a not so merry christmas cast

Iris Glass's mother was killed by Duane Fowler, the underground crime boss of M City, when Iris was young. Determined to seek revenge, Iris grows up to become a special operations unit leader. She infiltrates the inner circle of Athos Fowler, the crime boss's son, for three years. On their wedding day, the special ops team launches an arrest operation. In a moment of crisis, Athos attempts to escape with his lover, only to be shot by Iris and captured. When they meet again, will the prey escape, or will the hunter begin a new round of pursuit? After numerous challenges and tests, Iris comes to recognize Athos's genuine feelings beneath his domineering exterior and gradually opens her heart to him. Athos's relentless pursuit of her pays off, and his punishment is reduced for his assistance in dismantling the underground forces.

The eldest daughter of the Allen family, Nora Allen, is set up by her stepsister and forced to marry the notorious playboy, Ray Carter, in her place. However, Ray stands her up on their wedding day, leaving her on the verge of becoming the laughingstock. Refusing to accept defeat, Nora rushes to the race where Ray is competing—and unexpectedly wins. She uses her victory to compel Ray to complete the wedding ceremony. Though Ray resists this unexpected bride, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her at the same time, unable to deny the growing attraction.

25 years ago, a sudden car accident struck Seth Shawn with a devastating blow. He lost his wife and daughter, the most important people in his life, a pain that could never be erased. Yet, to fulfill his wife's dream, Seth, with unyielding determination and exceptional business acumen, continued to grow the Solaris Group, a company he had founded with his wife. After years of relentless effort and struggle, he finally achieved his wife's last wish, turning the Solaris Group into the world's leading enterprise, and he became Elariland's richest person. At the pinnacle of his success, Seth felt a deep sense of exhaustion and a longing for the peaceful life he once had, leading him to retire. In his days of retirement, he was immersed in deep memories of his lost family. A twist of fate occurred on an ordinary day as he gazed at the river in contemplation. He noticed a child struggling in the water. Without hesitation and regardless of the danger, Seth bravely saved her. When the child smiled sweetly, he saw a reflection of his own daughter in her, reigniting the paternal love within him. He decided to adopt the child, naming her Tessa, and gave her his precious amulet as a symbol of peace and protection for her life. The arrival of this child was like a ray of light in the darkness, bringing new hope and warmth to Seth's life. He resolved to devote the rest of his life to providing Tessa with endless love, allowing her to grow in an environment filled with affection, making up for the familial bonds he had lost. Seth's story was a legend filled with sorrow and resilience, loss and hope, and Tessa's arrival might just be his chance to embrace happiness once again.

Matthew and Xenia spent some time together in an orphanage when they were children. Later, after Xenia became a famous singer, she learned that Matthew had unexpectedly gone blind, so she retired from her singing career to care for him as a caregiver. The two got married and had a child. Ten years later, when Matthew regained his sight, he mistook Sarah for the girl he liked in childhood, leading him to neglect Xenia and their son Calvin. Heartbroken, Xenia decided to divorce him. It was only during Calvin's singing competition and Xenia's comeback concert that Matthew realized Xenia was the girl he liked as a child. However, it was too late. Xenia left with Calvin and Ethan to start a new life.

After a car accident in which he saved an orphan girl, the chairman of Vance Group, Ansel Vance, suffers from amnesia and becomes separated from his family. He adopts the orphan girl, Amy Bennett, and takes on the identity of a labor worker named Bryant Bennett. Eighteen years later, Amy, eager to marry into the Vance family, looks down on Bryant and even severs their father-daughter relationship, unaware that Bryant is, in fact, the long-lost head of the Vance family, the very family she’s trying to marry into.

Over the past few years, Xena had been working hard to earn money, allowing her son, Leon Cale, to attend college. Leon promised to take his mother to the city to live once he got into college. Ten years later, Leon achieved great success and forgot about his mother who lived in the village, forgetting about his own humble beginnings. This play carries a profound positive energy, showcasing the greatness and selflessness of a mother's love. It also serves as a reminder to the audience to never forget gratitude and to cherish the silent sacrifices of their mothers.

Xena, a housewife betrayed by her husband, discovered while gravely ill that her adopted son, Xavier, had seized all her assets and the family business. To her shock, she learned that Xavier was the child of her husband and the nanny with whom he had an affair. In her despair, Xena died, only to realize too late that her first love, a wealthy big shot, had been waiting for her for thirty years. Miraculously reborn ten years earlier, Xena gained a second chance to reclaim her destiny. This time, she refused to let her ungrateful son manipulate her. Armed with intelligence and courage, she uncovered the conspiracy involving Xavier and the nanny, reclaiming what was rightfully hers. Throughout her journey, her first love, now pretending to be a security guard, supported her, and she eventually learned that he too had been reborn, solely to protect her!

In his past life, Harrison Cowan abandoned his own daughter for a widow, raising her two sons instead. In his old age, when he fell ill, his adopted sons refused to even pay a mere hundred thousand for his surgery. Given a second chance at life, Harrison is determined to make amends. No longer willing to play the role of a stepfather, he vows to work hard, make money, and devote his life to raising his biological daughter, living only for her from now on!

