The Marriage Bet

On the day my boyfriend, Antonio Vinci, proposes to me, his adoptive sister, Lucia Falcone, remarks on a whim, "How romantic. It makes me want to get married now as well." On the very same night, Antonio gives me an agreement. "You should leave. Here's a 50-million-dollar compensation. I'm going to get married soon." If this were to happen in the past, I'd have kicked up a huge ruckus and threatened to take my own life if Antonio didn't marry me. But now, I just ask for another 50 million dollars calmly. When I'm about to sign the agreement, I hear Antonio talking on the phone in another language. "Thank goodness I gave Daniela a marriage agreement. Otherwise, she'd seriously think I'd break up with her. I knew that Daniela would be perfect as my wife. She's obedient and docile, just like a loyal mutt. "As for Lucia, I can give her everything but a legitimate position by my side." My hand pauses momentarily. Then, I scribble Lucia's name on the agreement. What Antonio doesn't know is that I have an ongoing bet with Lucia. If I can ensnare Antonio's heart in ten years, she will back out of our relationship. If I fail to do so, I'll disappear permanently from their lives.

My wife, Kate Barker, who has insisted on maintaining a sexless marriage, is pregnant. She prints out a thousand copies of her pregnancy reports and proudly announces to everyone that she's pregnant with someone else's child. Apparently, Kate has made a bet with her best friends to see if I'll cause a huge ruckus over the announcement. "Back when Neil wanted to marry you, he sank down to his knees in front of your mom. He even paused to kneel with every step he took from one end of the street to the other! Everyone was watching him, too! "If he finds out that you're pregnant, he'll definitely go ballistic!" Kate just frowns in disgust. "I don't even have a proper marriage certificate with him, so there's no way we're husband and wife! All he does is wag his tail and act pitiful in front of my mom! If it wasn't for him, I'd have regained my freedom a long time ago!" She's worried that I might get revenge on her unborn baby's biological father, so she orders her bodyguards to break one of my legs and lock me up in the basement for one week straight. By the time I get released, Kate has already married another man overseas. This time, I no longer cling to this relationship. Instead, I inform my mother-in-law, Margaret Gibbs, calmly, "I've lost the five-year bet, Margaret. I will honor my end of the bargain and vanish from everyone's lives forever."

Can money buy everything? Even love? Edan O'Connor, a millionaire, heir to a major investment company, promises his father to marry in front of him, on his deathbed, to fulfill his last wish, there is only one detail, his father does not tolerate his girlfriend, Vivian. So Edan decides to hire a girl to pose as his new girlfriend and fake a fake marriage in front of his father. At the hospital, Edan meets Alma Contreras, a beautiful and humble young woman, who has her mother hospitalized in need of surgery that she cannot afford. Edan proposes a deal, he will pay all his mother's medical expenses, if she pretends to be his girlfriend for a few days and an acted-out marriage. In the midst of desperation and need, Alma accepts. But there are two details, suddenly, what was supposed to be a fake marriage, becomes a real marriage and thanks to a last “minute surgery, Edan's father is saved, changing the course of his contract completely. What will happen when in the middle of the performance, true feelings begin to awaken between Alma and Edan? How will Vivian, Edan's real girlfriend, a pedantic and toxic woman, take the fact that her boyfriend has married another woman? Will love to be able to overcome the barriers of money and social class?

When Yasmin Smith comes to the courthouse to pick me up from work, she suddenly hands me a copy of her marriage certificate. "To tell you the truth, our marriage certificate is forged. I was just messing with you when I told you that I wanted to remarry you." Before I can register the news, Yasmin produces a brand new—and certified—copy of her other marriage certificate. She's already smiling bashfully. "Last night, Zach embraced me and kissed me throughout the night. It felt so good that I couldn't resist him at all. So, we ended up getting our marriage registered for real." I feel nothing but chills seeping through my pores thanks to Yasmin's second betrayal. As I stare at her in disbelief, I feel my voice starting to quiver. "Why?" "Because you're dumb." Yasmin chuckles lightly as she taps a finger on my face, which is starting to go pale. "Previously, it took you three years to find out about my affair with Zach. That's why I made another bet with him to see how long it'd take you to realize that I'm cheating on you again." My gaze lands on the hickey decorating her neck, which has yet to fade away. Then, she shrugs at me. "Zach thought that it'd take you one year. That's why I slipped up many times purposefully over the year. But I've already grown tired of acting, and yet you never picked up a single clue. "Today is the last day of the bet. I want Zach to win, so I have no choice but to come clean to you."

At my 25th birthday party, my childhood sweetheart got down on one knee, holding a diamond ring. "Diane, will you marry me?" I nodded, my eyes misty with tears, but just as I reached out, he slipped the ring onto my best friend's finger instead. The room went silent for a beat before erupting in laughter. "Just kidding!" Livio Becker laughed. "You didn't take it seriously, did you?" I forced a smile and looked over his shoulder at someone. "I bet he would propose tonight, and I was right. You lost the bet, so tomorrow we're getting married for real."

After her father’s sudden death, Sofía discovers a shocking clause in his will: she must marry before turning twenty-eight, or the company they built together will pass to her reckless cousin. Determined to protect her father’s legacy, Sofía embarks on a desperate search for a groom. Her first choice, Roy—the love of her life—refuses. Left with no other option, she turns to Carlos, an ex-boyfriend whose arrogance and selfishness make him the worst possible candidate. As the wedding plans unfold, Sofía grows closer to Sebastián, a man she met at her father’s funeral who is helping her investigate the suspicious will. But their bond is forbidden: his mother harbors a dark connection to Sofía’s past, one that makes their love impossible. When Roy reappears, begging for another chance, Sofía must decide between duty, desperation, and the dangerous pull of her heart. With sixty days until the deadline, every choice could cost her the company, her family’s honor, and the only man she truly loves.