"Every alligator here is Sebastian's prized possession, but they're all dead because of you." Olivia laughed charmingly. "As compensation, I'll give you to the remaining alligators. That way, your five years of loving him won't be in vain." Hearing rustling from the bushes behind her, Adriana's body immediately trembled. "Olivia, you're insane! I curse you to never live happily with Sebastian and to die a horrible death!" Olivia laughed coldly. "Sebastian himself said that the alligators here haven't been fed fresh meat in a long time. If you want to hate someone, then hate him." The fear of death and Olivia's words crushed Adriana's chest like a heavy stone. It felt like her heart was being gripped by someone, the pain was so intense she could barely breathe. Sebastian's decision... Even at the end, he had no intention of letting her body go. To such an extent he hated her. Adriana smiled bitterly, tears welling up in her eyes. •••• Adriana Hudson had loved Sebastian Kingsley with all her heart, only to face the most painful betrayal. He had cheated on her with her own stepsister, Olivia. As if that wasn't enough, on the day of their wedding, he ordered his mistress to throw her into an alligator pond to kill her. Not only did she die a tragic death, but she also lost the child she was carrying. In that moment, Adriana swore that if she were given a second chance, she would never love him again. Now reborn, Adriana is determined to make those who wronged her feel the pain of betrayal a thousand times over. But why is Sebastian so determined to cling to her this time, even protecting her from those very people? Wasn't Olivia the woman he loved? Sebastian: "Riana, you can learn to trust me." Adriana only looked at him in silence. The pain of being devoured by alligators still haunted her, so could she trust him again? And perhaps... Perhaps what happened in her past life wasn't as she had imagined. Lies, vengeance, and conspiracies swirl around them once more, but this time, will their love survive?
Pain.
That was all Adriana felt as she slowly opened her eyes. The excruciating agony coursed through her entire body and penetrated deep into her bones, sending cold sweat dripping down her back.
Both her legs were badly injured, with bones visibly protruding from the depths of her wounds.
She tried to open her mouth to ask for help, but all that escaped were painful groans.
A few steps away, a beautiful girl dressed in a pure white wedding gown adorned with diamonds could be seen sitting on a vintage parlor chair. Her makeup was exquisite and flawless, making her look like a royal princess.
And this woman was none other than her own stepsister, Olivia.
Behind her stood the grand Kingsley manor, rivaling the splendor of a royal garden palace. Its towering walls kept out the noise and concealed everything that transpired within the grounds.
"Oh, you're awake?" Olivia raised her eyes and chuckled softly when she saw that Adriana had regained consciousness. She stood up from her chair and slowly approached Adriana, who was lying on the grass in a miserable state.
"Riana, today is my wedding day with Sebastian. You're the first one to see me in my wedding gown. Aren't you happy?" She asked and twirled around playfully as she flaunted her beautiful gown.
Adriana's eyes turned red with hatred. She wanted to attack Olivia, but she had no strength left in her body. Behind her was the terrifying alligator pond at the Kingsley manor. The reason her legs were so badly injured was because they had been bitten by alligators!
Olivia had finally gotten Sebastian and was about to marry him. Why couldn't she just let her go?
"Every alligator here is Sebastian's prized possession, but they're all dead because of you." Olivia laughed charmingly. "As compensation, I'll give you to the remaining alligators. That way, your five years of loving him won't be in vain."
Hearing rustling from the bushes behind her, Adriana's body immediately trembled. "Olivia, you're insane! I curse you to never live happily with Sebastian and to die a horrible death!"
Olivia laughed coldly. "Sebastian himself said that the alligators here haven't been fed fresh meat in a long time. If you want to hate someone, then hate him."
The fear of death and Olivia's words crushed Adriana's chest like a heavy stone. It felt like her heart was being gripped by someone, the pain was so intense she could barely breathe.
Sebastian's decision...
Even at the end, he had no intention of letting her body go.
To such an extent he hated her.
Adriana laughed bitterly.
"It hurts, doesn't it? You shouldn't have betrayed him, Adriana. This is his punishment for you."
"I didn't!" Adriana screamed at the top of her lungs. Her throat was broken, and when she screamed, her voice sounded like sand scraping against the earth. "You're the one who killed his grandmother, not me!"
