dead man's burden cast

Four people tangled by fate enter a deadly game of "method" — with one rule: get caught, you die. To find love. To protect it. To use it. To steal it. Three of them are thrown back in time to different moments in their past, turning love and betrayal into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse. Each return resets the board, each performance blurs truth and acting, and the villain who once drove them to their deaths becomes the counterweight in a rigged match. After being betrayed by the man she sacrificed everything to make a star and dying for it, one woman rewinds the clock to take him down, no matter the cost.

After transmigrating into the body of a 220-pound woman with magical spatial abilities, Emma Murray decides to first find a man and then establish herself as the leader of a mountain stronghold. Following a casual romantic encounter that unexpectedly results in quintuplets, she lives contentedly for six years until her children unexpectedly meet their father. Believing Matthias Caldwell to be merely a male courtesan from a place called Auster House, Emma convinces him to stay and marry her. However, on their wedding day, she discovers her new husband is actually a prince! Emma dramatically falls to the ground, lamenting, “You were supposed to be my mountain husband! How are you a prince?”

After transmigrating into the body of a 220-pound woman with magical spatial abilities, Emma Murray decides to first find a man and then establish herself as the leader of a mountain stronghold. Following a casual romantic encounter that unexpectedly results in quintuplets, she lives contentedly for six years until her children unexpectedly meet their father. Believing Matthias Caldwell to be merely a male courtesan from a place called Auster House, Emma convinces him to stay and marry her. However, on their wedding day, she discovers her new husband is actually a prince! Emma dramatically falls to the ground, lamenting, “You were supposed to be my mountain husband! How are you a prince?”

Janice Carter, the daughter of a tea garden owner, toiled day and night to support her childhood sweetheart, Simon Smith, through college, giving him everything she had. However, her devotion was repaid with betrayal and abandonment.One fateful day, she rescued Yusuf Harris—a man branded a "villain."Unexpectedly, he fell for her at first sight and boldly proposed marriage.Simon traded love for ambition, leaving Janice heartbroken. Yet the so-called "villain" became her quiet protector, shielding her from the storms of life with unwavering resolve.As time passed, affection took root and blossomed. Janice finally understood her heart; Yusuf was her light for the rest of her life.

Ian Warren, the wealthiest man in Granton, was once gravely ill as a child. While recovering in the countryside, he met a young girl named Alice Clare. Encouraged by her, he successfully underwent surgery. On the day they agreed to meet, Alice suddenly disappeared. Ian spent years searching for her.Eighteen years later, upon reuniting, he quickly found an excuse to marry her in a flash wedding. Fearing she might leave, he treated her with utmost devotion. Only later did he realize that Alice had willingly entered his trap—this long-planned love had been mutual from the start. In the end, they met at their peaks and found their happily ever after.

By chance, Tessa, an emergency room nurse, saved Victor, a dangerous and charming gang boss, but was strongly targeted by him. He was closing in on her, and she was running for her life—until fate tore away her last hope. Her brother was dying, and the sky-high medical bills were crushing her. Victor narrowed his cold eyes and said, "Be my woman, and I'll save him." She was forced to sign a marriage contract. She resisted his world but indulged in his protection and tenderness. When she found out that the mysterious man who saved her on the rainy night five years ago was actually him, the boundary between hate and love completely collapsed...

In a life she once lived, Linda Blake was betrayed by the man she loved and his mistress. They conspired to set her on fire, intending to kill her and her twins. To shield her children from harm, she sacrificed herself in the blaze. Miraculously, she was reborn 12 years later, now a teenager of 18, only to find her daughter overweight, her son vanished, her husband remarried, and her inheritance stolen.Determined to reclaim her life, she guided her daughter to a remarkable transformation, unmasked a ghost-singing scam, and collected evidence to put her adversaries behind bars. She severed ties with her husband, reunited with her son, and together with her children, they rose to prominence in the entertainment world.

Alaenna came from humble beginnings, but through hard work and determination, she met and fell in love with Aiden Clark, a man from a wealthy and influential family. After their marriage, Alaenna became pregnant with triplets, and the entire Clark family was overjoyed.One day, while visiting her parents, Alaenna jokingly told them she had divorced Aiden. To her shock, their attitude changed instantly. Their long-hidden favoritism toward sons surfaced, they lashed out at her with cruel words and even tried to pressure her into handing over her assets.In the midst of the confrontation, Alaenna nearly miscarried. Luckily, Aiden arrived just in time to protect her. In the end, Alaenna gave birth to healthy babies, while those driven by greed faced the consequences of their actions.

Grant Jenkins, an Eighth-Stage Warrior, descends the mountain to fulfill his marriage contract, only to be dismissed by the Nelson family, who wrongly believe him to be a useless, unskilled man. To protect their favored second daughter, Joyce, they force the gravely ill eldest daughter, Rose, to take her place at the wedding. During the ceremony,the Nelsons insult him and even attempt to tear up the marriage contract. Grant, unable to tolerate any more, unleashes his overwhelming strength, sweeping the entire venue with a force that shatters his enemies in an instant. Everyone is stunned to realize that this so-called useless man is actually a hidden martial arts master. From that day, Grant not only helps Rose defy fate but also crushes all those who belittled him, forging a legend of strength and power.

Anna Poole had faced hardships since childhood. While trying to resolve a company crisis with her good friend, Serene Cox, Anna was drugged and sold to Mr. King. After Anna injured Mr. King and escaped, she ended up in the room of another man, Zach Howl, who was also under the influence of an aphrodisiac. As a result, they unexpectedly became intimate. As soon as Anna regained consciousness, she decided to confront Serene and accidentally overheard a conspiracy between Serene and the supposedly deceased Bryan Lane. Outraged, Anna confronted Serene, who injured her and caused a fire to start. In a life-threatening situation, Anna was saved by Waver Taylor, who had just returned to the country. Ten months later, she gave birth to twins, and one of them was taken away by the Browns. Along with a doctor, the Brown mother and daughter falsely claimed that the child died to suffocation.

