After her horrible birthday night, Lealia was adopted by a family, but... they never acknowledged her as a member of their family to outsiders, even their son, Richard, always acted strangely towards her. She thought her life would go on like that until she left her adoptive family. But, Lealia gradually realized... the town where she was living, her classmates, even her adoptive family seemed to be abnormal. What should Lealia do? Who is she in the end?
"Run, Ellen... A A A!!!"
The agonized screams echoed alongside the raging flames that consumed everything in their path.
Hot!
It's so painful!
Ellen felt an unbearable pain and scorching heat enveloping her, trying to crush her small body completely.
"Ellen... be careful..."
A faint but lingering voice of a woman echoed in her ears.
Be careful? Be careful of what? Of whom?
"Where is she?"
Suddenly, a cold voice resonated. Ellen struggled to open her weary eyes to assess the situation, but her efforts were futile. The only things left to perceive this world were the voices of strangers and the overwhelming scent of burnt ash surrounding her.
"Find her."
Before falling into an endless unconsciousness, those words rang beside Ellen's ears. Was it her imagination, or why did she sense a tremor in that voice?
...Ah, it doesn't matter anymore. Because... she could feel her life slipping away. How unfortunate. Her fifteenth birthday cake... she hadn't even tasted it yet.
...
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Ellen didn't know how much time had passed when the sound of machines woke her. She instinctively wanted to open her eyes, but her heavy body and overwhelming exhaustion left her lying still, like a lifeless shell clinging to its last breath.
She was alive?
Then what about her family?
Her memories stopped at the moment she was lying on the floor, next to a woman screaming for her to run and a man desperately trying to hold the door shut.
Why did everything turn out this way?
Her mind spun in confusion. That day was supposed to be her birthday. Ellen and her family had just returned from watching a musical. She remembered walking into the house, still laughing and telling the woman how much she loved one of the final songs. The woman had laughed and playfully scolded her.
Everything was so normal and happy... Until the moment they stepped into the house. A flash of light erupted out of nowhere, followed by screams, crashing sounds... and chaos consumed everything.
Her family lay in pools of blood, and the home she had lived in for over a decade was swallowed by flames.
She didn't understand. Her family had always been kind and avoided conflicts, and she herself didn't even have a single enemy... What could they have possibly done to deserve such a cruel fate?
Ellen felt warm streams trickling down her face-it was her tears.
She was crying, mourning the destruction of her happiness, mourning her family whose fate was still unknown. For the first time in her life, Ellen felt lost, staring into the bleakness of her future.
Utter despair.
"..."
In the darkest and most painful moment of Ellen's life, a hand gently stroked her cheek. The tender hand wiped away her tears and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. For reasons she couldn't fathom, she sensed the pressure of this person's presence.
Who was this?
This breath, this warmth... though unfamiliar, carried an inexplicable sense of familiarity...
As confusion overwhelmed her, Ellen was once again consumed by unconsciousness, falling into a deep sleep.
...
Unbeknownst to her, the man stroking her cheek listened as her weak breaths became steady and soft. Clenching his teeth and fists, his voice, cold and low, broke the silence of the room.
"Who did this?"
One would assume there was no one else in the room except him and Ellen, but unexpectedly, another voice immediately answered his abrupt question, as though the speaker feared the consequences of even the slightest delay.
"Master, we haven't found them yet..."
"Useless!"
The figure hidden in the shadows quickly appeared beside him, trembling as they knelt and stammered, "Master, please forgive me! I will surely find it quickly!!!"
The cold man said nothing. His outstretched hand, poised to strike the incompetent subordinate, suddenly paused. A flicker of an old memory flashed in his mind. The death-filled eyes softened briefly before regaining composure. He withdrew his hand and stuffed it into his pocket, his voice low and devoid of warmth as he commanded, "Leave!"
The subordinate, overjoyed as if given a second chance at life, kowtowed repeatedly, exclaiming, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!" Then, they hurriedly disappeared, determined to redeem themselves. If not, considering the master's violent tendencies, death would surely not be far away.
