Corrine Holland stood moments away from marrying Bruce Ashton, her dream finally within reach.
The wedding march echoed through the hall as she glided down the red carpet in her immaculate white gown, moving toward Bruce who awaited her at the altar.
Bathed in streams of golden light, his white suit seemed to shimmer, highlighting the refined features that had first captured her heart years ago.
Their relationship had weathered countless storms over three years, and now, despite her family's refusal to bless their union, her cherished dream approached reality.
As Bruce stepped forward to present her bouquet, tears of joy threatened to spill from her eyes.
The priest's kind eyes settled on the couple as he spoke. "Do you, Bruce Ashton, take this woman to be your wife? Will you love her, honor her, respect her, and accept her, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"
Corrine's heart fluttered as she turned expectantly toward Bruce, awaiting his answer.
Instead of joy, however, his features twisted with uncertainty, an unsettling hesitation clouding his expression.
Suddenly, the doors burst open. Rita Ashton, Bruce's younger sister, stumbled in with tears streaming down her face. "Bruce, it's bad!" she cried, looking lost and desperate. "Leah... she... she..."
A cold wave of dread washed over Corrine. Her grip tightened around Bruce's hand as her heart hammered against her ribs.
The name awakened painful memories-Leah Burgess, the unreachable star in Bruce's firmament.
When the Ashton family had fallen from grace years ago, Leah had chosen opportunity abroad over love, prompting Bruce to sever ties and turn to Corrine.
Yet just a month ago, Leah had mysteriously reappeared.
Bruce's face drained of color. "What happened to Leah?" he demanded, panic threading through his voice.
"Leah's bleeding won't stop," Rita sobbed. "The doctor says she might not make it!"
Without hesitation, Bruce wrenched his hand from Corrine's and bolted toward the door.
Corrine lunged forward, catching his arm. "You can't leave!"
Her body trembled as she met his gaze, pleading. "Bruce, this is our wedding ceremony. Would you really abandon it?"
Whispers rippled through the gathered crowd, their mocking glances piercing her like daggers.
Tears threatened as she beseeched him, "Bruce, couldn't we at least complete the ceremony?"
"Leah was struck by a car while saving me. I can't abandon her now!" Bruce struggled against her grip, his expression hardening into something foreign and cold.
"Corrine, you know this marriage is merely a transaction. Your role is to be Mrs. Ashton in name-nothing more. Don't interfere in my personal matters."
A transaction.
The word echoed in the hollow chamber of Corrine's heart as she stared at his unyielding face.
Shock slowly transformed into bitter understanding, twisting her lips into a mockery of a smile. "So that's all our marriage meant to you?" she whispered, her voice heavy with realization. "Just a business deal?"
Second Chance With The Scorned Lover
"Make me happy! I'll do everything you want!" Johanna was desperate. Her family was tricked into bankruptcy, and she was running out of options. Thus, she became Carson's sex partner. Unexpectedly, the man was careful toward his supposed plaything. He lavished her with affection, backed her up, and eliminated her hardships. But as the tapestry unraveled, Johanna realized that she was just a pawn in Carson's elaborate schemes. Disillusioned and heartbroken, she fled and learned to thrive on her own. When they met again, Johanna was surrounded by a flock of suitors. Carson couldn't believe that the once docile woman he knew was now a seductive minx. "What will it take for you to return to me?" "Sorry, Mr. Russell, but I am already married."
Beneath His Ugly Wife's Mask: Her Revenge Was Her Brilliance
Elliana, the unfavored "ugly duckling" of her family, was humiliated by her stepsister, Paige, who everyone admired. Paige, engaged to the CEO Cole, was the perfect woman-until Cole married Elliana on the day of the wedding. Shocked, everyone wondered why he chose the "ugly" woman. As they waited for her to be cast aside, Elliana stunned everyone by revealing her true identity: a miracle healer, financial mogul, appraisal prodigy, and AI genius. When her mistreatment became known, Cole revealed Elliana's stunning, makeup-free photo, sending shockwaves through the media. "My wife doesn't need anyone's approval."
The Mysterious Fortune Behind My Surprising Husband
Hoping to break free from her greedy family, Kaitlin rushed into a marriage with a man she barely knew. She assumed she'd wed a plain salaryman, until he handed her keys straight to a luxury penthouse. When her scheming stepmother tried marrying her off, he quietly bought an entire company and gave it to her. A furious parent at school? He snapped up the academy overnight. One wild night, he ripped his shirt and announced, "Let me be your husband tonight or I'll tell the world you're mine!" Kaitlin pushed him away, but soon, the whole internet exploded with their headline romance.
The Boy They Loved Was The Underworld Queen
Heiress to a crime syndicate, Avery had hunted her father's killer for years. Disguised as a boy, she slipped into the Hudson household as their youngest "son," expecting a den of wolves, yet finding open arms. An eldest brother who ruled boardrooms, a second who breathed textbooks, and a third who commanded the cameras. She juggled lies, outsmarting them all-until her mask was tore away. "Avery's a girl?" "She owns a thousand cars and billions?" "She's not even family?" As love closed around her, she realized the murderer was her supposed "best bud." Her brothers bristled. "Back off, punk. Not our Avery!"
Love Began When The Facade Shattered
Elena's beauty was undeniable, though Greyson never trusted the sweetness in her voice. He saw her charming words as nothing but a disguise. Then, one day, Elena's passion faded, leaving only quiet between them. That indifference unsettled Greyson more than he expected. Drawing her near, he whispered, "Just say something nice, Elena. I want to hear it from you." Greyson was a man who valued calm and self-control, but meeting Elena had turned his world upside down. When her love disappeared, he realized he couldn't bear the emptiness she left behind.
Second Life, Second Love: Married To My Savior
Once, Sabrina trusted the wrong man and paid for it with her life, dragging down the only person who ever tried to help her. Fate offered her a rare reset, and this time, she pledged herself to Theo-the savior she had overlooked before. A partnership for convenience blossomed into something fierce, with Theo showing her tenderness she never expected. Revenge became her mission while he quietly shielded her. When their pact neared its end, Theo blocked her exit, whispering, "You're leaving me?" She faltered. "Maybe one more year." Yet soon, a baby was on the way. What the hell? That wasn't the deal!