At 15, Evan Jose met the love of his life. Having been diagnosed with a rare illness since childhood and given no more than 30 years to live, Evan tasted a candy from Tina Skyler, and that very candy drove away his misery. Over the years, Evan kept supporting Tina, watching his little moon grow into an exceptional dancer. When he had only 7 months left to live, he made a selfish decision. He married her, aiming to love her silently, as he had done for the past 14 years. But he forgot that the look of love can't be hidden. His feelings grew stronger. He reveled in her cute yet awkward attempts to please him, was captivated by her unintentional touches, and couldn't bear the thought of any other man near Tina. With his life slipping away and his love impossible to let go, a countdown of love began.

To save her father's life, Alicia Bennett is forced into a dangerous game of deception, swapping places with Sabrina Knight to "pretend" to be intimate with Sabrina's powerful husband, Ethan Clark. What begins as a desperate bargain to secure money for surgery soon spirals into a deadly web of secrets and manipulation, with Alicia trapped as a pawn in the ruthless Knight family's control. By day, she's Ethan's dutiful assistant; by night, she's a "stranger" in his bed, caught in a whirlwind of passion, power, and betrayal. As their complex, forbidden connection deepens, Alicia is drawn into a world where nothing is as it seems—until the shocking truth is finally exposed… Will Alicia escape the tangled web she's been caught in, or will the Knight family's plans destroy everything she's fought for?

When Hespera's elder legitimate sister Rachel gets pregnant, Hespera is sent to be Rachel’s husband's concubine. But Rachel's delivery day becomes Hespera's death day. Reborn, Hespera plays her cards carefully: she wraps Rachel's powerful father-in-law around her finger, marries him, reclaims her legitimate daughter status, and takes revenge on all.

Nicole's daughter clung to life as husband Zack chose Yolanda's child over hers. After learning of Zack's deceptions, Nicole sought justice, leading to a public fallout with Yolanda. Amidst grief and Zack's infidelities, Nicole fought for her daughter's legacy. Zack's realization of his mistakes came too late, ending in his tragic demise. Nicole found new purpose in charity and love with Harrison.

Carol, a part-time food delivery worker who lost her mother, coincidentally helped the grandfather of Denton's wealthiest man. Later, this elderly gentleman tried to fix his grandson Nigel up with Carol. In order to repay the debts left behind from her mother's medical treatment, Carol agreed to marry Nigel for the sum of $200,000. Nigel, pressured by his grandfather, entered into the marriage reluctantly and hid his identity from Carol. However, their feelings for each other gradually grew as they started living together. Yet, Nigel's concealed identity remained a ticking time bomb in their relationship. Events such as Nigel's mother visiting their home and the party hosted by Nigel's group further fueled Carol's suspicions about Nigel's true identity, leading to a series of tense yet comical situations.

Carol, a part-time food delivery worker who lost her mother, coincidentally helped the grandfather of Denton's wealthiest man. Later, this elderly gentleman tried to fix his grandson Nigel up with Carol. In order to repay the debts left behind from her mother's medical treatment, Carol agreed to marry Nigel for the sum of $200,000. Nigel, pressured by his grandfather, entered into the marriage reluctantly and hid his identity from Carol. However, their feelings for each other gradually grew as they started living together. Yet, Nigel's concealed identity remained a ticking time bomb in their relationship. Events such as Nigel's mother visiting their home and the party hosted by Nigel's group further fueled Carol's suspicions about Nigel's true identity, leading to a series of tense yet comical situations.

Tyrone grew up under the strict control of his wealthy parents, making him feel like a neglected child. Determined to prove himself, he worked tirelessly to meet the unreasonable demands of his girlfriend, Nina. But Nina abandoned him for Fred, using her new lover's connections to land a job at Rivertown's top company, Celestria Group. Meanwhile, Tyrone earned his way into this company through hard work. On his first day, Tyrone faced hostility from Fred and Nina. But fate intervened when he saved Fiona's grandmother—an act that led to a fake marriage with Fiona, Celestria's powerful CEO. Over time, she grew to love him and stood up for him against Nina's schemes. Later, Tyrone's father revealed their family's own elite status, but Tyrone remained unfazed. He had already learned the most important lesson: true love isn't about wealth or status—it's built on self-respect and genuine connection.

Eight years after a one-night stand, Sophie Archer raises son Jack alone until he's diagnosed with leukemia requiring a rare blood-type donor. Doctors suggest a million-dollar imported medicine to buy time. While struggling financially, Sophie becomes Caleb Johnson's secretary, unaware he's Jack's father. Meanwhile, Caleb and his grandmother Kate meet Jack by chance and confirm paternity through DNA testing. As Sophie and Caleb develop feelings and she becomes pregnant again after another encounter, Sophie saves enough for Jack's treatment, only for rival Chloe Bradford to destroy the medicine. Kate intervenes, recognizes Sophie and Jack as family, and tells Caleb to marry Jack's mother, not realizing he's already falling for Sophie. When Caleb discovers Sophie is Jack's mother, they commit to each other. At their wedding, Sophie reveals she has no blood relation to the Archers, and learns she's actually the biological daughter of the Bradfords couple, whom she refuses to forgive. The story ends with Sophie giving birth to twins and living happily with Caleb, Jack, Kate and their growing family.