then and now maugham

At a concert seven years ago, the iconic singer, Carmen Rowe, announced her sudden retirement from the music industry. She had found the boy she'd been searching for. The boy, now known as Ben Lewis, was the CEO of Lewis Group and had lost his eyesight in a car accident. Carmen pretended to be a mute and stayed by his side. Under her meticulous care, Ben eventually regained his vision after removing his bandages. However, the moment he could see again, he ran straight to his first love, Carmela Taylor. Heartbroken by the rejection despite all she had done, Carmen decided to divorce Ben and return to the music industry with her daughter. Later, Ben organized a grand comeback concert for Carmela. But during the performance, he recognized that Carmela's voice wasn't the legendary one he remembered. It was only then that he realized the truth. By that time, Carmen Rowe had fully reclaimed her status as the top music diva and had no intention of giving Ben another chance.

In her past life, Myla Scott sacrificed the respect and dignity of being the eldest daughter of the Scott family to marry Shawn Ford, only to endure endless humiliation. In Halton, everyone knew that Shawn's true love was Susan Quinn, and Myla was nothing more than an afterthought. Shawn despised her, drained every last ounce of value from her, and left her to die a painful death on the operating table. But this time, in her second life, Myla is determined to take control. She focuses on rebuilding herself, striving for success in both her career and love life. What she doesn't expect is for her cold and indifferent ex-husband to suddenly change, becoming obsessed with winning her back. As their complicated relationship reignites, the truth behind her tragic death in her past life begins to surface.

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.

In their previous life, Fabian Quinn only realized after marrying Laurel Sweeney that she had never truly let go of Ian Solis, her first love. When she got the news of Ian's death, grief consumed her. Without hesitation, she took the abortion pills and ended her life. In an effort to save her, Fabian tragically lost his own life. When they opened their eyes once more, everything had changed. This time, Laurel chose Ian, the man who had always held a special place in her heart, while Laurel, in his rebirth, became the wealthiest man alive. In this life, their paths are completely different...

Claire Gould, the heiress of a billion-dollar conglomerate, conceals her identity to repay a life-saving favor by marrying a commoner. Little did she know that after personally guiding her husband's company to become a multimillion-dollar conglomerate on the brink of going public, he callously casts her aside, opting to marry the niece of the wealthiest man in town.Post-divorce, Claire's true identity is exposed, leading to a satisfying comeuppance for the deceitful ex-husband and his conniving new wife. Despite his regret, it's too late for him to reclaim what he lost. Claire finds herself adored and cherished by three influential and eligible bachelors, leaving her ex-husband to rue the day he let go of the woman now embraced by the affections of powerful suitors.

Lawrence, the heir to the powerful Lutz family, was betrayed by the one person he loved most in his past life. His childhood sweetheart, his fiancée, fled their engagement banquet to rescue her lover, humiliating him in front of everyone. To make matters worse, she conspired with his younger brother, causing the downfall of his family and leading to his tragic end. But fate has given him a second chance. This time, Lawrence will make his fiancée pay for her betrayal with her blood. He will reclaim everything that was stolen from him and make those who wronged him regret their actions.

Ethan mistakenly believed that Scarlett's father had killed his own father, leading him to confine Scarlett in a mental hospital, where she endured torment for two years. Later, Ethan, in an effort to thwart his stepmother Evelyn's scheme, chose to enter into a fake marriage with Scarlett, with a three-month deadline. However, just as Ethan and Scarlett received their marriage license, Ethan discovered the mysterious woman he had slept with, Sophia.

The story primarily revolves around the main female protagonist Caitlyn May and the male lead Louis Montgomery. Caitlyn’s parents were killed when she was six years old, leaving her to grow up in an orphanage. Later, due to the connection between her parents’ death and the Montgomery family, she marries Louis Montgomery, the second son of the Montgomery family. After their marriage, the couple faces numerous misunderstandings and obstacles. Initially, they both mistakenly believe that the other has a crush on their first love. However, as the plot develops, these misunderstandings gradually unravel. Louis begins to actively pursue his wife, and ultimately, the two come together.

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.

Lydia’s lifelong dream is to become a pastry chef and make lives sweeter with her desserts - yet her own life is full of bitterness and suffering. Things change when the billionaire Scott shows up, and with a little white lie, changes Lydia’s fate. Lydia has no idea it all started with her kindness five years ago…

Shirley was David's adopted daughter, and they had relied on each other for many years. Though they shared no blood relation, their bond surpassed that of a biological father and daughter. After David's death, Shirley, filled with hatred for the Shane family who abandoned her, became a tutor for them. She initially had the opportunity to seek revenge, but an unexpected revelation about her biological mother's enduring love for her led her to reconsider. Later, she discovered that she had stomach cancer. Being caught between love and resentment for her mother, she ultimately decided to sacrifice herself to save her mother's adopted daughter.

Faye Grey, heiress to the legendary Draco Clan said to control half of the world’s fortune, keeps her identity hidden while being with Steve Pitt for three years to repay a life-saving favor. Secretly, she helps him achieve his success. However, Steve eventually grows disdainful of her and begins a relationship with Mary Cooper, the heiress of the Coopers. In a fit of anger, Faye grabs a beggar from the street and marries him on the spot. Unbeknownst to her, the beggar is actually Rolan Quinn, the top tycoon of Delinia. To avoid his family's pressure to marry, Rolan agrees to the arrangement. As time goes by, Faye and Rolan gradually fall for each other, and Faye eventually discovers that Rolan is the person who saved her years ago.

Lauren Turner is a werewolf who is struggling to contain the crazy wolf inside of her. But her life starts to change and gets even more complicated when the powerful Alpha, Sebastian Ashford, forces Lauren into a contractual marriage. Lauren and Sebastian must deal with the ramifications of their false nuptials alongside the constant threat that their identity will be discovered by the humans. But little does Lauren know, that Sebastian’s true reasons for entering into this contract may be the biggest threat of all.

Quiana Sullivan is a beautiful CEO worth billions of dollars. But she dressed up as a college student and went on a date with her boyfriend to test whether his love for her was related to money and status. However, she was harshly ridiculed by her boyfriend's mother...

Betrayed by her stepbrother Edward and left to die with nothing but regrets, Celeste Welsh gets a second shot at life. This time? She's playing for keeps. Revenge against Edward is at the top of her list—but things get complicated when love unexpectedly walks in. Now, she's juggling payback and passion, determined to live this life with no regrets. Sweet, fierce, and unstoppable, Celeste is rewriting her story…

The Sovereign Guardian Sean Madden retires to the countryside with his daughter Cindy. After encountering the Hickman family’s elderly matriarch, he marries beautiful businesswoman Serena Hickman, believing he can provide Cindy with a stable family life. Unexpectedly, Serena becomes targeted by the Power family, bringing multiple critical dangers. However, Sean and Cindy collaborate to successfully resolve and overcome these challenges.

Allie Mullen single-handedly raises Kellan Conley and Lyla Conley. Sacrificing everything, she works tirelessly to save money for Kellan's education, hoping he will return to help his hometown after completing his studies. However, Kellan disappears for ten years without a trace. The villagers believe he has abandoned his family and forgotten his roots. When the Conley village faces a major relocation project, Cedric Conley and the other villagers attempt to forcibly evict Allie, who refuses to leave, still holding onto hope for her son's return. Meanwhile, Kellan has finally completed a task for the wealthy Cecelia Johnston and is returning home. In an ironic twist of fate, Allie and Kellan narrowly miss each other during his return. It is Lyla who eventually finds her brother by chance, spotting him in a television interview. Finally, after years of separation, mother and son are set to reunite.

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?