renee carlino before we were strangers

Chester Joseph and Winifred Sloan were once deeply in love, but a phone call made Chester believe Winifred had another lover and married him only for his wealth. His ex Yvette returned with her daughter, falsely claiming she had battled leukemia, and Chester believed her without question.During a car accident, Chester abandoned the gravely injured Winifred leading to her death. Yvette continued her schemes, pushing Madam Joseph, who knew the truth, into danger, deepening Chester's misunderstandings, and even planning an engagement with him. At the engagement ceremony, Madam Joseph arrived and exposed Yvette's treachery.

Xavier Taylor is betrayed by the Queen Dowager and Queen’s faction. They manipulate him into leading a military campaign where he’s captured by the kingdom of Northland and made a hostage “exchange student”, suffering endless humiliation. He’s even paraded before the enemy capital gates in a ritual of submission.When a servant girl named Erin is about to be violated, a modern soul transransmigrates into his body. He immediately understands his predecessor’s experiences and the crisis he faces,while simultaneously awakening a system. By completing system tasks, Xavier can obtain various rewards.

Famous dancer Tessa Jorrel time travels to the 1980s, becoming a pregnant woman despised by all. The original Tessa of the 80s had tricked Colonel Shaun Lorne into marriage. After Tessa's arrival in this new time and body, she gradually wins over her sisters-in-law with modern cooking and sincere kindness, entertains the military compound with storytelling skills, impresses her mother-in-law with dancing skills, and outsmarts Yelena Vance's schemes. Shaun, cold and disciplined in public but gentle at home, falls for Tessa. Before she realizes it, Tessa is completely in love with him.

Ronald Brady, Death Valley's most gifted assassin, is rewarded with five beauties before leaving training. They are secret killers sent to test him—but he has already mastered absolute ruthlessness. He easily knocks them out and earns the title of number one assassin.Years later, he leaves the mountain and finds the poisoned Mabel Chandler, who is being hunted by Ghost Order assassins. She begs for help, but he coldly pushes her aside.When the assassins mock him, Ronald only glances up—and killing intent instantly engulfs the air.

Nina Grant has spent five years of marriage chasing the highest honor in dance, a promise made to Ethan Blake’s mother before she was ever truly accepted as his wife. The finish line is finally close. But the marriage that was supposed to be waiting at the end of it has gone quiet in ways Nina can’t name. Ethan is there. He is warm enough.Something essential is simply no longer present in the way he looks at her. Nina keeps dancing because stopping feels like admitting it. But the music is harder to hear over the silence between them.

Nina Grant has spent five years of marriage chasing the highest honor in dance, a promise made to Ethan Blake’s mother before she was ever truly accepted as his wife. The finish line is finally close. But the marriage that was supposed to be waiting at the end of it has gone quiet in ways Nina can’t name. Ethan is there. He is warm enough.Something essential is simply no longer present in the way he looks at her. Nina keeps dancing because stopping feels like admitting it. But the music is harder to hear over the silence between them.

To prevent her stepmother from seizing control of the Sullivan Group, Chairman Yvette must secure the 10% company shares left by her grandfather for her future husband. She plans to pick a random candidate for a marriage of convenience, but after discovering a traitor among the suitors, she rejects them all. Instead, she marries the handsomest and poorest man she found at the city hall—Ethan. Soon, Yvette finds him not only diagnosing her poisoning effortlessly, but also nourishing her with rare herbs as if they were ordinary. She wonders, "Ethan claimed to have nothing, but why is everyone secretly calling him 'young master'?"

After 10 years of marriage, Kate Seth and Tyler Finn were unexpectedly reborn. They both pretended not to know each other. Tyler chose to return to his hometown with his childhood sweetheart. Kate stayed local and accepted a family-arranged marriage. They met again 5 years later, at Kate's charity auction. Tyler splashed out for his childhood sweetheart, basking in the limelight. The long-awaited richest young master pulled Kate into his arms, thanking Tyler for his support of the charity. The usually reserved and composed Tyler lost his composure. He began to realize that after all these years apart, Kate seemed to be over him.

Transmigrated before the monster apocalypse, Xavier Lynn only wants to protect his younger brother and avoid past betrayals. He takes in a stray "dog" named Darkwind, only to awaken the Absolute Contract, a power that lets him forcibly tame S-class monsters. But when Darkwind swallows an A-class monster and his brother Jack extends SS-class tentacles from a water vat, Xavier realizes his "helpless" brother is terrifyingly strong.Meanwhile, the ex-girlfriend who got him killed and a corrupt military officer now have their greedy eyes set on his home.

