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Todos los capítulos de The Ugly Duckling: Rise of the Forsaken Wife: Capítulo 171 - Capítulo 180

223 Capítulos

171: The Last Message

No matter who it was—the audience, the judges, the staff, or the contestants—everyone was stunned by Danice’s choice. Choosing to continue with only a little time left was undoubtedly disadvantageous to her.Since it had been a technical error and she hadn’t seen the script, restarting the time would have been the reasonable decision.But Danice knew deep down that if the time were restarted, some people would still doubt the authenticity of her performance.This was the only choice she had if she wanted to avoid falling into Sophia’s scheme.The audience members who had initially doubted her gradually dispelled their suspicions. Whether the monitor had been working or not, it was still within the five-minute preparation window.As for those who believed something had gone wrong, they felt it was unfair to her. Yet since she insisted on continuing, they found her incredibly bold and daring. They couldn’t help but feel amazed.The judges, who had been worried, finally relaxed. It was t

172: A memory

Danice lifted her head and turned toward the camera. Through the screen, the audience met her gaze.“It’s already been years. But I still can’t forget.”Melancholy flickered briefly in her eyes, as if she were recalling something distant.“They say time can heal. That people come and go. That you’ll meet someone new and forget the others.” Danice’s voice gradually softened, as though she were lost in her memories.But just as her gaze softened, it suddenly hardened—something dark resurfacing. The nightmare returned. The anger, the pain, the chaos—all of it surged back at once. She stared straight into the camera, and the audience met her intense gaze through the screen.“But it’s a lie.”Her grave tone sent shivers down their spines, as if they were the ones who did wrong her—the ones she could never forget.“You have always been on my mind. That day keeps repeating for me.” Danice’s voice rose, the intense emotions she had been holding back finally stirring beyond control. The vessel

173: Three Trials

When Sophia stepped into the center of the stage, no one cheered for her, nor did anyone look at her. The audience and the judges seemed to be locked in heated discussion.Sophia calmly looked around. She had already expected this spectacle.The plan must have been flawless. Danice must have messed up in this round, unable to perform well without enough preparation time. The audience and the judges had to be discussing Danice’s failure.With Danice’s failure, her own performance would shine even brighter.Because she had been blindfolded and wearing headphones, she didn’t know what had transpired. She assumed the plan had been executed flawlessly.Sophia read the script with confidence. Certain that the performance before hers had been nothing remarkable, she relaxed and chose to rely on instinct.With only five minutes to prepare, Sophia went for the most easily swayed performance—the last message of a deceased loved one. She cried heartbrokenly, reminiscing about the past, her lonel

174: 'I remember'

There were only three lines in the script.[Script:]I remember.I remember.I remember.There was no title. No instructions. Just a single line, repeated three times.As the handsome senior stood stunned, the host suddenly announced,“There will be a twist this time. The preparation time will be shortened to two minutes, and the lines must be followed strictly. No improvisation. No additional lines. Time starts now!”The handsome senior was surprised by the sudden twist, but he couldn’t remain stunned for long. He had to decide what emotions and story he could convey using only those three lines.For him, this was the most challenging trial.The previous two scripts had been relatively easy. Their lines were connected and naturally told a story—the actor only needed to bring them to life with his own interpretation.This time, however, it was the same line repeated three times. To make it compelling, he had to infuse each repetition with a different emotion. Yet those emotions still

175: Not a man

She was brought to the Roans.At first, everyone was kind. She was given many gifts. Her room was no longer a tiny warehouse riddled with holes. Instead, she had a large, warm bed, beautiful clothes, and hot meals delivered to her every day. For a brief moment, she truly felt like a princess living in a beautiful castle.But it only lasted a short while.Soon, kindness gave way to schemes upon schemes. Smiles turned into mocking laughter. The abuse was subtle at first—hidden in words, glances, and calculated interactions. But after her grandfather died, it intensified.This was no castle. No fairy tale. It was hell.A hell far more vicious than the Zagars’.What made it even more hellish was hope. She had dared to dream. She had longed for family.Life inside that mansion was harsher than anything she had endured before. They didn’t just abuse her physically—they broke her mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.They crushed her.Over and over again.Danice’s eyes were her soul. The

