which castle was built last

Since childhood, Melanie Llyod has lived under the shadow of loss, her mother gone and her stepmother intent on securing a vast inheritance. Raised in a world of fragile comfort, Melanie grows weak and dependent. But after a sudden accident, Ashton Llyod reappears in her life, urging her to find strength and independence. The emotions they've suppressed for years begin to surface. Though they share no blood, they've lived as siblings for 18 years. But in the 19th year, everything changes… Kate Llyod, determined to steal Melanie's fiance, relentlessly tries to expose the secret connection between Melanie and Ashton. Amidst the growing misunderstandings, Melanie decides to bury her feelings and honor her engagement. Ashton, too, chooses to distance himself, focusing on his responsibilities. But when a twist of fate leads to a murder attempt, Ashton is left gravely injured and hospitalized. At last, both must confront their true feelings for each other. Yet, the challenges ahead are far from over…

Luke Jordan, a member of Mystfell Clan, was a genius in cultivation. After 20 years of practice, he broke through the Heavenly Realm. His master, Xavier Jayden, having nothing more to teach him, called him talentless and expelled him. After leaving his master, Luke encountered Justin Jordan, the head of the Jordan family, who was on the brink of death due to a plot. Three professional doctors were at a loss. Julia, his daughter, was extremely anxious. Luke saved Justin. They said he had reached the Great Sage Realm, but Luke thought they were talking nonsense. The Jordan family offered to help him cultivate in gratitude. The Everspire Clan used Spiritual Pearl to test his potential, which caused the pearl to shatter and transform into the tenth lotus. Luke broke through the Heavenly Realm, becoming the top cultivator in the world!

Aurora Shea is originally a Koi Angel in heaven. She accidentally falls to the earth and becomes a mortal. She's born with the ability to sense danger. She senses that the baby in her aunt's womb is in danger, but is being misunderstood and abused by her family, which makes her miss her mother very much. Expectedly, her aunt's child is stillborn, and her family blames and abuses Aurora. When Aurora is in a coma, her 4 uncles rescue her and bring her home. She dreams of her master in her previous life, and thus awakening the immortal power, beginning the journey to search for her mother and save her. During the process, her master helps Aurora a lot, and her uncles adore her. She also successfully influenced the people who used to treat her badly despite all the difficulties. In the end, her mother is eventually found and the family is reunited.

The kingdom of Narethia sees two baby girls born at the same moment. A high monk prophesies that one of them carries the phoenix destiny—the future mother of all under heaven. Which girl holds the phoenix fate will only be revealed after eighteen years during the marriage alliance. The King of Narethia believes the destined one must be Joselyn Osborne, so he spends vast amounts of gold and silver nurturing her while completely ignoring Lainey Osborne. Eighteen years later, with Narethia’s national strength failing, a marriage alliance becomes necessary. The King and Ashtyn Harper scheme to have Joselyn marry into the Myrraveth royal family while sending Lainey off to the barbaric wasteland. With her mother imprisoned in the palace, Lainey tearfully departs for marriage. After traveling thousands of miles to reach the Outlands, she is utterly shocked to discover that the so-called barbarian host is actually the King of Zuyenne,and the supposedly impoverished land is overflowing with gold, silver, and precious jewels...

The kingdom of Narethia sees two baby girls born at the same moment. A high monk prophesies that one of them carries the phoenix destiny—the future mother of all under heaven. Which girl holds the phoenix fate will only be revealed after eighteen years during the marriage alliance. The King of Narethia believes the destined one must be Joselyn Osborne, so he spends vast amounts of gold and silver nurturing her while completely ignoring Lainey Osborne. Eighteen years later, with Narethia’s national strength failing, a marriage alliance becomes necessary. The King and Ashtyn Harper scheme to have Joselyn marry into the Myrraveth royal family while sending Lainey off to the barbaric wasteland. With her mother imprisoned in the palace, Lainey tearfully departs for marriage. After traveling thousands of miles to reach the Outlands, she is utterly shocked to discover that the so-called barbarian host is actually the King of Zuyenne,and the supposedly impoverished land is overflowing with gold, silver, and precious jewels...

