[Working title; blurb saved on 2022.10.15]
The day Ding Zhuo made her "scandal" with Xue Jiali public, her father slapped her in front of everyone and cursed her for being shameless and bringing disgrace upon the Ding family.
Her face burned with pain, yet at that moment, Ding Zhuo felt a thrill unlike anything she'd felt before.
If she'd ever wondered whether what she was doing was too insane, this scene proved she'd made the right choice.
She had to marry Xue Jiali, and she would.
In Ding Zhuo's senior year of college, the Ding and Xue families joined their houses in marriage as planned, holding a quiet wedding. But the bride had quietly changed: from the pampered, much-admired elder daughter of the Ding family to the younger daughter, whose eccentric personality made her seem unfit for polite society.
After the wedding, Ding Zhuo made no effort to rein herself in. With tattooed sleeves, smoky makeup, and outlandish clothes, she made a point of being seen between the Ding and Xue families.
As a rising star in Luancheng's business world, Xue Jiali had been a hot topic in recent years. Those in the know quietly felt sorry for him, convinced the marriage would fall apart within two years.
Rumors and gossip about her eventually reached Ding Zhuo, one way or another. Sometimes, as she secretly watched Xue Jiali's back, she couldn't help thinking the same thing.
Their marriage was built on schemes, mutual exploitation, and tangled family interests. There was only one thing it didn't have: love.
Only later did she slowly realize that she was no longer the Ding Zhuo who'd started out with a single, clear purpose.
Especially when it came to Xue Jiali.
Reading Notes:
1. The domineering CEO and the leads are flawed, not perfect characters.
2. Marriage first, love later; melodrama, slow burn, and a significant age gap.
3. Happy ending.
4. The personalities and values of all characters serve the plot and do not reflect the author's real-life views or circumstances.
Theme: Everyone deserves the chance to find happiness
