The Ugly Duckling: Rise of the Forsaken Wife のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 121 - チャプター 130

“Self-defense?” Richard staggered as he stood up, one hand clutching the side of his face. His lip was split, and his eyes burned with rage. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” he hissed through gritted teeth.Danice ignored him and looked toward the stunned Butler James, signaling for him to close the door. Her grandfather was inside, and she didn’t want him to hear the commotion.Butler James quickly recovered and shut the door behind him.He stepped forward to support Richard. “What happened?”“Don’t you have eyes? She elbowed me and kicked me straight in the face!” Richard roared, his fury turning back toward Danice. “She used violence against her own father! What kind of sick person are you to raise your hand against your parent?”Danice crossed her arms calmly. “Then you should ask yourself the same thing. If you are really my father, what kind of father hits his own child?”Butler James finally noticed Danice’s swollen cheek. The pieces clicked together.Richard must have s

At the hotel where Richard was currently staying, Yvette arrived to report the progress of the past few days.“Dad… I don’t think Grandpa’s mind can be swayed. I tried my best, but Danice is always with him. She keeps ruining my plans,” she complained. In truth, she could no longer influence her grandfather the way she used to. From what she had seen these past few days, her grandfather trusted Danice and favored her more than anyone else.She had tried several times, but failed each one. She feared that if she continued pushing, her grandfather would realize what she was doing and it might backfire to her instead.There was nothing left she could do to change the old man’s mind—trying further would only bring harm. And Yvette placed all the blame for her failure on Danice.As expected, Richard did not doubt a single word. His eyes darkened, turning bloodshot with anger. The swelling on his cheek had not subsided. Feeling the pain, whatever guilt or lingering attachment he still had f

Mrs. Wilshire turned her gaze back to the painting. “It was the most painful thing I had ever experienced. Even more painful than the struggle of keeping the Wilshire name and the company he left behind.”Their lives were different, their stories not the same…But the pain they bore, the harshness they had endured, was something they both understood. Perhaps it was this shared suffering—different experiences, same wounds—that made them connect so deeply. A kind of recognition between kindred spirits.Danice and Mrs. Wilshire stared quietly at the lonely flower in the painting.She spoke softly, “He must be proud of you… for surviving and thriving.”Mrs. Wilshire smiled. “…Yes. He should be.”A quiet moment passed between them.Then Mrs. Wilshire turned to Danice. “To be honest, when I look at you, I see my past self. I was alone back then—desperate, helpless, with the world crumbling under my feet. And in that moment of complete despair, I found the strength to survive. I see that s

In the next room, the black long-haired man was on the phone. His butler sounded frantic as he urged him to come home.“Master, you must return. This is the fifth time the headmaster has summoned you. If we keep rejecting his calls, he might barge into your room himself. And if that happens, your uncle and father will definitely hear about it!”The man’s deep blue eyes remained on the painting before him—calm, unshaken, without a ripple of emotion. “There’s still something I need to do. Hold on for a few more days.”He ended the call while his butler was still shouting, “Wait—!”He couldn’t go back. Not yet.The dreams hadn’t stopped—they had worsened. The only time they halted was when he was physically close to her. It felt as though the dreams were pulling him, driving him toward her.He dialed another number. It was answered instantly.“Any news?” he asked.“We almost caught him, but he slipped away. This man is a professional.”“Keep looking.”A few days ago, the guard he assign

A/N: This chapter contains scenes of violence and explicit content that may be disturbing to some readers. Please read with caution.……They said people’s earliest memories are usually from around three to four years old. This is because the parts of the brain responsible for forming long-term memories are not fully developed before that age. But there are rare cases—like his—where the first memory appears as early as one year old.He remembered that night.The lights were off, and the dark sky outside raged with thunder and rain.In front of him was a woman leaning over his tiny body, her hands wrapped around his small neck. Each flash of lightning illuminated her face.Anger, madness, fear, and helplessness—everything twisted together. The younger him could not understand what that expression meant.“I… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have given birth to a monster like you…”He blinked, his head growing dizzy as his air supply thinned.“…I’ll kill you… then I’ll kill myself… so y