July 23 Sign 소설 & 이야기

When my son was born, I noticed a small, round birthmark on his arm. But the weird thing? By the time I opened my eyes again after giving birth, it was gone. I figured maybe I'd imagined it. That is, until the baby shower. My brother-in-law's son, born the same day as mine, had the exact same birthmark. Clear as day. That's when it hit me. I didn't say a word, though. Not then. I waited. Eighteen years later, at my son's college acceptance party, my brother-in-law stood up and dropped the truth bomb: the "amazing" kid I'd raised was theirs. I just smiled and invited him and his wife to take their "rightful" seats at the table.

In my previous life, my best friend gave me a lock-shaped good-luck pendant. I never expected that once I put it on, it would never come off. Soon after, I came down with a fever that lasted seven days straight. When I finally woke up, everything in my life began to fall apart. Misfortune followed me everywhere. That was when I discovered the truth—I had swapped fates with her husband. He would get my wealth while I would get a short, ill-fated life. From then on, the two of them lived a life of effortless wealth, making money without even lifting a finger. Meanwhile, I sank into poverty, plagued by constant bad luck. I struggled through life and did not even make it to 30 before I was killed in a car accident. As I died, my mentally disabled younger brother cried out and rushed in front of me to shield me. However, he could not stop the incoming vehicle, and we died there together. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn back to the moment she was about to put the pendant on me. I let out a cold smile and pondered. Since she was so desperate to steal my wealthy fate, then she could have a XYY husband instead.

My grandmother only knows how to draw one thing—infants. They're ugly, but people line up to buy the paintings. I watch as she takes those women into unlit rooms. Then, their bloodcurdling screams will ring out. Oddly enough, they always thank my grandmother when they're leaving. One day, I finally find out what exactly my grandmother paints. I discover the truth when I see an infant crawl out of one of the women's bellies—it looks just like the one my grandmother has painted.

July a workholic woman who is in a relationship with her old lover in secret. The age that is no longer young makes her big family urge to get married, even they arrange an marriage partner for her. The reason July keeps her relationship with Argus a secret from people around her is because the past history they had as former college student and his status as a widower. Argus once left July before and married another woman of his parents ' choice. July does not want her big family to know which is definitely the they relationship will be opposed by all parties, even on the day of her marriage, July still kept the identity of the groom until the end. That's why an agent hired by Argus can show up at a wedding to be a substitute groomer. July is trapped in a fake married life with N over a contractual agreement.

In a world where love is luxury and power is everything, July Noel dares defy convention. On the night of her third divorce, news of the wealthiest man’s divorce spreads across every news station and social media platform. Douglas Prime is now single, and July was ready to mingle. This time, she’s ditched romance for a calculated plan: become the billionaire’s baby mama and secure her future. But when mysterious billionaire Douglas comes up with a marriage contract, July’s entire strategy is turned upside down. As they navigate their high-status arrangement, July and Douglas must confront their demons and learn to trust each other. But with secrets, lies, past traumas and their exes threatening their relationship, can they make their union work? Can July keep her heart locked away, or will Douglas’s piercing gaze and razor-sharp intellect tear down her defenses? As her calculated plan for motherhood becomes a journey of the heart, can she balance ambition and love? Dive into a world of luxury, love and deception.

"I was born on 15th of July, in my country, it was the Ghost Day, whoever was born on that day meant bad luck, a ghost turned into human. But I never thought my birthday could be the reason that brought me to my future husband. Christiano Lockwood, he had been in a vegetative state for years, his family had been searching for a virgin who was born on 15th of July to marry him, as they believed it was his only chance to wake up from the coma. I thought they wanted me to drive away the ghosts haunting him. But no. They believed only a virgin-born on the 15th of July held certain mystical magic that could save him with sex. But after marriage, the miracle happened, and a bigger secret of that family was exposed..."

My husband, Joaquin Landon, is a renowned wax sculptor. He hangs up on me when I call him to save my life so he can focus on the wax sculpture his cousin wants. Amphetamine is injected into my system, so my mind is clear as I watch my nails get removed one by one. Every inch of my skin is covered in burning hot wax. My hair and lashes are plucked off, and my organs are ground. Steel pipes are inserted into my legs, and I'm turned into a wax sculpture. Joaquin sees me during an exhibition. His colleague tells him that the wax sculpture he sees looks eerily like me, but he merely looks disgusted. "All she does is cause trouble and act unreasonably. She's better off dead." What he doesn't know is that I already am. Joaquin doesn't recognize that I'm the wax sculpture before him.

My husband persuaded my daughter to donate her kidney to save his lover. After the surgery, he stayed by his lover’s side and neglected my daughter who developed kidney failure that led to her death. When I confronted the nasty couple, they refused to believe that my daughter had passed away and kicked me out by force. Afterward, I took my daughter's ashes to her eighteenth birthday party where my husband showed up with his lover and tore down all the decorations, going as far as to scatter my daughter’s ashes. He then accused my late daughter of undermining his lover’s career. When he finally had to accept that his daughter was dead, he still insisted on defending his lover. Eventually, I showed him proof that it was his lover who refused the hospital’s proposed organ donor so that she could plot to take my daughter’s kidney instead. Upon finding out the truth, he lost his mind and killed his lover. Now that those two have gotten what they deserve, I bring my daughter’s ashes and travel to the places she had always wanted to go to.

Noah left me at the altar three times—for his precious Freya. First time? She threatened to jump off a building. Second? Said she was moving abroad. Third? Sent a text saying she was getting forced into some arranged marriage. Noah, usually Mr. Cool, freaked. Left a packed venue and turned me into a total joke. Again. I called him. "If you don't come back today, I'm marrying someone else." He laughed. "Freya's young. You're too old to be playing games, aren't you?" I clutched my phone, heart sinking. He knew Freya was bluffing. Still picked her. That's when I finally gave up. Later, after he'd calmed her down, he came looking for me. "Pick a new wedding date," he said, like it was no big deal. "It'll be even grander this time." A guy's voice cut through, smiling. "Sorry, man. Gotta get my wife on the plane."

"The marriage certificate's fake..." The clerk in the County Clerk's Office shot Serena a sympathetic look. "Vincent Schit legally married Maggie Cheape. Two weeks ago." Serena didn't even blink. Of course the guy she'd spent six years loving married his ex behind her back. "Thanks."