Share

Hey, Ugly Duckling
Hey, Ugly Duckling
Author: Peak Autumn

Chapter 1

Author: Peak Autumn
When I was five months pregnant, my twin sister Claire Lloyd got into a car accident and lost a lot of blood. My parents knocked me unconscious and forced me to give Claire a transfusion of Rh-negative blood.

In my daze, I heard my husband Byron Whitmore's voice. "I only married Sharon because her face looks so much like Claire's. Claire is my first love. I've never forgotten her.

"But I can't trade my wife's life for Claire's. Trust me—I'll find another way."

When I woke up in the hospital bed, no one was around. The needle mark on my arm throbbed with dull pain as memories flooded back.

When I was six years old, my parents clutched my drowned brother's body in anguish.

Back then, Claire had pointed at me through her tears. "Oliver went looking for Sharon. That's why he fell into the pond. It's all her fault."

After that, my parents looked at me with cold, merciless eyes. At the dinner table, the freshly made meal would always go to Claire, while I could only eat the leftovers.

When I had a 104-degree fever, they ignored me completely because they were too busy celebrating Claire's birthday. The house was covered with Claire's photos, and the only family portrait that included me had disappeared at some point.

In high school, Claire and her friends cornered me in the bathroom and cursed at me, calling me an ugly freak and murderer. Those words cut like knives, slicing through my already shattered heart over and over.

I truly believed I was a criminal who didn't deserve any love—until I met Byron.

That day, amid the sound of the explosion, he collapsed in a pool of blood. Blood stained his white shirt, but he looked so captivating. I had never seen such a handsome man in my entire life.

So, when everyone else fled in panic, I fought against the crowd and ran toward him, carrying him on my back step by step to the hospital. I never expected this man, brilliant as a star, wouldn't be disgusted by the ugly scar on my face.

After he woke up, he found me where I was hiding and cut his own chin with a blade. "Now I look like you. Will you accept me now?"

At our wedding, he wiped the tears from the corner of my eye. "From now on, you're my princess. I'll protect you and won't let anyone hurt you."

The days after our marriage were blissful—so blissful that I almost believed I had found true love. It lasted until just now, when I heard him tell my parents that Claire was his first love, that he could never forget her.

The sharp pain in my chest made my abdomen tighten in waves. I pressed the call button, but no one came for a long time. Clutching my stomach, I weakly climbed out of bed and stopped a nurse in the hallway.

"Please, save my baby..."

The nurse glanced at me. "We need to prioritize VIP patients. You're a regular patient, so you'll have to wait."

The door to the VIP room next door was closed, and Claire was inside. I saw my parents anxiously holding her hand while Byron sat at the foot of her bed, gazing at her tenderly.

At the end of the hallway, Claire's best friend, Andrea Campbell, was on the phone. She was saying something in a low voice, "The blood loss and coma are fake. The car accident was a setup. Claire just wants to get Byron back..."

My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone and recorded everything. Then, I stumbled into the doctor's office. "I want an abortion."

The doctor pushed up his glasses. "The fetus is developing well. It would be such a shame. Why don't you think it over?"

"I've already thought it over."

"In that case, come find me at 2:00 pm."

"No problem, but I have one request. Please keep this confidential."

At noon, Byron walked into the room carrying a thermos. "I made chicken soup, your favorite."

I smiled bitterly. I didn't actually like chicken soup. Claire was the one who loved chicken soup.

When we first got married, Byron thought I was too thin and specifically instructed the maids to make me nutritional soup. I even explained to him, "I don't drink chicken soup, but any other soup is fine."

But now, Byron had completely forgotten about it.

I touched the thermos' cold surface. "Why'd you come so late?"

"I got held up with something." His eyes flickered.

When I opened the container, there was barely any soup inside. It seemed he had given most of it to Claire first.

At that moment, his phone rang, and he answered in a low voice. "What? She's awake? Okay, I'll be right there."

After hanging up, he stammered, "Something came up at work. I'll be back soon."

Watching his hurried departure, tears streamed down my face. When the appointed time came that afternoon, I walked into the doctor's office for the abortion.

I felt sorry for my baby, but my life had been too bitter. I just wanted to be chosen for once, truly and without hesitation. If that wasn't possible, then I'd leave the Lloyd family and Byron Whitmore without anything holding me back.
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • Hey, Ugly Duckling   Chapter 8

    Three years later, at the University of Ryona in Franco, I walked into the lecture hall carrying my teaching materials. Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows onto the students' young faces.Today's topic was philosophical discussions about love."Before we begin, I have a question for everyone." I looked around the classroom. "What do you think love is?"Students eagerly raised their hands. Some said passion, some said companionship, while others said it was the release of dopamine.Just then, a figure in the back row slowly stood up. My breathing stopped when I realized it was Byron.Three years had made him more mature and composed. His features carried more weight, but the tenderness in his eyes remained unchanged."Ms. Lloyd, I'd like to try." His voice was still deep. "From a philosophical perspective, love has many definitions. One famous philosopher believed love was a spiritual pursuit beyond the physical. Another said love was a single soul inhabiting two b

