**Prologue* After the tragic loss of her parents, Hazel's once-glamorous life as a wealthy heiress crumbled overnight. The family's inheritance, which should have secured her future, was seized by her cunning uncle. Stripped of her fortune, Hazel was left to fend for herself in a world that had turned cold and unkind. In her desperation, she was forced into marriage with Michael, one of the family's former bodyguards. Handsome but impoverished, Michael was known for his fierce temperament and ruthless demeanor. He treated Hazel with icy indifference, his arrogance cutting deeper than any words. Each day, Hazel endured the sneers of those who once envied her and the humiliating advances of women attempting to seduce her husband. Determined to rise above her circumstances, Hazel worked tirelessly to rebuild her life. But just as she began to find her footing, an unsettling discovery turned her world upside down. Lucas Donovan, the enigmatic heir of the Donovan family empire in Sky City-a dynasty worth billions-bore an uncanny resemblance to her husband. The resemblance was so striking that Hazel couldn't ignore the gnawing suspicion. "Darling," she asked cautiously, "are you related to Lucas Donovan?" Michael's expression didn't flicker. With his trademark arrogance, he replied, "I have nothing to do with that man. Look at me, wife. Don't waste your time comparing me to some petty boy." Yet the truth seemed closer than Michael let on. One evening, the Donovan family butler, overwhelmed with emotion, confided in Hazel: "Young Master Donovan is no ordinary man. He is both cruel and brilliant. His jealousy is as intense as his wrath, and his temper spares no one-not even me." Haunted by the revelation and fueled by curiosity, Hazel began to uncover fragments of the truth. As she pieced them together, she realized that Michael's connection to the Donovan family ran deeper than she could have imagined. But as secrets unraveled, so did Hazel's trust. Would she find the strength to confront those who hurt her? Could she forgive the lies, or would she be driven to seek vengeance for the life stolen from her? Join me as we unveil Hazel's journey-a tale of betrayal, resilience, and a love tested by fire.
Hazel tugged her black raincoat tighter around her, the downpour soaking the edges of her hem as she hurried into the hotel lobby. She kept her head low, the brim of her rain hat pulled down to shield her face. A group of well-dressed guests walked past her, their whispers sharp as blades.
"Did you hear? Hazel Martinez, the once-glorious heiress, got married today. To a servant, no less."
"Unbelievable. She used to be so beautiful and untouchable. Now, she's just... nothing."
"Well, her parents' deaths ruined everything. With her uncle in charge, she's barely above a servant herself."
Hazel didn't flinch, though their words stung like nettles. Instead, she moved silently, her lashes hiding the flicker of pain in her eyes. Since her parents' death a year ago, her life had become a cruel shadow of what it once was. Her uncle and grandmother had taken everything-her home, her inheritance, even her dignity. Now, they were forcing her to marry a bodyguard, a man they considered unworthy, as the final nail in her coffin.
The only bargaining chip she had left was her parents' burial rights in the ancestral tomb-a privilege her uncle dangled cruelly over her head. She had no choice but to obey.
When the group moved on, Hazel finally reached the hotel room Ryan had asked her to meet him in. She knocked twice. The door opened quickly, and there he was: Ryan, her ex-boyfriend, his expression equal parts anxious and calculating.
Hazel stepped inside and held out her hand, her tone cold. "Ryan, you said you had my father's heirloom. Where is it?"
Ryan hesitated, then sighed. "Hazel, I lied. I just wanted to see you."
Her jaw tightened, and she turned to leave, but his voice stopped her mid-step.
"Hazel...elope with me."
She froze, her hand on the doorframe. Slowly, she turned, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Elope? You proposed to my cousin last week, Ryan. Or did you forget?"
His face flushed, but he pressed on, desperation leaking into his tone. "I'm marrying her, yes, but only for my family's approval. Hazel, I still care about you. Come with me to another city. I'll protect you."
Hazel's stomach twisted in disgust. "You want me to be your mistress, is that it?"
Ryan adjusted his glasses and shrugged nonchalantly, as if his request were reasonable. "It's not uncommon. Men used to have wives and concubines. I'm just asking you to be discreet. My wife doesn't need to know."