"Eh, you're not that stupid, but unfortunately, you won't get the chance to tell him. Oh, and there's one more piece of news I have to share with you. Adriana, guess what? You're pregnant!" Olivia laughed cheerfully and raised her hands. "Adriana, goodbye."
As soon as she clapped her hands, the bodyguards standing behind her immediately pulled Adriana up and forcefully threw her into the grass next to the alligator pond. "Even if I become a ghost, I won't let you go!" She screamed in grief and indignation. "Even if I die, I will make you pay for my death with your blood!"
The rustling sound from the bushes grew louder and clearer as the alligators quickly gathered around with their mouths wide open.
A desperate will to live forced Adriana to keep crawling forward. Tears and blood fell to the ground as she continued to drag herself through the pain. She had a baby, she couldn't die.
Just as she was about to climb out, the iron gate slammed shut. One of the alligators bit into her left leg, and a heart-wrenching scream quickly escaped her mouth. "Help!"
Within no time, her body was dragged into the water, and waves like a tsunami began crashing against her skin and flesh as the alligators bit into her. The water began to dye red.
In her semi-conscious state, she heard the sound of gunshots before something heavy fell into the water and pulled her into a warm embrace.
Adriana struggled to open her eyes, and when she saw the familiar face of the man holding her, she cried in sadness.
Sebastian?
How could he be here?
Wasn't the woman he loved Olivia?
'Why? Why are you doing this to me?' These were the questions Adriana wanted to ask him, but her consciousness was beginning to fade, and the strength that remained had already left her.
She missed his embrace so much, but it was too late.
If there were an afterlife, she never wanted to fall in love with him again.
Blood spurted out from her mouth like a burst water pipe, and Sebastian tremblingly lowered his head and kissed her forehead deeply, as if he were trying to tell her something.
Adriana weakly raised her hand to touch his face when suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in her ears, and darkness began to engulf her. Then, everything went silent.
···········
"Why?" Adriana cried out loudly and sat up on the grass with sweat dripping down her face. The bright sunlight from above almost blinded her, causing her to subconsciously close her eyes.
After a moment, as her eyes adjusted to the light, she began to tremble when she saw the familiar surroundings and the backpack beside her.
This... Wasn't this the day she was supposed to meet Sebastian for the first time?
Had she been reborn?
Adriana froze for a moment before quickly searching for her glasses and putting them on. Then she grabbed her backpack and walked away from there.
Today, Sebastian and Madam Kingsley would be coming to the Hudson residence to meet her. She had two and a half hours before their arrival, so she still had a chance to turn things around.
Rumor had it that Sebastian would face a great calamity at the age of 28, and if he wanted to live safely, he had to marry a girl whose astrology was compatible with his.
And she was the chosen one.
However, after hearing Olivia's lies that Sebastian was incomparably ugly, seriously ill, and super perverted, she decided to run away from home to defy this fate. But when she tried to jump off the 3-meter-high wall, her foot accidentally got caught on a tree branch, causing her to fall and fracture her arm. She was then saved by Sebastian, who just happened to be passing by, and was brought back to the Hudson residence in pain.
The reason Olivia spread these lies and helped her run away from home was to enter the Kingsley family in her place.
But in the end, Olivia's plan failed and she still entered the Kingsley family.
That was the reason she died with such grievance!
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.
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
After a heated confrontation with her husband and mistress, Brianna was pushed down to stairs. She thought she would die but when she woke up again, she realized that she traveled back two years ago, when it was not late for her to correct her path. The first thing she needed to do when she was reborn was divorce that scum. She saved from the darkest time but he lied to her and murdered her in the end. This time, she would not repeat the same mistakes anymore. She would bring the glory of her family back and make those people who betrayed her pay the price! However, in the process of climbing up to the peak of her career, she met a very intimidating and handsome man who kept on messing with her head through his bold attitude. Brianna doesn't want to be involved with another man again, for she has proven to herself that they will just drag her down, but her constant incidents with him are slowly breaking the wall she built to protect her heart. Brianna will surely choose her career over a man this time, but it's possible to choose both, right? What if he hurt her too? No! She won't risk it but. "You have to run away from me, Bree. Coz I'm done running away, I'll chase you now."
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"