  • Hey, Ugly Duckling   Chapter 7

    The villa door opened just then, and Byron walked out.Claire immediately threw herself at him and grabbed his legs. "Byron! Talk some sense into Mom and Dad! They fell for Sharon's tricks. I don't even recognize them anymore..."Byron stared coldly at the wound on her forehead. "Are you done with your little act?""Even you don't believe me?" Claire's eyes went wide."I just watched the whole thing from the upstairs window. You cut your own forehead." He kicked her hands away, his eyes icy.Claire's mouth twitched as she lowered her head. She had pulled this trick so many times. This time, she was finally caught.She sat on the ground and cried hysterically. Whether she was crying over her past mistakes or her current situation, no one could tell.But this time, no one believed her, and no one forgave her."You brought this on yourself. Sharon saved you so many times, yet how did you repay her?"When you pushed her into the water, did you even think about the fact that she wa

  • Hey, Ugly Duckling   Chapter 6

    Byron's eyes were bloodshot as he clutched the charred ring tightly in his hand.Mom looked anxious. "Byron, say something. Why did you come back? Shouldn't you be at the hospital with Claire?"He jerked his head up, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Is Claire the only person in your hearts? Has Sharon never mattered to you at all?"Mom's eyes flickered. "Claire just had a car accident. She's weak...""Sharon was pregnant. She gave two thousand milliliters of blood to save Claire and almost died on the operating table!" Byron's voice was hoarse. "Did anyone care to ask if she was okay, even once?"Dad frowned. "It's just pregnancy. What woman doesn't go through that? She's being too dramatic.""Dramatic?" Byron kicked over the coffee table. The sound of shattering glass was deafening. "You two don't deserve to be parents!"My parents were frightened by his savage expression and scrambled out of the villa. In the garden, they ran into Claire, who had rushed back.Her face was still st

  • Hey, Ugly Duckling   Chapter 5

    In the VIP hospital room, Byron kept his head down as he peeled an apple. The peel formed one long, continuous strip."Byron, you're still so good at peeling apples. Back then, I loved eating apples but was too lazy to peel them, so you always did it for me." Claire's voice was soft.Byron's hand paused, but he didn't say anything.Claire bit her lower lip and continued, "Do you remember that Christmas Eve? The whole city was sold out of apples, but you searched half the night just to get me one."His throat bobbed, and he smiled faintly. "That's all in the past.""Do you still love me?" Claire lowered her lashes, her face full of shyness, though her words were tinged with hope."That's all in the past." It was the same answer, but his tone was firmer.Claire looked stunned. "That's impossible! Sharon is so ugly and horrible. What does she have that I don't?""Sharon isn't like that." Byron set down the knife. "There must be some misunderstanding.""Byron, I feel so dizzy..."

  • Hey, Ugly Duckling   Chapter 4

    I returned to my room, soaking wet. I had just changed into dry clothes when Mom and Dad stormed in furiously.Mom grabbed a fistful of my hair. "Claire went out of her way to cook for you, but you had the nerve to throw a tantrum and even push her into the lake? Will you only be satisfied when she's dead?"My scalp burned with pain. My eyes reddened as I grabbed her hand and defended myself for the first time. "I've never hurt anyone. Just now, Claire was the one who pushed me into the lake."After I spoke, I looked at Mom expectantly. I thought they would be shocked, that they would suddenly realize the truth and regret everything.Instead, Mom shook her head forcefully, her eyes filled with disappointment. "Claire is so kind and thoughtful. Why would she do something like that? You're lying."Tears finally fell. How foolish I was to have any expectations of my parents. After all these years, their favoritism had already said everything.Mom grabbed me and dragged me to the hos

  • Hey, Ugly Duckling   Chapter 3

    The next morning, the bedroom door swung open, and Byron pulled me into the dining room. "Claire cooked for you herself. She wants to make amends."The table was covered with dishes. Claire limped out of the kitchen carrying the last plate, her smile sweet. "Sharon, I made all your favorites.""She knows you gave her blood to save her. She wanted to cook you a nice meal to make up for it." Byron's voice was gentle.Mom and Dad were already seated, showering Claire with praise. "Your leg hasn't even healed, and you're already thinking of others. How thoughtful."I glanced at the table. There were shrimp, crab, and scallops. Every single dish contained seafood that would give me a severe allergic reaction.A memory tore open like a wound. When I was ten years old, Claire secretly chopped up shrimp meat and mixed it into ravioli filling. After I ate it, my whole body swelled up, and I could barely breathe, nearly going into shock.Claire had laughed hysterically outside the emergenc

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status