The audacity of his words burned through her like fire. "Discreet?" she echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And what would this arrangement look like?"
Ryan mistook her tone for curiosity and smiled, oblivious. "Simple. You'd live comfortably, with no need to work. Don't call me during the day, and I'll visit you whenever I can. If you get pregnant, we'll deal with it-quietly. Of course, I'll cover the expenses." He paused, then added casually, "But if it's a son, we might keep him. A daughter? No need."
Hazel's nails dug into her palms. Her voice, low and cutting, sliced through his fantasies. "You're shameless, Ryan."
His face twisted in anger as he grabbed her arm. "You'd rather marry that dog Michael than be with me? Don't fool yourself, Hazel. He's beneath you, and everyone knows it."
"Let me go!" Hazel spat, yanking her arm free. "Michael may have nothing, but at least he has integrity. Unlike you."
Ryan's eyes darkened, and his composure snapped. He grabbed her again, his grip iron-tight as he pushed her towards the bed. Hazel's breath caught, panic flaring in her chest.
"You think you can talk to me like that?" he hissed, his tie loosening as he leaned closer. "I gave you everything once, Hazel. Now you owe me. If you want to marry someone else, you'll give yourself to me first."
Hazel struggled, her nails clawing at his wrist. "Ryan, stop this!" she cried, her voice trembling with fury and fear. "I'm married now!"
"Married?" He laughed bitterly, his weight pinning her down. "Michael is nothing but a dog in the Martinez Family. He's my subordinate. He wouldn't dare cross me."
Hazel's heart pounded as she grabbed a lamp from the bedside table, ready to swing it. But before she could act, the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed from outside the door.
The tension in the room snapped taut. Ryan froze, his head whipping toward the door. "I told you to wait downstairs!" he barked. "Whoever it is, get out!"
The footsteps paused, then a low, icy voice cut through the air like a blade. "They couldn't stop me. Perhaps I should introduce myself instead."
Hazel's head shot up, her eyes widening. The man who entered was tall and commanding, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. His gloves gleamed, and his tie sat impeccably knotted. His strikingly handsome face was a mask of cold indifference, but his eyes-sharp, dark, and fathomless-radiated an authority that made the air in the room feel heavy.
Michael.
He stepped inside with deliberate calm, the tension in his shoulders coiled like a predator ready to strike. His gaze flicked to Hazel, who lay disheveled on the bed, then to Ryan, who stood frozen in place, his confidence rapidly draining.
"Michael," Ryan stammered, his voice cracking. "This... this isn't what it looks like."
Michael adjusted his gloves with an almost casual precision, his movements slow and deliberate. When he spoke, his voice was soft, yet it carried a weight that made the walls seem to shrink. "I believe," he began, his tone as sharp as ice, "you've forgotten your place, Ryan."
Hazel watched in stunned silence as Michael's imposing presence filled the room. For the first time in her life, she saw Ryan falter, his bravado crumbling under the weight of Michael's gaze. And for the first time, she wondered just how much she truly knew about the man she had married.
Eliana was framed by her best friend and her fiance into sleeping with a boy toy in the club and getting impregnated by him. Five years after she had given birth to twins, she returned home and worked under the Moran Group, where she met the CEO-- Maurice. Maurice was a brilliant businessman who did his job well. But in order to stay under the radar, he lived a double life. One as Maurice, and one as Preston. Fate brought the two together again, roping them in on an exciting love story. It all became more complicated when Eliana faced Preston, the man she had slept with before, once again. Now that she was being pursued by two men, how could she ever choose? When would Eliana uncover the secret of Maurice's identity? When was Maurice going to know that he already had two children of his own? How would Eliana face this man when the truth came to light one day? Come and find out.
"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?"
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
My boyfriend called, "Baby!" as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to pull his pants off the ground. "Please, I can explain my love." Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry when I realized that my dream of the man not being my boyfriend had been dashed. "What?" I asked, "What do you want to explain?" How did you lie about having a business meeting while you were in bed enjoying yourself with my best friend, even though I told you I was in serious pain, is that it?" I stood there, my heart pounding, and tears streaming down my face...
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?"