is instant family based on a true story

In a devastating fire, a stepmother and her stepdaughter become trapped in an elevator, and Evelyn sacrifices her life in a desperate attempt to save Heidi. Unbeknownst to her husband, Vincent Clarke, Evelyn's tragic death occurs while he stands by the side of Heidi's biological mother, Fiona Lawson. Grief-stricken, Heidi cries out, "I only have one mother, her name is Evelyn Glover!"

Jane Arnold was imprisoned on her wedding day after being falsely accused of killing Francis Wooten's sister Jennifer Wooten. Jane gave birth to her daughter Bunny in prison. Years later, Bunny reunites with Francis but faces harassment and schemes from Francis' admirer, Sonia Thompson. By chance, Bunny meets her mother Jane Arnold, who now goes by Jean Smith. Mother and daughter work tirelessly to uncover the truth and clear their names, discovering that Sonia was the real killer. However, Sonia kidnaps Bunny. To save her daughter, Jane must agree to Sonia's unreasonable demands, but Sonia secretly plans to kill them both. Fortunately, Francis arrives in time to save the mother and daughter.

Margaret sacrificed everything to raise her two sons, only to have her "dead" husband Channing show up at their graduation with his mistress in tow. The truth hit hard: he'd faked his death, and "her" boys were actually his love children with Vivian. The shock killed her. Then she woke up in the delivery room. She reborned. Game on.

Alina, the true Windsor heiress, lost at three, was replaced by Angela. Found years later, Alina faced Angela's schemes and family alienation. After a tragic death, she was reborn, left the Windsors, and forged her own path. The family, through coincidences, realized her true love and regretted their actions.

After being reborn five years back, Isabel Lopez realizes everything she once poured her heart into was stolen. In her past life, she was framed, thrown in jail, and died cold and alone on the streets.This time, she's back for revenge.On the piano stage, she exposes Flora's lies. In the literary world, she crushes her second sister Quin with a hit novel. In the business world, she partners with former rivals to take down her brother Cyrus's billion-dollar empire.When the Lopez family gets on their knees and begs for forgiveness,Isabel rips up the family photo with a smirk.You made me suffer once. Now,I'll return the favor—one hundred times over.No more family. No more mercy.

Evelyn Willow, a strong female general, is honored by the emperor with the title of "Wise General" for her victories. Returning to the capital for her sister Vera Willow's wedding, she's mistaken for a beggar due to her worn clothes. Despite this, Vera fiercely defends her. But on the day of the wedding, Vera is betrayed by her entire in-law family. Evelyn uses her power to strike back, defending her sister's honor. After helping Vera annul the marriage, she arranges a new match with Caius Nelson. On the day the duke sends his betrothal gifts, both sisters unexpectedly encounter the parents who abandoned them. Evelyn decides to make them regret their actions for the rest of their lives.

Alina, the true Windsor heiress, lost at three, was replaced by Angela. Found years later, Alina faced Angela's schemes and family alienation. After a tragic death, she was reborn, left the Windsors, and forged her own path. The family, through coincidences, realized her true love and regretted their actions.

Ten years after Yancy Stuart vanished in a tragic hiking accident, her brother Jeffery finally found her, only to learn she had no memory of him. When Jeffery rescued Yancy from an abusive boyfriend, they agreed to reconnect despite her lost memories. Driven by guilt for not protecting her before, Jeffery worked to improve her life, but rebuilding their bond proved challenging. As they grew closer, Jeffery discovered they weren't biologically related. Embracing his feelings, he confessed his love. Together, they overcame adversaries, media scrutiny, and personal struggles, ultimately forming a strong and loving family.

Twenty years ago, Quilla saved Yosef and his family by chance.The two fell in love over time, and she chose to stay with Yosef, raising his three children as her own. Twenty years later,the ex-wife Mary reappears. Emotionally, the three children lean more toward their birth mother, so the family decides to drive away Quilla, the only "outsider". Heartbroken, she cuts ties with them for good. Meanwhile, the Grant family's business begins to decline,and Mary proves to be nothing but a gold-digger. They finally remember Quilla's kindness and try to win her back, but her heart is already dead, and she starts a new life.

Mandy's son and daughter-in-law, eager to make money from a bride price, pressured and threatened her—a widow for many years—into marrying Seth, a man in a vegetative state due to a car accident. With no way to refuse, Mandy went through with the marriage, feeling scared and reluctant. However, she was surprised to be warmly welcomed and treated kindly by Seth's daughter, Kira. At first, Mandy resisted the idea of staying, but over time, she grew more willing to remain by Seth's side. What she didn't realize was that Seth was slowly regaining awareness, deeply touched by her presence and care...

On Christmas Eve, James Halper visits his wife's family, only to be treated with disdain. Little do they know, he is the new Chairman of Empyrean Group, one of the world's leading companies.

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?

Stella lost her parents when she was just a child and grew up in heartbreaking circumstances. But through it all, she stayed bright, strong, and kind-hearted. At eighteen, she happened to save Riley, the elegant matriarch of a wealthy family. Grateful, Riley took her in as her foster daughter. To Stella's amazement, her six new brothers were anything but ordinary. From a girl nobody cared about, she suddenly found herself at the center of a powerful family—as their beloved little sister.

Sierra was originally the true daughter of the Jenkins family, but she was framed by Nicole and expelled from the Jenkins family. After her rebirth, she relied on her memories to dig for treasures and obtain funds to invest in projects that competed with the Jenkins family. At the investment conference, she fearlessly faced Nicole's slanders and the Jenkins family's suppression, successfully turning the tables. Later, she exposed Nicole's malicious deeds, causing her to suffer the consequences of her own actions. Ultimately, Sierra let go of her past and joined hands with her friends to embark on a new life.

The revelation of the children switching saw Ann Stone's fall from grace; she went from being revered to reviled. Her own kin turned on her, transforming into adversaries, and her betrothed added to her wounds with his treachery and public scorn. Yearning to flee the chaos, Ann found her path blocked by the genuine affection of the Crofts, leaving her in a dire dilemma. She believed she had reached the peak of drama in her life, but the twist was yet to come—she learned that the man she played with was no ordinary person but a heir of the capital's most powerful clan. "Ah! Someone, please help me!"

Dakota is Gabriella Lowery's only daughter, cherished since childhood, who later marries Chase Boone and moves far away. After marriage, Chase neglects the family and has an affair. Although Dakota suffers, she never complains to her mother. At her child's one-month celebration, Dakota hopes for her mother to attend, only to discover that everyone believes Gabriella has passed away and has kept this from her. Dakota refuses to believe it and argues with the Boone family. Years of unhappiness make her consider divorce, but Chase is unwilling. At this point, Gabriella arrives and, seeing her daughter's thin appearance, blames Chase. Still, she is willing to give him another chance. Unfortunately, the rift in Dakota and Chase's relationship is beyond repair. Dakota decides to divorce, and Gabriella supports her. Chase recognizes his mistakes, chooses to let her go, and expresses his intention to change, waiting for Dakota to return.

In her previous life, Aurora was tormented by her family to death. Now, returned to life ten years prior, she embarks on a ruthless journey to send her cruel adopted sister to prison and make her family beg for forgiveness.

Fifteen years ago, Molly was rescued and adopted by Mrs. Shane. To repay Mrs. Shane's kindness, Molly, now the Supreme Lord, had quietly supported the Shanes for years—helping her eldest brother become the richest man in Waterfall City, assisting her second brother in earning the title of War God, and aiding her third brother in becoming a legendary doctor. However, on the very day that the true daughter of the family, Fiona, returned, Molly discovered that all her sacrifices had been in vain.