I had been married for eight years when I inherited a fortune worth hundreds of millions that my grandfather left to me and my mafia boss husband. However, just as the lawyer was finalizing the transfer, we discovered my marriage certificate was fake. That meant the entire inheritance could only go to me. “Ms. Rivers, according to the system, you were divorced a year ago. Your husband, Zayn Levine, is legally married to… Whitney Sanders. According to the papers, you're single. In other words, Mr. Levine has no right to claim the inheritance.” Whitney, the woman Zayn had once loved before she went abroad, the one he never forgot. I stared at the lawyer’s message, unable to accept it. All of Zayn’s affection and tenderness over the years had been nothing but a lie. I had planned to tell him on our anniversary that after eight long years of marriage, I was pregnant. It was the miracle we had both been waiting for. Yet it seemed like he had never really been looking forward to it at all. As I gently rested my hand on my belly, I told myself that even if my twins grew up without a father, they would be just fine. In this place built on nothing but lies, the only thing left for me to do was run away.

Julia Miller dies betrayed by her boyfriend, her best friend, and the woman who stole her identity all had a hand in it. In her final moments she learns the truth, that she was switched at birth, her entire life taken before it even started. She comes back furious and binds to the Stealing System, which does exactly what it sounds like. First order of business—every coin in Vivian Lawson’s accounts, gone. Then the system unlocks deeper abilities—steal luck, steal skills, steal the room. From auction houses to hotel lobbies, Julia dismantles her enemies one stolen advantage at a time. The finale lands where it all began. The fake heiress’ mother was the wealthy family’s housekeeper all along, the one who switched two infant girls and walked away. Julia takes back her name, her inheritance, and her life. The people who took from her get exactly what they gave.

Ava Montague was once the most beloved heir of the powerful Montague family. But after her father, Gabriel, vanished with no memory of who he was, Ava was betrayed by her stepmother Regina and her stepbrother Kieran. Framed as unstable and dangerous, she was locked away in a prison isolation cell and treated like a psycho. She lost her voice. She was beaten, broken, stripped of her dignity. Even her last meal became another weapon used to humiliate her. Then, after four years missing, Gabriel suddenly returned, and pulled Ava back from the brink of death. But the girl he saved was no longer the naive daughter she used to be. Haunted by what she endured, Ava sets out to reclaim her inheritance and destroy everyone who betrayed her. Yet no amount of revenge can erase the darkness the isolation cell left behind. And then a man enters her life, dangerously handsome, sharp enough to see through every mask she wears. He touches the wounds she’s spent years trying to bury. But can the part of Ava that once believed in love, the part she thought died long ago, ever come back to life?

Sarah Young had a crush on Zain Xavier for seven years. Unexpectedly, she became his wife, and everyone laughed at her for going from rags to riches. However, she ignored them and only cared that Zain was finally hers. When they got married, she didn't care if he didn't love her now. She was confident he would fall in love with her in the end. However, it soon became boring as Zain was never interested. Sarah felt that she was rich, pretty, and had amazing curves. Why should she waste her time on a cold robot like Zain? Immediately after coming to her senses, she slammed the divorce papers before Zain. After that, they would both go on different paths. Zain could hit the high road while she had fun with young, handsome men. After the divorce, Zain often found his ex-wife's scandals on the trending list. Last night she was captured having dinner with the new rich in xx tech company, and today she was building a new "love nest" with a handsome internet celebrity??? Zain threw his phone away and cursed, "Fuck with this love nest! That's my woman!" To that, Sarah, who was enjoying life, replied, "Sir, who are you?" 

Attending the ten-year high school reunion for the cheerleading squad and football team, I arrived in an old domestic Ford, while the parking lot was filled with Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maybachs, and even a gold Bugatti. It was as if I were the only relic from another era. The moment I stepped out of my car, a former classmate, whose name I could no longer remember, looked at me with a sneer. “Well, if it isn’t the coach’s pet. How is it that after all these years, you’re still driving this beat-up old Ford?” “This thing looks like it belongs in a scrapyard from the last century!” During dinner, everyone gathered around the Bugatti owner, raising their glasses in celebration, while I was left ignored at the side. Only the cheerleading assistant sat next to me, raising a glass in my direction with a comforting smile. “Don’t let it get to you. Your car may be old, but I believe you’ll be driving a luxury car one day.” I let a small smirk curl at the corner of my lips and lowered my voice. “This car may look unimpressive, but it’s been fully upgraded with a carbon fiber body. It’s already worth over half a million dollars. Too bad, none of you even recognized its true value.”

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?

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.

