once upon a time not long ago

Hidden genius doctor Damian Mercer (alias Umbra) disguises himself as a beggar to evade global pursuit, only to receive a black card as charity from heiress Liana Lowell. He diagnoses her terminal "Yin-collapsed meridians," but three renowned doctors dismiss him.After publicly humiliating the trio, Damian is forcibly brought to the Lowell estate, where his golden needle technique saves Liana's life, shocking the medical world. Upon escaping, he's publicly humiliated by his fiancee Molly Sawyer and half-brother Rowan Mercer, who break off their engagement. He also discovers the Mercer family has grown arrogant after gaining a seat among "the Twelve Ascendant Elders of the Sanctum" through Damian's own subordinate, Left Sentinel of the Sanctum. Damian secretly orchestrates his revenge, announcing as "Umbra" that he'll attend the Mercer family wedding—causing a sensation.

An influencer struggling for more followers, and a handsome man with a mysterious history. Blood coming out of water taps, stumping footsteps in the hall... They sound like weird, spooky phenomena in a creepy hotel. But it doesn’t take long to discover that they are all connected, and leading to a dark secret hidden behind every closed door and buried underneath the quiet bricks and concrete. They could be nothing more than rumors, but only one way to find out.

When Megan Bell turned sixteen, she fell for someone named Eric Flynn. She knew he was out of her league, so she quietly kept her feelings to herself and held onto them for three long years. Then, at nineteen, fate brings her and Eric together again in university. And because of a game, they end up getting closer to each other in a way neither of them expects.

In a world of advanced martial arts and military prowess, Matthew Gilmore serves three years in the military in place of his brother,rising to Six-Star General. Upon his triumphant return home, his father Benjamin Gilmore coldly demands that Matthew transfer all his military achievements and honors to his favored son Zachary.Heartbroken, Matthew severs all family ties. Benjamin steals Matthew's military credits for Zachary. When Matthew tries to expose this conspiracy, Benjamin uses an enemy invasion as cover, deploying nuclear weapons to kill Matthew and silence him. Matthew survives but loses an arm.Matthew returns and exposes his father's crimes. He then travels to the capital with his close friend for the Star Generals Tournament, fighting his way through each round and emerging as a top-tier general. Having achieved vindication, Matthew protects the nation's peace and begins a happy life with his trusted companion.

Neglected by her biological father and persecuted by her stepmother, Melody Stein finds herself in dire straits. Out of desperation, she forces Riveria's influential figure, Ryan Hunt, into marriage. On their wedding day, Ryan discovers her premarital indiscretion, condemning her for perceived moral decay. After carrying her child for ten months, Melody gives birth, signs the divorce papers, and disappears without a trace.Years later, Melody returns to Riveria, accompanied by her child. "Mr. Hunt, I heard you're in need of a personal doctor?" Ryan willingly takes the bait. "You're hired."Rumors swirl around town—Mr. Hunt has no wife and shows no interest in having a lover, yet he lavishes affection upon his personal doctor like a loyal puppy. He even treats her child of unknown paternity as his own.

Shawn, heir to the renowned Divine Health Clinic, was left severely wounded during a robbery—until a chance encounter saved his life. The head of the prestigious Chester family happened upon the scene and rescued him. Grateful for their intervention, Shawn vowed to repay the debt by serving the Chesters, using his medical expertise to treat their young mistress, Minae, who suffered from a rare aging syndrome. For three years, Shawn worked tirelessly, elevating the Chester family's reputation while secretly restoring Minae's health. Yet, unaware of his true identity, Minae constantly tested his patience with mistrust. When his term of service finally ended, Shawn left, determined to reclaim his rightful place. Without his treatment, Minae's condition worsened. Desperate, she turned to Divine Health Clinic for help, only to discover that the master physician she had dismissed was none other than Shawn himself.

After her father's betrayal destroys her family, Jeri Snider abandons her fortune and disappears, only to be saved by struggling entrepreneur Clayton Lynn. She helps him build his empire in secret, but once he rises to power, he turns on her, even cheating with her relative, July. When July exposes Jeri and sets her up to be assaulted, mysterious tycoon Craig Lawson intervenes. But why does he care? Jeri once left him without explanation, and now his sudden return feels… calculated. Is love the real motive? Or is this marriage just another trap? Jeri must outsmart them all—before she loses everything for good.

Miles, a singer from a humble background, lost his sight three years ago while saving his girlfriend from a fire. His girlfriend Jane and sister Hedy asked him to be a ghost singer for the singer York, who promised Miles he would help him debut. However, on the day York became a superstar, he broke his promise. Miles stood up to accuse York of lip-syncing but was knocked out by his girlfriend and sister, leading to his unfortunate death. In his second life, Miles was determined not to be used by others again. After regaining his sight, he exposed York's lip-syncing scandal at York's concert and showcased his own talent. He caught the attention of major players in the showbiz and signed a lucrative contract, stepping into the ranks of superstars!

Staring at the jade pendant, Yamlia Lane finally realized she was the long-missing daughter of the wealthiest person in the country. Surprisingly, Yamlia had no intention of returning to her biological father. 15 years ago, when she was still Ramona Salmon, she and her fiancé, Jagger Jarrett, were caught in a car accident. To save Jagger, his mother coerced the doctor into removing one of Ramona's kidneys, then spread the lie that Ramona was missing. 15 years later, Ramona, now known as Yamlia, was accepted into a prestigious university. However, just as this exciting news reached Yamlia's adoptive father, he discovered that his biological daughter, Jacey Lane, had deceived Yamlia into selling her blood. He rushed over to stop them. What he saw next left him utterly shocked. He then...