Acacia Walsh, an esteemed andrologist and heiress of the influential Lawson family, is hesitant when her father insists she go on a blind date with wealthy businessman Ridge Coleman. However, fate intervenes when Ridge, donning the guise of a construction worker, seeks treatment from Acacia. Mistakenly believing he is struggling with erectile dysfunction, she navigates an awkward encounter. Meanwhile, her father's mounting pressure for a decision prompts Acacia to suggest a fake marriage to Ridge...

Five years ago, Mark Steele embezzled company funds for stock trading and lost everything. To protect his daughter Ariel, he begged his son-in-law Sean Grant to take the fall, promising to give him company shares in return.For Ariel's sake, Sean agreed.Now, five years later, Sean is released from prison—only to discover he is in the late stages of cancer.

Nolan drunkenly rushed home, blaming Heather, his mother, for stopping him from being with Winona in the past. Now, the Shaw family had become the richest in the city, and he had missed the opportunity to be a wealthy son-in-law. In the midst of their argument, Nolan killed Heather by accident. And then Heather was reborn. Nolan chose to leave his stable job to pursue Winona. Heather agreed but coldly laughed at his decision. After he left, she began to dress up, determined that this time she would live for herself rather than for her son. She later got married to Sam. When Sam returned to the company, he learned that Heather’s son, Nolan, was dating Winona, who was connected to one of his subordinate's partnerships. He instructed his assistant to subtly assist the Shaw family. At a banquet, Heather faced humiliation, but Sam fiercely defended her while concealing his identity as a global billionaire. It wasn’t until the final reveal that he disclosed his true status.

Five years ago, Christina accidentally spent a night with Ethan at a hotel, which resulted in the birth of quadruplets. Now, five years later, Christina took her four children and left the mountain where they had been living. Meanwhile, Ethan had been searching for her ever since she left her mark on him five years ago. Fate brought them together once again, leading to an unexpected reunion.

Laura married Felix for love, but this scoundrel not only plotted to murder her to seize her family's wealth but also killed her parents. Luckily, Laura survived, underwent plastic surgery, and changed her identity to become Felix's personal secretary, Mandy. During her quest for revenge, she discovered that her childhood friend Tedric deeply loved her. Tedric helped her in her pursuit of vengeance, ultimately sending Felix to prison.

Maggy Joyce was everyone's darling since childhood, but an accident brought her to Roy Lynn, who came to her rescue. They fell in love and spent three years together. But days before their engagement, a heart-wrenching overheard conversation made her leave.The next day, she was asked to meet his arranged fiancée. At that meeting, she discovered their cruel plan. She finally saw his love was a sham—a revenge scheme.Meanwhile, Roy finally realized his love for Maggy. He was planning their engagement party to win her back…

Marie, the daughter of the wealthy Salvin family, mistakenly believed scoundrel Bowen was her savior. She agreed to hide her identity as her father requested, pretended to be an ordinary person, and dated Bowen, who used her money and cheated on her with Yadira. On the day Marie returned home after academic success, Bowen and his family conspired to steal her house and then broke up with her. Realizing the truth, Marie revealed her identity, confronted Bowen and Yadira, and demanded restitution. Just then, the head of the Smith family, who had been betrothed to Marie since childhood, appeared to help her reclaim her dignity and future.

The short drama follows the lives of Sandy Wood and Dave Carter, shedding light on the complex and often conflicting aspects of family duty. Before their marriage, Dave is hailed by everyone as a reliable, dutiful man, someone who embodies devotion and is expected to become the perfect husband. Yet, once married, Sandy begins to see another side of him. His so-called "honesty" masks a deeper flaw - blind, unquestioning obedience to his parents. Dave sacrifices their marriage and Sandy's happiness, putting his parents' wishes above all else. His submission leaves him helpless in the face of family tensions, and it forces Sandy to endure constant injustice and pressure from her in-laws. Over time, this silent suffering builds until Sandy reaches her breaking point and finds the courage to break her silence, seeking change and her own liberation.

Five years ago, hotel attendant Regina Gentry had an unexpected encounter with Isaac Conner, the CEO of the Conner Group. But due to a mix-up by the butler, her friend Amelie was mistakenly taken in her place, living a life of luxury as Isaac's lover. Meanwhile, Regina, left behind and pregnant, gave birth to twins and struggled to raise them alone.Years later, Regina begins working at the Conner Group, where Isaac, assuming.she's a gold-digger, treats her with disdain. Yet, as they spend more time together, he finds himself drawn to her resilience and kindness. Consumed by jealousy, Amelie repeatedly schemes against Regina, even harming her children.When the truth finally comes to light, Regina's intelligence and courage win her the love she deserves, reuniting her family at last.

With a stroke of luck, Eric Clark's life took a drastic turn. He transformed from just a deliveryman to a master in both medicine and divination. Armed with his new skills, he seeks to exact revenge on those who had bullied him in the past.