Ronald Brady, Death Valley's most gifted assassin, is rewarded with five beauties before leaving training. They are secret killers sent to test him—but he has already mastered absolute ruthlessness. He easily knocks them out and earns the title of number one assassin.Years later, he leaves the mountain and finds the poisoned Mabel Chandler, who is being hunted by Ghost Order assassins. She begs for help, but he coldly pushes her aside.When the assassins mock him, Ronald only glances up—and killing intent instantly engulfs the air.

Transmigrated before the monster apocalypse, Xavier Lynn only wants to protect his younger brother and avoid past betrayals. He takes in a stray "dog" named Darkwind, only to awaken the Absolute Contract, a power that lets him forcibly tame S-class monsters. But when Darkwind swallows an A-class monster and his brother Jack extends SS-class tentacles from a water vat, Xavier realizes his "helpless" brother is terrifyingly strong.Meanwhile, the ex-girlfriend who got him killed and a corrupt military officer now have their greedy eyes set on his home.

To prevent her stepmother from seizing control of the Sullivan Group, Chairman Yvette must secure the 10% company shares left by her grandfather for her future husband. She plans to pick a random candidate for a marriage of convenience, but after discovering a traitor among the suitors, she rejects them all. Instead, she marries the handsomest and poorest man she found at the city hall—Ethan. Soon, Yvette finds him not only diagnosing her poisoning effortlessly, but also nourishing her with rare herbs as if they were ordinary. She wonders, "Ethan claimed to have nothing, but why is everyone secretly calling him 'young master'?"

Luke Moore, a business prodigy, made a name for himself when he was 18 years old and returned to his country, founding Moor Corp at the age of 21. However, after being betrayed by his family, he conceals his identity and works as a food delivery rider. When he learns that his girlfriend has cheated on him, he finds himself being pursued. Fortunately, Lena King, someone he met during his childhood, rescues him. Because of the promise they made when they were young, she pressures him to marry her. With Lena's protection and companionship, Luke gradually leaves the past behind and embraces the future with her.

Helen Croft was betrayed by her childhood sweetheart Alan Blake and her best friend Lisa Ruth. Her mother died because of it. After the divorce, she had nothing, so she left for Monaland and sold paintings on the street.There she met Tony Rusk, who had loved her quietly for years. His love and care gave her a new life.Five years later, she returned. Seeing her dressed simply, her ex-husband and Lisa mocked her, saying she must have married badly. Calmly, Helen revealed that her husband was the richest man in Amia City. The people who once humiliated her were instantly speechless.

After the tragic death of her parents, Yvonne Scott was raised with love and care by the Gordon family. But just before their wedding, Edward Gordon casually suggests they live an open relationship. Heartbroken, she stumbles into a pool, only to be rescued by her fiancé's best friend, Calvin Foster.Having secretly loved Yvonne since childhood, Calvin's feelings flood back when they meet again. With charm and subtle manipulation, he teases, tempts, and plays hot and cold, fighting fiercely for her love. As she slowly succumbs to his persistence, Yvonne finds herself on the path to true happiness.

Esme Olsen and Nate Blair are childhood sweethearts, destined to be together—until the real Lane heir returns, forcing Nate out. They vow to reunite, but the next day, Esme is diagnosed with leukemia. Afraid of holding him back, she chooses to recover before seeking him out or quietly disappear. Unaware of her illness, her greedy father hires thugs to attack Nate and convinces him that Esme no longer loves him. Five years later, he returns as a powerful tycoon, determined to claim her as his own. Love and resentment clash, but in the end, the truth sets them free.

For seven years, Kelsey Dale ran a business empire from the shadows and called herself a housewife. She gave up her name, her position, and eventually her health to prop up a husband who needed her more than he admitted, including nursing him through a near-fatal illness with everything she had. On the day their infant son turns one hundred days old, Gaige Hamilton walks through the door with his mistress and their child, backed by his parents, and offers Kelsey a choice: accept them under her roof and keep managing the household, or leave without her son. Seven years. That is what they thought they were owed.

For seven years, Kelsey Dale ran a business empire from the shadows and called herself a housewife. She gave up her name, her position, and eventually her health to prop up a husband who needed her more than he admitted, including nursing him through a near-fatal illness with everything she had. On the day their infant son turns one hundred days old, Gaige Hamilton walks through the door with his mistress and their child, backed by his parents, and offers Kelsey a choice: accept them under her roof and keep managing the household, or leave without her son. Seven years. That is what they thought they were owed.