After their guardian stone shattered, Zimmer Chapman begged ten-year-old Yarel Fisher—his clan's reincarnated ancestor—to return and restore their blessings. Yarel refused, choosing the Fisher family. There, betrayal and scorn led to his exile. Misfortune then plagued the Fishers,while Yarel faced disrespect from his Chapman descendants. Subsequently, the Fisher family was plagued by endless misfortunes. Their regret came too late, long after the damage was done.

College student Joyce Reed is framed by her cousin and ends up spending a night with Jeremy Robinson, a powerful figure in Harbor City. Wracked with guilt over betraying her boyfriend, she later discovers that he had long been cheating on her with her best friend.Furious after learning the truth, Joyce impulsively marries Jeremy—only to find out that his true identity is far more shocking than she imagined…

Legendary diplomat Wanda Jason once left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for love, only to be rejected by her husband, Marshal Liam Joy, and their son Felix. Resolute, she divorced him and returned to diplomacy under the name Wan,stunning the world once more. When Liam realized his mistake, it was too late. Yasmin Zeal,desperate to marry Liam, exploited her brother's life-saving debt and drove a wedge between Liam and Wanda, until her true identity as a traitor's sister was exposed. Regretfully, Liam went to war and died in battle, leaving a final confession: "My only wish was to grow old with you." Wanda, with her son and adopted daughter,took up a new mission—walking toward a new dawn.

Janet Driscoll, once the cherished darling of the family, was devastated to discover that she was not her parents' biological daughter. After their real daughter, Jaime, was welcomed home, her once-loving parents and brother began to trust Jaime blindly, hanging on her every word.When Janet was falsely accused of pushing her grandma down the stairs, the Driscoll family, without hesitation, sent her to a harsh reform school. There, she endured three years of inhumane torment that left her with permanent, life-altering disabilities.Three years later, when the family finally brought her home, they were shocked to find that the bright, cheerful Janet they once knew had vanished. In her place stood a cold, distant young woman who had shut them all out.

Janet Driscoll, once the cherished darling of the family, was devastated to discover that she was not her parents' biological daughter. After their real daughter, Jaime, was welcomed home, her once-loving parents and brother began to trust Jaime blindly, hanging on her every word.When Janet was falsely accused of pushing her grandma down the stairs, the Driscoll family, without hesitation, sent her to a harsh reform school. There, she endured three years of inhumane torment that left her with permanent, life-altering disabilities.Three years later, when the family finally brought her home, they were shocked to find that the bright, cheerful Janet they once knew had vanished. In her place stood a cold, distant young woman who had shut them all out.

Five years ago, Rachel Anderson invited her fiancé's sister, Sharon Chandler, on a shopping trip. A sudden delay left Sharon vulnerable to an attack by three thugs, leading to her death. Joseph Chandler, Rachel's fiancé, was gravely wounded trying to save his sister. To save him, Rachel gave up her kidney—only to have the Chandler family blame Sharon's death on her.Blinded by grief and hatred, Joseph kept Rachel captive by his side for five years, tormenting her endlessly. Rachel's health crumbled until she developed kidney failure. Meanwhile, Yasmin Howard—who falsely claimed credit for Rachel's sacrifice—now demands her last remaining kidney.Broken and hopeless, Rachel walks into the operating room, ready to embrace the end. But when Joseph learns the truth, he must finally face the devastating consequences of his cruelty.

Legendary diplomat Wanda Jason once left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for love, only to be rejected by her husband, Marshal Liam Joy, and their son Felix. Resolute, she divorced him and returned to diplomacy under the name Wan,stunning the world once more. When Liam realized his mistake, it was too late. Yasmin Zeal,desperate to marry Liam, exploited her brother's life-saving debt and drove a wedge between Liam and Wanda, until her true identity as a traitor's sister was exposed. Regretfully, Liam went to war and died in battle, leaving a final confession: "My only wish was to grow old with you." Wanda, with her son and adopted daughter,took up a new mission—walking toward a new dawn.

Clara is the biological daughter of her family, but her parents and brothers always blindly favored her adoptive sister, Emily. After years of torment, Emily finally murdered Clara at the age of 24… but now, Clara has the chance to be 19 again. In this life, Clara vows to never again be victimized by bullies. Though her brothers find out the truth from Clara’s diary, which plunges them into regret, it’s too late - Clara’s long past forgiveness.

Katy Ferguson is a renowned businesswoman in the city who dotes on her biological daughter Naomi Ferguson, giving her everything while remaining cold and distant toward her adopted daughter Alice Ferguson. However, Naomi schemes to steal the family fortune,causing Katy immense suffering. Before dying, Naomi reveals the truth: she's actually a fake daughter! Everything stemmed from butler Howard Adams' conspiracy years ago—he switched his own daughter with Katy's real daughter, deceiving Katy for her entire lifetime. Only in her dying moments does Katy realize that the "biological daughter" she spoiled her whole life wasn't as worthy as the adopted daughter she drove away three years ago. Given a second chance at life, she decides to shower all her love on Alice instead.