Be Tender with My Love — Imari Jade

Eight-year-old Maria Santos's mother Lora is brutally murdered by one of her Johns. Grandparents Maria didn't know arrived to take her away. Maria didn't want to go, but her best friend Chen Wang promises to find her one day and return her back to Singapore. Fifteen years later Maria returns only to learn that Chen is engaged to be married. Not wanting to bother him, Maria sets up Tranquility Coffee, Tea, and Bakery shop in the hotel that Chen now owns to worship him from afar. The plan works a little too well because Chen doesn't recognize her. Hotel owner Chen Wang is in an arranged engagement and hating every minute of it. He only agreed to it to keep his mother Lanying from bothering him. He doesn't love Jinghua, but plans to go through with the wedding. Then he meets Maria Santos and loses his heart to the beautiful shop owner who reminds him of an old friend.