

Serena Rivers spends three years in prison for a crime she didn't commit and uses every single day of it. She trains under four of the most formidable masters the underworld has ever produced and walks out as something entirely different from the woman who walked in. On her first day of freedom she corners the cold prison warden Xavier Stone against the water dungeon wall and kisses him without apology. He is her insurance policy and she knows it.Outside, the fake heiress has stolen her shares, her younger brother demands she kneel, and her former fiance has already moved on with a new bride. She tears up the rejection notice on the spot. Moments later, the Stone family motorcade arrives, the warden reveals himself as the family patriarch, and he shows up with a hundred billion in betrothal gifts and absolutely no intention of letting anyone touch her again. Together, they dismantle every person who had a hand in her three lost years.

Shea had been pressured by her mother to marry her mom's best friend's son. After getting the marriage certificate, she had hardly seen her husband's face before he left. It didn't matter. They had the marriage certificate anyway, and her husband was really that important to her. Soon after, she received a notification about starting her job as a bodyguard in the security department of Lowe Group. Great, she had gotten married, and she even had a job lined up. Shea went to work happily. A year later, when Yancy, the CEO of Lowe Group, returned, Shea had become the CEO's personal bodyguard. Wait a minute! This guy looked familiar. Why did he look like her husband?
![[ENG DUB] The Kiss Was Just the First Step](https://acfs3.goodshort.com/dist/src/assets/images/pc/common/f901131c-default-book-cover.png)
Serena Rivers spends three years in prison for a crime she didn't commit and uses every single day of it. She trains under four of the most formidable masters the underworld has ever produced and walks out as something entirely different from the woman who walked in. On her first day of freedom she corners the cold prison warden Xavier Stone against the water dungeon wall and kisses him without apology. He is her insurance policy and she knows it. Outside, the fake heiress has stolen her shares, her younger brother demands she kneel, and her former fiance has already moved on with a new bride. She tears up the rejection notice on the spot. Moments later, the Stone family motorcade arrives, the warden reveals himself as the family patriarch, and he shows up with a hundred billion in betrothal gifts and absolutely no intention of letting anyone touch her again. Together, they dismantle every person who had a hand in her three lost years.

After sacrificing herself as a shaman saintess during the war, Indy Baker transmigrates into the body of the Baker family’s true heiress.She recognizes her playboy uncle Finn Baker as the spitting image of her beloved mentor from her past life and publicly claims him as her father, vowing to help him win the inheritance. When Ethan Baker and his family repeatedly scheme against them, Indy uses her shamanic powers to resolve crises while transforming Finn and gaining support from the business world. As the family patriarch shows favoritism and Ethan’s crimes escalate, Indy teams up with the boss of Doyle Group to establish Indigo Group, striking back and exposing evidence of Ethan’s attempt to murder the old man—bringing him to justice. The two companies eventually merge, expanding into folk culture and military industries. On the anniversary of the war’s victory, she witnesses the nation’s prosperity and Finn’s transformation, honoring her past life: “Dawn has broken. We’ve all won.”

Kang Do-hyun chooses an ordinary life as a taxi driver to avoid inheriting his father’s family business. One day, he happens to rescue Cha Eun-seol, who is fleeing a chase and has accidentally taken the wrong medication. After a one-night encounter, they part ways and return to their separate lives. Four years later, a stylish CEO shows up with a child and proposes marriage to Do-hyun. After registering their marriage, Eun-seol faces pressure from her parents to abandon the child, but Do-hyun appears and protects both mother and daughter. As her company falls into crisis, Eun-seol attends a family banquet of Taegang Group—the most powerful conglomerate in Country A—to secure a 10-billion-won investment, unaware that the chairman is actually her husband’s father. At the banquet, despite pressure from her former fiancé Gu Jung-tae, Do-hyun’s father protects his granddaughter Kang Rumi and makes his presence known, yet he can only approach her as a “grandfather” without revealing his true identity. As time passes, Do-hyun and Eun-seol grow closer. However, after failing to secure investment, Eun-seol risks both her company and her board position by making a dangerous bet with her father, Cha Myung-hwan. At this critical moment, Do-hyun seeks out his father, accepts the responsibility of becoming the heir, and begins to take action himself. In the end, at a press conference, the capital and influence Do-hyun has prepared turn the situation around. Eun-seol not only saves her company but also secures full ownership, achieving both love and success.

On my eighteenth birthday, Alpha called me up in front of the whole pack and told me to choose—one of his sons as my mate. Whichever I chose? He'd be the next Alpha. I didn't flinch. I picked Cayce, his eldest. The room went dead silent. Everyone knew I used to be stupidly in love with Kain, the younger one. I'd confessed at every pack dance. Took a silver dagger for him once. Cayce? Coldest, meanest wolf we had. Total menace. No one got close. But they didn't know the truth. In my last life, I was bonded to Kain. On the day of our Bonding Ceremony, he slept with Lena, my cousin. My mom lost it. Shipped Lena off to Duskwolf Pack to get bonded to their Beta. Kain? He blamed me. Paraded in she-wolves with Lena's same ice-blue eyes. When he found out I was carrying his pup, he made sure I saw him with every one of them. It was torture. When labor hit, he locked me in the dungeon. Blocked everyone out. My pup got crushed. I died hating him. Maybe the Moon Goddess felt sorry for me—she gave me a second shot. I came back. This time? I let Kain keep Lena. Didn't think he would ever regret it.

On my eighteenth birthday, Alpha called me up in front of the whole pack and told me to choose—one of his sons as my mate. Whichever I chose? He'd be the next Alpha. I didn't flinch. I picked Cayce, his eldest. The room went dead silent. Everyone knew I used to be stupidly in love with Kain, the younger one. I'd confessed at every pack dance. Took a silver dagger for him once. Cayce? Coldest, meanest wolf we had. Total menace. No one got close. But they didn't know the truth. In my last life, I was bonded to Kain. On the day of our Bonding Ceremony, he slept with Lena, my cousin. My mom lost it. Shipped Lena off to Duskwolf Pack to get bonded to their Beta. Kain? He blamed me. Paraded in she-wolves with Lena's same ice-blue eyes. When he found out I was carrying his pup, he made sure I saw him with every one of them. It was torture. When labor hit, he locked me in the dungeon. Blocked everyone out. My pup got crushed. I died hating him. Maybe the Moon Goddess felt sorry for me—she gave me a second shot. I came back. This time? I let Kain keep Lena. Didn't think he would ever regret it.

The doctor said I only had three days left to live. Acute liver failure. My only hope was an experimental clinical trial. It was extremely risky, but had the faintest sliver of a chance to survive. But my husband, David, gave the last available spot... to my adopted sister, Emma, also my daughter’s godmother. Her condition was still in its early stages. He said it was the "right decision," because she “deserved to live more.” I signed the papers to forgo treatment and took the high-dose painkillers prescribed by the doctor. The cost? My organs would shut down, and I would die. When I handed over the jewelry company I’d poured my heart into, along with all my designs, to Emma, my parents praised me, saying, “Now that’s what a good big sister should do.” When I agreed to divorce David so he could marry Emma, he said, “You’ve finally learned to be understanding.” When I told my daughter to call Emma ‘Mom,’ she clapped her hands and said, “Emma is such a gentle and kind mother!” When I gave all my assets to Emma, everyone in the family thought it was only natural. No one noticed anything was wrong with me. I’m just curious. Will they still be able to smile when they find out I'm dead?