Before the storm

"Blessing? What blessing? A mistress gave my father a bastard. That's all."

Choi Mariah has always lived in a world where perfection is expected... and power is inherited.

As the future heiress to the nation's largest conglomerate, she is widely known and frequently featured in tabloids as the "princess of Hanseon." Arrogant, beautiful, and exceptionally talented, the life of this proud lady is a carefully curated display of perfection. But when a mysterious young girl appears, claiming to be her half-sister and insinuating a suspicious connection with her fiancé, cracks begin to show in Mariah's empire.

The arrival of this unexpected Cinderella threatens to unravel everything Mariah has fought to protect. You see, beneath the polished façade of wealth and prestige lie secrets long buried ─ secrets powerful enough to destroy everything she knows. Now, as she fights harder than ever to protect her place within the Choi family, Mariah finds herself entangled in a web of dark truths, manipulation, and betrayal.

"She wants to take everything from me!"

Whispers turn into accusations, loyalty begins to fracture. Yes, a storm is coming. Forced to confront the complex ─ yet precious ─ relationship with her overprotective father, an stubborn fiancé who grows colder by the day, the reemergence of a forbidden relationship and the looming shadow of who she truly is... will Mariah be willing to do whatever it takes to protect what is hers by right?

Careful! | This story contains themes that may be sensitive or distressing for some readers, including domestic violence, bullying, racism, suicide, death, sexual content, and psychological abuse. Reader discretion is advised.