after, the Clark family sent her to Ash Island--a slum. Sylvia vowed to take revenge on the Clark family Hiram was the CEO of the First Consortium, the richest and most influential man in the country. Hiram took Sylvia back to his home, and she pretended to be insane to bide her time. Because of his tragic childhood, Hiram indulged Sylvia. Their story of mutual redemption and plans for revenge gradually unfolded from there. "Sylvia is just an abandoned girl with mental issues, and she looks so poor." Then they saw Sylvia signing over dozens of mansion deeds, signing so much she started to nod off. "Sylvia has no backing at all. I don't know why she's so arrogant." Hiram, "As my wife, having me as her backing is more than enough. She doesn't need any other."
Claire knew from the start that Ethan was heartless. This marriage was a transaction where each got what they needed. It didn't matter that he didn't love her or that he allowed her to suffer abuse from his family. But cheating on her was crossing the line. After three years, she changed her approach and transformed into a fiery woman just to obtain a divorce agreement proposed by him. Once the dust settled, Ethan finally realized the true value of his unnoticed wife. She was the heir to the Black family. She was the mysterious poison expert and miracle doctor in the medical world. After careful consideration, Ethan said, "If you want to remarry me, I can consider giving you a chance." Claire, "??? Thanks, but no thanks."
A conspiracy by her best friend led to Shirley losing her first time to a strange man. The once-sweet relationship was ruthlessly destroyed by her boyfriend. "Since you are carrying my child, let's get married. It just happens that I don't love you, and you don't love me either," Mr. Billionaire said heartlessly. He threw a contract on the table, saying, "We are just contract spouses." They got secretly married. None of their colleagues knew that Shirley was the wife of their CEO, and they envied why Mr. Billionaire treated this little assistant so specially. Just as Shirley was about to relax, she unexpectedly found out that the man who signed the contract completely ignored her resistance and declared to the whole world that she belonged to him. "What are you trying to do?" "My dear wife, I love you! Let's have another child."
Elodie took a deep breath and knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet corridor. A moment of silence passed, broken only by the pounding of her heart. Finally, the door snicked open, revealing a surprised Dashiell. 'Can't you see the Do Not Disturb sign? We don't want-' His initial frown quickly morphed into confusion at the sight of his wife. 'What are you doing here?' he demanded. 'Your girlfriend invited me,' Elodie replied, her voice laced with icy calm. She tried to peer past him, but his broad frame blocked the view. A saccharine voice chimed in from within the room. 'Elodie? Oh dear, we didn't mean for you to find out this way. It's just that-' Elodie cut her short. 'Oh please, Selene. Spare me the fake apologies. You wouldn't have sent me all those texts if you didn't want me to know.' Dashiell shifted uncomfortably, his face a mask of annoyance. 'What texts?' Elodie stepped past him, taking in the luxurious suite with a sardonic smile. The king-sized bed, the scattered rose petals, the lingering scent of sex – it all painted a vivid picture of their betrayal. She looked up at Dashiell, her gaze unwavering. 'I want a divorce.' ****** Dashiell lived a life of luxury, surrounded by the best things money could buy. But when a car accident left him vulnerable, he met Elodie, a seemingly ordinary woman who nursed him back to health. Mistaking her for just another employee, Dashiell entered into a loveless marriage with her solely for convenience. However, fate had a different script in store. Elodie, the 'ordinary nurse,' held a secret more precious than any diamond: she was the sole heiress to Northstar, a vast and powerful enterprise. Unaware of her true identity, Dashiell cast her aside when his ex-girlfriend returned, leaving Elodie humiliated. But Elodie was not one to be easily broken. She shed the facade of the meek nurse, reclaiming her rightful inheritance and stepping into the role of Northstar's CEO. Now, the woman Dashiell discarded was the one holding the reins of power. As Elodie thrives in her new role, Dashiell is consumed by regret. He finally sees Elodie for the extraordinary woman she truly is, realising the depth of his mistake. But will his remorse be enough to win back the heart he so carelessly discarded?
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
After a painful breakup with her boyfriend of two years who coldly told her to her face that he couldn't keep dating her because she was too uptight--In a moment of anger and defiance, Anna decided to throw caution to the wind for one reckless night. She headed to the wildest club in Texas, determined to lose herself in the chaos. But fate had other plans. To her shock, she ran into her ex-boyfriend at the club. Desperate to save face, she made a split-second decision and approached a stranger, pretending he was her new boyfriend. What she never anticipated was the magnetic pull she would feel towards him or the fact that she'd end up going home with this mystery man. Soon enough, the real surprise hit her--this stranger wasn't just anyone; he was her new boss. What begins as a night of rebellion spirals into a whirlwind of forbidden attraction, societal pressure and hidden affairs. And now there are so many things at stake. Find out how this story unfolds.