The man paid no mind to the fleeting presence of his subordinate. His once-mad eyes softened when he turned toward the girl lying on the hospital bed. Gently, he approached, his imposing figure leaning carefully to kiss Ellen's forehead, as if she were the most precious treasure in his life.
"My dear, wait for me..."
...
Ellen sat on an old, somewhat shabby bus. She tilted her head, watching the scenery pass by her window. One ear was tuned to the powerful voice of Britney Spears soaring through her headphones, while the other occasionally caught fragments of conversations from what seemed to be her future schoolmates seated behind her. They discussed topics like who the school heartthrob was, who had just been rejected in a confession, and who was the top student at school. But then, Ellen froze when a certain name came up.
"Do you know anything about him? That weirdo!"
The girl beside her immediately raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "That weirdo? What about him?"
"I heard he beat up our prince charming, Rey! Today, he got a warning in front of the school!"
The girl's eyes widened in disbelief and anger. "What! How dare he???" she fumed, biting her finger in frustration and muttering, "Hmph, attacking Rey? And he only got a warning! That's so unfair!"
"Isn't that how it always is?" her friend scoffed. "After all, he's got a big shot for a dad!"
Hearing this, Ellen quietly put her other earbud back in. She had a sinking feeling that even before school started, the pressure was already mounting. It seemed her school life would be anything but peaceful.
After all, the "weirdo" they were talking about... was her foster brother!
...
Ellen looked at the blue sky slowly being swallowed by dark clouds. Memories of that day resurfaced-the day she woke up in a hospital bed, only to be informed that she was now an orphan and needed to cooperate with the investigation. She recalled sitting there, dazed, as the police delivered hopeless updates about their inquiries. The sounds around her felt like a static-filled radio, buzzing and grating on her ears. Pitying eyes avoided her gaze, fearful that she might cling to them for help.
She was fifteen-too old to be an innocent, carefree child, yet too young to face the world alone.
Strangers didn't rush to adopt her; they were, after all, strangers to her, just as she was to them. Besides, Ellen didn't want to integrate into another family. The nightmare of the tragedy that claimed her family was still etched deeply in her heart.
She couldn't bear the thought of anyone replacing them. Never!
But she hadn't expected that, amidst the chaotic crowds and cacophony, he would appear-quiet, yet steadfast.
A man with disheveled hair partially hiding his face, though it couldn't obscure the star-like brightness in his eyes as he looked at her.
He, seemingly odd and out of place, was the one who extended his hand and gently said to her, "Hello, would you like to come with me?"
The Wolf Princess was betrayed by her supposed partner at their wedding ceremony. She was left with broken fangs and her wolf tail cut off by him and his lover. They even stole the family heirloom. In the end, the traitors threw her mangled body into the stream. Fortunately, fate was not cruel to Layla, as she drifted to the distant North and was rescued by a strange man. It was then that she discovered he was her true destined partner, not the betrayer who she thought was meant for her! But by the time she met her real partner, she could no longer transform back into a human. She could only sustain life in the form of a wolf. How then could Layla seek her vengeance? How could she unite with her true destined partner?
Alice was a child born by accident, thus not cherished by her family. Her only friend was her fiancé. However, growing up alongside a fortunate child, Alice's psyche became increasingly twisted. She resented any happiness around her and wished to destroy it. She harbored a scheme to devastate her own family and fiancé. Her method of vengeance was not through violence or theft, but by making herself indispensable to them and then abandoning them, leaving them in a state of hate and desperation to find her. Living continually in the shadows, she began to lose sight of who she was. At this time, she met Alan, who appeared as a vagrant. They started with schemes but warmed to each other due to similar circumstances, and gradually, they were both freed from the chains of their pasts. Together, they began to live a life that was truly their own.
"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?"
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
After spending a night with a strange man on the day before her wedding, Arianna left the country to start her life afresh. The 22-year-old Arianna Jason lived her life pleasing those she loved the most, without knowing that she was simply a prey being nurtured for the day of her ruin. Her life has tasted the butter pill of betrayal. She wants to give back to the world what she's got but how can she change her good, innocent personality to fit into a cruel society and world? Can her sweet nature be contaminated, or will she make it through, paddling on the right path?
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.
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.
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”