Design Genius's Comeback
The female lead, a wealthy heiress with exceptional talent, secretly used her resources and skills to help the male lead build his company. To protect his pride, she concealed her true identity as an elite socialite, downplayed her own design genius, and sacrificed her career to manage his business behind the scenes—all in hopes of winning his love. Despite her father's repeated pleas for her to return home and inherit the family empire, she refused, choosing instead to stand by the male lead as he pursued success. But everything changed when Cheng Xing, a scheming woman from their past, returned upon learning of the male lead's newfound wealth. She shamelessly pursued him while blaming the female lead for ""forcing her abroad."" The male lead, harboring misplaced resentment, began secretly supporting Cheng Xing—showering her with resources to establish her as a renowned designer, using family vacations as excuses to visit her in other cities, and allowing her to spoil their children while turning them against their own mother. Heartbroken, the female lead filed for divorce. Unbeknownst to the male lead, the papers were already signed. Cheng Xing seized the opportunity to impersonate the female lead's professional alter ego, further poisoning the children against her. The male lead's loyalty to Cheng Xing stemmed from a childhood misconception: he believed she had once saved his life. Returning to her family, the female lead reclaimed her status as heir. At her inheritance gala, the male lead arrived with Cheng Xing and their manipulated children—only to be publicly humiliated when her true power was revealed. His mother and children, realizing their miscalculation, immediately switched allegiances. Though the male lead uncovered the truth (Cheng Xing had stolen the female lead's identity as his childhood savior) and begged on his knees for forgiveness, she refused. His company crumbled without her unseen support. When the female lead attempted a career comeback, Cheng Xing sabotaged her by stealing her designs and manipulating her son into faking a suicide threat. Though the female lead saw through the ruse and staged a stunning return—using a feather-painting performance to expose Cheng Xing's plagiarism—her son, in a rage, accidentally injured Cheng Xing. A hospital blood test then unraveled a darker secret: the male lead's ""mother"" was actually the mistress who had murdered his real mother, and Cheng Xing was her illegitimate child. The final blow came when the male lead, recognizing a childhood hairpin brought by his daughter, realized the female lead was his true rescuer all along. In a storm of vengeance, the exposed Cheng Xing and fake mother-in-law kidnapped the female lead and children. The male lead, gravely wounded while saving them, made one last plea for reconciliation. But it was too late—the female lead, unwavering, moved on with their daughter to build a new life with someone worthy.
![[Dubbed] Hidden Heir: Payback Time cover](/covers/843401.webp)