I wheel myself into the birthday celebration that Wales Price has thrown for me. The atmosphere is originally lively, but a brief silence descends when everyone sees me. The guests are there for different purposes, but celebrating my birthday is not one of them. "Is that Mr. Price's crippled fiancée, Joey Hertza?" "Yeah, but the one he really loves is Anna Giovanni. I saw them kissing in a corner earlier." They use their wine glasses to block their mouths as they speak loudly. They think I'm still the crippled deaf I used to be. They don't know that I regained my hearing last week. I can hear every mocking comment they make. Meanwhile, Wales stands there and allows it to happen. He doesn't stop the guests from talking about me. He seems to have forgotten that I only ended up like this while protecting him. I shoved him away when the accident happened and got trapped underneath the car myself. When I was rescued, Wales swore to stay with me and care for me for life. It's only been three short years since then, but he's already changed. I receive a message on my phone. "Ms. Hertza, the lifelike corpse that you've ordered is now complete. Reply to this message with your confirmation, and your death-faking service will be immediately effective. We will send the corpse to your and Mr. Price's wedding in five days." I don't even hesitate as I reply with my confirmation. Enjoy your wedding, Wales.

My brother-in-law, Timmy Lynch, racks up 50 million dollars of illegal gambling debt but leaves my contact information behind. By the time the interest snowballs to 100 million dollars, the debt collectors show up at my doorstep. After I persuade them to leave, my wife, Celia Lynch, and my mother-in-law, Meryl Unwin, finally come out of the room. Celia's face is pale as she says, "Let's get divorced. I'd rather leave with nothing. Your gambling debts are your own problem, so don't even think about dragging me into this." No matter how many times I explain that it was Timmy who bet on an underdog team and lost, she refuses to believe me. Meryl even slaps me across the face and roars, "Not only are you trying to trick my daughter into paying your debt, but you're also slandering my son? Listen to me, Celia—divorce him immediately!" Then, she turns to me and says, "I might as well tell you the truth now. Celia is pregnant, and the baby's father is your buddy. Just give up already and sign the divorce papers." Wait, what? I literally just won a 100-million-dollar prize from winning a World Soccer Tournament bet last night. I was going to ask if they need help covering Timmy's debt. How did this suddenly turn into a full-on divorce? Fine, then. They can pay back his massive debt themselves.

In the fog-choked steam city of Verlock, Chloe Ashborne survives a brutal family massacre and hides herself as a disfigured, mute maid sneaking into the obsidian Clock Tower Manor—the stronghold of the cold and powerful Duke Liam. Covered in wax scars and pretending to be timid and clumsy, she hides her true identity as the last heir of the Ashborne mechanical clan, a master toxic healer, top gear decoder, and deadly combat fighter. Her only goal is to retrieve the sealed case files that record the truth of her family's murder from the manor's confidential machine room. As she lurks in the shadows, she repeatedly arouses Liam's suspicion and curiosity. She narrowly escapes frame-up and fatal traps set by the jealous captain of the female guards, saves Liam from fatal steam poison and assassin attacks, and secretly controls the manor's defense gear system in crisis. While the line between hatred and attraction blurs, Chloe's layered disguises are gradually stripped away one by one. When she finally breaks into the secret chamber to obtain the files, she falls into a carefully laid trap, and her true face and identity are completely exposed to Liam. The two fall into misunderstanding and confrontation, until the real murderer behind the massacre launches a full-scale attack on Clock Tower. Standing amid fire, gunsmoke and collapsing steam machinery, Chloe and Liam lay down their hatred, fight side by side to defeat the evil guild, uncover the buried truth, and turn a revenge disguise into a fated love bonded by gears, steam and redemption.

The doctor told me I had 72 hours left, unless I got access to the newest experimental treatment. However, there was only one slot available, and my husband Bowen Liddell gave it to my sister Yvonne Lawson instead. "Her kidney failure is more critical," he said. I nodded and swallowed the white pills that would only speed up my death. In the time I had left, I got a lot done. The lawyer's hand trembled as he passed me the documents. "Are you sure you want to transfer the two billion dollars in shares?" I replied, "Yes. Give them to Yvonne." My daughter, Candice Liddell, was giggling in Yvonne's arms. "Mommy Yvonne bought me a new dress!" I said, "It looks beautiful. Make sure you always listen to Mommy Yvonne, okay?" The art gallery I built from the ground up now had Yvonne's name on the sign. "You're too kind, Kathy," she said, crying. I told her, "You'll run it even better than I ever did." I even signed all my parents' trust fund away. That was when Bowen finally gave me his first genuine smile in years. "Kathleen, you've changed. You're not so aggressive anymore... You're beautiful like this." Indeed. This dying version of me finally became the 'perfect Kathleen Sullivan' in their eyes—obedient, generous, and no longer argumentative. The 72-hour countdown had already begun, and I couldn't help but wonder what they would remember when my heart stopped for good. The good wife who 'finally learned to let go', or the woman who completed her revenge by dying?