176: Ranking

On the stage, Sophia was laughing madly, tears streaming down her face.Even from behind the screen, they could feel the intensity of her emotions.Danice watched calmly. Sophia was indeed strong in this trial—she went all out.She played the role of a deranged woman: crying through one line, laughing through the next, and finally erupting into full-blown madness.As Danice considered whether she should have delivered stronger emotions in the last trial, she heard Aldrin complaining.“Why does she always act like a madwoman? Isn’t she tired of that role?”Danice paused. She thought of the first and second rounds. Indeed, Sophia had played the madwoman twice already.“At this point, her acting is getting boring,” Regina commented.Danice didn’t know how Sophia had performed in the last two trials.So she asked, “Based on what you’ve watched, how’s the ranking?” She added, “Be honest. Don’t just say I’m number one because I’m your friend.”“It’s easy. You’re number one,” Aldrin said imm

177: The victor

Instructor Darlyn smiled. “Five months… To be able to surpass your seniors, play each script so unpredictably, and bring thrill to us every time you step on stage… I don’t think a normal person could achieve such results in five months. Perhaps our department has encountered a genius.”The two judges beside her nodded in agreement.Danice was stunned. Such high praise. She wasn’t a genius—she just had more experience than most people. And… she had practiced so intensely over those five months as if her life depended on it.“To be honest,” Mrs. Lorraine continued, “when you first auditioned for us before the beginning of the semester, my instinct told me you were an unpolished gem. Now, standing before us, you’ve shown your capability and potential. I have high hopes for you, and you have not disappointed me.” She looked at Danice kindly.She then proceeded to critique Danice’s performances, praising her flexibility in portraying different roles, her quick adaptability with each script

178: Sparkling

While the contestants were surrounded by the audience on stage, receiving congratulations, the person seated in the very last row of the audience remained where he was.Julian was looking at Danice.Danice couldn’t leave the stage. After taking photos with the judges, the contestants suddenly pulled her in to take pictures with them. Then several seniors from the audience came forward, followed by even more people taking turns to take photos with the victor.She smiled as cameras flashed around her. The spotlight shone on her, yet even without it, she was radiant—shining so brightly.Julian suddenly remembered their conversation in the valley. Danice had spoken about her dreams. She had said she wanted to stand on a stage, receive a grand award for acting, and wear a beautiful gown. Many people would know her name, and she would face everyone’s gaze with confidence and composure.The wind had caressed her fringe as she spoke, her smile gentle and her eyes sparkling.Now, Julian watche

179: Chaotic bunch

Danice froze. She looked at Renee in surprise.Calling someone he had just met “sister” didn’t seem like something he would normally do.Jenny was momentarily stunned. Though his tone was a bit cold and monotone, she found that it didn’t feel unpleasant.Her gaze toward Julian softened. “Nice to meet you too,” she replied, her tone lightening. “Danice has talked about you before. I finally get to meet you in person.”Danice felt suddenly exposed. Embarrassed, she hurried to explain, “I only mentioned you after our first meeting at the fashion show…”And their date.She quietly omitted that part. It would be far too embarrassing if he found out she had shared those details with Jenny.Julian didn’t know how to properly interact with a family member present. All his knowledge came from Butler Jin’s advice.When it came to Danice’s family and friends, he needed to bring them onto his side.The last time he had met Danice’s friends, he hadn’t left a good impression. It had even led to a c

180: One step closer

The apartment was small. The floor where his bedroom was located was perhaps much bigger than this entire place.But unlike that huge, desolate space, this home was cozy—full of life and warmth. Everywhere he looked was filled with traces of Danice.Photographs of Danice with Jenny and Hans were displayed on the walls. The hoodies she wore hung on the racks. The place was just like her—comfortable, warm, and soothing.It was a very private space, yet incredibly comfortable and inviting.He then noticed a room that was slightly ajar. It seemed to be a bedroom.Julian was about to look away, giving the owner of the room her privacy, when he paused.He glanced through the gap again—and saw Danice standing on the balcony.Julian lingered at the doorway for a moment before gathering the courage to knock.Danice turned, the cold air outside ruffling her fringe.“Can I come in?” he asked.Danice paused briefly, then gave a soft, “Mhm.”Julian opened the door and stepped inside.Danice’s space

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